Call Us: 423 661-4734 | Email: requests@comeandreason.com      
The Trauma Response and the Media

The Trauma Response and the Media

Normally, I leave a blog up at least a week before posting a new blog, but given the intense feedback of the previous blog, Donald Trump and Christians: What’s the Attraction, I thought it might be helpful to go ahead and post this blog now.

It is well known that when people experience trauma (soldiers in combat, victims of abuse or assault, etc.), the brain’s fear circuits (amygdala) activate and often reset to a more sensitive baseline. This means that after trauma, people are often more fearful, startle more easily, are hypervigilant, and live in threat-assessment mode, often seeing threats where none actually exist. Such a state of increased fear contributes to relationship and social problems – accusations of abuse, mistreatment, and attack, even sometimes when none really occurred.

What is less well known is that the same trauma response can occur without an objective threat or danger, but with only a perceived threat.

Imagine a person who has a baseline fear of snakes who has been put in a situation in which they suddenly have a snake thrown in their face or on their lap. They immediately panic, scream, hyperventilate, and run and tell their friends and family about the horrible wrong that was done to them. Only later do they discover that it was actually a rubber snake. They initially refuse to believe it, convinced that it was a real snake. But conclusive video evidence documents with certainty that it was a rubber snake. They begrudgingly finally admit that it was a rubber snake, but their cognitive acknowledgement of the fact doesn’t reduce their apprehension about encountering snakes in the future. In fact, since this same exact experience has happened on several occasions and while they later admitted each event was a rubber snake, they still live in a heightened emotional state in which they feel under increased threat and fear that there are snakes around every corner.

The real problem was not from snakes, but from the pranksters who were throwing rubber snakes in their face!

Sadly, I see this process happening in America and around the world today on a huge scale: The media is throwing falsehoods – “rubber snakes” – concocted to induce fear, especially in the face of those who already have some baseline fear. Even when facts come out later to refute the initial story, many viewers are already “traumatized” (amygdala reset to a higher sensitivity) and now live in a heightened state of fear. Worse, they fail to see that they were traumatized by the media and instead live in fear of “snakes” because they initially believed the false story.

Here are a few examples of this process in recent history:

  • The Jussie Smollett Hoax: Smollett, a black, gay movie star, alleged he was assaulted in Chicago by two white men who yelled racial and homophobic slurs, poured an unknown chemical on him, tied a rope around his neck, and yelled, “This is MAGA country.” It turned out to be a hoax. In reality, two black men were hired by Smollett to fake the attack. Yet, the media took this story and fanned the flames of racial and homophobic intolerance, which they attributed to President Donald Trump and his administration.[1] [2]

No doubt, this story heightened the fear and anxiety of millions of people of color and the LGBTQ community. A “snake” had been thrown in their face, and it was done so repeatedly and intensely by the media, who specifically linked it to the Trump administration. Amygdalas across America were activated; fear increased, and a sense of being less safe was heightened. Eventually the hoax was exposed, and those traumatized begrudgingly accepted that this episode was a hoax – but their amygdalas didn’t calm, and they now live in a state of increased threat assessment, fear, and insecurity, which they tie not to the media that threw this “rubber snake” on them, but rather to the Trump administration, which was falsely blamed for it.

  • Nick Sandman and the Covington Catholic Students: Most people now know the truth behind this story: Students were confronted by activist people of color and remained calm and said nothing in response. However, the media took biasedly edited video of the encounter and created a false narrative that Sandman, in his MAGA hat, verbally abused people of color.[3] This wasn’t a single news story, but a media blitz of hate, fear, and insult – and again ultimately suggesting that it had been a hate crime that originated with President Trump. The misrepresentation and falsehood were so egregious that CNN settled a $275 million lawsuit with Sandman.[4]

No doubt, this story also caused fear, anxiety, and a loss of security and safety in millions of people of color. Their amygdalas activated when the “snake” of Trump’s MAGA intolerance was thrown in their face. No doubt, they watched the multiple media reports covering this incident, told their friends, and reinforced their fears, becoming ever-more certain of the dangers of the Trump administration.

But, again, with reluctance, these traumatized people finally admitted that the initial reporting was wrong. Sandman and his friends demonstrated no hostility, intolerance, or ugliness toward the Black Hebrew Israelites or the Native American activist. But accepting this truth didn’t calm the amygdalas of those who were frightened by the story. They now live with a greater sense of fear, feel as though society is less safe, and see threats to their freedoms around every corner. Sadly, they don’t attach their fear and revulsion to the media, who threw this “rubber snake” in their face, but instead live with ever-increasing fear and dislike for President Trump and those wearing MAGA hats.
 

State of Negativity

  • >In October 2017, NPR reported the following on Pew research: “Fully two-thirds of news stories about Trump from his first 60 days in office were negative… – more than twice the negativity seen in stories from the first 60 days of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, or Barack Obama’s presidencies.”[5]
  • In October 2018, the Media Research Center reported 92 percent of media reporting on Trump was slanted negative – with further biases in the topics covered on stories such as the Mueller investigation, while ignoring successes in the economy and trade.[6]
  • In January 2019, the Washington Times reported that 90 percent of the media coverage about Trump remained negative.[7]
  • In November 2019, Fox News reported that the Media Research Center found that 96 percent of stories on Trump were now negative.[8]

This process of conditioning people to react with fear, not fact, to become phobic of Trump, appears to be the goal of the liberal-dominated media. And, sadly, it is working.

