Every pastor needs to be sensitive to and aware

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Every pastor needs to be sensitive to and aware of the different experiences that his members go through from week to week. For instance almost every church has people who are on the road for many hours each week. Truck drivers, salesmen and tradesmen are examples and these folks often get hours of propaganda thrown at them while they drive. Over and over I have talked to these hard working folks who have their world view changed by the right wing talk show hosts. They seem to forget that the only way these talking heads can keep an audience is to create a sense of fear and of impending doom. The loneliness and being separated from wife and children as well as church and community events leaves them malleable to hate speech. Wherever possible I recommend that they take along good music, a talking book or two and now with smart phones stay in touch with their families as much as possible. From time to time I will tell my listeners not to listen to the voices of gloom and doom.