A biased view about being unbiased

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KJV: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Greek: πολλοι γαρ ελευσονται επι τω ονοματι μου λεγοντες εγω ειμι ο χριστος και πολλους πλανησουσιν

Will they actually say that they are "Christ"? One might "fact check" that they are not actually "Christ".

Or might they, as teachers, preachers, etc., be their own version of "Christ", using selected parts of scripture, etc., and become as a "god", in their deception of others and themselves?

Matthew 24:6

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KJV: And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

Greek: μελλησετε δε ακουειν πολεμους και ακοας πολεμων ορατε μη θροεισθε δει γαρ παντα γενεσθαι αλλ ουπω εστιν το τελος

Paul writes the following verse that appears to be end-time prophecies and refers to "delusion", "deception" and "lies".

2 Thessalonians 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: [kjv]

It might be important to try to define terms such as "deception" and "lie" in the context in which those prophecies were written and how they might apply today.

Mainstream media is not unbiased. Everyone is biased. Mainstream is called "mainstream" because a lot of people watch it or use it as a source of information.

Every media outlet carefully crafts its message for the intended audience. Churches do this too. This can make reality truth difficult to discern. How might one determine what is really true and what is not true?

The Latin word "medius" ≈ "middle, mid" is the source of the English word "media" (and many other English words). Media is a way used to communicate ideas.

News media
Church media (sermons, etc.)

As we shall see, media outlets may not always be in the middle. Where exactly is the "middle"? Is there a fixed frame of reference or is it relative?

John 1:26

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KJV: John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

Greek: απεκριθη αυτοις ο ιωαννης λεγων εγω βαπτιζω εν υδατι μεσος δε υμων εστηκεν στηκει ον υμεις ουκ οιδατε

Latin: respondit eis Iohannes dicens ego baptizo in aqua medius autem vestrum stetit quem vos non scitis

Wessex: Iohannes andswerede heom. Ic fullige on waetere. to-middes eow stod þe ge ne cunnen.

Wycliffe: Joon answeride to hem, and seide, Y baptise in watir, but in the myddil of you hath stonde oon, that ye knowen not;

Spanish: Juan les respondió, diciendo: Yo bautizo en agua, mas en medio de vosotros está uno a quien vosotros no conocéis.

Portuguese: João respondeu-lhes: «Eu baptizo com água, mas no meio de vós está quem vós não conheceis.

Most media outlets are in the business to make money and develop audiences that like their content - whether true or just for entertainment. Some media outlets are subsidized by groups or people who want to promote their own point of view. This may or may not be good, depending on your point of view.

It is business. The English word "business" is used in the KJV (King James Version) in various places.

Romans 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; [kjv]

τη σπουδη μη οκνηροι τω πνευματι ζεοντες τω κυριω δουλευοντες [gnt]

… slow … bisynesse… [wy]

… busynes … tedious … [ty]

The ancient Greek word "σπεύδω" ≈ "be keen, make haste" in the sense of an urgent focused priority. The Old English word for "busy-ness" became the modern word "business".

The KJV "slothful" is "ὄκνος" ≈ "shrinking, hesitation" as in being "fearful".

Paraphrase: Make it an urgent and immediate priority not to shy away or be fearful of ... serving the Lord.

Anyone in business knows not to be fearful or shy away from approaching a customer rather than have them walk out of the store without buying anything.

More: 2 Timothy 2:15 An urgent focused priority to do diligent study

*G3636 *3 ὀκνηρός (ok-nay-ros') : from G3635; tardy, i.e. indolent; (figuratively) irksome:--grievous, slothful.

Usage

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οκνηρε

Matthew 25:26 ... unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that ...

οκνηροι

Romans 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

οκνηρον

Philippians 3:1 ... to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

*G3636 *3 ὀκνηρός (ok-nay-ros') : from G3635; tardy, i.e. indolent; (figuratively) irksome:--grievous, slothful.

Words: οκνηρε οκνηροι οκνηρον

The ancient Greek word "ὄκνος" ≈ "shrinking, hesitation" and is related to the Latin word "cunctor" ≈ "delay, hold up, hesitate" and to the English word "hang" as in "hang back". Think of hard "k" going to "kh" and then softening to "h".

