The Origin of Fake News
By Doug Bing, Washington Conference president
You have heard the term “fake news.” Most likely you have heard it way too much and maybe have your own reasons to believe that all the news is fake. But fake news has been around for much longer than the term.
Myths have a way of staying around for people to hear and believe. There is the myth that the only man-made object that can be seen from space is the Great Wall of China. Many people have heard that and may even believe it. There are highways that are bigger than the Great Wall of China that cannot be seen from space.
There is the myth that humans only use 10% of their brain. If that were true, then why do we worry so much about brain damage? Or the myth that if you flash your lights at someone at night who doesn’t have their lights on that you will be shot by a gang member. Each of those things have been shown to not be true or have never happen.
When I was a child there was the story that went around after every October 31 that there were people who were poisoning candy or putting razor blades in the apples of those that went trick or treating. (I don’t personally celebrate this holiday nor have I). Researchers, however, have never found a bonafide case of this every happening.
There is another more dangerous kind of fake news: It is the news that goes on in your head.
The news and ideas that the evil one plants in your mind to try and tell you that you and Jesus really aren’t friends. The news that Jesus would never really want to be friends with you because you have just wandered away too far. The devil is a roaring lion and frankly he wants to destroy you.
Paul was concerned about this when he wrote II Corinthians 11:3 — “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus.”
Fake news has been around since the devil started making his rounds getting other angels to follow his brand and his ideas. Fake news came to the earth there in the garden when lies were told to Adam and Eve about the character of God. And fake news gets into our heads when the devil tells us that Jesus really doesn’t love us.
But the real news is that God is love. God loves you. God has given you gifts and abilities. God has a place for you in His service on this earth and God has a place for you in the earth made new.