Beware the secular media’s translation of Francis’ words

I recently granted an interview to a journalist who wanted to write about Internet dating. Although I am not a fan of dating web sites, I was happy to help and mentioned that I had met my husband over the Internet, although not through a dating web site. And thus I was surprised and chagrined to discover that a sub-editor had composed a caption stating that I had met my husband through a dating web site.

I was also surprised and chagrined at a party in 2010 when a mere acquaintance told my husband and me that we must be happy that Pope Benedict had okayed condoms. Pope Benedict had not, in fact, okayed condoms, but merely stated that a male prostitute’s willingness to use one showed a movement towards moralization, in that the prostitute felt responsibility towards his client. Unfortunately, this was too subtle a point for the secular media, which widely reported that the Pope had changed his mind on condoms. Britain’s Daily Telegraph came up with the headline “Pope Drops Condom Ban in Historic Shift.”

The secular press is not in the business of preaching the Gospel; it is in the business of selling newspapers and advertising space. This is why Christians should be wary of anything the secular press has to say about those whose job it is to preach the Gospel and preserve the Christian faith. The headline “Pope Continues to Uphold Catholic Doctrine” does not sell newspapers.