Numbers 22:16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: [kjv]

και ηλθον προς βαλααμ και λεγουσιν αυτω ταδε λεγει βαλακ ο του σεπφωρ αξιω σε μη οκνησης ελθειν προς με [lxx]

… cuncteris … [v]

Romans 12:11

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KJV: Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

Greek: τη σπουδη μη οκνηροι τω πνευματι ζεοντες τω καιρω κυριω δουλευοντες

Latin: sollicitudine non pigri spiritu ferventes Domino servientes

Wycliffe: not slow in bisynesse, feruent in spirit, seruynge to the Lord,

Tyndale: Let not yt busynes which ye have in honde be tedious to you. Be fervet in ye sprete. Applye youre selves to ye tyme.

Gothic: usdaudein ni latai; ahmin wulandans; fraujin skalkinondans;

Spanish: Diligentes, no perezosos; fervientes en espíritu, sirviendo al Señor.

Numbers 22:16

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KJV: And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:

Hebrew: ויבאו אל בלעם ויאמרו לו כה אמר בלק בן צפור אל נא תמנע מהלך אלי׃

Greek: και ηλθον προς βαλααμ και λεγουσιν αυτω ταδε λεγει βαλακ ο του σεπφωρ αξιω σε μη οκνησης ελθειν προς με

Latin: qui cum venissent ad Balaam dixerunt sic dicit Balac filius Sepphor ne cuncteris venire ad me

The ancient Greek has several words for "new".

"νέος" ≈ "young, fresh, unexpected" and is the source of the English word "new".
"καινός" ≈ "novel, recent" and is related, through Latin, to the English word "recent".

The English word "news" is some report or information that is "new" and not "old". Anything that is "new" will, over time, become "old". So, by definition, "news" does not happen very often. Otherwise, it would not be "new"!

More: Some new and fresh young words

The New York Times slogan or motto is "All the news that's fit to print". Or is it "All the news that fits" with an implied "their view of things".

That altered motto was used a lot by cadets at West Point (who were required to pay to have the New York Times delivered to their rooms) in 1976 and into 1977 when there appeared to be a great separation of reality between what the New York Times was reporting and the first had experiences of what was happening at West Point (e.g., females entering for the first time, the cheating scandal of the class of 1977, etc.).

As soon as someone claims that they are unbiased, what you are about to hear tends to be very biased. The English word "bias", in the sense of on oblique line (1520) comes from the French word "biais" ≈ "sideways, against the grain".

As soon as someone says that what they are about to say is not a political statement, you are (with very high probability) going to hear a political statement.

More: Nothing is something: actions

Everyone is biased. There is no such thing as unbiased reporting in news.
It is not a matter of whether one is biased or not. It is really a question of which bias is the best bias with which to be biased. Ken Ham (Australian Christian fundamentalist)

Ham, K. (1987). The lie: evolution. El Cajon, CA: Master Books, p. 9.

More: Ken Ham

Paul warns Timothy, bishop of Ephesus, an important cultural, commerce, scientific and philosophical center in the Greek speaking world, of false teaching and false teachers.

More: City: Ephesus

2 Timothy 4:3

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KJV: For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

Greek: εσται γαρ καιρος οτε της υγιαινουσης διδασκαλιας ουκ ανεξονται αλλα κατα τας επιθυμιας τας ιδιας επιθυμιας εαυτοις επισωρευσουσιν διδασκαλους κνηθομενοι την ακοην

Latin: erit enim tempus cum sanam doctrinam non sustinebunt sed ad sua desideria coacervabunt sibi magistros prurientes auribus

Wycliffe: For tyme schal be, whanne men schulen not suffre hoolsum teching, but at her desiris thei schulen gadere`togidere to hem silf maistris yitchinge to the eeris.

Geneva: For the time will come, when they will not suffer wholesome doctrine: but hauing their eares itching, shall after their owne lustes get them an heape of teachers,

Wycliffe uses "heape of teachers".

More: 2 Timothy 4:1-5 The moving ethics of tinnitus and itching ears

These "teachers" described by Paul are of the type crafting their message for their audience and, perhaps, for their own benefit.

Would this type of "teacher" be a "false teacher"? How might one define a "false teacher"? Given a definition, what is the prevalence of "false teachers" in churches today? How about your church or a church you know about?

It was recognized that there was a move from education to "edutainment". Students soon expected to be entertained during class, and PowerPoint was expected and used to do just that, in addition to any educational objectives.

Such entertainment started to be done because it could be done and not for any useful educational objectives.

A similar thing happens in many churches.

A term that soon came into use was that of "PowerPointlessness". It is defined by Wiktionary as follows.

The senseless use of PowerPoint to communicate with too many bells and whistles, animated transitions between slides, etc. and very little substance.

