When Important Topics Are Trivialized

 

When People Focus On Petty Garbage



I typically start my morning routine by checking the latest headlines from the BBC. During this particular morning, I ran across an article about how several Western countries have sanctioned China over rights abuses (rightfully so). China have been running prison camps that were specifically made to house the Uighurs, which are a Muslim minority living in the Xinjian. China has targeted the entire minority population and its believed that they are 1-3 million Uighurs in these camps. I covered this topic about two years back when I did a series of articles covering religious persecution and its universal aspect.

Time To Trash-Talk Facebook Yet Again
Now, in the past, in order to gauge a mood on an particular topic, I would typically visit my Facebook feed. However, I would not actually recommend this for the sake of one's mental health. Even on a good day, Facebook is a toxic cesspool consumed by the hyper-emotional and melodramatic. After a horrible incident, like a mass-shooting, Facebook turns into a burning dumpster fire. The rancid platform is heavily populated by those who have very strong opinions, but yet, are horrible misinformed. Many tend to get their news from conspiracy mills or sensationalist click-bait.   One can't think rationally when in an emotionally overcharged state while basing their opinions on emotional hyperbole, and not fact.

This is why I have a very specific rule: I avoid Facebook when a incident extreme caliber occurs, especially in lite of the recent shootings. One's feed can be flooded by the impulsive instantly sharing misleading memes without considering the merit of such claims. Avoiding Facebook isn't that hard (for me though) as I've haven't been on the Internet's equivalent of that stopped-up septic tank for a few weeks now, only making a few rare appearances here and their.

Now Back To The Topic
As such, I'm not fully aware of what the general Facebook consensus of this particular topic would be, if their is one. However, given past experiences with similar topics, one can already form a very accurate opinion without visiting that rancid wasteland, and it isn't pretty. Instead of expressing solidarity for those suffering from persecution, regardless of religion, many more are interested in "keeping score". Instead of recognizing religious persecution as a universal issue that can affect anyone regardless of affiliation, many will trivialize this all-important topic. Several will claim persecution and Christian suffering simply because they were because they been inconvenienced or slighted in some manner (claiming persecution because someone heard "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" usually comes to mind). This does a massive disservice to those the world over who have endured REAL suffering, and in many cases, died because of their faith.

Instead of showing solidarity for those suffering, many will be dismissive. One forgets that if China can do that to Muslims, they can do that to Christians as well. This is why solidarity needs to be shown. It can happens to others as well. Instead of uniting behind a universal cause to champion, several will nitpick about who has it worst, as if their was some sick contest going on and the scores are written in blood. Words like "solidarity" and "interfaith" are treated as profanities by the self-righteous. Insightful dialogue and an opportunity for that interfaith response is drowned out due to meaningless bickering that accomplishes nothing.

ChristChurch
I've covered the topic of religious persecution on my blog a few years back. The ChristChurch shooting occurred while I was doing these articles. I became a witness to the tomfoolery that is pointless squabbling taking the form of Internet memes. Right after the shooting, instead of condemning extremism, many instead dismissed the incident and highlight their own perceived grievances. While Christian persecution is a very real topic, many highlighted false claims of persecution based from articles published from conspiracy theory mills looking to take advantage of the charged situation. Not only that, many screamed "media conspiracy" when those traditional sources didn't report on the sensationalist drivel coming from the conspiracy mills. A real topic becomes dismissed because several highlight abuses based on false claims. Even worse when those highlight such claims because they want to "keep score" rather than embrace that interfaith response to challenge extremism in its face.

Conspiracy Theories
Their have been isolated cases in many parts of the world where Christians, along various other unfortunate victims of other religions as well, have been killed because of their faith (as mentioned earlier, religious persecution is an universal issue). However, their deaths weren't reported because in an industry where news is treated as a business and not a public service, ratings would have been figured into the equation. No conspiracy theory needed, just simple Capitalisms at play unfortunately. This is an product of when we treat death as an form of entertainment. The simple truth doesn't hold well for those looking for those perpetuating outlandish media conspiracies declaring that Christian suffering around the world is being systemically hidden (even though such suffering has been widely reported). 

