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Discerning the truth in a world of fake news


During the 2020 Presidential Election and the current COVID-19 pandemic, the internet and social media are constantly bombarded with differing viewpoints on these issues. I see people posting stuff as though they believe what they posted is truth, yet it seems absurd. I’m probably guilty of this because I haven’t always thoroughly checked my facts. I tend to post what goes with my beliefs so it’s hard not to be biased. I’m not just talking about spiritual (or religious) and political views; there are other things to consider as well. Lately, I’ve seen posts about strange, yet scary things our government plans to do and weird methods to beat the virus. How reliable are these sources? How can I be sure if any of this is true?


I came upon a helpful meme with these suggestions:

Consider the source: What website did you find this article? Is this just a blog with someone’s personal opinions? Is this a news article? A medical website? A government website?

Read beyond: Don’t just read the headline without reading the article, then post it on social media. Read the entire article first and if you feel like posting it on social media, go ahead. Not everyone has to believe it or agree with it.

Check the author: Who is this author? If this article comes from a blog without any sources, then the author is just some ordinary Joe or Jane Blow (like me, another blogger) who wants to express his/her opinions without reference to back up these opinions. Google the author.

Supporting sources: Are there any links to other articles? If so, click on them and read them.

Check the date: How recent is this article? If it’s not recent, has it been updated?

Is it a joke?: Does it sound laughable? Or, if it sounds too good to be true, usually it is.

Check your biases: This is kind of hard because I usually don’t know the author’s views, unless the source comes from a website with a specific spiritual or political agenda.

Ask the experts: Who are they? Some will say snopes.com while others say FactCheck.org. I just cannot rely on either of these, so I continue to investigate. Then I’ll decide for myself whether I believe what I’ve read.

This morning, I put these suggestions to the test after I came upon several interesting articles via Facebook. I’m not going to discuss what I read because that’s not my point. My point here is that it takes work to check your facts. We’re in an era where we want information quickly, but we don’t want to take the time to investigate, so we just take everything we read or want to believe as fact. I’m guilty of this, but now I realize more than ever that the main source to turn to is the Word of God! This source is constant and never changes.

According to Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever!” The author of Hebrews goes on to advise us not to “be carried about with various and strange doctrines [don't just listen to a pastor or televangelist; search the scriptures for yourself]. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods [or other sources] which have not profited those who have been occupied with them” (Hebrews 13:9). While we may want to only stick to the opinions and views of what we believe, it’s important to remember what matters most is God’s opinions and views over that of man's. Psalms 118:8 tells us, "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man."


So, let’s consider this source: The Bible.


Consider the source: God; In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1-2).

Read beyond: Don’t just pick and choose what scripture you want to read; dive into the Bible daily.

Check the author: Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Supporting sources: Old Testament prophecies which were fulfilled in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; Apostle Paul’s books-He had an encounter with Jesus after His resurrection; Peter-He wrote several books and was the disciple who denied Jesus three times; James-the half-brother of Jesus.

Check the date: https://www.biblica.com/resources/bible-faqs/when-was-the-bible-written/; If you have a study Bible, there are excerpts of dates when each book was believed to be written. The Bible does not need to be updated because Jesus is the same (Hebrews 13:8) and Malachi 3:6 says, “For I am the Lord, I do not change.”

Is it a joke?: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18).

Check your biases: It’s up to you what you choose to believe: If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9).

Ask the experts: Talk to God and continue reading His Word.

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