The Latin word "magister" ≈ "teacher". In the Middle Ages, this was a title of a "master" or person of authority and, in education, similar to a license. Think of a "masters degree". Words from this word include "magistrate".

In the GNT (Greek New Testament), the Greek word for "doctrine" is the same as the Greek word for "teaching" and the Greek word for "sound" is the Greek word for "healthy".

More: Teaching and learning sound and healthy doctrine

A confirmation bias is a bias of accepting only facts that agree with what you have already decided is true and ignoring other facts.
That is, one accepts only new information that confirms what one already believes or has heard, etc. You can ignore facts that you do not know about (ignorance of the law) or ignore things in order to deceive others (and yourself).

A confirmation bias can be encouraged by the use of "cherry picking" information to view or accept.

More: Selective evidence fallacy: Cherry picking

More: Confirmation bias

Romans 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. [kjv]

οι γαρ τοιουτοι τω κυριω ημων χριστω ου δουλευουσιν αλλα τη εαυτων κοιλια και δια της χρηστολογιας και ευλογιας εξαπατωσιν τας καρδιας των ακακων [gnt]

Near the end of Romans, Paul says that false teachers, to support their "belly", will use "useful words" and "good logic" to deceive the overly-trusting congregation. Paul makes a pun between "Christ" and "useful" (words).

The ancient Greek word "χρηστός" ≈ "good, useful".
The ancient Greek word "χριστός" ≈ "anointed one".

In modern Greek these words are pronounced the some.

The modern Greek word "χριστός" (hree-STOS) ≈ "Christ, anointed one" .
The modern Greek word "χρηστός" (hree-STOS) ≈ "useful" where "useful".

In ancient times, there was a small difference in how they sounded.

More: Romans 16 A belly-ache pun on useful Christ-like words

People will tend to watch media that tells them what they like to hear.
People will tend to get pastors and teachers that tell them what they like to hear.

Over time, churches gravitate to a certain position and people who like that position are more likely to attend and support that church.

2 Timothy 4:4

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KJV: And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Greek: και απο μεν της αληθειας την ακοην αποστρεψουσιν επι δε τους μυθους εκτραπησονται

Latin: et a veritate quidem auditum avertent ad fabulas autem convertentur

Wycliffe: And treuli thei schulen turne awei the heryng fro treuthe, but to fablis thei schulen turne.

Luther: und werden die Ohren von der Wahrheit wenden und sich zu den Fabeln kehren.

Spanish: y apartarán de la verdad sus oídos y se volverán a las fábulas.

Portuguese: Desviarão os ouvidos da verdade e divagarão ao sabor de fábulas.

The modern Greek word "μύθος" (MEE-thos) ≈ "myth, fable" as in a story that is less true than true. A "myth" did not become mostly untrue until the nineteenth century.

These differences then became more extreme after that time.

Details are left as a future topic.

There are a terrible lot of lies going about the world, and the worst of it is that half of them are true. Winston Churchill (British statesman)

How might one determine what is true and what is not true?

More: Winston Churchill

Interestingly, many people make their decisions based on watching only one news media outlet, not a selection with which to compare.

On the same line, many people attend one church for most of their life, and make their comparisons of differences, small and large, based on factors other than deliberate study and/or visitation of other churches.

Suppose that one has only one source of information. How might valid comparisons be made to other points of view?

In order to understand what another person is saying, you must assume it is true and try to imagine what it could be true of. George Armitage Miller (American Psychologist)

This is the same Miller who made the observation that the number of things an average person can hold in working memory is about seven (plus or minus two).

More: George Armitage Miller

The fact checking logic fallacy goes as follows. FYI: I made up the name for this pattern. It may already have a name.

Take the facts that someone has presented for their argument.
Find at least one fact that can be shown to not be true in some manner.
Claim that everything in their argument is not true.
Claim (or imply) that this makes your arguments true.

Note that this combines a number of other logic fallacies.

A follow-on logic fallacy is to claim you are fact checking the fact checking.

This might be called meta-fact-checking but works in basically the same way.

A campaign against "misinformation" appears to be very similar that of "fact checking".

Aristotle, in his On Sophistical Refutations, details (at least) 12 ways to use bad or "sophistic" logic. Eristic reasoning is one of them.

One technique of "eristic" (faulty and contentious) logic is to accuse the other side of what you are doing. This tends to confuse those who cannot determine what is valid logic and what is not valid logic.

A name for this in psychology is "projection" as one projects one's own ideas, faults, etc., onto others.

Deception by using a misleading interpretation of the facts is fairly easy to show logically as deceptive - if logic is allowed to be used or understood.

