Have Nothing To Do With Fake News, Conspiracy Theories and the Like

1 Timothy 4:7
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.

Fake news is information that is shared around as if it is true but it is not. Fake news is generated by people seeking a greater following on social media. Fake news is generated by people seeking attention by giving false alarming news. Fake news is also generated by passionate people who are championing a certain goal. Fake news is deceptive. Fake news is misleading and disrespectful.

Fake news ranges from reports on what certain people have said, to the burning of many churches in India and Russia. Fake news includes false reports about people’s private lives and scandals exposed that really didn’t exist. Fake news about the origin of diseases being certain underworld forces. Fake news even comes with a TV newsroom set and announcement being made.

Conspiracy theories are theories that developed and spread to explain that there is a secret evil plan in what seems to be a natural occurrence. Conspiracy theories about a few rich people who run the world and decide who becomes a leader where. Conspiracy theories on diseases having been developed deliberately to target some people. Conspiracy theories around Illuminati and devil worship stories.

Fake news and conspiracy theories have one thing in common, they take an aspect of the truth and then twist it with a lie to make it believable. You are given the impression that you are lucky to be getting this information. You are told you are among the few privileged who are better than all world intelligence bodies. Both fake news and conspiracy theories have no supporting news items in the mainstream media.

If there is big news and serious stories doing rounds that major media outlets do not have, most likely you are dealing with fake news or a conspiracy theory. Fake news and conspiracy theories are carried by unknown websites or at best by gutter press that can’t be held accountable. Unverified information.

Apostle Paul advises Timothy on how to lead the church in Ephesus. In our text today Paul tells Timothy to have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales. A myth is a story that is widely held but is false. It is akin to fake news and conspiracy theories. Myths that oppose God. Myths that do not have a place for God in the occurrence of events. Have nothing to do with godless myths. Widely told, widely known but false. Have nothing to do with fake news, conspiracy theories, and the like!

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales. Old wives’ tales are false stories that are passed down to generations as truth. The key thing in old wives’ tales is superstition. Superstition is exactly what drives conspiracy theories. Old wives’ tales like lightning strikes anyone dressed in red. Old wives tales like at the bottom of a small scale whirlwind is a spinning snake that you can catch if you cover the place with a container. These are superstitious stories that are in the same league as conspiracy theories. Have nothing to do with fake news, conspiracy theories, and the like!

A Christian leader should be wise enough to ignore and delete fake news and conspiracy theories. A believer should be wise enough not to forward such things in the pretense of inquiring whether the information is true. We must be sensible enough to discern what is fake news, what is a conspiracy theory, and what is truth. Have nothing to do with fake news, conspiracy theories, and the like!

Demon possession, membership in secret societies, and identification of witches are some of the areas where conspiracy theories thrive. You find institutions in serious tension because a student is thought to be a devil worshipper. Hours and hours are wasted on prayer to cast out demons until it seems like the demon has overcome the prayers. Yet in reality, it is not demon possession, it could be teenage challenges, mental health issues, etc. Demon possession exists but not every case that masquerades as demon possession is demon possession. You find religious leaders engaged in a frenzy of activities casting out demons that refuse to go. Have nothing to do with such!

Fake news should not be used from the pulpit or for teaching purposes, because when the truth comes out, the whole sermon becomes irrelevant and the credibility of the preacher is questioned. Fake news should be ignored and deleted. May God save us from fake news, conspiracy theories, and the like, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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