From National Public Radio to NBC News to CNN, the mainstream media’s ignorant misrepresentation of basic and central Christian beliefs and doctrines would be understandable if it wasn’t for the fact that Christianity is the religion practiced by some 70% of Americans. On Good Friday, NPR published an article that addressed a report that Pope Francis had denied the existence of hell. NPR originally described Easter as “the day celebrating the idea that Jesus did not die and go to hell or purgatory or anywhere at all, but rather arose into heaven.” After receiving much deserved blowback, NPR corrected the piece to read, “Easter — the day Christians celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection.” How could NPR get one of the most foundational beliefs of Christianity so terribly wrong?

Far worse, NBC News marked the sacred occasion with a piece entitled, “On Easter Sunday, Christians must remember how easily and often our faith is used to defend white supremacy.” The article relays a story of a bunch of white southern racists who murdered several blacks and other defenders of Reconstruction one Easter Sunday in 1873 in Colfax County, Louisiana. It is indeed a horrific story, but it is far from emblematic of Christian beliefs or practices. And it was 145 years ago. Ironically, the article does exactly what it condemns — it seeks to co-opt the Christian message, ignoring its central teachings, so as to promote an anti-Donald Trump pro-leftist political cause. The question once again is how did the MSM get the Christian doctrine of Easter this wrong?

But then there was what may have been the worst understanding of Easter — this one from CNN. In an article titled, “How Easter became a #MeToo moment,” which was not listed as an opinion piece, author John Blake asserted that Jesus was a victim of sexual humiliation as a result of being hung naked on the cross, and therefore “if linking the Easter story with the #MeToo movement is offensive and bewildering to some, perhaps that is fitting.” Additionally, Mary Magdalene was a #MeToo victim of male authority. Blake continued, “The Easter stories in the Gospels have a jarring, unexpected quality about them as well. … The stories are enigmatic and elusive. They continue to yield surprises even 2,000 years later. They are, in some ways, much like the figure of Jesus himself.” While attempting to sound profound, Blake reveals once again a shocking amount of ignorance of what Easter is actually all about.

A journalist should be primarily concerned with accurately reporting the news, not promoting an agenda. However, the vast majority of MSM reporters have committed themselves to the promotion of the “progressive” cause. And in so doing, they have created simplistic and flawed caricatures of those they revile, like Christians. Then speaking as if they fully grasp the true motives and beliefs of those they oppose, they label them foolish and backwards. As the Apostle Paul astutely predicted, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18).

Christianity is not about promoting white supremacy or a political agenda, nor is it a means of awakening Americans to some “social justice” cause. The message of Easter is that Christ accomplished what He came into the world to do — defeat sin and death and rescue sinners from hell. All who believe in Jesus can rest in certain hope that they like Him will one day rise from the grave and live with Him in Heaven forever, having been fully forgiven and cleansed from all their sins. This is what Christians celebrate at Easter.