WHO DO WE BELIEVE?

Who do you trust? Who do you believe, anymore? 

This isn’t an article to get you to believe something, this is an article to get you to think. 

An abundance of information is coming to you faster than you can process it. Information gluttony, it’s the American way. I can barely keep up with the amount of information, opinion posts and theories being shared online. Once, I’m done with one article or video, I have another ten to watch. (Ironically, I’m writing and contributing to the buffet)

Here’s a question I stop and ask myself, where does the information come from? I’ll never meet the majority of the authors in my lifetime. If I do meet them I won’t truly know them enough to decide if I can trust them. If you’re the spouse or family member of one of these authors then you may know what is true or not, but you will also be biased. So can I trust you? I would like to, but I’m skeptical. 

 I don’t want to be a victim of drinking the kool-aid. I think this saying is already dated but I want to stay “woke” and should stay “woke.” But where do I start??

A certain social media company is now notifying us if we are following or posting fake news. You will get a message that says, “False information in your post.” The fact check is done by independent fact-checkers. Well, who determines what is considered false or fake news? Who determines which two organizations should decide what I think is true or false? I have no idea what moral values these independent fact-checkers assume. I think hearing independent fact-checkers is supposed to be comforting, but I’m not dumb. We all live with preconceived notions or presuppositional views about life because of our upbringing and background. 

But is the abundance of information the culprit or is it the means by which we receive it all? Is the abundant form of communication to blame? It’s a both-and. 

 With the addiction to our cell phones and social media accounts, maybe our world is just capitalizing on the ability to be heard. A 14-year-old boy could be famous tomorrow on Tiktok and YouTube if he tries hard enough.  Anyone can become an armchair expert and be heard, so why not pump out video after video, article after article, post after post, and get your opinion out. 

That’s the other thing, opinions matter, but it doesn’t mean they have substance or weight. I can have opinions all day but it doesn’t mean it’s filled with facts. I’m entitled to my opinion, but it doesn’t mean it is right but it doesn’t mean it is wrong. 

 “…opinions matter, but it doesn’t mean they have substance or weight.”

The more we scroll online and on social media the more information we have to sift through. Who has the time for that? Are we going to take the time to do the research on the complex layers of every angle and vantage point to these arguments? Most likely, not. What we do is we find a theory or opinion that matches ours and deem its truth. I think we’ve all done that. Maybe we all fall in the Snopes category of “half-truth” and “half-false.” 

Well, information isn’t bad, neither is communication. Could it be us? Do we need to take responsibility for the mass confusion? After all, information and communication are inanimate objects, it’s data, used by humans. I think the answer is, “duh.” We are talking about who to trust behind the dispersion of information and the channels of communication. But what I am concerned about is how we are the ones spreading it, with the ease of one click. The “bad guys” are anticipating you to share the information through your communication platforms. They are betting and confident you and I will and we do. 

Where am I going with this? 

Let's step back from the buffet of information and communication and see how it is affecting us.

 We are being used to confuse ourselves. If you confuse a world they won’t know what to believe. Enter unrest, anxiety, fear, and hysteria. 

 “We are being used to confuse ourselves.”

In the past week, I’ve read multiple comments on social media that say, “Now I don’t know what to believe anymore.” The truth is hard to find, isn’t it?

We are divided more than ever on the subject of COVID-19. It’s not just one side versus another anymore. It’s a world war of opinions and there seem to be no alliances. God help us. 

The bottom line, I don’t like being used to confuse and divide. 

After spreading information that was wrong more than I would like to admit, here’s what I do…

I slow down. I see how things unfold.

I focus on my purpose in life, my family, my friends, and my community. 

I keep the love for my neighbor at the forefront of my mind before I click share. 

I don’t believe the first thing I read and hear. 

I practice empathy for all sides. This includes leadership over me.

I don’t let media platforms control my decisions. Just because I have an outlet doesn’t mean I have to use it. I don’t jump on the keyboard bandwagon. 

“I keep love for my neighbor at the forefront of my mind before I click share.”  

I pray and seek God, first. Pray before you post, but what if we just prayed and not posted at all? That may disappoint the ones who are hoping you share, but at least it beckons God.

God already told me the most important information I need to know and He communicated it very well through His Son, Jesus. The person I trust the most and get my information from is Jesus. He taught me to have wisdom, to love my neighbor, all of my neighbors, not to pick and choose.  He also taught me to listen to His voice over all others. 

I recently asked a friend if he knew about a recent event that happened in our world and he didn’t. He wasn’t aware of a lot of things because he’s busy enjoying life. I envied him.

I'm not saying we should stay ignorant or be naive. I'm just saying be careful. 

We are overwhelmed but we’re doing it to ourselves. 

Go live what is true. You’re alive. Look outside, it’s beautiful. Trees are giving you oxygen. Breathe. The ground isn’t sinking beneath your feet. Birds sing beautifully. Gravity is working. There are family members and neighbors who need your love. We know these things are true, right?! 

“We are overwhelmed but we’re doing it to ourselves.” 

I realize the irony in this article. I’m communicating with you more information, although I would like to consider it wisdom. You don’t have to trust me or agree with me and I know I’m not covering every angle to this pandemic of confusion, but if any of this is making sense or has any merit, do what you want with it.

Who do we believe? I don’t know. I’m simply choosing not to be pressured to believe everything I see and hear. I picked a long time ago to trust Jesus and the Bible. I’m choosing to believe what is necessary all other is commentary.

So All May Know,

Pastor Ryan Coon

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