As Christians, our goal is to be lovers of truth – to act on love, truth, and freedom. We should not be quick to accept stories without evidence, to embrace propaganda without fact. Further, we are to have discernment to learn from experience; we need to stop living in fear of “rubber snakes” and, instead, realize that we should stop trusting those who keep throwing “rubber snakes” in our face.
 

No – This Isn’t About Trump

My goal with this blog is not to support President Trump or his administration; rather, it is to expose a process of how the media manipulates people with fear and how, once fear is aroused, it may not remit, despite facts exposing their initial stories as false. The very same warning applies to pro-Trump media as much as it does to anti-Trump media.

There are multiple things that I would do differently than Trump, and he has policies that I do not support. But I don’t base my positions on media-induced fear and hysteria, but on facts, evidence, and principles. If you have better ways than this (or any future) administration to bring healing to people, to our nation, and to our world, then move those ideas forward with truth, love, and evidence. Don’t allow fear to rule in your heart – fear is a tool of the enemy of love and always leads to division and hostility.

If you find that you are afraid and would like to have this fear removed from your heart, then for the next three months, do not watch any news broadcasts, read any news articles, or listen to any politics. Instead, spend at least one hour each day meditating on the life of Jesus, God’s design of love, His creation, or some other aspect of God’s character – for the purpose of seeking to enter into intimacy of heart with God.

It is by beholding that we are changed (2 Corinthians 3:18). That’s why Satan wants to get our minds focused on politics, climate change, or other threats – real or imagined – to increase our fear and to destroy our peace and wellbeing, so fix your eyes on Christ, the author and finisher of your faith (Hebrews 12:2).

When we keep Christ and His methods central, we can engage with people who don’t know Him, or worse, who promote principles contrary to God’s – yet maintain our sense of peace, our demeanor of grace, our faith and confidence in our Creator God; we can dialogue without hostility; we can discuss without enmity; we can disagree without hate; we can love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, pray for those who despitefully use and persecute us – for we are not children of this world but children of our God in heaven (Matthew 5:44,45).


Email me the blog whenever a new one is published.

Donate online, securely via PayPal using your credit or debit card (no PayPal account needed, unless you want to set up a monthly, recurring payment).


cancel recurring payment

 

Want to use zelle instead?
See how on our
Support and Donations page.

Upcoming Events

calendar

Testimonial Post Slider

Testimony 9

I really enjoy with you the view of a gracious God. Thank you for sharing the work you are allowing the Lord to do in you.

L., Queensland, Australia

 

Testimony 18

The Healing the Mind DVD set tarted me on a journey that has changed my relationship with our loving God more significantly than any other study, and brought me to your book and Bible study podcasts, which I now listen to daily, thanks to the availability of archived content on your site and on iTunes.

Anonymous

 

Testimony 32

The message [of Come And Reason Ministries is] for all Christians (and those who may become Christians) and not just Adventists or any other group. It is difficult to imagine why any [anyone] with intellectual and spiritual honesty could find fault with the way you explained the healing substitution concepts and the truth about God’s character, though I know some will reject and criticize. On behalf of those in our group near Tacoma, WA, thank you and your staff for all of the hard work and for sharing the Gospel in this manner. God’s message of healing love will be carried to the whole world and then Jesus will come – He promised it.

Terry U., Tacoma, WA, USA

 

Testimony 41

I have been blessed by your ministry. I have experienced personally, and deeply resonate with, the God of love and the beautiful picture of God’s character that you present. I have seen your seminar series on YouTube, read ‘The Journal of the Watcher’ book, used your mobile app, and also listen/study the bible study lesson with you each week. I concur with many of the thoughts and perspectives that you share. I understand your conclusions on natural laws vs imposed law and the legal/penal substitution (incorrect diagnosis). This makes perfect sense to me.

Bless you for all you do.

Melissa L.

 

Testimony 64

I’ve been reading the bible and walking with Jesus since I was around 16. I’m 42 now. I’ve mostly been alone in my walk although I went to several churches in different denominations. For the past 3 years God has been showing me His character of agape. It’s been a blessing and changed how I view God and my walk with Jesus. About a year ago I came across the power of love and the principles of design law. These teachings changed how I read scripture and have been such a beautiful blessing. I’m very excited and grateful for these truths. We share these truths of agape, design law and the reality of the principles of the two trees in the garden of Eden with people on Facebook and YouTube. People all over are learning to trust God and His agape design law which makes life possible. Thank you for everything you shared with me. May God continue to bless your ministry and lives.

Bradley M., Hinsdale, NY, USA

 

Testimony 23

I would just like to add my voice to the many people who, I believe, must have contacted you to express their appreciation for the “Healing the Mind” DVDs. I’ve been listening to your Bible study class discussions for many years and I’ve been personally blessed by your research and teaching about the character of God.

