David Aikman ? an educator, a writer, a renowned TIME Magazine journalist ? strived to explain and to bring various issues and problems in this world to participants? attention from the perspective of a Christian as a journalist.
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Aikman said that nowadays many media often publish one-sided news. And yet, the media is supposed to be a tool that can inform people know the current factual happenings. In other words, it is because of the media that people can understand their position in the ongoing problems so that it could be solved as quickly as possible.
Aikman raised some perspective on what actually journalism is. To open it, he quoted an English Novelist, Evelyn Waugh, ?News is what a chap who does not care much about anything wants to read. And it is only news until he has read it. After that, it is dead.? This quote describes writings that are made only as just mere news, read by the readers, and then pass by without any definite changes. However, Aikman said that ? according to Christian perspective ? a journalist should write news that has truth and ability to shift one?s perspective. This explanation also supported with an example; a dialogue between Pilate and Jesus ? written in the Bible ? that is analogize with the setting of a journalist and its correspondents. From this dialogue, Pilate wrote ?Jesus, King of the Jews? atop the cross that stirred confusion even from the Jews themselves. In which, Pilate then answered them, ?What I have written, I have written.? Through that writing, Pilate wanted to declare what he had known and believed about Jesus. That is the description of a true journalist who has a strong spirit to unravel the facts. Aikman asserted that in order to be a journalist, having humbleness, honesty and integrity are very important.
One of Aikman?s engaging experiences as a Christian journalist is when he, together with other international journalists, witnessed the last day of Cambodian government before it was overtaken by the communist rulers. On the top of a building in Phnom Penh, Aikman saw a group of Christians who were ready to be baptized by a church. The majority of Cambodian did not embrace Christianity faith, and by being baptized at a church was a sign that they were ready to be killed at any time.
Looking at this event, Aikman asked, why God put him in this place to see this kind of event unfolded. Soon he realized the answer when his writing on this event changed the world and helped to voice out the desire that Cambodia people wanted to achieve in their life.
?The challenge of being a Christian journalist is what answer we should give to the society, and that answer should be hope,? said Aikman at this international conference. This statement underlines society?s expectation that they want to see the realization of hope, justice, and freedom take place in this world. |
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| UPH Media Relations |
