News Industry Should Monitor “Citizen Journalism”?

 …”Supporters of “citizen journalism” argue it provides independent, accurate, reliable information that the traditional media don’t provide. While it has its place, the reality is it really isn’t journalism at all, and it opens up information flow to the strong probability of fraud and abuse. The news industry should find some way to monitor and regulate this new trend.”…

Full Article: Atlanta-Journal Constitution

David Hazinski has an opinion about bloggers that most (including me) will disagree with and while the news industry monitors blogs for reliable and trustworthy content, someone needs to do the same with television, magazines, books and schools, including Professor Hazinski’s University of Georgia. Are websites and blogs under the same umbrella? If not, let’s add websites.

Hmmm…hasn’t all this been done before…? There is a very real (insane) effort to control the media and the masses by those with the money to implement. What is wrong with thinking for ourselves?

As far as D.Hazinki’s “merit”, in reading a few blog posts referencing Prof. Hazinski’s article in the OPINION section of the Atlanta Constitution, I am disappointed to see the language and denigration some think it takes to get a point across, thereby making blogging seem inferior.” Inferior to what?” we may wonder. If we are condemning mainstream media, why are we using those tactics and why does the ‘f word’ in the world-wide-public make one feel as if they’ve made a valid point? Such keeps me from linking to an otherwise informative/funny post.

Well, that’s their right and my opinion. It works both ways!

In light of this article from WorldNetDaily, there is irony in any teacher/ professor criticizing “citizen journalism”.

Regarding a teacher who’s supposed to be teaching European History:

…”The teacher, James Corbett of the Capistrano Unified School District”,spends an extended period of time at the beginning of each class discussing topics that are not only irrelevant to history but also inflammatory and often altogether inappropriate for high school students,” the firm’s announcement said.

“Corbett causes students who hold religious beliefs to feel like second-class citizens because of their protected religious expression, beliefs and conduct.

“He has gone as far as stating, ‘When you put on your Jesus glasses, you can’t see the truth,’” the law firm said. “…

Kudos to the student who brought that to the forefront!

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Liberty… a memory?

Pray without ceasing. 1Thessalonians 5:17

Contentious Commenters

 Christians blog out of love simply because we want everyone to be in heaven reaping the rewards of faithfulness. We want everyone to understand what it means and how fulfilling it is to take up the Cross and follow Jesus to a worthwhile life. I do not understand why some reject Him and I do not understand why they insist on vilifying us on our sites. The irreligious and unbelievers can forget converting me so, please, spend time in God’s Word rather than finding fault with those who choose to share the joy.

John 5:24~ “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life”.

Visitors have been leaving heated comments regarding my stand against homosexuality and The Golden Compass. Ironically, they have sent others here to “investigate” and I had to close comments and set them to “awaiting moderation” in order to watch out for those who may be hindered by such poison. I am quite sure they would not appreciate me visiting their site to leave contentious remarks.

Romans 10:17~ “So faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” 

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that satan promotes human logic and intelligence way above God’s Holiness. I am not averse to expounding on anything I’ve said and I am open to discussion but when someone approaches dialogue with an attitude of “dumbing me down”, beginning with what an idiot I am for believing scripture and how ignorant Christians are, I see nothing except problems that I am not required to babysit.

Matthew 10:14~”And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet“.

I cannot tell you everything that I have experienced and learned over the years; I can only encourage you to seek and support Godliness.

1 Corinthians 15:2~”It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you-unless, of course, you never believed it in the first place”.

That is not to say that God cannot change any and every heart, but one must be willing and receptive to begin change. It is not my place to debate or beg someone in to believing in Jesus Christ as our Savior, nor is it up to me to coerce or cajole anyone who has access to so much good information, yet they seek darkness. Way before the internet, we had the privilege of owning Bibles and it’s a shock how many do not know what it contains and the marvel of the peace that comes with understanding God’s promises. 

1 Peter 1:23‑25~ “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever”. And this is the word that was preached to you”.

You can find those who will expend time and energy arguing with you, but I am not one. I have prayed for you, and will continue to pray.

Note: One of the inflammatory commentors contends that if we had to follow through with all that’s in 1Corinthians 6:9-10, why not just give up? God is alive and listening. He will forgive if we ask and repent. To repent in this case means not only being remorseful, but changing what we know is sinful behavior or thinking. Pridefulness must be set aside.

1Corinthians 6:9-10~”Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God”.

Please, seek Him before it’s too late!

I love you but, more importantly, God loves You!

Thank You, Fellow Bloggers!

Here I am among you and you have restored my faith in our ability. I have read blogs that make me laugh, some make me go “Huh?” and some make me feel like an I.D.10.T.   I then realize you allow me to be good at what I’m good at and I just go with the flow, showing the same courtesy! I see folk from different parts of the world and that’s a sign that they also want to share in this amazing medium. This is so cool!

I love the blogs that give praise to God and am happy to know that I have family here. I have been a Christian many years and have studied and meditated in depth, yet I have learned from and enjoyed the uplifting thoughts others share every day since I began.

I am becoming less intimidated and more apt to hit “publish” rather than wonder… I remind myself that my beliefs do not allow me to hide my light under a bush so I am going to do my best to make what I share worthy of God-granted ability.

When I read the average reading level statistics, I felt overwhelmed! It makes my head hurt to think about Americans not being able to read! The predominant grade level for reading averages throughout the reports I read was eighth for high school graduates!

When I sat down to write after I read that, I was constantly going in to “tools” in my Word program and clicking on “spelling and grammar” to find out how many passive sentences I had and what grade level the writing was on. I was going crazy trying to get to eighth grade. I gave up on that effort. Who’s dumbing down whom? Scholarly can be monotonous although necessary at times, but ignorance is not bliss.

There are reports and essays all over the internet and elsewhere telling us that we have an illiteracy epidemic. If you’ve read my “Zero Reading Level?” post, you know that I have encountered individuals who are plagued with this malady. That may sound corny, but I think it’s something we can have a part in redeeming.

Start at home, but read with children every chance you get. I don’t know if it’s allowed in all schools, understandable if not, but in my area, adults volunteer to read a certain number of days in a school year. The local library has a lot of similar programs, especially in the summer.

I am the aunt who always makes sure books are a part of long visits. My son was reading before he started school and I think it may be partly due to having  books before he could talk and seeing me and other adults reading. It was natural that he wanted to be in on the action. I promise, he’s a genius! ;-)

The controversy about which way to teach reading, letters vs. whole words, seems redundant. Feel free to offer input, but learning whole words without being able to sound out letters in the first place would seem to limit the amount of words learned, hence, vocabulary and reading is impeded. English is not an easy language but that’s not a viable excuse.

I am not a scholar but thank God for parents, teachers, and others who cared that I know how to find information, dissect it and think for myself. Anyone who cannot read is missing out on those privileges. Like everything else, it is up to each person to take this reading issue personal.

If you’re interested, here is an essay I like:

http://www.nrrf.org/essay_Illiteracy.html

 

Thanks again for entertaining and enlightening! Happy blogging!