27 July | EVERYONE
“Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you,’ says the Lord God. ‘My hand will be against the prophets who envision futility and who divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, nor be written in the record of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord God.’” Ezekiel 13: 8,9
Since social networks were created, the infamous fake news have spread like autumn leaves carried by the wind. Surely, you have already come across one of those lies, or "hoaxes," that circulate at dizzying speed. With the arrival of the Internet, users' right to information has been affected by the impact of this phenomenon. This does not mean that the Internet and social networks are without value and usefulness. But, because of them, fake news are 70% more likely to go viral than real news.
Although the phenomenon seems recent, fake news and prophecies have existed throughout history. In the days of Ezekiel, some claimed that God had revealed a message to them, which in the end proved false. You cannot measure the damage that false and malicious news can cause. And since God is the source of truth, He does not tolerate lies.
On one occasion Jesus said to the Pharisees, who were taking true statements and twisting them out of context: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44).
The best way to put an end to fake news is to drink from the Fountain of truth and stay there; don't you think?
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As today's verse expresses, people who profess to follow God carry a particular responsibility when they participate in spreading lies. Live anchored in the Truth, which is Jesus! Fill yourself with His love and you will be cautious when it comes to spreading unverified statements that can do a lot of harm.