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Your phone just served you another crisis. The notification arrived precisely when your defenses were lowest, algorithmically timed to maximize engagement. But this time, something felt different. This time, you wondered: What if the real crisis is that I keep looking?
When submitted this piece about his complete withdrawal from news media, it connected directly to tensions we've been exploring across multiple frameworks. His practical application of Daniel's Sacred Boundaries principle (the same selective consumption that kept the prophet spiritually distinct in literal Babylon) offers something our readers desperately need: permission to disconnect in order to reconnect with God.
If you've felt that gnawing anxiety every time you close a news app, that low-grade anger that persists after scrolling through headlines, you're not weak or unspiritual. You're experiencing exactly what these platforms designed you to feel. The difference between you and those who remain trapped? You're starting to notice the cage.
This isn't another "phones are bad" sermon. Baker's testimony reveals how modern media functions as a formation engine, shaping souls through manufactured outrage. His solution? The same strategy Daniel employed in literal Babylon: strategic separation without complete withdrawal, selective fasting without self-righteous isolation.
Baker's key discovery: cutting off news didn't make him less informed; it made him less disturbed. In an age where being "informed" often means being anxious, angry, and spiritually depleted, his approach offers a radical alternative that echoes throughout Scripture.
As you read, consider how this connects to our ongoing exploration of digital discipleship. The WISE Framework we've developed asks whether technology serves human flourishing. Baker's testimony suggests that for many of us, the answer to modern news media is a resounding "no."
By
When was the last time you finished scrolling the news and felt closer to God?
Most of us close those apps feeling anxious or angry. That isn't a design flaw. It's the point. This world isn't neutral. Every headline, every notification, every flicker across the screen is a formation strategy. They don't just inform us; they shape us.
If you've found yourself checking news apps with the same compulsion others check slot machines, you're experiencing exactly what the engineers intended. The anxiety isn't a side effect. It's the product. The rage isn't incidental. It's the goal. Every refresh trains your soul to crave what destroys your peace.
We're in a battle for our attention. And our souls are on the front lines.
Media no longer exists to inform. It exists to addict. Rage and fear drive shares. Outrage feeds algorithms. Engagement is currency.
Now we're entering darker territory. AI writes news stories. Deepfakes deliver speeches never given. Synthetic voices say whatever a script demands. Truth becomes harder to separate from deception by the hour.
The rot spreads subtly. When you feed your mind distortion long enough, your heart bends under its weight. You start seeing life through the lens of media, not the Gospel.
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God." Romans 12:2 (ESV)⁶
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8 (NIV)⁷
Discernment isn't an optional spiritual upgrade. It's resistance training for your soul.
Sometimes discernment demands separation. Scripture consistently calls God's people to pull away from corrupting influences. Idols. False teachers. Systems that warp the heart.
This isn't retreat for its own sake. It's refusal to be shaped by darkness.
For me, it meant cutting off news entirely. I stopped following politics and popular headlines. Instead, I focus on glorifying God in what's in front of me. Work. Family. Quiet obedience.
The results? I'm not less informed. I'm just less disturbed. There's peace in refusing to carry burdens that aren't mine to lift. I'm more present. More grateful. Less frantic.
Cutting distortion isn't enough. You need to replace it with what nourishes.
For me, it's handwritten Scripture journaling. Slowing down to write each verse turns passive reading into active meditation. Truth etched in ink settles deeper than truth scrolled past at midnight.
Feed your mind Scripture. Prayer. Beauty. Conversations with real people. As you do, deception loses its hold because you grow familiar with your Shepherd's voice.
Daniel lived in Babylon without becoming Babylonian. Immersed in a foreign empire, he refused its delicacies and guarded his allegiance. He didn't flee the city. He just refused to be owned by it.
Our media landscape is a digital Babylon. Its idols are rage, pleasure, power, and fear. But we bow to another King.
We live in the age of deception. But we walk with Truth Himself.
"Media teaches us what to fear, desire, and believe. Christ teaches us who we are."
Lord, give us discernment in this noisy age. Guard our hearts from what breeds fear and confusion. Fill our souls with Your Word, so we stand in peace and walk in wisdom. Let our eyes stay fixed on You alone.
In Jesus' name. Amen.
Editorial Analysis by
If Baker's testimony stirred something in your soul, you're not alone. His radical approach touches on deeper theological principles we need to examine. Let's explore the biblical foundations and practical frameworks that make his digital fast more than just personal preference but potential pathway to spiritual freedom.
Baker's testimony echoes a pattern throughout Scripture: God's people have always needed strategic separation from formation-aggressive cultures. But what makes our digital age unique requires deeper biblical examination.
In Daniel 1:8-16, we see the prophet's defining moment: "But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine" (NIV).¹ The Hebrew word here, ga'al, means to pollute or stain. Daniel understood that Babylon's consumption patterns would fundamentally alter his spiritual identity.
Consider how this principle applies to media consumption. The Hebrew pachad (visceral, paralyzing fear) describes what news media cultivates in our souls. It stands in direct opposition to yirah, the reverent fear of the Lord that brings wisdom. When we feast on pachad daily through our screens, we lose our capacity for yirah. We become what we consume.
