Separating the truth from the lie has always been a difficult process. Parents, school officials, law enforcement, and church leaders, who try to navigate the conflict waters, often struggle to move beyond a “he said – she said” scenario. Sure, the truth is out there, but the truth is often elusive to find. And since we struggle to find the truth, the lies feed our frenzy.
The biblical narrative speaks about the need for truth. The ninth commandment prohibits false testimony in a legal proceeding (Ex. 20:16), so King Ahab is called out by Elijah for breaking this very commandment when he had Naboth falsely accused (1 King. 17:11-19). When Paul describes the immature Christian, he talks about someone lacking the ability to discern truth from deceitful lies, particularly when it comes to doctrine (Eph. 4:14-15). Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus claims to not only speak truth, but to be truth (e.g. Jn. 14:6).
The culture we live in is struggling to decipher the truth from the lie. Our Christian faith swims in a culture of perpetuating lies, and it’s not too hard for us to struggle to distinguish between what is fact from what is fiction. The problem is multifaceted, and the solution is far from simple. Some of our struggle with the lies stem from the very sources that are supposed to provide truth, the news media itself. The result is the amount of unrest we experience from within and from without.
● The twenty-four hour news cycle naturally carries with it sensationalism. Whether we’re watching CNN or FOX News, by being on air all day long means they must have news in order to justify their presence. When something appears newsworthy, every program in the news media must report and hash out every detail all day long. Never mind that the particular news organization we watch has its own agenda to shape the news we watch. Since its cycling every twenty-four hours, we no longer have the down to time to reflect or digest the information being given us.
● Since the 2016 election, the mainstream news media has lost its credibility. During the election, the media miscalculated the presidential winner. The debates were viewed as fraudulent and bent. The tipping scale, beyond the presidential election, was the outlets trying to keep up with “Breaking News,” by reporting misinformed and inaccurate information. Instead of getting the facts straight first, go on air, then mop up the misinformation later.
● With the tarnished news media and the ease of access of the internet, we have run straight into the rise of true fake media outlets. According to multiple sources, Russia (and probably others) have been tampering with the news, not to promote a certain candidate but to sow seeds of discord. One of the means was to post “fake” stories on social media that appealed to the user’s political position. The stories were often irrational and stoked the fires of mistrust in order for people to turn on each other. The result is the rise of civil unrest in our society.
● Calling something “Fake News” does not mean it’s actually fake news, any more than calling something “true” makes it true. The biggest problem I see in the “Fake News” environment is people only reading or believing news that fits their political agenda, thus setting up the made up news stories on social media (Paul talks about being toned deaf to truth in 2 Timothy 4:4 with his image of “itching ears”). Instead of engaging with the news-story, and even rationally debating or discussing the issue at hand, the story is often devalued as nothing more than “fake news.”
While the whirlwind and onslaught of news media continues to swirl, a place of peace, reflection and truth does exist. That place is God. When we pull ourselves away from the distractions of the news media, and spend more time with God in a reflective mode, then and only then can we experience the calming truth of Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.”
Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)