By Dawnita Fogleman

Headlines are crafted to grab your attention. The “best” headlines foster a strong emotion: fear and anger are undoubtedly the strongest emotions that are fairly easy to muster. Sometimes headlines will play on a person’s pride or sympathy as well.

The truth is, if the headline doesn’t grab a person’s attention and evoke some emotion, most people aren’t going to read it.

Whether it’s an announcement for a big fundraising banquet, an upcoming political gathering, or news of a local tragedy, the headline needs to say a lot in very few words.

Now, with many getting their “news” from videos, we have what has been dubbed “clickbait.” These are titles, essentially headlines, that are possibly misleading, trying to grab your attention and elicit strong emotion, so you will hopefully click into the video, watch a small portion of it, and leave a comment.

Just like a newspaper, where few people read beyond the first few sentences, viewers seldom watch more than a minute or two of a video.

If they do read the whole article, they usually skim. If they watch the whole video, it’s not attentive throughout.

What tends to happen is, we end up being interested in a certain topic and become quite invested. Then we want to read as many articles and watch as many videos on that topic as possible. When this is current events-related, it can easily become overwhelming, especially when sources are trying to retain your attention as a return reader/viewer.

This can build on those emotions the headlines and content are working to elicit.

I see a lot of women just pull away from all news, leaving themselves in the dark and completely unprepared when circumstances hit home.

While boundaries can be healthy, walls can become strongholds that imprison us in ignorance and apathy.

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.” Revelation 3:15

A better way.

Rather than swearing off information altogether, be intentional about how you are going to digest it.

Step back, pray, research original sources, and follow the patterns rather than the panic. Truth often hides between the lines.

This may seem like a lot, but broken down into small steps and rationing how much you’re trying to take in, you can be informed without becoming manipulated.

First. Step back.

Take the headline with a grain of salt. Don’t let it elicit emotion.

Remember, the headline is just there to get your attention. You are clicking or reading for INFORMATION, not emotional purposes. Step back and ask, “From this headline, do I think this article/video will give me useful information?”

Second. Pray.

Pray for discernment, that HE give you the eyes to see and the ears to hear what HE wants you to understand from this information.

Third. Research.

If they are a credible source, they will have references where you can get original documentation. They will either provide links or show you the documents, maybe both.

If they’re saying the president signed an executive order, go to WhiteHouse.gov and search the executive orders. They are public record, published right there for everyone to read. Read through and see if you are coming to the same conclusion as the person or publication who presented the information.

An excellent example of a publication that does a great job at providing official source references is JBS.org and TheNewAmerican.com. I never understood why people would refuse to look at their materials until I learned of the CIA campaign to discredit them in the eyes of the public.

See also:

• Operation Mockingbird https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Mockingbird

• Conspiracy Theory https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_theory

• Example: DISINFORMATION: AN EXAMINATION OF SIX YEARS OF INCREDIBLE LYING https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP90-00965R000807550012-7.pdf

Fourth. Pattern recognition.

Because you prayed for discernment, now you should be able to start seeing patterns. Current events are puzzle pieces in our Creator’s plan.

“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9

Within the plan HE has for the world is a plan for you and your family.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11

Fifth. Seek Truth.

“It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.” Proverbs 25:2

We know how the book ends. We know WHO is in control. We know our eternal destination.

“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Revelation 3:5

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15

HE is Faithful and just.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

While the world may fall apart around us, our Creator is with us.

“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23-25

Another great way to practice following patterns rather than panic is to discuss current events with others with a Biblical perspective. That’s part of what we do, and more in the Prairie Dust group. We would love to have you! Join here: https://www.prairiedusttrail.com/free-group-4643