Sensationalism.

Recently I began watching a program on the internet dealing with the supernatural. I thought “cool” because I do believe in the supernatural. As a matter of fact, I think it’s supernatural that we exist at all. For example, we humans are comprised of over 90% water, breathing something we cannot see (even on a cold winter day) called “oxygen”, kept earth bound by something we cannot see with the visible eye, yet we’ve identified it to be uh . . . “gravity”. What human in his or her NATURAL mind could create a species such as we are, and give each of us our own fingerprints, blood type and features, and yet not duplicate any of us? Even identical twins (and triplets and quads, etc.) have features that set themselves apart. After all, their Creator did not get confused about grouping them together in the same womb at the same time. He just wanted to keep things interesting. ;-) So as far as I am concerned, it’s all supernatural.

Yet, in our society we don’t see these as supernatural because science has somehow been able to “explain” these phenomena and now we accept them as natural, or the norm. Thus they’ve lost their zing! So be it. But what about those things we just cannot explain? Now that’s what the program I’ve been watching is dealing with. Those things we call spooky, or spiritual maybe? Now lest you think I’m making fun or light of these things, or even doubting the sincerity and authenticity of the telecast and guests, let me make it clear from the git-go, I am not. I too have had my own experiences which, when I’ve shared with those who have not had them looked at me in either disbelief, or in sincere sympathy, “that’s just Jean. We always knew she was special.” LOL!! My focus is not on whether the content of the program (and others like it) are factual. No not at all. I want to talk about embellishments, special effects – audio and visual, flattery, enhancements, airbrushing, exaggerations, deception, overdoing it. I.E.: Sensationalism.

This morning I was reading in one of the books written by the prophet Moses, Deuteronomy 10:1-3, which records Moses’ recount of having to cut (hew) some tablets for God to rewrite the Ten Commandments on because in a moment of temporary insanity (we call that losing ones temper), Moses broke the first ones. Many of us grew up in the 70’s and 80’s watching the movie starring Charleton Heston as Moses. Well if you will recall, when he came down the mountain (in the movie that is) he was lugging a heavy load: two “tomb-stone” sized tables with God’s heavy commandments on them. Ooooh, how scary God was to those Hebrews out in the desert and how scared they were of Him too. After all, they witnessed His miracles on their behalf to get them out of Egypt to where they were now: at the foot of this mountain called Sinai.

Well, this time around I’m reading this exciting book in the Amplified version of the Bible, and I love it because throughout, it provides historical information and facts regarding the times in which recorded history of the Bible was actually lived. One such piece of information is this from a lengthy footnote on page 224 (Zondervan Publishing House): “One of the many misconceptions of articles and events mentioned in the Bible, innocently perpetuated by artists without adequate knowledge, is that of the size of the two tables of stone on which the Ten Commandments were written. They were not great tombstone-sized slabs, but probably small rectangular plates, two of which could easily be carried in one hand.” Please bear with me as I also add the last two sentences of this footnote, and I quote, “Dr. George L. Robinson brought from the Sinai area a pair of ‘tables of stone’ believed comparable to those mentioned here, which he put in his coat pocket. Moses says here, ‘I . . . went up the mountain with the two tables of stone in my [one] hand,’ and he confirms it in Exodus 34:4.”

Hmmmm, kind of takes a little weight off Moses’ shoulders doesn’t it? But does knowing the truth about the size of the tablets cause us to accept the story any less than before? Now that we know the tablets could fit in his one hand do we think God’s Word should be taken more lightly? Does the truth about this make this part of the story less exciting than before? Would we be willing to watch the “Ten Commandments” if Charleton Heston, or maybe another great actor with a booming voice came down the mountain as Moses, and presented to the people God’s Word on pocket-sized notebook paper? Maybe I’m asking these questions to the wrong generation because now we prefer things small and concise: computer chips and iPods, smaller computers and mobile phones in the ear.

Nevertheless, there’s still the need and desire in our society to see things “bigger” than they really are. This doesn’t mean we want to carry them around in our purses, or continue to house them in our homes (except for the flat-screened HD televisions. The bigger the better!), but we need our senses energized and motivated, tickled. Nothing does it for us better than special effects and sensationalism. Reality television is popular because you get to watch peoples’ lives as they’re supposedly being lived out and we all know that real life is not rehearsed or scripted, so anything can happen. That’s the sensationalism of reality TV – anything can happen at any time, and so it’s the expectation of the unexpected that keeps us tuning in again and again. Our senses remain in a heightened state.