A primary way that facts are used to deceive are not in presenting false facts since showing facts (or selected facts) not true is not difficult.

If you omit facts, people will often think they are smart by filling in details that are not explicitly articulated.

It is well known that in presentations, if one is short on time, one can omit parts of the presentation and most people will not notice the missing parts.

It is well known that in performing music, for example, if you miss a few notes, except at the very beginning or end, most people will not notice, as long as you keep going as if you know what you are doing.

Detecting issues with what is not there is difficult.

We often see or perceive things that are not actually there. Do you see the triangle?

There is no triangle! Your brain makes the triangle that you see. The eye just passed along the image information to the brain which organizes ind recognizes it.
Abstraction involves looking at similarities and differences and filling in missing details - sometimes appropriately, sometimes inappropriately. This abstraction can be used to deceive by providing some details but leaving other details to be filled in by unsuspecting listeners or viewers.

More: Kanizsa triangle: seeing what is not there

In business, marketing people are usually kept away from engineering people. A business wants a customer to talk to a marketing (sales) person and not to an engineer.

marketing : how it looks and how it is used
engineering : how it works (or does not work)

An important way that facts are used to deceive is in only presenting some facts and omitting other facts. This is harder to show as deceptive since it requires one to find the other facts, if available, and then show how just looking at some facts is misleading.

A marketing person will tend to tell customers only what is good about their product and only what is bad about other products, omitting other details.

An engineering person will tend to tell customers about both the good and bad of their product and the competitors product - and a lot of other details that a customer may or may not want to hear.

In some cases, the organization (government, etc.) may only publish the facts that support the argument while not publishing other facts. Technically, evaluating conditional probabilities may be relevant but the necessary data needed to approximate those conditional probabilities is not available.

In the security field, it is well established that people tend to overestimate rare probabilities and underestimate common probabilities.

One often-used example is that of the probabilities of dying in an airline crash compared to dying in an automobile crash.

The following is a general example.

Suppose there are 300,000,000 people in the population (to make numbers easier).
Suppose 300 people have some life-threating condition or died from some condition.

Your probability of encountering this condition is one in one million. In some cases, the news media may cover those 300 cases as if it is a general phenomena and a great danger to all - since you might get this condition. Is that really the case?

1 Thessalonians 5:3

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KJV: For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Greek: οταν γαρ λεγωσιν ειρηνη και ασφαλεια τοτε αιφνιδιος αυτοις εφισταται επισταται ολεθρος ωσπερ η ωδιν τη εν γαστρι εχουση και ου μη εκφυγωσιν

In the security field (and other areas) it is well known that human nature will tend to overestimate probabilities that have a rare occurrence of happening while underestimating probabilities that have a larger occurrence of happening.

Selective reporting of facts can be used to create a convenient crisis.

Never let a good crisis go to waste. Winston Churchill (British statesman)

This should be obvious. The real question is whether the crisis was artificially constructed in order to use it to get something done that might otherwise not have been done.

More: Winston Churchill

Important point: A false teacher or false prophet is not someone who says things that are not true. That is easy to check and verify.

A false teacher or false prophet is someone who says things that omit facts in order to deceive.

Details are left as a future topic.

When Paul says the Bereans were more noble in that they scriptures to see whether those things were so, one needs to search all the scriptures in case important things were omitted.

Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. [kjv]

More: Acts 17:10-14 - Berea

Acts 17:11

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KJV: These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Greek: ουτοι δε ησαν ευγενεστεροι των εν θεσσαλονικη οιτινες εδεξαντο τον λογον μετα πασης προθυμιας το καθ ημεραν ανακρινοντες τας γραφας ει εχοι ταυτα ουτως

Latin: hii autem erant nobiliores eorum qui sunt Thessalonicae qui susceperunt verbum cum omni aviditate cotidie scrutantes scripturas si haec ita se haberent

Wycliffe: But these weren the worthier of hem that ben at Thessolonik, whiche resseyueden the word with al desire, eche dai sekinge scripturis, if these thingis hadden hem so.

A key idea in detecting reality truth is that of determining what you are not being told and whether that is relevant to what is being claimed.

In terms of Bible teaching, what is being omitted and is that relevant to what is being claimed.

Anyone can make up stories for part of what is observed. Nebuchadnezzar realizes this in Daniel 2 when he has a disturbing dream and wants his wise men (magi) to both tell him and the interpretation.

They make up excuses and Nebuchadnezzar will hear none of it. Eventually, Daniel makes known to the King both the dream and the interpretation thereof.

