Fake?

It now seems strange that I grew up not knowing that phrase, “Fake news!”, which has such power now – to the point that it has undermined the foundations of public life. Of course, fake news is no new invention. Without propaganda, would Hitler have ascended? But now, the fake cry of fake news is enough to stop people trusting in real news. Any narrative that claims to be THE truth is dismissed as a power game. Which is a problem, if you believe, like me, that the Jesus is the truth that sets us free.

We need to reclaim the concept of truth. If there is no truth, then the assertion that there is no truth is nonsense. Communication collapses. Truth matters. It matters if it is true that Jesus is God. It matters if it’s true that Jesus can save me. It matters if the angel spoke good news or fake news:

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. “ Luke 2:8-11

Truth has always been opposed by Satan - aptly named Father of lies. And as the apostle Paul said, we are at war and have to be alert to our enemy’s deceptive strategies or we will walk straight into an ambush.

I suspect to varying degrees all of us fall for one lie or other. At times in the winter of grief, I have battled the lie that spring will never come.  But last week the river was sparkling in spring sunshine.

I wonder as you read this, is there a lie that God wants to break in your life?  Jesus told us that we will know the liars by their sour, poisonous fruits and we will know what is true because it brings good fruit – fruits of love and joy and peace. If there is jealousy or fear or or shame or inadequacy in your life, there is probably an underlying lie that God Almighty is not with you and for you, now and forever.

Some lies sneak in and infiltrate without us noticing – we blindly accept the cultural lies that say I have to look a certain way or have a certain education or that I need X to be content. Without noticing, we fall for the lie that this life here is all there is and so death becomes a terror. Without questioning, we desperately strive for approval instead of living from the truth that we are beloved.

How do counteract fake news? Not by becoming a sceptic who refuses any news source but by finding one we trust. Instead of fake news, here is true good news.