A leaked memo has caused embarrassment for the BBC, and prompted the resignation of its Director-General and Head of News. The memo, written by a former independent adviser to the British Broadcasting Corporation’s Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee, identifies “systematic issues” with its factual programming.
The “whistleblower” claims that the BBC editors:
- exaggerate negative stories about US President Donald Trump, to the extent of ‘splicing’ his infamous speech on the day of his electoral defeat in 2016 to make it look as though he was inciting his supporters to violence
- exaggerate reports of racism in organisations and society, running stories even when they are not supported by the facts
- present history programming in terms of agendas at the expense of accuracy
- push positive and ignore negative stories about Trans issues
- display pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel bias, which led to misreporting of the Gaza war.
These allegations are particularly damaging because the BBC enjoys a worldwide reputation for its high standards and impartiality in news and current affairs. But of course the BBC is not unique. All news outlets have biases and agendas.
This raises a serious question. Who can we trust to give us impartial, factual information? In this age of the internet, we have access to more information from more outlets than ever before – yet ironically it’s getting harder to know what is true, and what is “fake news”. How do I know that when I read or watch a news story, I’m getting all the facts? Could my search engine be feeding me only the side of the story it thinks I want to see? Or could there be someone out there who is feeding me a distorted story for their own purposes?
The world is an increasingly confusing place. But it’s reassuring to know that the most important thing doesn’t change. That is, of course, God.
He has given us the Bible, which tells us all we need to know about life and how to live it. ‘All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work’ (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The imperative still applies, however. We need to check the facts. Just as it’s easy to get a distorted view of news and current affairs if we’re not objective with the facts, so it is with God’s Word. There could be someone out there telling us things about the Bible that aren’t true. Also we could be bringing to it our own preconceptions.
The Hebrew prophet Isaiah said, ‘To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn’ (Isaiah 8:20). We need to listen to what the Bible says – not what someone else says it says, or what we would like it to say.
The Apostle Paul said the same: ‘Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth’ (2 Timothy 2:15). And again, ‘For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions’ (2 Timothy 4:3).
When you think about it, getting a proper grip on Bible teaching is very much more important than getting a proper grip on the news.
I was at a Bible Exhibition once. A lady stormed up to the exit desk and exclaimed, “There’s a panel in there that says we’re not going to heaven! And there’s a man in there who says he agrees with it!”
The attendant on the desk smiled reassuringly and reached for her Bible. “So do I, let me show you…”
The lady glared at her. “My parents are in heaven, and when I die I’m going to join them, and I’m not going to listen to any more of your nonsense!” And she left.
There is a view that we’re living in a “post truth” age. According to this view we each believe our own truth, and that’s OK. If you hold to this view, maybe it’s fine that you just listen to the outlets that give you the version of the news you want to hear. But you can’t apply that approach to the Bible – God’s truth is absolute, it’s not subject to our opinion.
Jesus Christ said, ‘For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice’ (John 18:37).
Chris Parkin
Comments or questions? Get in touch! You can e-mail editor@gladtidingsmagazine.org