However,  cases of extreme violence have been widely reported in the media. The rampage committed by ISIS have been widely reported, among various other incidents, which debunks the claims that Christian suffering haven't been reported on. I've included various Snopes articles in the reference to debunks such claims.

What makes this a harder topic to address is that their have been real incidents of Christian suffering, but their have also been many cases where many impulsively shared random click-bait from those conspiracy mills that were also flat-out lies. As such, a very important topic is trivialized when many impulsively share sensationalist click-bait without checking the validity of that information. Many will just naturally assume that any website or source that has the word "Christian" in the name won't lie to them, and as such, they will embrace whatever content they publish as the gospel truth without batting an eye. Those operating such sites know this too.

Yet Another Shooting (Extremism)
It ironic that this article, like those articles on religious persecution, is being typed in the shadow of yet another unfortunate shooting. Their was another mass-shooting, this time at an supermarket in Boulder, Colorado. This shooting occurred shortly after yet mass-shooting at a spa in Atlanta that was racially motivated.

Regardless, extremism is the same, regardless of the group, and anyone who embraces extremists views need to be condemned. Their is no excuses when white-superracist commit crimes, and their needs to be condemnation when Radical Muslims do the same thing. It's still too earlier to know motives, but yet, that hasn't stopped various individuals from jumping to conclusions. If extremists Islamist connections are highlighted, then they need to be exposed.  However, I will wait for the evidence. I will form my opinion from the words of experts, and not the words of the hasty and impulsive. We need to remember and honor those who died, and not give the shooter the publicity that we wants. Radical Islam and its dangers have been highlighted on this blog as well, along with white-supremacy and other groups. 

Unfortunately, the topic of extremism, like that of religious persecution, can also be trivialized as well. Those who cherry-pick their demons will ignore the topic as a whole. They fail to realize that extremism is dangerous, regardless of the group carrying out the crime. Nobody is discounting the danger of Radical Islam. At the same time, white-supremacy is very destructive as well and they need to be exposed as well. Their are no winners with extremism. We all lose and suffer though.

Civic Rights
Given the universal aspect of universal aspect of religious persecution, their is a personal duty to highlight the persecution of non-Christian groups along with Christians. The reason for this is that they go through the same suffering as well. One can't discount their suffering simply because they aren't Christian. No one is immune from it.

I feel that their is a stigma within Christianity that persecution is a Christian-only topic. The reason for this is that when wrongdoing happens to others, it's not persecution because they weren't Christian, and as such, they got what they deserved. This is why many Christians only focus on Christian-specific cases of persecution while dismissing the general topic as a whole. This is a very horrible mindset as people feel the same pain, regardless of which party does the inflicting.

This brings up a very important topic. In this country, we're all equal within the civic setting. As such, if we Christians want our rights to be upheld, then we have to uphold the rights of Buddhist, Hindu's, Muslims, Atheist, Agnostic, and our Jewish neighbors as well. We can't demand red-carpet treatment while screaming at others to get off of that carpet.

In a democracy, in order for our rights to be upheld, the rights of others have to be upheld as well. If you don't uphold the rights of others, than will others uphold your rights? This includes the LGBTQ community as well. This is something that many don't want to read or hear. Yet, if their civic rights aren't upheld, then will they uphold your rights? Democracy is the civic equivalent of the Golden Rule at work. Treat others as you treat yourself. If you respect others, others will respect you. If you're apathetic and dismissive of the needs of others, than others will be dismissive and apathetic of your needs. Respect is something that has to be earned, not demanded. One can't simply demand respect because on chooses to treat their religious affiliation as an label to demand respect.

Articles Of Interest (This is the real reason you should come for these articles!)
Uighurs: Western countries sanction China over rights abuses (BBC) - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56487162
Boulder shooting: Ten victims and suspect identified by police (BBC) - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56501234
Atlanta shooting: Biden condemns anti-Asian racism (BBC)- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56464411
Atlanta spa shootings: Who are the victims? (BBC) - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56446771
Patheos - Christian: You Are Upset About the Wrong Things
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/unfundamentalistchristians/2017/06/christian-upset-wrong-things/ 

Articles Of Interest (Time To Trash-Talk Facebook Again)

Where Countries Are Tinderboxes and Facebook Is a Match (NYTimes) :

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/21/world/asia/facebook-sri-lanka-riots.html

As Facebook Addresses Role in Myanmar Violence, Look Back at Early Warnings (FRONTLINE - PBS) :

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/as-facebook-addresses-role-in-myanmar-violence-look-back-...

