What do you hear? What do you believe?

[malasadas.livejournal.com]

One of the great benefits of the internet is that we can see and hear events that never make it as major stories in the major media outlets. It's also a problem -- obscure events can be elevated to become "representative" of entire groups of people without balance or actual analysis. We are constantly asked in the age of internet media to evaluate raw information without knowledge of context or proportionality.

This video, for example, made some rounds on the net a few months back. It purports to show a group of community organizers praying to Obama. The distributor of the video added captions at key points to assist your hearing of the key phrase "Deliver us, Obama".

Pretty damning, isn't it? Now the audio is pretty low quality, but when you watch it and listen it is pretty clear that they ARE offering prayer directly to the President.

Now listen to the video WITHOUT watching it.

If you are being honest, I'm thinking there is a really good chance that you are a lot less sure of what is being said.

So here is a question: how do you approach the supposedly "raw" information we have constant access to via alternative media sources? How much do these sources influence the "mainstream" media and what are the implications for how much even allegedly unbiased orignal source material can be manipulated?

Comments

[verytwistedmind.livejournal.com]

I can't hear either. What about the reference to the prophet MLK?

[mybodymycoffin.livejournal.com]

Because he prophesied a time of true racial integration and equality that was nigh? MLK Jr. is an important, really, colossal, figure in American Christianity- such a designation as prophet for him is far from idol worship or even silly.

Let's put it this way. They are either saying one or the other. Is it logical to think they are saying "deliver us, Obama" instead of "deliver us, O' God"? But let's assume they are saying "Obama". Now, I'll grant you that in the beginning of the video they might be saying "Obama"... when they're saying "Hear us", but there's the stubborn little observation that... that isn't praying. The rest of the audio past that is pretty clear though. At 1:28, it should be clear.

Wait, what?

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

"MLK Jr. is an important, really, colossal, figure in American Christianity-"

And you make this statement based on what exactly?

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

For the record I believe he was all that and more as a fighter for racial and social injustice.

[mybodymycoffin.livejournal.com]

I make that statement based on that, for example. ?

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

Well 'fundies' (like me) and evangelicals would disagree with the "American Christianity".

Actually his legacy as a Christian is almost completely overlooked. (next year at his birthday, think about this while reading articles and editorials about him)

[mybodymycoffin.livejournal.com]

When did this happen? Maybe if you consider his political work separate from his religious work, or miraculously incidental. Pun intended.

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

Miraculously or not (nice by the way :D) that's the way it is the majority of the Christian community. (fundies and evangelicals) However it's even moreso in the secular community, the fact that he was a pastor is considered incidental. I'm not really arguing with you, just stating the way it is. I can explain further if you like, but I'm taking my m-i-l out for dinner for Mother's day, and need to leave now, and will be gone for a while.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

There is no God but Libertas and MLK is His Prophet.....