wfn.org | Editorial: Powerful, life-giving words – and media

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

>      Taiwan Church News

>3046 Edition

>July 12~July 18, 2010

Editorial: Powerful, life-giving words – and media

>Translated by Lydia Ma

As World Cup 2010 drew to a close and the sound of vuvuzelas faded  into the 
distance, we

can say that this year’s games weren’t only about  competitions between 
athletes inside a

stadium, but also involved plenty of exchanges between cultures  outside of the 
venue.

Looking back, there was no shortage of newsworthy stories during  the games. 
From news

about a “psychic octopus” named Paul who could predict  the winner of each 
match with

uncanny accuracy, to reports about the disparity of income between  North 
Korean star player

Ji Yun-Nam and Brazilian soccer star Kaka, sensationalist news  stories were 
promptly

>reported and just as promptly forgotten.

In all these stories, the power of the media to shed light on  something was 
apparent. This

power is illustrated by a theory that says if a fantasy is seen as  truth and 
acted on, it may just

turn an impossible situation around. In other words, what we  believe to be 
true affects our

>actions and our present reality.

For example, if rumors were to be circulated that a certain bank  was near 
bankruptcy and all

of its clients began to act on this rumor by withdrawing all  deposits and 
investments, the bank

would very likely go bankrupt even if the news of the bankruptcy  were 
completely false in the

>first place.

Words are powerful tools that may serve good or evil or selfish  purposes. They 
can help us

promote goodness, share touching stories, or highlight inspiring  legacies – as 
Taiwan Church

News has chosen to use them since its inception on July 12, 1885.  Providing 
touching,

edifying testimonies and spiritual guidance have been core values  of this 
newspaper to this day.

As we remember communication ministries this month, we remember  that our 
founder, Rev.

Thomas Barclay, devoted 60 years of his life to Taiwan. He also  founded Tainan 
Theological

College and Seminary and translated the Bible into Taiwanese.  Every year on 
his birthday, he

would sign his name on the bottom of his dedication letter to  confirm his 
commitment to God.

LIkewise, when PCT remembers communication ministries every July,  Taiwan 
Church News

echoes Barclay’s commitment and prays its publications will  transform people’s 
lives. Our

mission was echoed by Isaiah, who said: God’s Spirit is on  me; he’s chosen me 
to preach the

Message of good news to the poor. He’s sent me to announce  pardon to prisoners 
and

recovery of sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered  free, to 
announce, “This is

>God’s year to act!”

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Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan's local  languages.

You may translate and re-use our articles online only if you  acknowledge the 
source as

"Taiwan Church News" and list the names of the reporter and  writer.

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Direct comments and questions about this article to:  enews@pctpress.org

Visit our website for more news at: http://enews.pctpress.org/  (English)

>http://www.pctpress.org (Chinese)

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