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God." Romans 12:2 (ESV)²
Paul's Greek here is precise. Syschematizo (conformed) means to be pressed into a mold, exactly what algorithms do to our thought patterns. But metamorphoo (transformed) requires a completely different formation source. This isn't about information intake; it's about spiritual formation.
Daniel understood this in literal Babylon. His dietary boundaries weren't about legalism but about maintaining spiritual distinction. He recognized that consumption shapes identity which is a truth our algorithm-driven age makes devastatingly clear.
When we fast from fear-based media, we create space for the Spirit to work. We exchange pachad for yirah, anxiety for peace, conformity for transformation. This isn't about ignorance; it's about wisdom. Not about disengagement, but about proper engagement with what truly matters.
The transformation Baker describes (immediate anxiety relief, restored prayer life, Scripture coming alive) aren't coincidental benefits. They're the natural result of removing spiritual toxins from our daily diet.
Think about it: every headline you consume, every notification you permit, every algorithm you submit to is shaping you into something. The question is: into whose image?
Based on Baker's testimony and biblical principles, here's a practical framework for implementing your own digital fast:
1. Audit Your Digital Diet Honestly Track your media consumption for one week. Note not just what you consume but how you feel afterward. Does it produce the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)² or the works of the flesh?
2. Apply the Philippians 4:8 Filter
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8 (NIV)⁴
Would 90% of your news feed pass this test? That's not coincidence. That's wisdom.
3. Establish Daniel-Style Boundaries Daniel didn't negotiate with Babylon's menu. He chose complete abstinence from what would defile. Identify which media sources consistently fail the Philippians test and eliminate them entirely.
4. Replace Digital Distortion with Spiritual Formation Nature abhors a vacuum. Fill the space with:
Handwritten Scripture journaling (as Baker discovered)
Extended prayer without digital interruption
Face-to-face conversations
Creative work that reflects God's image
Service to your immediate community
5. Focus on Your Actual Kingdom Assignment Without false urgency from breaking news, you'll discover your real calling. Family. Work. Local church. Neighbors. The kingdom advances through faithful presence, not frantic reaction.
This week, implement Baker's approach with intentionality through a 48-hour news fast. No headlines or news apps. No social media news feeds. No political commentary. And no "just checking" exceptions. This isn't about ignorance; it's about recalibrating your soul's appetite.
Instead of scrolling through manufactured crises, invest that reclaimed time in what actually nourishes. Try Baker's handwriting method with Scripture meditation. Let your hand slow down your mind as you copy out passages that have become too familiar to penetrate. Engage in uninterrupted prayer without the phantom buzz of notifications. Serve someone in your immediate sphere who needs actual help, not virtual sympathy. Create something beautiful that reflects the image of God rather than consuming content that distorts it. Have an undistracted conversation where you're fully present instead of mentally composing your next post.
As you journey through these 48 hours, document what you discover. Notice how your anxiety levels shift when you're not mainlining society's fears. Pay attention to what emerges in your immediate environment when your eyes aren't glued to distant disasters. Watch how your prayer life changes when you're not carrying the world's burdens into God's presence. Most importantly, observe what actually requires your attention versus what merely demanded it through algorithmic urgency.
Remember: You weren't created to carry the world's sorrows. That's Christ's job. You were created to know Him and make Him known in your specific context.
What would change in your spiritual life if you consumed Scripture as frequently as you currently consume news with the same urgency and attention?
How might your family relationships improve if you invested your "news time" in actual presence with actual people in your actual life?
What specific fears are you feeding through media consumption that God has explicitly commanded you not to carry (Matthew 6:25-34)⁵?
’s testimony confronts us with an uncomfortable truth: many of us have become addicted to anxiety. We've confused being informed with being transformed, awareness with wisdom, engagement with discipleship.
His radical approach (complete news media separation) won't be right for everyone. Some are called to engage these spaces as missionaries. But his core insight remains: you cannot consume Babylon's formation diet and maintain kingdom consciousness. Something has to give.
This piece beautifully illustrates what we've been exploring through our WISE Framework and GUARD Framework: the need for intentional digital stewardship that protects both individual souls and community wholeness. Baker's personal application shows what it looks like when someone takes seriously the call to guard their attention as a sacred resource.
What I love most is how Baker's "extreme" choice reveals our normalized dysfunction. When complete withdrawal from news media seems radical, perhaps we need to question what we've accepted as normal. When someone choosing peace over panic appears counter-cultural, maybe the culture needs confronting.
As you consider Baker's approach, remember: the goal isn't withdrawal from the world but engagement from a place of spiritual strength. Daniel didn't just fast from Babylon's food; he served Babylon's people from a position of uncompromised identity.
May we all find the courage to audit our digital consumption with the same seriousness Daniel brought to his physical diet. The formation of our souls depends on it.
For more from Michael Baker on spiritual formation and practical faith, follow his work at on Substack!
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¹ Daniel 1:8 (NIV). Bible Gateway.
² Romans 12:2 (ESV). Bible Gateway.
³ Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV). Bible Gateway.
⁴ Philippians 4:8 (NIV). Bible Gateway.
⁵ Matthew 6:25-34 (ESV). Bible Gateway.
⁶ Romans 12:2 (ESV). Bible Gateway.
⁷ Philippians 4:8 (NIV). Bible Gateway.
Rockefeller Kennedy
