Disinformation?

Truth is not defined or determined by what we think about a certain situation - it is incumbent upon us 
as Christians to know the truth, to get the facts, and to not jump to conclusions. And, if we hear something about another person, that doesn't mean we have to share it. In Titus 3, we can read this exhortation:
1 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,
2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.
3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.

We should be the most trusted sources on the planet - when we share something, it should be something that has been verified and that is worthy of being disseminated.  Something may be true, but that doesn't mean we need to share it, because it could do damage to another person or cast him or her in a negative light.  We should always get the facts in a matter, then seek the Lord as to how we are to process them, so that our credibility - and His - are left intact.

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Believers in Christ should be excellent representatives of the truth and should pursue to know what is true - discernment can serve us well in the information age. Exodus 23 reflects God's heart:
1 "You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
2 You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice.

Ideologically-driven political opportunists are continuing to push for a homogenization of content, to the extent that there are attempts to marginalize certain views that do not line up with the dominant media narrative.  And, the future implications for people of faith are enormous - if our views don't line up, then we would face the silencing of those views.  I was thinking about the Fairness Doctrine that was in effect back in the 70's, requiring broadcasters to provide equal coverage to competing views - the culture that is being created now is far more hideous than that, which would have a chilling effect on Christian media.  

Already, there are members of Congress who are putting pressure on cable companies to cease to carry news channels that present a view with which they disagree.  The Washington Examiner reported on a letter that was sent out by two members of Congress who "questioned 12 television and content providers about why they carry Fox News, One America News Network, and Newsmax, blaming the right-leaning outlets for spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories."

The story said that...

...Reps. Anna Eshoo and Jerry McNerney, both from California, sent letters to television content providers such as AT&T, Roku, Comcast, and Verizon asking them why they carried the three "purported" news outlets that they say function as "misinformation rumor mills and conspiracy theory hotbeds that produce content that leads to real harm."

Fox fired a statement back, in which it said, “As the most watched cable news channel throughout 2020, FOX News Media provided millions of Americans with in-depth reporting, breaking news coverage and clear opinion. For individual members of Congress to highlight political speech they do not like and demand cable distributors engage in viewpoint discrimination sets a terrible precedent.”

Even a commissioner at the FCC responded, according to the Hollywood Reporter, quoting Brendan Carr, who said that the letter was "a chilling transgression of the free speech rights that every media outlet in this country enjoys..." He added, "Your demand to know the ‘moral principles’ that guide a private entity’s decision about what news to carry cannot be reconciled with bedrock principles of free speech and journalistic freedom."

The drumbeat continued two days later, when a House committee brought leaders of various media companies to their chamber. The name of the hearing was "Disinformation and Extremism in the Media." CBN.com reported that in the hearing, Subcommittee Chairman, Rep. Mike Doyle said, "When truth becomes a commodity to be traded upon for profit, and facts and consequences don't matter to those who report them, our democracy is undermined..."

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers cried foul, saying, "Elected officials, using their platforms to pressure private companies to censure media outlets they disagree with, that sounds like actions from the Chinese Communist Party not duly-elected representatives of the United States Congress..."

The New York Post took issue with former CNN anchor Soledad O'Brien being asked to testify at the hearing; prior to it, the news outlet reported that her planned testimony said, “Media disguised as journalism has been spreading lies for years, elevating liars, and using the ensuing slugfest to chase ratings, hits, subscriptions and advertisers. Period..."  The Post goes on to say:

The problem: it appears that she has, too.

O’Brien references the term “Truth Decay” in her opening remarks, defined as “the diminishing role of facts and analysis in public life,” noting that the nation faces a crisis of a lack of information.

The outlet goes on to chide O'Brien for her support of Jessie Smollett, her continued insistence that a Presidential campaign colluded with Russia, even after the investigation found that did not occur. And, she, like so many others, bought into the video of the Covington Catholic boys, saying they were in the wrong in their confrontation with a Native American following the 2019 March for Life. 

In age in which people are encouraged to share, as Oprah Winfrey puts it, "your truth," one has to be concerned with THE truth.  There are facts, and then there is the manipulation of facts.  Those that are attempting to silence certain news outlets, apparently because they represent a different ideological bent, are exercising a destructive pattern of silencing those with whom they disagree.  One person's truth can be another one's disinformation.

Ultimately, we have to make the decision to get to the facts before we draw our conclusion.  This leads to personal credibility, which is important for the cause of Christ.  Just because a pundit who is your personal favorite says it doesn't mean it is totally true, and his or her opinion or interpretation may not line up with Scripture.  We should always allow a Biblical worldview to govern our ideology, and not try to conform our ideology to our worldview.

These principles can be applied on a personal level, as well.  Just because someone tells you something about another person doesn't mean it's true; and even if it is, that doesn't mean we should share it.  We have to use discretion in what we share about other people, and guard against being a participant in gossip and slander, which could damage the reputation of another.