Why the Moderator Matters

It’s not a question of whether or not the person can be civil.  It’s not even a question of whether they can be fair.  The question is, what baggage do they enter with?

Two years ago this spring our church decided to close its Christian School.  It was a  difficult and complex decision, which ended up being decided primarily by money¹.  When this tough subject came up, and we had a relatively new pastor, I was asked to be moderator.  But I had an opinion.

Was I unbiased?

I first stated the ground rules, and then started the debate—in a very formal way.  But it was difficult.  It was hard not to let people address others instead of myself as the chair.  It was difficult to not want to say anything, or to show no reaction because I had a bias.  And it was hard not to want to get people that shared my point of view to say what I wanted to say.

Eventually, I stepped aside as chair so that I could speak.

Every person has Worldview

Your worldview helps you to interpret data as you see it around you.  It impacts how you think about things, and whether you consider something rational.  It is both a source of unity and division—unity within and division without.

It is fast becoming the dividing line of this country, with few people truly wanting to see the other point of view.

Interviews

It was evidenced by the interviews that Katie Couric did of the two Vice Presidential nominees.  On the face of it, she asked questions of each candidate and looked for positions for each person.  The problem was that when it came to Sen. Joe Biden, Couric did not press or follow up with logical questions.  When it was Gov. Sarah Palin, she presses for a “gotcha.”

And yet if you were not paying close attention, you wouldn’t know the difference.  And these are they that let us see these candidates—for we will probably never get to talk to them in person.

Cruel neutrality—that’s what we need in our press.  That’s what we need from our moderators.

I believe God’s will was done with our school, and I pray for His will in the coming election.

1. Regardless of whether it should have been—it’s a moot point now. [↩]