The Blog: ministry, music, media

Media Literacy: Food For Thought in Your Family posted on June 30, 2009

It is my hope on this website and blog that we will together dialogue about how to deal with media as presents itself in our faithful family lifestyles. I invite you to bring your questions through comments below or send me an email.

I found a short video presentation through the Center for the Media Literacy, an organization I have a great deal of respect for, that might offer some clarity to media literacy. It simply explains how important media literacy is in the lexicon of our cultural interaction and its influences of our family and faithful life. Speakers are, Tessa Jolls, President of Center for Media LIteracy, Alvin Poussaint, MD, Director of the Media Center, Judge Baker Children’s Center at Harvard University, and Kimberly Salter, PhD., National Organization for Women

The video has a straightforward way of explaining some simple questions that will bring critical thinking skill to your children as a way of life; it might help to clear the skies in terms of what media can enrich in or take-away from, our lives. Watch this video and let me know what your questions are, what you think of the effort, and perhaps how media literacy is part of your family life.

I hope that together we can dialogue over how faith serves as the rudder in your life and how critical thinking regarding media participation is influenced with the values and meaning you take from your prayer, study and love in faith as you reach the place where God is present for you.

Music
Listen for Shine All Your Light, by Beth Nielsen Chapman, where we are encouraged to live life to its beautiful fullness because no matter how tiny the love we give may seem to us, it is not tiny at all. As we center our lives in our faith, can we be distracted by the lure of french fries, burgers, sneakers or skinny actors to give life meaning? Or, can we watch and listen and decided for ourselves what is important in our lives through the lense of our faith?

And listen for Take 6 and I Believe as they sing/pray God will take care of it all, even what has to do with me. When these songs are played and your children hear them, try making a casual mention of things like, “isn’t it wonderful how God sees everything and will take care of us?”, or “how nice that every bit of kindness we give to someone else is important.” These small moments, enriched by the music on CGR give you a chance to tell the children you love how your faith leads all you do in your life. You are the greatest teacher as God leads through you.

What do you think about centering your life in faith and keeping a place of meaning in both your heart and head as you live in a culture of media distractions which attempts to give your life meaning as products are sold? Please don’t misunderstand, I am not offering condemnation of product sales. I just wonder how to help us all make good decisions regarding consumer choices. Would this idea help you make informed decisions as consumers in a consumer culture?

With blessings for the common good,
Pastor Robin

There are 2 comments “Media Literacy: Food For Thought in Your Family” was posted by Pastor Robin

Comments

1

I with you agree. In it something is. Now all became clear, I thank for the help and I hope to see more such articles.

By Marline on November 11, 2009

2

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