The Middle East brings out the worst in media non-communication. While i can get behind the PCUSA statement/plea for an end to hostilities (believe it or not) in the current Hezbollah/Israel conflict because of its unusually balanced language, i have a lot of difficulty generating a theological response to the situation simply because theology has been hog-tied by the image machine . . .
If you haven't read Daniel Boorstin's book The Image do so now. Boorstin talks about the graphics revolutions of the 19th century and how a layer of 'unreality' is created by 'psuedo-events'. What are 'psuedo-events'? The 'psuedo-event' is driven by image . . . Take this picture for example:
This picture of Israeli children writing 'hate' messages on shells supposedly shows how dastardly and jaded the people of Israel are during this conflict. We know this picture is a setup. However . . . how the hell would we know that from a first viewing! And in the realm of half hour world news and yahoo headlines a first viewing and immediate opinion is all a picture like that is going to get.
Some people foolishly think (for God's sake look at the gross use of image!) that being "well informed" means running to Electronic Intifada, Al-Jazeera, or the Palestine News Network . . . i'll admit it's a start because it realizes that perspective is skiewed but it solves nothing . . . Free interpretation of events must be free from the imposition of meaning created by these systems of non-communication.
When it comes to 'psuedo-events' this is just the tip of the iceberg. Propoganda is not simply an us versus them scenario it is the very fabric that keeps us all warm at night. How is anyone supposed to drink the problems of this world to the dregs when we are daily being served a synthetic/light/caffeine-free substitute for reality?
I don't have the answers but in this case the question is even more important . . .
what will we do?