When I was much younger, my family of origin had an “insider joke” we referred to as “my mind’s made up don’t confuse me with facts.” It was funny then, it’s not so funny now. More and more people tend to adopt that position and they are not the slightest bit open to seeing or hearing information that’s contrary to their already-held point of view. There are people in my circle who are like that, as I am sure there are people in yours. Should I dare to suggest an alternative way of considering something to them, I have been met with serious anger.
There is something inherently wrong with holding any opinion without willingness to examine the issue from time to time. Information advances. Evidence surfaces. And, yes, that includes the truth claims of the Bible. And Christianity. After all, we are told that we are always to be prepared – in season and out – to give a reason for our beliefs. (1Peter 3:15) Don’t just examine a belief among those friends who already share the worldview that you do, but examine it with people who hold a slightly different point of view or a dissenting one, or even the total opposite.
One of the things Keith Hersant and I would tell our Youth Group kids was that you can believe anything you want, but be prepared to show the evidence for that belief. Evidence. Proof. Not just, “Well I think…” or “In my opinion…” In addition to showing the evidence for, you also need to be able to refute the evidence against. Perhaps the reason the Church loses so many of its young people after high school is because we have never taught them WHY to believe what we teach them. “Because I say so,” is not a valid reason; it simply won’t hold up under challenge.
Evidence has never been more needed than today. Having said that, one of the things pointed out in the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma is that the “facts” which you are offered on social media are not necessarily the same “facts” that I am being presented with. That explains a lot.
A three-part PBS documentary well worth watching is, “Niall Ferguson”s Networld.” He explains that most of us have about eight people in our circle with which we share a common worldview and with whom we tend to exchange information regularly. This group holds the same viewpoint and whenever someone in the group comes across a bit of information that supports that worldview, it’s shared with the others. According to Ferguson, those who tend towards the liberal left will usually share the information immediately without verifying its authenticity. The person on the conservative right tends to take time to try and check it out its truth prior to sharing. Problem is, that by the time the conservative person has checked out the information and found it to be untrue, the other side has already spread the false information. The truth, he claims, has no chance against the lie.
So how did this happen? How did we get here? The short answer is culture’s popular belief that there are no absolutes; that truth is relative; that what’s true for you may not be true for me. The long answer is that Satan is alive and well on planet earth. His goal has always been to take down mankind and to be worshipped instead of God. If he is nothing else, Satan is patient, moving slowly towards his goals and gradually luring man into the trap he’s set.
The end times is Satan’s pinnacle. He has been setting the stage for millennium and now he is rapidly moving man into position to believe the Ultimate Lie. This is the lie that starts out with mankind believing that the antichrist can solve the global problems and make heaven a place on earth. That belief quickly leads to the mandatory worshipping of the antichrist and ends up with mankind worshipping Satan. Remember, Jesus said, “When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar, the father of lies.” (John 8:44) He is the real source of fake news.
If you have not seen The Social Dilemma it would be good to do so. If you have seen it, maybe watch it again. In both cases watch it from the perspective of seeing Satan as the one being in charge. “We wrestle not against flesh and blood…but against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ep 6:12)
Please, neither offhandedly accept nor reject what is said in this blog. Check it out. Look it up for yourself in the Bible. If you are a child of God you are in good hands and there is the most wonderful eternity waiting for you. If you are not a Christ follower, now is a really good time to honestly explore the truth claims of the Bible.
Ringing the Bell 