When you consider this popular statement by Joseph Smith "When persons manifest the least kindness and love to me, O what power it has over my mind. … The nearer we get to our heavenly Father, the more are we disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls—[we feel that we want] to take them upon our shoulders and cast their sins behind our back… if you would have God have mercy on you, have mercy on one another." and ask. How does it relate to news Writing, that is what I want to talk about.
News writing is a delicate endeavor, with a pen in an authors hand, he/she is capable of turning hands, most times at the detriment of whoever is at the receiving end. Joseph's statement is a plea to consider who is at the receiving end, they may not be perfect, they might have wronged, they may have not been doing the right things, but when we consider that all human are imperfect, we will see reasons like he said, to take them upon our shoulders and over look whatever wrong they have done.
For me, this is an appeal to reconsider, as a journalist, a writer, an editor, a communication specialist, and most importantly, as a human being. We need to reconsider when we are in the position to define the outcome.
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