Burned to death because of a rumour on WhatsApp (BBC) :

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-46145986

Nationalism a driving force behind fake news in India, research shows (BBC) :

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-46146877

THE FACEBOOK DILEMMA (FRONTLINE) :

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/facebook-dilemma/

Criticism of Facebook (Wikipedia) :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Facebook

Rohingya genocide : Facebook's role in the genocide (Wikipedia) :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohingya_genocide#Facebook's_role_in_the_genocide

Inside Facebook’s ‘cult-like’ workplace, where dissent is discouraged and employees pretend to be happy all the time (CNBC) :

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/08/facebook-culture-cult-performance-review-process-blamed.html

How Facebook Exposes Domestic Violence Survivors (The Daily Beast) :

https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-facebook-exposes-domestic-violence-survivors

Articles of Interest : Extremism
Snopes - ‘The Ladder Down to Hell’: How Social Media Breeds Hate Speech : https://www.snopes.com/news/2019/03/21/anti-muslim-hate-speech-rising/
Patheos :  It’s Not About Muslim or Christian. It’s About Extremism - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/suspendedinherjar/2019/03/muslims-christians-extremists/
Patheos :  Christian Persecution – Fact or Fiction - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/blackwhiteandgray/2013/06/christian-persecution-fact-or-fiction/
BBC - Growing religious persecution 'a threat to everyone' :  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-30001063
BBC - Christian persecution 'at near genocide levels :  https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-48146305
Wikipedia - Genocide of Yazidis by ISIL : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocide_of_Yazidis_by_ISIL
Wikipedia - Persecution of Shias by ISIL : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Shias_by_ISIL
Wikipedia - Persecution of Christians by ISIL : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Christians_by_ISIL
Wikipedia :  2017 Rohingya persecution in Myanmar - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Rohingya_persecution_in_Myanmar
ADL : Murder and Extremism in the United States in 2018 - https://www.adl.org/murder-and-extremism-2018
ADL Report: White Supremacist Murders More Than Doubled in 2017 - https://www.adl.org/news/press-releases/adl-report-white-supremacist-murders-more-than-doubled-in-20...
FBI:UCR (Uniform Crime Reporting) : Victims - https://ucr.fbi.gov/hate-crime/2017/topic-pages/victims
The Guardian : FBI data shows sharp rise in US hate crimes - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/nov/13/fbi-data-hate-crimes-rise-us-report
BBC :  FBI: US hate crimes rise for second straight year - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41975573
FBI : 2016 Hate Crime Statistics - https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2016-hate-crime-statistics
UK.REUTERS.COM : U.S. hate crimes rise for second straight year - FBI - https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-hatecrime-fbi/u-s-hate-crimes-rise-for-second-straight-year-fb...

Conspiracy Theories - ChristChurch
Snopes :  Did Muslim Terrorists Bomb a Church in the Philippines “Yesterday,” Killing 30 Christians? - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/muslim-terrorists-bomb-philippines/
Snopes :  Does This Photograph Show Nigerian Christians Burned Alive by Muslims? (Warning: Several of these pictures are graphical in nature. Caution advised) - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/photograph-christians-burned-muslims/?fbclid=IwAR0Rj11OqLVGiY5pOJv...
Snopes :  Did ‘Muslim Militants’ Kill 120 Christians in Nigeria in February/March 2019? - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/nigeria-christians-muslims/ 

Conspiracy Theories (GeneralSpiritual Exploitation of Fear)
 Patheos : Unbelievable - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2019/03/19/unbelievable/

Patheos : 3 Reasons Evangelical Christians Fall for Conspiracy Theories - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/jaysondbradley/2020/05/3-reasons-evangelical-christians-fall-for-conspiracy-theories/

Wikipedia - Pat Robertson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Robertson
Wikipedia - John Hagee https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hagee
Wikipedia - Jerry Falwell Sr. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Falwell_Sr.
Wikipedia - Left Behind https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_Behind
Patheos - Jim Bakker: If Donald Trump Doesn’t Win in 2020, Christians Will “Suddenly Die” https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2019/06/22/jim-bakker-if-donald-trump-doesnt-win-in-2020-christi...
RWW - Jim Bakker: Christian Leaders and Politicians Will Be Murdered if Trump is not Re-Elected https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/jim-bakker-christian-leaders-and-politicians-will-be-murdered-if...
NPR - Missouri Sues Televangelist Jim Bakker For Selling Fake Coronavirus Cure https://www.npr.org/2020/03/11/814550474/missouri-sues-televangelist-jim-bakker-for-selling-fake-cor...

