"Falsehood flies, and the truth comes limping after it" (Jonathan Swift, 1710).
"A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes".
"A lie will go round the world while truth is pulling its boots on".
Most Americans assume that when they go open up a news aggregation app, they are seeing a broad snapshot of the world. Does that ever still happen?
They assume someone, somewhere, is at least making attempts toward non-biased balance.
It's been a long time since I trusted anything from MSNBC, AP, NPR, CNN (whose parent company just got bought by Paramount Skydance, led by CEO David Ellison and backed by his father, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison), or Reddit or even Fox News.
How hasn't heard how a lot of young people suck in their daily news from Reddit and TikTok instead of from X/aka Twitter, which they hate saying X is what the Baby Boomers who ignore the facts love.
My two sons were recently heard to say: We thought pizzagate was all a conspiracy theory, but then it turns out to be true." Please don't live on Reddit, where there indeed is Leftist bias.
A 2025 Gallup poll found that only 28% of Americans have a "great deal" or even "fair amount" of trust in the mass media, the first time it has fallen below 30%.
Sup with the partisan divergence? Trust is so heavily divided today, with only 8% of Republicans expressing trust in the national media (in 2025), while 51% of Democrats expressed trust. I say don't trust the Republicans or Democrats. There are too many bought off on both sides.
Many users, particularly younger ones, have moved away from traditional sources, with 2025 data showing a rise in trust for news found on platforms like (China-owned) TikTok, liberal Reddit and (Liberal Google-owned) YouTube. These platforms are known for fostering their "echo chambers" where misinformation is spread so quickly.
A Media Research Center report says that is not what is happening. Go check out Reddit or Apple News, better yet, don't waste your time.
According to its January analysis, Apple News did not feature a single conservative-friendly outlet among its top 20 morning stories for the entire month.
Apple’s popular news app aggressively promotes articles from left-leaning news outlets, while it shuts out conservative sources, according to an explosive MRC report.
In fact, out of 620 featured stories, zero came from conservative publishers.
There was nothing from Fox News, The New York Post, The Daily Mail, Breitbart, or The Daily Caller. There was nothing from The Western Journal.
Life decisions are being made according to what one really believes inside. The fake news peddlers of today need to be absolutely eviscerated, refuted, and exposed for who they are..for what they are doing. Too many young people in the USA keep swallowing their Fake News lies (much of which is cooked up by Lib late-night comedians) hook, line, and sinker.
The young people are not running to lame Reddit or TikTok because they’re mentally challenged. They’re running there because they distrust other institutions (and many of them have let everyone down). Yes, honestly! We all have good reasons to question them. The Bereans did that.
Let’s talk clearly and rationally, as Charlie Kirk believed and practiced: Let's keep the dialogue open. Don't shoot. let's keep debating on purpose and for a higher purpose. We have truth to get out there and a country to rescue.
When public leaders began using the phrase fake news, it struck a nerve because people instinctively know what it means: information presented as truth that is twisted, selectively edited, exaggerated, or flatly invented to shape perception rather than reveal reality. Long before microphones, headlines, and hashtags, Scripture had already named the disease.
The Bible does not use that modern term. Fake News, but it does diagnose the sin with that.
“Do not spread false reports” (Exodus 23:1). That is not merely advice; it is a command rooted in the character of God, who “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2. See the whole context). Whenever falsehood is packaged as truth, we are no longer dealing with journalism; we are dealing with deception.
The First Fake Headline
The serpent in Genesis 3 delivered history’s first spiritual disinformation campaign: “You will not surely die” (Genesis 3:4–5). It seemed polished in the mind, it seemed so plausible, emotionally appealing—and yet it wsa utterly false. Adam and Eve died spiritually when they ate the fruit. The promise of empowerment kinda masked their rebellion. The result was death inside.
You have a human spirit that needs to live! Are you stone-cold-dead, lukewarm spiritually, or on fire for Jesus Christ? Be the latter and follow Him!
Satan did not deny God outright; he distorted Him. That is how misinformation works. It sprinkles just enough truth to pass inspection while quietly reshaping the narrative.
A.W. Tozer once wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” If falsehood corrupts that picture, everything else follows.
When So-Called Prophets Become Publicists
In Jeremiah’s day, national morale was low. Babylon was rising. People wanted reassurance, not repentance. Into that climate stepped Hananiah with a comforting forecast: within two years, Babylon would fall and the exiles would return (Jeremiah 28:1–4). It was optimistic. Patriotic. Popular.
It was also false.
Jeremiah responded with sober clarity: “The prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true” (Jeremiah 28:9). God later declared to Hananiah, “The Lord has not sent you… you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies” (Jeremiah 28:15–17). Hananiah died that year.
The issue was not tone. It was truth.