But if you’re familiar with biology, psychology, and the human body, you will understand that it is not healthy or NORMAL for humans to remain in this state of mind, and thus keeping our bodies in what is called the “fight-or-flight” mode. Even, and especially, when there’s no reason to run and no reason to fight. It’s like leaving on the lights in rooms that are unoccupied; an unnecessary waste of energy that cannot be retrieved, but yet must be paid for. This is what happens to us when we’re surrounded by constant excitement – our bodies and minds are paying for wasted energy, but we don’t want to stop it and change, until we’ve run out of time.

This is what sensationalism does to us. First of all it’s like airbrushed models – covering up what’s truly there hoping to cause viewers to like and accept the product right away, and also desiring to not only LOOK like him or her, but for some people, they want to BE them. Sensationalism is like flattery too – it’s a lie people tell themselves and each other to hide the truth. Sensationalism is embellishments, and enhancements of the facts, but to a level of overdoing it, like wearing too much makeup, or gaudy big jewelry with a sequined outfit. ;-) Many times what we refer to as “special effects” – visual and audio are just forms of sensationalism. They appeal to the five senses to draw and captivate our attention. Now I will be the first in line to see a good sci-fi movie because I love special effects and especially wonderfully scored music to accompany them, but there comes a time in all of our lives when we must push back from the table of . . . hmmm, I cannot seem to find an easier way to say it so I’ll just say it, deception and lies, and face and embrace TRUTH.

Real everyday life can sometimes be boring, I know this, but it is what it is, and it is what we sometimes make it too. We have choices, and I’m learning more each day that within me are choices that can create excitement for me and others, and there are decisions that can keep me in a dumpster mood. It’s all up to me, for I’VE GOT THE POWER! ;-) But as far as I’m concerned, and I don’t know about you, but when a person says they are bored, it’s because they are BOR-ING. Duh. It’s like “we are what we eat”. Therefore we are what we say we are, we are what we think, and we are what we do. Yes we are! “And you will know The TRUTH, and the TRUTH shall set you free.”

We choose sensationalism because we don’t like what we see and know, it’s not good enough, it no longer satisfies. We choose sensationalism because the truth is not exciting enough, it won’t “sell” on its own, the fans won’t like and accept us if we’re not airbrushed, the record companies won’t record us if we don’t sound like someone else. And on and on and on. Sensationalism will take us out on a limb far away from the tree, but it cannot keep us safe there when the storm winds blow. Nor can it keep the limb from breaking. Sensationalism cannot bring us true joy and happiness, and it will fade away with the credits. Sensationalism never fulfills, and we have to continue “using” it and “eating” and “drinking” it, and “inhaling” it just to keep up our moods. Sensationalism takes on a life of its own, yet it has no true or lasting life to give.

Yes, I use makeup, and sometimes I find the need for certain clothing to help un-enhance my figure if you will, but I never lose touch with my reality, who I really am, when using these tools. And that’s all they are – tools, or gifts if you will, to help us, not use us, or drive us, or to control or change us. To enhance what we really are but not to the point that God doesn’t even recognize us! And not to the point where we don’t know who we are and we forget we’re not perfect, nor are we invincible (sorry MJ). Enhance, but don’t deceive. Be attractive, but not a sellout. Let’s not sell our souls for things that don’t last. Let’s not allow ourselves to be led by the nose into the latest fads and fashions, diets and exercise, religions and spiritualists, celebrities and musicians, presidents and governments, etc. Let’s learn to use the God-given minds we have. We don’t need to let others think for us, making our life’s decisions for us, turning our homes, minds and health upside down because of something flashy and big.

In Matthew’s Gospel chapter 23:1-12, Jesus talks to his disciples about sensationalism. He shares with them what “religious” people (and we can be religious about anything from collecting candles to riding horses. Being religious is not just about the church or other religions.)look like, their tendencies, so they will know what to avoid in their own characters; not so they can play the blame game, or I’m-better-than-you dodgeball. Sensationalism empowers us to elevate ourselves, our cause, our desires, our business, our beliefs – ours, I, me, mine, us – to “be” more than we are. It is a form of deception and lying which introduces and or feeds (and feeds on) an attitude of pride, arrogance and haughtiness. In verse 12 Jesus says, “Whoever exalts himself [with haughtiness and empty pride] shall be humbled (brought low), and whoever humbles himself [whoever has a modest opinion of himself and behaves accordingly] shall be raised to honor.”

As I said in the beginning, I believe in the supernatural, and I love special affects and ear candy, as one musician termed it, in music, but icing is spread on cakes, not on flashing lights or moving photos of cakes. When we’re sharing our life-stories and expressing ourselves, the cake of the matter – the truth is what’s really wanted and needed. If we don’t like our truth, then we do have the power to change it, for good or bad, but using sensationalism to change its appearance just delays the inevitable: curtain call! We can be transformed (from the inside out) by the renewing (changing) our minds (our thoughts and beliefs). Sensationalism does not have the power to do this, only Truth.

Peace.