L. G., Oakland, MI, USA

 

Testimony 35

I am so pleased with the response your message is receiving at my church from the middle-aged to the young adults. I have given out 100 copies of the first two seminars and there are more request every week. One of my [class members] came to me after viewing the series, grateful and impressed with how easy the message was retained. He had been a Seventh-day Adventist in fear all his life, and felt like the scales were removed from his eyes after viewing the seminars. I am so impressed by the change I see in members who have received this message, we are in one accord. However, I am sadden by the negative response of the older people. I am verbally attacked anytime I talk about imposed laws, but I believe my mission is to enlightened everyone I can. I watch your Bible Study Class on YouTube every Friday night and I feel like I am apart of the class. All of you are in one accord and I am so blessed to have found you. I pray that all of you continue to spread this message and I am committed to doing my part.

Clara S., Westfield, MA, USA

 

Testimony 66

I am incredibly grateful for the transformative impact you’ve had on my life, and words cannot fully express my appreciation. Over the years, I have been an avid listener and follower of C&R and extend my heartfelt thanks for creating the C&R mobile app. It has allowed me to immerse myself in your lessons repeatedly, enabling me to grasp the profound significance about the Character of God, Design Law, the protocols for life, the reasons behind the current chaos, and Christ’s mission to restore everything. They have deeply touched me. Having studied with various churches, I came away with the perception that God is no different from the deities of ancient Greek or Roman mythology—demanding sacrifices and taking pleasure in bloodshed. Thanks to your transformative teachings, I have experienced a profound awakening to the true nature of God and the immense power of His love. It is truly a remarkable and liberating sensation to finally grasp the truth and embrace the empowering nature of God’s laws. My self-perception has become brighter and more infused with love. My journey of growth continues on a daily basis.

Chris P., Lake Mary, FL, USA

 

Testimony 15

I have been sharing Come And Reason Ministries Bible study lessons with several folk. You have such a beautiful view of the plan of salvation. If we had this message preached when I was young, my generation would still all be in church.

H. R., New Zealand

Testimony 26

Your teachings about our heavenly Father have changed my life. Thank you sooooooo very very much! I know He’s doing some serious healing in my heart and life and I look forward to each new day to learn something new about Him and to just hear you speak about Him. Thank you, forever.

Nancy S.

 

Testimony 45

I have been confused for years about what [christianity] calls [its] most disgusting teaching. It has never made much sense to me and for that reason has been evermore empty. I have listened to your class off and on and have struggled determining what is truth, because of the resistance design law encounters in the church. So, I thank God for your ministry. What you teach makes sense. It’s logical and backed up by the power of love. I have never seen that in Christ until now. I am astounded by the insight that is found when we look at God’s ministry through design law. All strength to this message, as I believe it to be the power of God.

Brendon S.

 

Testimony 29

Thank you for all of your work to correct misconceptions about God’s character. So many people that my husband and I have talked to seem to be against the natural law construct and view it as “errant” and “dangerous.” Having learned more about it through your blogs and lessons, I don’t really understand why they view it that way, except that it means they have to relearn theology they have known for their entire lives. But I’m so excited to relearn this. For the past few years I have been questioning how I could trust a God who punishes arbitrarily and is full of wrath for those who don’t obey His commands. That view made me afraid to “mess up” or “not be good enough,” even within my relationship with God. I really appreciated the point you bring out about God not wanting us to serve Him because we are afraid, but because we love Him.

Melissa H., IN, USA

 

Testimony 43

Two years ago I stumbled upon your book, “Could It Be This Simple,” and then found “The God-Shaped Brain” videos on YouTube, your bible study class, and the ‘Come And Reason’ mobile app. I shared your book with a friend and after nine months of showing love, patience, and kindness this person has been changed by the love of God, too. The same love that healed me, I now express to other women in tangible ways, such as to a Baptist woman with high anxiety and childhood trauma. She was extremely happy and relieved when I shared about the so-called “judgment of God” and burning in hell. She had no desire to serve a God that was so harsh. I have repeated the phrase dozens of times to her. “What we believe has power over us, but we have power over what we believe…”

This message that you are sharing has changed my life. I will continue to serve other women and bring this message of God’s healing love to their lives by sharing your books, YouTube videos, and The Remedy Bible app. Keep up the good work. Don’t be discouraged. God is doing a mighty work in and through this ministry!

Jill L., Midwest, USA

 

Testimony 48

I just want to tell you how blessed I have been reading “The Remedy!” It has become a daily part of my devotional relationship with God. In it I have found a God of love and a God that loves me! The bible has come alive for me! It is the first time that I can say that I have felt hope fill my heart as I have read God’s word. This is good news I can share! Thank you, Dr Jennings! Thank you for your heart for others. I can’t put into words how this has set me free! It has strengthened my trust and love for God.

Jason H.

 

Testimony 5

We listen to your bible studies lessons in our class in Montana. You actually were the main reason I decided to get a laptop, so I can go to your site and listen, read, learn, and print the class notes. I am so grateful to learn the correct view of God and his character. Now, to just have others have an interest in knowing, so I can share it with them. Good thoughts your way.

R. N., MT, USA