Weighing the "Empire"-ical Evidence

We can't believe everything we see and certainly should exercise discernment regarding the information we receive.  There is such a free flow through various forms of media; we have to take to heart Paul's words in Colossians 2:
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

We have to strive to not be deceived.  And, that is especially important in the spiritual realm.  The enemy will try to paint a picture for us that is contrary to the truth.  He will speak lies about God, ourselves, and others; we have to be determined to know and believe the truth.  We need trusted sources so that we can avoid deception.  We can't afford to believe everything we hear; even the devil will disguise himself as an "angel of light."

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The Bible teaches the principles of discernment, saying in 1st John 4 to "not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

1st Thessalonians 5 states:
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
22 Abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The names Olibingo and Amimbola Osundario may have little meaning to a lot of people, but consider that the evidence is now pointing to them, in cooperation with a high-profile actor with an intersectional ax to grind, and you have an explosive mix that has charged up and embarrassed many in the entertainment and political industry.

According to reports, the Osundario brothers, who are from Nigeria, may have helped to stage an elaborate hoax, in which actor Jussie Smollett, an actor on the TV show, Empire, who is African-American and gay, claims to have been assaulted at 2:00am on the streets of Chicago, to have had bleach poured on him and a rope tied around his neck by two white men who allegedly said, "This is MAGA country."  MAGA is the acronym for Make America Great Again.

Outpouring of support for Smollett came from various corners of American life.  Trouble is, as time and police work have marched on, the story is unraveling.   Al Perrotta has a creative piece on The Stream website.  He says:

Sources on the Empire set tell TMZ the brothers — Olibingo and Amimbola Osundario — are no supporters of Trump. The rope? Purchased by the brothers at a local hardware store. According to multiple outlets, the brothers told police Smollett paid them $3500 to help carry out the hoax. CBS Chicago reports the trio even rehearsed the assault.

The Osundario brothers are from Nigeria.

And, of course, there was the blaming of the resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  Perrotta calls out other instances where Trump and his supporters, once called a "basket of deplorables," have been villified, falsely accused, and worse:

How about the endless stream of fake stories blaming Trump and supporters for all sorts of bad business? From Trump supposedly removing the MLK bust from the Oval Office on Inauguration Day … to the Muslim student in Louisiana who “fabricated” being attacked by MAGA thugs … to the vandalism that turns out to be the work of liberal activists … to nooses on campuses that turn out to be hoaxes … to the MAGA hat-wearing Covington Boys being falsely accused of taunting a Native American elder.

But, Perrotta, in responding to a CNN host that took Trump supporters to task for being giddy over these latest developments, said that the "giddiness is short-lived. Underneath, and far deeper, is grief. Sadness. A Chicago blues."   He is grieved over the "utter corruption this episode has exposed," as well as an "indifference to the truth," adding, "The ends justifying the meanness."

Perrotta highlights this incident as an expression of the pursuit of an agenda.  So does Andy Ngo at National Review, who writes:

Jussie Smollett’s hoax is symptomatic of America’s illness. Because of the mainstreaming of academia’s victimhood culture, we are now in a place where we place more value on being a victim than on being heroic, charitable, or even kind. Victims or victim groups high on intersectionality points are supposed to be coveted, treated with child gloves, and believed unreservedly. Their “lived experience” gives them infinite wisdom. Those who urge caution are treated as bigots.

Truth can be sacrificed at the altar of a divisive agenda.  That is the lesson here, and this latest chapter has been a sobering reminder of the division that we are encountering as a culture, and how the dangerous labeling of victim and victimizer has torn the fabric of our society, and threatens to tear a schism in the Church, as well.  And, people will go to great lengths to perpetuate their power and politics.  Smollett may or may not have saved his spot on the Empire show; there were rumors that he was about to be written out - he may be convicted of fraud, but I would imagine he'll reach some sort of deal and get probation, not spend a day in jail, and perhaps have greater notoriety than he would have gained from being a supporting actor in the cast of a television program.

I think, like never before, we have to make sure that we are acting in the love of Christ.  Perrotta writes:

Whatever Jussie Smollett’s personal motive, brokenness is behind it. And we must pray for his healing. Pray that his false witness can be turned to true witness. Smollett is a gifted performer. I pray he will learn to use his God-given gifts for bringing harmony rather than furthering hate. I pray his next act is to seek forgiveness.

That is very charitable; and while we may never meet someone whose name is plastered in the media, still we can consider how we respond to the broken people around us.

We can also make sure that we slow down a bit; wait a little while before you draw conclusions!  We are skilled in our humanity in jumping to conclusions - God would want us to pray about the information that is shared with us and carefully weigh evidence.  And, He certainly calls us to be silent rather than spread gossip and slander.

You know, everything you see or read may not be true - that is why we should carefully consider or closely examine the evidence before we speak.  Discernment is so critical in these times; the Word and the Spirit are powerful to help us to process information and determine our response.