False hope can be more dangerous than bad news because it anesthetizes repentance. People often prefer a comforting illusion over a corrective reality. Paul warned, “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine… they will accumulate teachers to suit their own desires” (2 Timothy 4:3).
Fake news thrives where itching ears gather together. Never twist, dilute aka waterdown the truth of the Word.
Why We Believe What We Want to Believe
Human nature has not changed. We gravitate toward voices that confirm our preferences and inflame our emotions. Research from the Barna Group has shown that a significant percentage of practicing Christians admit they rarely fact-check information before sharing it online. Emotional alignment often replaces careful discernment.
But Scripture calls believers to something higher.
Jeremiah lamented a culture where “Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth” (Jeremiah 9:5). Zechariah records the Lord’s remedy: “Speak the truth to each other… do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this” (Zechariah 8:16–17). Paul echoes the same command: “Put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor” (Ephesians 4:25).
Truth is not optional for the Christian. It is covenantal.
Charles Spurgeon once said, “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its boots.” Today, with digital speed, it circles the globe in seconds. That makes vigilance not paranoia—but obedience.
Discernment in a Distorted Age
Not every biased report is an outright fabrication. Sometimes the distortion lies in framing, omission, or tone. Other times it is pure invention. In every case, believers must filter narratives through Scripture rather than through party loyalty or cultural pressure.
Wisdom suggests:
-
Listen broadly, not narrowly.
-
Seek original context, not isolated sound bites.
-
Test worldviews against the Word.
-
Refuse to repost what you have not verified.
Proverbs 18:17 reminds us, “The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him.” Discernment requires patience.
Humility is the hidden safeguard. We must be willing to admit when we have shared something inaccurate. Pride spreads falsehood; humility corrects it.
The Greater News
Even if every newsroom were flawless, misinformation would still exist—because sin lives in the human heart. The ultimate antidote to deception is not better algorithms but transformed souls.
Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Not merely a speaker of truth—the embodiment of it.
The greatest headline in history is not political triumph or cultural victory but this: Christ died for our sins and rose again (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). That is not propaganda; it is proclamation. Not manipulation; redemption.
The old hymn says it simply:
“My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”
In an age of curated narratives and viral distortions, Christians must be known not as reactionaries but as people of truth—measured, thoughtful, courageous, gracious. We do not traffic in rumor. We traffic in reality.
And when the world asks whether God has anything to say about fake news, we can answer quietly, confidently:
He has always spoken against it.
And He has already given us the Good News that sets us free.
The Trust Collapse (With Legacy News) Is Real
A 2025 Gallup poll showing only 28% of Americans trust mass media isn’t a “conspiracy theory.” That’s institutional failure. Even more striking is the partisan split — single-digit trust among Republicans and majority trust among Democrats.
That’s not a healthy press culture. That’s polarization.
But here’s the key argument to make to young people:
If you don’t trust corporate media because it’s biased… why would you trust Reddit, which is also driven by ideology, algorithms, and social pressure?
Reddit is not neutral. It is structurally progressive in its moderation culture, upvote system, and community norms. That doesn’t make every post false — but it does mean dissenting views are often buried, mocked, or banned.
That’s not journalism. That’s social filtering.
Echo Chambers Aren’t Just a “Boomer” Problem
Young people often pride themselves on rejecting cable news — MSNBC, CNN, Fox — and that skepticism can be healthy.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Reddit + TikTok + YouTube algorithm = highly curated emotional reinforcement.
You are not seeing “what’s true.”
You are seeing what keeps you engaged.
And engagement is driven by outrage.
The algorithm doesn’t ask:
-
Is this verified?
-
Is this nuanced?
-
Is this proportionate?
It asks:
-
Will this keep them scrolling?
That incentive structure is far more powerful than cable news ever was.
The Hard Truth: Bias Is Universal
MSNBC has a lean.
Fox has a lean.
AP and NPR have cultural assumptions.
Reddit has a dominant ideological bent.
X has ideological clusters on both sides.
The mature position is not:
“Trust my side.” I say opinions are worth a dime a dozen, so check out what I say against the Bible as well.
The mature position is:
“Distrust everyone equally — and verify everything consistently.” When I tweet, I am often bookmarking articles for study later on, and I've repeatedly told all my so-called followers: Hey, this sounds interesting.. let's all check to see if part or all of it is might be true.
If someone says, “Don’t trust mainstream media — trust this influencer,” that’s not skepticism. That’s tribalism.
On Conspiracy and Skepticism
Can we find any truth in Reddit or X. When someone says, “We thought X was a conspiracy theory source, crazy Baby Boomer foder, but much on their has turned out to be true,” the right response isn’t to swing from blind dismissal to blind acceptance.
The right response is:
-
What was proven?
-
What was disproven?
-
What was exaggerated?
-
What sources independently verified it?
Skepticism is not believing everything labeled “conspiracy.”
