Fake News

Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John14:6

“Fake news” is sometimes also referred to as “alternative truth” although any similarity between them is non existent. President Trump brought the phrases to the fore as he tries to generate his own version of news and truth. It boils down to this: If President Trump says something, you can trust it as the pure truth. This alarms me because of the verse above.

No one likes bad things to be said about them, even if they are true, and the most powerful man in the free world is no exception. So when the media runs any article that he doesn’t like or agree with, he calls it fake or untrue. It then boils down to this: Who do you believe? If you say something long enough and loud enough, it will be trusted as truth. Donald J Trump knows this, and let’s be honest, this is a man who doesn’t like to be wrong. He made his empire by hard business negotiations with similarly hard businessmen. Can the same rules be used when governing a nation?

Here’s what my problem boils down to. If someone claims to be a ‘born again’ Christian, but links truth to things like the media, instead of a person like Jesus, there is something far wrong. Truth is found in the person of the Son of God, and this most basic of all truths has been missed. So my ability to trust that same someone with anything else is reduced to say the least, and it doesn’t matter who that someone is. Jesus knows all about fake news because He suffered from His own fake news and trial before His unjust crucifixion. So, I think He is well placed to judge what truth and justice are, and it will never come under the fake category. Another thought. If you profess to be a Christian, and use or peddle fake and misleading news to your own ends and benefit, God’s perfect justice will take care of it ultimately and eternally. That’s a lot longer than any 4 or 8 year term of office, and worth a long hard look in the mirror.