British Reaction to Bin Laden's Death More Skeptical
While watching the media reaction to Bin Laden’s demise, first on CNN and then on the BBC, one could not help notice subtle differences in tone in the comments about Pakistan. The Atlanta-based news network tended to give the benefit to the doubt while Katty Kay of the BBC reflected the “How Could Our Allies Have Not Known?” approach.
The British newspapers tended toward skepticism about Pakistan’s role, which had long denied any knowledge about the whereabouts of Bin Laden. Also one feels a bit overwhelmed by the incredible amount of newspaper space devoted to the story. The Daily Telegraph splurged with 16 full pages of coverage in the May 3rd edition. The Internet reaction quickly became massive including a quick start for the inevitable conspiracy theories. This morning one educated, intelligent acquaintance expressed doubt that the “kill” had even happened.
Part of our overall problem today is the fact that the media is drowning us in information—far too much for our limited human minds to successfully grasp. The prophet Daniel tells us that knowledge would be increased at the time of the end. Yet paradoxically Hosea warned that “lack of knowledge” would gradually destroy God’s people (Hosea 4:6). The key is the kind of knowledge. More and more we have become biblical dunces as the knowledge of God disappears from the mental outlook of our English-speaking peoples (Hosea 4:2).
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John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
