We hear much these days about fake news! And listening to the news, it doesn’t take long to realize that there is plenty of it.
Fake news is often rooted in assumptions. Conclusions are made based on the assumptions—whether true or false. Then, entire rationales are formulated and new arguments fabricated based on the underlying rationales. Very quickly, it is easy to lose sight of what is true and what is speculation.
More often than not, sensationalism plays a big part of fake news. The more extreme or salacious the speculation, the better. And, of course, a statement or video clip may be isolated from its context to cast a meaning that differs dramatically from reality. The fake news is shouted into the media’s echo chamber with the anticipation that if repeated often enough, it will be considered to be true.
Christian education and a biblical worldview are absolutely essential if we are to rescue our children from this media maelstrom that is pulling them into a secular mindset. When all around is swirling the social media and twisted logic, our job as parents, the church, and Christian school teachers is to point them to the source of absolute truth—the Word of God. We must teach it. We must live it. We must demonstrate it daily through a vibrant walk with Christ—the Way, the Truth, the Life! We must compare every headline, every news item, every question in daily life to the principles and promises of the living Word. We must teach our children to think critically—not emotionally, not pragmatically, not politically—always beginning with the question of what does the Bible say.
While all around we witness fake news, we as Christians find truth, hope, and peace in the good news of Jesus Christ—the gospel. “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).
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