Propaganda is such a loaded word
People rarely define it except as lies
What comes to your mind when you hear the word, propaganda? I was told the other day that it is only propaganda when it contains lies. But, it this true. “In the twentieth century, the term propaganda has often been associated with a manipulative approach, but propaganda historically was a neutral descriptive term (Wikipedia).” For a republican form of government to work effectively requires an informed voter; but, can the voter find clear unbiased information?
At its foundation Propaganda’s One Goal
Control of Information to Influence You
Wikipedia further defines propaganda as, “Propaganda is information that is not objective and is used primarily to influence an audience and further an agenda, often by presenting facts selectively to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded language to produce an emotional rather than a rational response to the information that is presented.” Wow! That could include nearly all communications by every person even with an obvious intent to mislead or deceive! Though viewed in a negative light as a deceptive means of control, as illustrated in the above graphic, propaganda is used routinely to present one’s position favorably to gain assent or compliance. One could say that leadership is actually the art of using propaganda effectively to gain the willing assent of those being led. For instance, Abraham Lincoln was not an admired president in his time. He was routinely caricatured, ridiculed and insulted even to his face! Yet, he was a master of propaganda mobilizing one half of America to invade and destroy the other half. His Gettysburg Address is a masterful piece of propaganda rewriting how the Constitution came into being. Today, he is one of the most beloved presidents even though he was tyrannical to the point of deporting a politician, threatening to imprison a Supreme Court Justice and imprisoning tens of thousands of Americans without charge or cause, usually newspaper editors; many of whom died. He the first to do this or the last president to abuse his power during so-called emergencies (Lincoln Unmasked).
Best Propaganda is not observed
Best Propaganda is considered as Truth
Propaganda works best when it is not considered propaganda but truth. Much of what Americans learn as history in school is really propaganda to support government’s actions and decisions. Even controversial decisions in their day are presented as generally unified assents such as Lincoln’s decision to begin armed aggression against the South. Until the South Carolinians fired on Fort Sumter, nearly every major Northern newspaper editorial was for peacefully letting the South secede as was their right as the Constitution was understood (The Real Lincoln). Americans not only do not understand how much of the history they learned is actually pro-government propaganda; they really do not care. The Movie, American Sniper was loosely based on the book of the same name. It was generally well accepted though it was actually a propaganda movie, it washed away many of Chris Kyle’s quotes detailing his love of killing, even women and children. Though the movie depicts him as conflicted, his quotes do not reveal any moral equivocation. Propaganda that does not appear as propaganda is the most effective.
Enough about Lincoln
Ronald Regan as Propaganda
For those who remember the 1980s, President Regan was a mixed bag at best. Though he ran on a Republican small government platform, he was anything but small government, or transparent. He increased not only the size of the government but also extended the power of the presidency overtly and covertly. Today he is the darling of the Neo-Conservative movement but he was anything but traditional Conservative. How did he survive and reelected? He was a master of propaganda; something that Trump should seriously consider. Even during the Iran-Contra hearings he remained outwardly unflustered. He was skillful at using the Democrats rhetoric against themselves essentially robbing them of their greatest tool in use today: the media. Remember, propaganda always has an agenda, that is one of its most salient features.
The Purpose of Government is Power
Every Aspect is Designed for Control
The fundamental reason for governmental existence is power. The States brought the Federal government into existence primarily to provide for the common defense and to exercise a modicum of control over the individual States to facilitate Commerce. These responsibilities require Force in order to exercise Control to achieve these goals. Though Lincoln did not begin the march toward a stronger federal government, he did remove the independence of the individual States making them forever subservient to the Federal government. Each president since has continued enlarging the power of the federal government over its people until today there is little opposition to government control over nearly every aspect of daily life. Yet, most Americans do not care as long as they get their benefits, read bribes, regularly from the government and can pursue whatever leisures that keep their minds from the ever tightening noose of control. We would do well to remember that both Hitler and Stalin ruled with the consent of the majority of their citizens who loved and worshiped them (The Dictators).
The Bible records the first example of propaganda (Ge 3:1-6). Lucifer has approached Woman and caused her to question the prohibition against eating from the Tree of Knowledge. His skillful use of propaganda leads her to question God, sin against God and promote Man to also sin against God; all with their consents! Whereas God told Man, who was to teach Woman, the clear consequences for eating from the Tree of Knowledge, Lucifer was deliberately less clear. Thus, propaganda is the communicative methodology of sinners. Once Man and Woman sinned, they adopted this technique; though it did not work with God (Ge 3:9-13).
Man’s basic communication technique is propaganda designed to mitigate one’s responsibility for sin while illustrating both one’s relative goodness compared with everyone else’s greater corruption (Ro 2:1-3). Even product advertisements are based on propaganda techniques designed to put one product in a better light than one’s competitors regardless of any real differences. There is no aspect of communications that remains untainted from propaganda. In fact, God states that since the time of Christ, latter days, people demand propaganda to whitewash themselves while vilifying their enemies, even God (2TI 3:1-5; 4:3-4). People’s love of propaganda becomes so addictive that they fall in love with those who feed them on the propaganda of their choice fulling believing the lie (2Th 2:7-12). Finally, sinners use propaganda to gain the power to control their lives; yet, the truth is that they have no power. However they will not realize this until death; then their self-made illusions will be replaced with God’s absolute truth: Hell then the Lake of Fire for eternity.
For the Christian, if he or she, is maturing in Christ, propaganda will appear less and less in his/her communications. The mature Christian understands they have no power except via the Holy Spirit (Ro 6:15-18). A mature Christian’s communications will be clear, just, pure, commendable and will look for excellence and those things worthy of praise (Ph 4:8-9). As Christians practice non-propaganda communications they will know the peace of God; in addition, they will be less influence by the propaganda of the world understanding that the world has no power over us except to separate us from our body, sending us to be with Christ (2Co 5:6-10). It will be as if the scales are being removed from their eyes so they can discern more clearly God’s light within themselves (Mt 6:22-23). But those whose discernment is not developed will continue to experience inner darkness evidenced by confusion, lack of inner peace and inability to properly discern right from wrong (He 5:14). Pray to Christ that He will grow you in grace in His word so that you can know His inner peace while the world becomes increasingly more violent wallowing in the lies of propaganda they love so much. However, be warned that you will have fewer friends, even in Jesus’ church. They are few who wish to give up the lies for truth. Pray that Christ will bring trials in your life to open your eyes to the truth even as He did Peter.