More: Daniel 2: I have a forgotten dream

The phrase "cherry picking" is used when facts (e.g., verses) that match the idea that one wants to convey are used (out of context) and other ideas (e.g., verses) omitted to "deceive" listeners to believing what the speaker (the "deceiver") wants them to believe (is true in reality).

More: Matthew 4:1-11 Examining evil temptations

More: Selective evidence fallacy: Cherry picking

2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. [kjv]

πονηροι δε ανθρωποι και γοητες προκοψουσιν επι το χειρον πλανωντες και πλανωμενοι [gnt]

mali … seductores … peius errantes … errorem … [v]

… ubilai … airzjai … airzjandans. [got]

Timothy was Bishop of Ephesus. In 2 Timothy 3:13, Paul warns Timothy of "evil" men "deceiving" and "being deceived". The word for "evil" appears to be that of being burdened down with the cares and concerns of this world.

Deception can be reflexive in that one may start to believe one's own lies. This often happens when, in deceiving others, one starts to believe the deception being used.

More: Overly burdened in the cares and concerns of evil

2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. [kjv]

πονηροι δε ανθρωποι και γοητες προκοψουσιν επι το χειρον πλανωντες και πλανωμενοι [gnt]

Notice that the evil men are deceiving others but, apparently, and reflexively, deceiving themselves. Can deception be done be burdening down people with burdens that may not be necessary?

A lie told often enough becomes the truth. Vladimir Lenin (Russian revolutionary and politician)

More: Vladimir Lenin

More: Reflexive relationships in the Bible

Some examples: (details omitted)

Companies moving money oversees to avoid taxes.
Water on Mars and the origin of life.
The silent years between Malachi and Jesus and the New Testament.
DNA evidence used for conviction.

If one listens carefully, and knows the deception, how what is said can be very informative.

Does the speaker know the fallacy and is wording it carefully to be truthfully accurate but otherwise deceptive?
Does the speaker not know the fallacy and is not wording it carefully so that it would appear they are just mouthing opinions without deep understanding?

2 Thessalonians 2:11

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KJV: And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

Greek: και δια τουτο πεμψει πεμπει αυτοις ο θεος ενεργειαν πλανης εις το πιστευσαι αυτους τω ψευδει

There have been many speculations about this "lie". What are some candidates for this "lie"?

In some cases, to avoid fact checking, or just to keep the story the same, groups will, overnight, start using the same terms or phrases as "talking points".

This may help, but it can be entertaining to watch a sequence of many members of the group all of a sudden on one day using the same unique terms or "talking points".

In churches, there are teachers who tickle "itching ears" and, let us say, never say anything that is incorrect. They cannot be "fact checked".

On the other hand, those teachers may leave out many details, verses or context. They may not ask important questions that beg to be asked.

Discussion question: Are such teachers "false teachers"? If so, how many churches might have "false teachers"? How many churches might tout such teachers as "great teachers"?

Then, consider the following verses in your answer.

Discussion question: If such "false teachers" exist, would anyone bringing this to the attention of the religious authorities or those teachers or people who like those teachers bring about any persecution of the person asking those questions.

First is what Jesus says to Nicodemus, a "teacher" or "master" of Israel.

John 3:10

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KJV: Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

Greek: απεκριθη ο ιησους και ειπεν αυτω συ ει ο διδασκαλος του ισραηλ και ταυτα ου γινωσκεις

Next, a verse from James about the responsibility of teachers.

The same word is used for "teacher" or "master".

James 3:1

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KJV: My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

Greek: μη πολλοι διδασκαλοι γινεσθε αδελφοι μου ειδοτες οτι μειζον κριμα ληψομεθα λημψομεθα

Latin: nolite plures magistri fieri fratres mei scientes quoniam maius iudicium sumitis

Wycliffe: Mi britheren, nyle ye be maad many maistris, witynge that ye taken the more doom.

Geneva: My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receiue the greater condemnation.

Luther: Liebe Brüder, unterwinde sich nicht jedermann, Lehrer zu sein; und wisset, daß wir desto mehr Urteil empfangen werden.

Spanish: Hermanos míos, no os hagáis muchos maestros, sabiendo que recibiremos mayor condenación.

Portuguese: Meus irmãos, não haja muitos entre vós que pretendam ser mestres, sabendo que nós teremos um julgamento mais severo,

In light of the above material, discuss the following questions.

Why were the prophets persecuted and killed?
Why was Jesus arrested, tried and crucified?

Is there any connection with the above material?

More: Shoot the messenger