Media Bias Fact Check : The (Philadelphia) Trumpet - https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/the-trumpet/ 

Snopes :  Would a Proposed Law ‘Ban the Bible’ in California? - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/california-bible-ban/   
FactCheck.org :  California Bill Wouldn’t Ban the Bible - https://www.factcheck.org/2018/04/california-bill-wouldnt-ban-the-bible/ 
The Hill - Mike Pence tells Liberty University graduates to prepare to be 'shunned,' 'ridiculed' for being a Christian - https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/443262-mike-pence-tells-liberty-university-graduat...
PolitiFact - Could students pray, discuss El Paso mass shooting in school? : https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2019/aug/19/dan-patrick/could-students-pray-discuss-el-paso-ma... 

Snopes :  Did a Michigan Town ‘Submit to Sharia’ Over a New Mosque? - https://www.snopes.com/news/2017/03/01/sterling-heights-mosque/ 
Snopes :  Tennessee Schoolchildren Forced to Bow Down to Allah - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tennessee-schoolchildren-islam/ 
Snopes :  Was Sharia Law Established in Texas? - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/sharia-law-texas/?fbclid=IwAR3Y_ArCxna24QlxOBGL403P0wfESLVi6EzGMPe... 
Snopes : Did U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar Say “We Are Here to Take Over America”? - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/omar-take-over-america/?fbclid=IwAR11Zc20XNFD0iGzTzL-9G02mop0wSAQh... 
Snopes :  Was the ‘Media Silent’ About the Islamic Party of Ontario? - https://www.snopes.com/news/2019/01/07/media-silent-islamic-party-of-ontario/?fbclid=IwAR3QjtXZ3AuJY... 
Snopes :  Did Muslims Open Fire on California Hikers? - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/muslims-open-fire-hikers/ 
San Antionio Current - Russian Trolls Organized Both Sides of an Islam Protest in Texas - https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2017/11/01/russian-trolls-organized-both-sides-of-an-is...
The Texas Tribune - A Russian Facebook page organized a protest in Texas. A different Russian page launched the counterprotest. - https://www.texastribune.org/2017/11/01/russian-facebook-page-organized-protest-texas-different-russ... 

Articles of Interest - Conspiracy Theories (General Nonsense)

Snopes : Did Melinda Gates Wear an Upside-Down Cross? -  https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/melinda-gates-upside-down-cross/ 
Snopes : Are Bill Gates and the ID2020 Coalition Using COVID-19 To Build Global Surveillance State? -  https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/bill-gates-id2020/ 
Snopes : Did Celine Dion launched a Luciferian gender-neutral children's clothing line? - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/celine-dion-childrens-clothing/ 
Snopes : Is Bill Gates Funding Efforts To Block The Sun? - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/gates-block-sun/

Snopes - Does Facebook Prohibit Posting of the Lord’s Prayer? : https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/facebook-lords-prayer/
Snopes - Did Facebook Ban All Christian-Themed Content? : https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/facebook-bans-christian-content/

POLITIFACT :  A photo of 'Muslims laughing' in front of Notre Dame is doctored - https://www.politifact.com/facebook-fact-checks/statements/2019/apr/16/viral-image/photo-muslims-lau...
Poynter - Why fact-checkers couldn’t contain misinformation about the Notre Dame fire - https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2019/why-fact-checkers-couldnt-contain-misinformation-about-th...
FactCheck.org : Notre Dame Fire Fuels Anti-Muslim Conspiracy Theory - https://www.factcheck.org/2019/04/notre-dame-fire-fuels-anti-muslim-conspiracy-theory/?platform=hoot.. 
Wikipedia - Notre-Dame de Paris fire - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame_de_Paris_fire 

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