Hatred & Propaganda are Alive and Well in the 21st Century

The topic of religion comes with frequent misconstruals and misunderstandings - especially when it comes to discussions of God. People often confuse a religious lifestyle with loving God. Now the question that always comes up: what is the “right or wrong” way to serve God?  Not the same people who once used the Bible to promote and enslave other human beings….right? Most recently, certainly not those who have started cults to make child marriage legal right? Even today you'd find it a challenge to get everyone to agree about who should prescribe right and wrong, even in extreme cases. 

  Before deciding on a religious institution, it's vital that one finds oneself as a person. Question things. Look for answers, rather than just following what society tells you to do because it’s what they deem right. Ask questions like  “What does this mean to me?” “Where does this come from, “What's been changed, what's been kept?” The most important question of all would be WHY? As in “Why do I follow this or believe in that?” These questions force one to look inside, question one's own beliefs and traditions before one takes someone else’s, to first find God within.

The Book of Jeremiah states that “Evildoer's prophesy lies, offering false visions, divinations, idolatries,and the delusion of their own minds.” reminding people that there will always be those who take advantage of scripture for their own selfish gain. 

Later, the Book of Matthew would also warn readers to be on the lookout, “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, even the elect.” From the very start biblical authors were warning people of faith, as they anticipated those who would try to exploit the power of sacred writing: dishonest preachers, politicians, spiritual leaders claiming exclusive rights to the truth. Matthew shows us Jesus himself issuing such a warning in chapter 13. Jesus explained: “This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.” He explains that he speaks in parables to help his followers understand the truth, by encouraging the use to read between the lines and look for the deeper meaning.

When one begins to really pay attention to the world, one not only begins to see the patterns and propaganda that’s constantly being played on repeat, but one sees the barely hidden symbolism that holds the truth in things that are often taken a little too literally. When they can't get you with politics, they get you with racism, when they can’t get you with racism, they get you with gender, and when it’s not gender, it's religion. Even when these topics are their own subject, some still find a way to bring religion into the picture to spread hate amongst whatever the topic pertaining to whatever these problems may be. 

Let me clarify what I mean when I say “they." My “they” starts with any leader who bends the power of the government with narrow, spiteful ideals, or who encourage propaganda. By "encourage," I mean those who spread hate by politicizing race or religious belief--or the "they" that criticize and demonize a person who chooses to love their own gender just because they don't like that it exists, as though same-sex love were a thing that just sprang up overnight. Saying “That stuff is of the devil" doesn't change the facts. "They" are the people from the top down who really need to grow up. 

Today's reality sees an overwhelming number of our public leaders use hatred to thrive by advancing their careers. People at war with themselves are easy to control than people who understand their own true power and the influence that each person can have. As citizens at large and vital member of our communities at home, we can begin to see that we are MUCH more than what we are too often shown to be through media-hyped religious and political propaganda.  We would step into our true selves and thrive on our own. 

Tragically, political and religious propaganda are made for each other. Step back to the 18th and 19th century British West Indies; the slave bible would be published and used for centuries by slave masters to manipulate and brainwash slaves into thinking slavery was the will of god himself. Even now in many African countries women are tortured by a process a called genital mutilation--a practice that is exactly what the phrase says. The 20th century was hardly immune to religio-political hatred expressed through propaganda. Hitler justified suppressing Jewish people by stating that the expulsion and extermination of Jews and other minorities was “Doing them a great service by pushing them out of public schools and public functions” (Source: Mein Kampf).

Propaganda, Judgement, and the Power of Symbolism

The ideals behind such propaganda exist in places we wouldn’t suspect; it exists through symbolism. Entertainment media puts things right in our face daily especially within the music and film industry. It’s no secret that films are symbolic, as is music; they can affect our mood, perspective on certain things, both negatively and positively. Works like The Truman Show, Them, and The Matrix are written off as pop culture “conspira-tainment” but just as the tone of a sad or relatable song relays its own message beneath the song's listenable surface, beneath the flash and entertainment there's a truth, a kind of parable. A movie like The Notebook uses epic symbolism to make you feel tender sadness. Movies like Titanic use sweeping, romantic scenes and epic orchestral music to invoke deeply emotional feelings of tragedy and lost love. Scary movies like Hereditary use ominous visuals and terrifying minor tones to evoke dread and terror.  Symbolism in religious and political media are just as power--and it actually matters. 

Religion matters, and always has.  For that reason I believe there is real danger for Americans--or anyone--in taking the words of The Bible literally and only literally. Even the Bible itself appears to warn against this.  Luke 17:21 states “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, “See here!” or “See there!” for the kingdom of God is within you.” John 14:20 says “I am in my father, and you in me, and I in you.”  These verses are telling its readers to search within because God is within. Find who YOU are to find God.  The Bible speaks about both truth and lies that can only be recognized when followers stop being such followers, stop listening to the same people who open commit every sin known to mankind then turn to preach the Word and pronounce judgement on people they don't even know.