Reprinted by permission of Dædalus, Journal of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, from the issue entitled, "Religion in America," Winter , Vol. 96, No. 1, pp. At the beginning of a reprint of this essay (Robert N. Bellah, Beyond Belief: Essays on Religion in a Post-Traditionalist World. Berkeley: University of California Dec 21, · I was reminded of that essay because this event was the greatest exhibition in my experience of the combination of the scholarship and the politics of freedom. The panel was part of an initiative of President Trump, mostly ignored by the media, to counter the New York Times ’ Project Jul 19, · There are many examples of intolerant people who do whatever it takes, including making up what they present as facts, to persuade people to their way of thinking whether it is in regard to religion, politics, or something else. If you do not know how to verify whether their information is fact, opinion, or downright fiction, you are more
Civil Religion in America by Robert N. Bellah
Is the politician you trust most really telling the truth? Is the nonfiction book or article by your favorite author really accurate and factual? Here is help in determining the answers to those questions.
As most people have learned, anyone can write anything in a book or on the Internet. Just because something is in print in any form does not make it accurate and factual. Just because you heard it on television or radio, do politics and religion mix essay, does not make it true.
Just because something was stated persuasively, or convincingly, by your favorite do politics and religion mix essay, actor, singer, author, or best friend, does not make it fact. It is important to evaluate the sources and information you use for references whether your purpose for using them is for a research paper, a classroom discussion, an exchange of ideas with a colleague or friend, or information you are using to base your vote for a particular candidate on.
The only people who will be impressed with your misinformed opinions, do politics and religion mix essay, whether written or spoken, will be people as uninformed as do politics and religion mix essay are, so take the time to be as accurate as possible and to get the facts. Know what you are talking or writing about.
There are many reasons why people make the statements they do. Everyone has an agenda, and if you can determine what that agenda is, you will have an advantage in determining why someone says or writes what they do. Everyone talks about the media being objective, yet there is no such thing as objectivity in the media and never has been. From the beginning of newspapers and magazines and other written words, do politics and religion mix essay, the writer of those periodicals has had an agenda that they are promoting through their writing.
There are newspapers, magazines, television and radio networks, and even authors who are considered either conservative or liberal depending on their position on the issue they are writing about or reporting. Knowing where an author is coming from is important in judging what do politics and religion mix essay have to say.
Very often reporters state the facts accurately, but then state them in a way that seems positive or negative depending on how they want their readers or listeners to feel about those facts.
Sometimes their statements are factual as far as they go -- but a few little things or big things that would make a difference in how the information is received, do politics and religion mix essay, are simply left out. What is provided is factual, but what is left out can make a world of difference in what has actually been said, written, or what actually happened.
Getting information in context and getting ALL of the information usually makes a huge difference. Some information sources are more credible than others, because they have been in do politics and religion mix essay for a very long time and have do politics and religion mix essay a strong reputation for accuracy and dependable facts. In general, do politics and religion mix essay, universities and government agencies have a great deal of credibility.
Information presented as facts by these institutions carries a lot of weight. Research and studies done by these entities, or commissioned by them, is usually given more credibility than when done by a private industry because presumably they do politics and religion mix essay not have an interest in the outcome, where private industry does.
Even so, the results of research and studies done should always be judged as to whether the research or experiment was conducted in a careful, objective, do politics and religion mix essay, scientific manner. There are correct ways to go about conducting research and experiments, and there are sloppy, less reliable ways to do it.
Other than universities and government documents, here is a list of a few periodicals that are generally respected by most people of high learning, and people who are authorities or experts in their fields:. The above is just a short list of well-established, generally accepted credible media entities.
This is something you learn from doing a lot of research and reading. Even though all media outlets lean either liberal or conservative, that does not mean that every reporter or anchor on their staff is of that mindset.
There is usually a mix of both perspectives within most news organizations, but the overall slant of these periodicals and media outlets is as stated in the parenthesis. If you understand that when you are listening to or reading their reports and stories, you will have a better understanding of why they are presenting a particular perspective on a story. There are many sources of information whose purpose is to mislead and misinform.
Their main purpose is to persuade you to their way of thinking just because they believe they are right and everyone else is wrong. Sometimes they stand to gain financially or to obtain power if they can persuade enough people to see things their way, and sometimes they simply believe that their way is the only right way. There are some people, for example, who would force people if they only could, to accept their religious beliefs.
They will say and do whatever it takes to bring people in line with their beliefs and ideas because they truly believe the end justifies the means. That is just one example. There are many examples of intolerant people who do whatever it takes, including making up what they present as facts, to persuade people to their way of thinking whether it is in regard to religion, politics, or something else.
If you do not know how to verify whether their information is fact, opinion, or downright fiction, you are more likely to fall prey to their misinformation.
It is important to realize that everyone has an agenda, and everyone has a reason for wanting you to agree with him or her on whatever subject they are discussing or promoting. If it is an advertiser, their agenda is pretty obvious. They want you to buy their product or use their service. If it is a politician, they want you to support them and their political Party so they can win the majority of elections and determine the direction the country will take for the next do politics and religion mix essay years.
