The True Crime Against Society
By Natalee Runyan
Sitting on the edge of your seat and biting your nails, you watch a depiction of a serial killer brutally murdering innocent victims. Consuming true crime media has become a favorite pastime among Americans. What we do not realize is that true crime is an obsession that has society in a chokehold. As the coverage of these topics expands, the greater the effect gets. Closed cases are being reopened, criminals are being retried and the justice system is being questioned, all due to the national attention on true crime.
“As a psychology major, I find true crime fascinating,” counselor Anna Francka said, “I listen to the podcast called Morbid, watch documentaries, unsolved mysteries, everything on Netflix and Hulu. I love the mystery behind it. My favorites are the ones that go really in-depth on the background of the killer, their childhood and events leading up to [the murder].”
Francka connected true crime to her Catholic faith.
“I really believe God created everyone good,” she said, “So when you hear these things you want to know why they did it. If I get sucked into a TV series, if the theme is murder or a mystery, I feel darkness take over and my prayer lift isn’t as strong. I feel like it does lead your mindset to be negative.”
The Catholic opinion of true crime, according to Rev. Josh from Ascension Press, states that true crime is okay to watch depending on a person’s intention. If you are watching true crime for delight and intrigue, then it is harming your soul. If you are watching true crime to inform yourself and to pray for other’s conversion, then consuming this media is not harmful.
Watching true crime as a hobby makes one less sensitive to crime and murder. The more violent media a person is consuming, the more desensitized they become. Making this media a part of your routine can cause obsession. What is overlooked by many is that you are becoming friendly with the evil idea of murder. Many people think they are just hearing a shocking story, not reliving the torture of someone’s violent death.
After listening to these horrendous stories, it can also cause a sense of insecurity. Are you going to be murdered next? Was your neighbor suspiciously outside at 1 a.m.? Is your husband trying to kill you? Is it safe to ride the bus? These questions become much more serious when your mind is focused on murder. Paranoia can become a severe problem and negatively affect one’s life.
True crime not only affects one’s internal moral sense, but is starting to affect the outside world. When listening to a story, it becomes easy to question the validity of the justice system. Netflix and Spotify are not trustworthy sources. They have begun to spin stories to make viewers promote their agenda.
The recent production by Netflix,“The Menendez Brothers,” depicts a real murder case from 1989. This docu-series was produced in an enthralling movie-like manner, which captured the attention of millions nationwide. Countless Americans fell in love with the brothers, creating an outcry of sorrow for them. There has been so much attention brought to this case that the state of California is considering a resentencing, including the possibility of parole.
To many, this sounds great, but these men brutally emptied countless rounds into their parents' faces. They pleaded guilty for the murder of both their parents, Kitty and Josè Menendez. Since the men have confessed to this severe case of premeditated murder, they do not deserve to be released. No amount of public attention should change that. Countless falsely-accused criminals should be released, but will die behind bars or even face the death sentence. Not the Menendez brothers; society has been fooled by the media to romanticize the lives of murderers.
As Catholics, we know this story all too well, when ancient crowds chose the famous murder Barrabas to be released, giving up the life of Jesus. Society is notorious for its love of evil and corruption. Today we are no better than them, glorifying the life of murder and sin.
Next time you’re picking a movie, listening to a podcast or reading a story, consider what you are choosing to consume.