Are we Americans really so gullible and stupid that we’ll swallow and believe anything we read, hear and see? Are we so impressionable that we need protection from the influences of our news, entertainment and advertising media? Are we no longer responsible for ourselves and our choices and actions?

An Example

In a Friday May 19, 2006 editorial entitled “‘Code’ Not Benign,” Dr. Ted Baehr, chairman of the Christian Film and Television Commission and founder of Movieguide.org writes:

It would be wonderful to believe Christians can argue the facts to Dan Brown’s hate-filled, fictitious attack on Jesus Christ, Christianity, the Bible, Christians and history. The truth is, however, that many people have not read a Bible or understood their faith sufficiently to counter the story’s intricacies.

To some extent, it is plausible that some Christians have not read a Bible, and it is conceivable that a number of Christians lack an understanding of their faith adequate to debate the merits of Mr. Brown’s book or it’s film adaptation.

However, this is not likely true of the vast majority of Christians who have read the Holy Scriptures and who do indeed understand their faith well enough to differentiate fictional stories from the non-fictional accounts and long-established, well-understood beliefs with regard to the life and times of Jesus Christ.

Nonetheless, Dr. Baehr is concerned, “The slanderous distortions and falsehoods are as dangerous as they are numerous.” he writes, “The movie threatens to strike another massive blow to people’s understanding and knowledge of God, Christianity and history.”

Perhaps it is because of his impressive educational background and life/work experiences that Dr. Baehr apparently believes himself to be above such influences, but that does not explain his lack of faith in his fellow Christians’ ability to understand and intelligently question and discuss the content of books and movies.

Bush League Bumpkins and Buffoons?

There is a lot of this sort of authoritarian sanctimoniousness going around these days. It seems that some people are worried about how the simple-minded, overly trusting American public (which, of course, does not include their own vainglorious selves) will be influenced by the rantings and ravings of preachers, politicians, pundits and other public figures and forces.

How many times have we heard or read that we are not really to blame for our own troubles — or even the troubles we may cause others — because of the various temptations that bombard the flesh and spirit via news, entertainment and advertising media and our supposed high susceptibility to the suggestions therein?

It has become quite common for concerned citizens and celebrities from all points along the political spectrum to express anxiety about the negative impact that this or that will have upon us poor, gullible American people who ostensibly cannot tell the difference between facts and opinions or fiction and non-fiction — and furthermore cannot be trusted to make independent determinations about our very own wants and needs (especially the ones that have anything to do with our sexuality) or to even care for our own or our children’s health and safety.

These self-righteous, self-proclaimed protectors and defenders of what they see as an easily-duped, pedomorphic American citizenry often appear to have the noblest of intentions, which makes their fear mongering all the more insulting, pernicious and hypocritical and their brands of tyranny and oppression all the more tempting to us when the courage we need to muster to live peacefully and pursue happiness in a free society is put to the test.

Of course, the land of the free and the home of the brave does have its fair share of yokels, hayseeds, and greenhorns, but that doesn’t mean that we should make an excuse of ignorance sustained into adulthood and eschew individual responsibility and freedom in favor of legislative carrots and sticks intended to save us from our own obtuseness and spare us the burden of thinking for ourselves.