Skepticism is demanding evidence before belief — from all sides.
The Strongest Argument to Young People
Here’s the winning intellectual move:
If you believe the new media for the most part is corrupted by money and power you are correct — please understand that Reddit and TikTok are also controlled by money and power. Duh!
Algorithms are not democratic.
Moderation is not neutral.
Trending is not organic.
Upvotes are not truth.
And neither are they retweets.
Hey, please start to do some research on your own instead of being so lazy and merely gain information from others.
-
One platform, that's dangerous
-
One ideological tribe, better yet, allow the Holy Spirit and the Bible to guide you
-
One influencer, let that be the living Word working in your brain and conscience
Adopt this:
-
Read and hear like a prayerful Berean.. even across ideological lines — deliberately.
-
Separate reporting from commentary.
-
Verify primary sources whenever possible.
-
Ask: who is getting paid and in other ways benefits if I believe this?
-
Watch for emotionally manipulative framing.
Truth is rarely loud. It’s usually boring, detailed, and qualified.
A Warning for So-called Conservatives Too
Please don’t follow or listen to everyone on X. How are they proven or consistently accurate?
That's exactly right.
There are serious conservative thinkers on multiple platforms.
There are also worthless grifters chasing outrage clicks (their souls have value to God, but not what they put out).
If someone makes you feel constantly furious, they are monetizing you. So-called Conservative Fox News does that. I used to trust Breitbart more, but look at who is behind many of their articles! It's time for all of us to be regenerated inside and act like careful Bereans with what we see, hear and read.
That applies to the left, the middle, and to real Conservatives on the right.
Got A High-IQ Closing Argument
Please go tell young people (with the gift of intelligence from God).. this:
If your worldview cannot survive exposure to opposing arguments, it is not strong — it is too fragile.
Intellectual strength means:
-
Engaging opposing views, even denominational and traditional Christian views, if they go against the Bible.
-
Checking your own side, checking your heart and spirit.
-
Being willing to update when facts change.
Reddit is not “the truth.”
X is not “the truth.”
Cable news is not “the truth.”
God (of the Bible) and yes, His old 66 books are your Source of truth.
Buy the Truth and sell it now..dig, dig, dig -- this requires some work.
And the most rebellious thing a young person can do in 2026 is not join a media tribe — it’s to refuse to be captured by one.
That’s not conservative.
That’s not liberal.
That’s intellectually free.
Not loud. Not partisan. Not tribal.
Just godly wisdom applied to modern media feed.
Here it is.
Need Ten Practical Steps for Diggin' for Truth
1. Start with prayer, not social media scrolling. Inquire honestly of the Lord
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God…” — James 1:5
Ask for discernment before you consume information.
2. Slow down emotional reactions.
If it instantly makes you furious or smug, pause.
“The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” — James 1:20
Outrage clouds judgment.
3. Check primary sources whenever possible.
Read the actual speech, court filing, bill, transcript — not just commentary.
“The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.” — Proverbs 18:17
Headlines are not evidence.
4. Compare across perspectives.
Read left, right, and center reporting on the same event.
Truth survives comparison. Lies collapse under it.
5. Separate reporting from opinion.
News describes events.
Commentary tells you what to feel about them. Pray, know well, rely upon, read and lean on the God of the Bible more.
Rely upon His power -- get His discernment. Many outlets blur the lines. There is a right and a wrong. There is absolute truth. People tell me there are no absolutes.. but that's an absolute statement.
6. Follow facts, not personalities.
Don’t anchor your worldview to influencers — even ones you like.
“Do not put your trust in princes…” — Psalm 146:3
Charisma is not credibility.
7. Watch who benefits.
Ask:
Who gains power, money, or control if I believe this?
Incentives reveal bias.
8. Reject tribal loyalty.
If you feel defensive when your “side” is criticized, that’s a warning light.
Christians follow Christ — not camps.
9. Value long-term credibility over viral moments.
Truth is often boring, qualified, and patient.
Lies spread fast.
Truth endures.
10. Anchor your mind in the Bible Good News daily.
“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” — John 17:17
When Scripture shapes your thinking, you become harder to manipulate.
What do I slow down and do with intentionality?
Pray, wait, really come to know the Lord as He is. Study truth with a heart to obey the Lord. Then put feed to your faith
Slow down.
Check the whole Bible context. Verify.
Compare what the whole Bible says about that.
Detach from tribes, but not from Christ or his Body. Abide in.
Follow real evidence.
Stay humble, be a learner rather than a know-it-all. Forgive those types of jerks. (a part of being a good witness in Christ is: Don't act or talk like a puffed up jerk.. ever.)
Stay anchored in (daily intimate 24/7/365 honest relationship) Christ.
Man, that’s how you dig for truth in 2026 — with godly wisdom instead of worldly wisdom.
