Pictures and Lives: Over the course of a day, Americans seemany flashe...

Pictures and Lives: Over the course of a day, Americans seemany flashe...: Over the course of a day, Americans see many flashes of pictures on TV, in films, the Internet, books, magazines and newspapers. These pic...

Over the course of a day, Americans see many flashes of pictures on TV, in films, the Internet, books, magazines and newspapers. These pictures reach us wherever we are and whether we like them or not. They impact us consciously and subconsciously but they do fulfill their missions. We know this because American advertising - the backbone of the communication industry is a multi-billion dollar industry.

Alexis de Tocqueville (1805 – 1859), a French political thinker and historian saw pictures this way: “History is a gallery of pictures in which they are few originals and many copies.” To de Tocqueville the pictures that greet us are merely copies of the originals. This is nothing new, but even unoriginal images have the ability to persuade us into buying, selecting, and shaping the ways we view the world around us.

Pictures though can be misleading and although the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) may overlook some complaints about deceptive ads there still remains areas of concern. Pictures that we see may never tell the whole truth, or even if they do, they are often buried amidst millions and millions of images. For one thing ads will tell us to “buy, buy, buy.” We get the feeling that “everyone is doing it” and products will bring us fulfillment. You'll never see ads telling you, “you're okay the way you are ... just fine and keep on doing what you're doing.”

A Christian has to be able to sift through the avalanche of images to determine what's true, false, and misleading. It's necessary to focus on the “big picture” of Christian love and truth. In the limited presentation in the media of what is really good, fair and just, the casual viewer may be easily deceived. Worldly ways can be very deceptive. They are like roaring lions seeking to devour unsuspecting and susceptible individuals. When viewing images Christians must look for those pictures which elevate their minds, bodies and spirits. Viewers must not be fooled solely by physical attractiveness, the beauty of the products, but look carefully at their contents. Some attributes may tell us nothing about the personalities depicted in scenes, the products being sold and their true worth.

Opportunities that Make a Difference

Christians should look at these pictures as opportunities to make a difference with their families, friends and neighbors. Les Brown (b. 1945), a motivational speaker and popular author explained that “in every day, there are 1,440 minutes. That means we have 1,440 daily opportunities to make a positive impact.” With the pictures we view, come to grips with those that are important to you that can make a difference. All portrayals are not bad. Some images may appear intricate to understand, so spend time reflecting on them. Some of them tell about natural disasters, wars, crime, social upheavals, martial infidelity, corruption and bankruptcies. Christians must use such explosions of bad images as teaching opportunities and times for prayer and meditation.

Many good images are productive and can reap great benefits for viewers. These can translate to huge profits to them - not merely monetarily, but culturally, morally and spiritually. During an election year image-makers are at work selling their brands of candidates. Although a great deal is based on promises, viewers are able to get glimpses into the candidates' personalities, their positions on issues and leadership styles. Some candidates may be cool under pressure, others may display excellent qualities in being a family man, woman, and patriot.

Sholom Aleichem (1859 – 1916), a leading Yiddish author and playwright observed that “life is a dream for the wise, a game for the fool, a comedy for the rich, a tragedy for the poor.” It's remarkable that the rich sees life as comedy. With most comedies people laugh a lot and relieve their tension. But with such laughter, well-meaning individuals can still be misled, for they may also be presented with pictures of some of the rich folks losing their businesses, life's savings and retirement funds.

All that Glitters

J. R. R. Tolkien (1892 – 1973), an English writer, poet and university professor reminded us that “all that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not, wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost.” It's clear that Tolkien would say that the images of richness presented to the world are relative. To some worldly types this may mean material wealth; to matured Christians – peace of mind, body and spirit. Christians as a group may even learn what it means to be haunted by demonic portrayals. They may prefer not to be materially wealthy, choosing instead to live a simple life, by being ascetic, poor and celibate. For they know that their treasures lie securely in heaven. Such views are unlike many pictures presented in our world that encourage us to buy and have more and more earthly possessions.