Dear Church Family -
Fact checkers are only as good as their own biases. Facebook finally realized that and has eliminated their fact checkers. Hmmm. Who are your fact checkers?
Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world with 3.07 billion monthly active users. Through the Covid disruption and two contentious elections, Facebook “fact checkers” were blocking viewpoints that did not agree with theirs. But finally, this past Tuesday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that his Meta company, that owns Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, is eliminating fact-checkers and replacing them with a user-based system called “community notes.” In making the announcement, Zuckerberg said, “The fact-checkers have just been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they’ve created.”
Fact checkers are only as good as their own biases.
You can’t believe everything you hear or read on the internet. God has called us to develop and practice discernment. How do we do that? How do we develop discernment about all the loud voices and strong opinions swirling around us?
1. Build a foundation of truth. The more we build God’s truth into our mental database, and the more we exercise that truth, the more we will be able to spot error. Through regular, intentional time in God’s truth, we develop a “sense of truth,” an “affinity for truth.”
2. Develop a network of people you know and trust, and that share your love of truth—like a church family for example. By rubbing shoulders with godly, truth-loving people, our rough edges get sanded off and our quirks of thinking get corrected.
3. Ask yourself, “Where is this viewpoint coming from and where is it leading?” Truth leads to peace, not fear and alarm. And truth leads to righteousness, in attitude as well as behavior.
4. Ask God for discernment. Humbly recognize that your own biases need occasional examination and adjustment, that Satan is actively trying to deceive, and that you need God’s Spirit to guide you into the truth.
“…when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.” (John 16:13-14)
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…” (1 Peter 5:8-9)
“As Christians empowered by the Holy Spirit, we should be better positioned than most to practice such discernment. And just think of the difference it would make if we became known as a group of people others could trust and look to for guidance.” – Dr. Jim Denison
Proverbs chapter 2 beautifully captures the need for discernment and the path to discernment. I just reread it. I hope you will too.
For the truth, and grace, and love of Christ – Pastor Tim
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