“For nothing is hidden that will not
become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light” (Luke 8:17 NASB).
Whenever propaganda parades as journalism, the people suffer; but its harmful effects are not limited just to people in the United States, for hundreds of millions of international households are watching American news.
While some stories are corrected when exposed, how much damage is done to our country through the intentional dissemination of false information simply to further politically-charged narratives? If self-proclaimed journalists insist on professing personal political opinions under the guise of reporting news stories, they should openly announce themselves as political commentators, or go to work for political campaigns or PACs. (Maybe that’s what they are doing by working for today’s so-called “news media.”)
Claiming to tell the truth and actually telling the truth can be polar opposites. But as George Washington affirmed, genuine truth will eventually win out: “Truth will ultimately prevail where pains is taken to bring it to light.”
The Bible warns strongly against those who speak lies disguised as truth (1 Timothy 4:2). Hypocrisy of any kind is to be abhorred, and Jesus called out the Pharisees (or was it today’s news media?) for such deception: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:27-28 NASB).
As people of faith, we need to be “shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16), wary of “the father of lies” (John 8:44), who deploys wolves “in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15). But at the same time, we should also ask ourselves, “What would the world find out about me if every conversation of mine was secretly taped and later exposed?”
“He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out” (Proverbs 10:9 NASB).
No comments:
Post a Comment