They may very well benefit in their personal finances and in other ways as well. Sometimes it is an advocate for a particular social issue who wants to influence your opinion on things like the environment, abortion, the legal drinking age, prayer in school, or any number of different issues that will affect millions of people. In every case you should verify that the information someone is giving you is accurate and factual, do politics and religion mix essay.
In every case you need to determine what is fact do politics and religion mix essay what is opinion. Sometimes the information presented will be extremely incorrect and misleading, especially where politics or products are concerned. In the beginning, doing the necessary research on these things can be difficult because you may not be used to reading political or scientific jargon depending on what applies to the subject at handbut like most things, it gets easier with practice and diligence.
Do not be fooled into believing that a statement or common belief is accurate just because a lot of people believe it or accept it as truth. Again, do politics and religion mix essay, verify the statement or belief, do politics and religion mix essay. It takes only seconds in many cases. Some of the worst misinformation is spread virally through email forwards. Often there is none. Do not be hornswoggled. Be informed, and know your facts whether they pertain to the Bible, politics, products and services, do politics and religion mix essay, or statistics and scientific determinations.
Nowadays with the Internet and first class search engines, it often takes only seconds to determine the truth of statements and accusations. Learn what sources people or institutions or periodicals have credibility and which ones are simply spreading their own opinions based on misinformation and distortion of the facts for their own benefit, do politics and religion mix essay.
It is important to know facts from opinion. If you are not sure, it takes only minutes, often just seconds, to verify whether or not a statement is fact. Opinions cannot be verified because they are not facts. Research the person who is making the statement.
Does any respected source list them as a credible authority do politics and religion mix essay expert on the subject they are commenting on or promoting? Do not assume anything. Never assume that because someone is well known that they are being factual. Do not assume that someone who is not considered a well-known expert or authority in a particular area is not informed.
Take a few seconds or minutes to research the facts. Parroting repeating things you have heard others say that some of us may know through our knowledge or research is mistaken or misguided takes a lot of credibility away from you. Never imagine that a lot of people saying or believing the same thing means it is accurate or correct. People used to believe African Americans were not even human, and those same people believed women were incapable of serious responsibility and thinking.
Yes, and at one time those same people believed night air and bathing caused disease. No matter how long you may have believed something to be true, it pays to find the truth from a credible source just in case you are wrong. Even when I think I already know something, before I spread the word through my writing or conversation, I research to make sure. Learn the truth before spreading misinformation or lies. Kirszner, Laurie G.
Research: Chapter 33 — pages The Brief Holt Handbook second edition. Answer: That is exactly what this article is about. Knowing how to be reasonably certain information is correct. I think I have answered that in the text of this article. Answer: I have listed several sources of dependable information in this article. It really depends on the media source you choose to listen to. I recommend reading a variety of newspapers, magazines, and books, to get a complete picture of any subject. In other words, read newspapers or watch TV news that is a mix of slants.
If you only watch Fox News, you will not get a clear picture of anything, and you may never even hear about something if it isn't complimentary to the right, or conservatives. You need to mix the conservative and the liberal media outlets that you listen to to get a better idea of what is happening.
Answer: The person who will most likely suffer the most if information found online turns out to be wrong is the person who sought and relied on that information. Freedom of speech makes it possible for anyone to write whatever they wish online within certain limitations. One cannot legally pose as a medical doctor and give medical advice if one is not a licensed physician, for example.
The same limitations on spoken free speech apply online, however there are few limitations to free speech to begin with. It is in the interest of the user of information to verify its accuracy. Answer: It isn't that difficult to research issues online and to determine if news is truly fake or not. Sometimes the things people write online are so ludicrous that with a little thought one can figure out that they are tall tails.
Be aware that there are websites that write spoofs for entertainment. The Onion is one of those, but there are many others. The way that fake news effects our democracy is that uninformed not so bright people who start out wanting to believe the worst about somebody they have decided to hate, spreads the lies without questioning them and contributes to people believing that our government is the enemy.
To offset the lies they choose to believe are truth, they vote for someone who will bring their fear into being without realizing they are playing right into the hands of the real enemy. The best way to know the difference between fake news and real news is to be informed.
How religion turned American politics against science - Kurt Andersen - Big Think
, time: 3:51How Do You Know If Information Is Accurate? How To Evaluate Information Sources - Owlcation
Apr 05, · Fewer than half of Americans belong to a house of worship, a new study shows, but religion – and Christianity in particular – continues to have an outsize influence in US politics, especially Dec 21, · I was reminded of that essay because this event was the greatest exhibition in my experience of the combination of the scholarship and the politics of freedom. The panel was part of an initiative of President Trump, mostly ignored by the media, to counter the New York Times ’ Project Jul 19, · There are many examples of intolerant people who do whatever it takes, including making up what they present as facts, to persuade people to their way of thinking whether it is in regard to religion, politics, or something else. If you do not know how to verify whether their information is fact, opinion, or downright fiction, you are more
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