Jill Sutherlin
Philosophy of Journalism-Midterm Essay
Dr. Tarpley
Religion in Professional Journalism
In a world where there is such a low tolerance for religious expression to public eye, it is no wonder why religion and journalism have a difficult time coexisting with one another. Journalists either have the option to seperate their profession from their faith or risk the criticisim and rejection from society if they choose to incorporate both. Such an overwhelming tension and intolerance can only be understood by analyzing the professional world and then comparing it to philosophical and spiritual. In an effort to explain the reasons for this tension, I believe that the solution of negotiating Christianity with journalism will be that much closer to find.
Just as conservatives veer away from news that has been "liberally tainted," people of different faiths and cultures tend to do the same. Most journalists recognize this and make an effort to be as straight-forward and unbiased as they possibly can so as not to offend any party. This is especially true for amature journalists. They come fresh out of secular universities where they learn how to be ethical and even virtuous, but their educations stop short of recommending any religious crusade in journalism. On the other side of the spectrum however, after Christian journalists graduate into the professionaly working world with their education in one hand and their firm set of beliefs in another, they are hit with a rude awakening between religious freedom and the newsroom. And although it is an unspoken matter, it is a very real element for them as a professional.
While the duty of a journalist ...