It doesn’t take long for religion journalists to discover that they will end up reporting on plenty of saints who are sinners. In other words, some religious people may do tremendous good for others even though they embezzle money or are drug addicts or sexual predators. You’re not expected to be a saint to report on religion, but it’s best to be clear about your ethical standards. If your media organization has ethical guidelines, become familiar with them and follow them.
Resources
- The Society of Professional Journalists posts its Code of Ethics online, and they all apply to reporting on religion. Ethics advice Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status — SPJ Code of Ethics