Social Media: Use It Wisely & Watch Out for The False Narratives

Word-Of-The-Day: ‘Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge.’ (1 Timothy 6:20)

In danger of invoking Proverbs 18:2, ‘Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions‘, my opinion on social media (which I am not on and try to avoid) is that, no matter the platform (Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, etc.), it is a tool that is used to push out narratives.  If the narratives are truthful and can be used by others in promoting good or to assist others, then it a favorable use.  If the narratives are of feelings or used to disparage others than it is bankrupt. 

Social media (beyond the dancing nurses or the young ‘wannabe’ models permeating the youth today) puts ‘knowledge’ out to everyone, though knowledge and its dissemination transcends social media.  Most of us who are seasoned see knowledge in the light of either the theory within academics or the practice within the work environment; we learn knowledge provided by those who preceded us then develop and disseminate knowledge by what we learn from our efforts throughout our lives.

True knowledge derives from facts that the Lord has provided and shown us.  Facts that can be demonstrated and proven as not only plausible but confirmed.  Throughout history, though, there has been dissemination of false narratives, using lies or suppositions of what people wish could be true.  We desire things to be different than what they really are, but reality cannot be altered.  This does not stop people from spreading falsehoods, especially today.  More often, the truth is suppressed by those who have enough voices to drown out the truth with lies.   Being Christian, supporting pro-life, even demonstrating patriotism or being for parents’ rights often will be contested and shouted down.  The one thing social media has created nationwide is the ‘mob’ mentality; the majority – even when it’s wrong – will fight to overcome the minority – even if it proves it is right.

Paul told Timothy that God does not want us to ‘follow the in crowd’, but to follow Him.  The secular worldview is driven by feelings, with these feelings driven by a repudiation of the facts.  Many people, even Christians, get fooled by the false narratives pushed out by social media, and then further push out these narratives without examining them or asking the Lord about them.  This also causes strife in relationships; a false narrative about ‘do what feels good’ or ‘love the one you’re with’ has caused marriages to sour, and relationships to fall apart. 

Our Lord Jesus is the Word of God and He is Truth; all facts are based in Truth thus based in Him.  Don’t fall for the false narratives, and don’t push false narratives – read the Word, stay in Fellowship with other Christians, and continually pray for the Lord’s knowledge and discernment.  Never get discouraged in speaking the Truth, even if it seems unpopular to the world, Truth is very pleasing to God!