I just found some thoughts about media, which I wrote down few years ago, using analogy from J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy book, “The Lord of the Rings.”
I would compare media to a Palantír (sometimes translated as "Seeing Stone" but literally meaning "Farsighted" or "One that Sees from Afar"; something like a television). It is a fictional magical artefact a crystal ball, used for both communication and as a means of seeing events in other parts of the world.
Palantírs were made by elf Feanor for a long distance communication. They were given to people of Numenor and they were very good thing. But as many powerful great things when in wrong hands, it became thing of destruction. Sauron, The Dark Lord, captured one of the Palantírs and used it against the people. And not being able to control people through it directly, he decided to attack in more secret but still very powerful way.
He shown to Denethor, steward of Gondor, only what he wanted him to see and through that he attacked one of most precious virtues in our lives; his hope. Through Palantir, Denethor saw that there is no hope for humanity seeing only destruction, suffering and death and that led him to despair and to his death. For without hope any difficulty seems unbearable.
Our media have the same power. They are great thing but in wrong hands they can be very destructive. People in media have ability to decide what to show us and what to keep secret. They dictate what we see and through fear they control our lives.
And so I appeal to everyone to look around, there is so much beauty everywhere. Do not let anything steal your hope. Focus on the positive and set your hope in Jesus.
I would compare media to a Palantír (sometimes translated as "Seeing Stone" but literally meaning "Farsighted" or "One that Sees from Afar"; something like a television). It is a fictional magical artefact a crystal ball, used for both communication and as a means of seeing events in other parts of the world.
Palantírs were made by elf Feanor for a long distance communication. They were given to people of Numenor and they were very good thing. But as many powerful great things when in wrong hands, it became thing of destruction. Sauron, The Dark Lord, captured one of the Palantírs and used it against the people. And not being able to control people through it directly, he decided to attack in more secret but still very powerful way.
He shown to Denethor, steward of Gondor, only what he wanted him to see and through that he attacked one of most precious virtues in our lives; his hope. Through Palantir, Denethor saw that there is no hope for humanity seeing only destruction, suffering and death and that led him to despair and to his death. For without hope any difficulty seems unbearable.
Our media have the same power. They are great thing but in wrong hands they can be very destructive. People in media have ability to decide what to show us and what to keep secret. They dictate what we see and through fear they control our lives.
And so I appeal to everyone to look around, there is so much beauty everywhere. Do not let anything steal your hope. Focus on the positive and set your hope in Jesus.
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