Happy Media

Our talk this week is called “Happy Media." At first glance, you may suspect that I am suggesting we limit our TV watching to Veggie Tales and Hallmark movies. Or, that I am suggesting we put our heads in the sand to protect against the overly negative onslaught of the 24/7 news cycle. But the questions I want us to consider are more nuanced--questions like: Can there be an overload of negativity that goes beyond what we need to be informed and engaged? How does that negativity affect us? Has the bias for the negative seeped into the church? And lastly, can we change the happiness gauge in our hearts by simply changing our media habits?