News Vs Fake News

Fake news is increasing day-by-day. During elections, for example, people are bombarded by so much information about the candidates, and much of it is not even true. Wikipedia describes it as follows:

Fake news is a type of yellow journalism or propaganda that consists of deliberate misinformation or hoaxes spread via traditional print and broadcast news media or online social media. Fake news is written and published with the intent to mislead in order to damage an agency, entity, or person, and/or gain financially or politically, often with sensationalist, exaggerated, or patently false headlines that grab attention.

It’s terrible how fake news is accepted as the truth. It’s shocking to see people use untruths to deceive others. Nowadays when someone sends you the news via WhatsApp, you first have to go and make sure if it’s true so that you don’t make a fool of yourself.

An article with the heading ‘Fake news’ has become a business model, researchers say, appeared in Fin24Tech. Say what? Untruths have become a business where people make money by lying. Whatever is happening to the world?!

Even the pope had something to say about it in an article in the online newspaper, CRUX, under the headline: Pope Francis want the Catholic Church to tackle fake news.

But it’s nothing new. Untruths have been spread since the beginning of the world. I cannot understand why people would do such a thing. Do they enjoy leading people in the wrong direction? Does it make them laugh when they see people being led into darkness by their lies, groping around in the dark looking for the truth?

I cannot believe there are people like that. But it is so, and has been from the earliest times: 2These liars have lied so well and for so long that they’ve lost their capacity for truth.

Then I wonder why people are so foolish or ignorant to run after untruths? But before I’m too critical of people, I realise that I’ve fallen for false stories too… only to realise later that I’ve been taken for a fool. Like the time long, long ago when I bought an iPad for a fairly good price, only to realise later that there’s no apple in that iPad…

You see, these people are so convincing. And they make every effort to convince you too and you have no choice but to believe them. Many people have lost their savings in this way.

As the English saying goes: If it is too good to be true, it probably is…

Each of us is responsible for ensuring that we’re not being deceived. Often, we first have to get rid of the emotions before we make a decision. We first have to get the opinion of others to make a good decision.

And I ask God to help me. I ask for peace. I ask that uncertainties stand aside so that I can get clarity. For this, I have to sit quietly, because the Holy Spirit is not known for shouting, but rather for whispering softly.

Scripture

1 Tim 4:1-5

Think about this

Have you been deceived?

How can you prevent it from happening again?

Does the Holy Spirit bring you peace?

Prayer

Lord, we are so easily deceived. We easily follow people who seem as if they know everything. Please protect us against them and help us fulfill our responsibility by making sure that we are on the right road. Amen.