In her article of 4 August 2017 Serena Marshall from the ABC gave examples of Donald Trump pushing falsehoods. This included suggestions by Trump that President Obama was not born in the United States.
SEE
Do you have reliable sources of political and social information?
Please watch Patrick Carolan giving his view.
What are the causes and consequences of ‘fake news’?
JUDGE
What is your responsibility concerning news?
What do you think about the ways journalists and social media leaders have handled fake news?
“One of the central lessons in the gospels is this: lying is dangerous, the most dangerous of all sins. And this doesn’t just play out in terms of our relationship with God and the Holy Spirit. When we lie we’re not only playing fast and loose with God, we’re also playing fast and loose with our own sanity. Our sanity is contingent on what classical theology terms the “Oneness” of God. What this means in lay terms is that God is consistent. There are no contradictions inside of God and because of that, reality can also be trusted to be consistent. Our sanity depends on that trust. For instance, should we ever arrive at a day where two plus two no longer equals four, then the very underpinnings of our sanity will be gone; we’ll literally be unmoored. Our personal sanity and our social sanity depend upon the truth, upon us acknowledging the truth, upon us telling the truth, and upon two plus two forever equalling four.”
Father Ron Rolheiser. President of Oblate School of Theology in Texas.
What do you think about what Father Ron said?
How does the Commandment, ‘Thou shalt not lie’ apply in this context?
ACT
What are your thoughts for action in your personal habits?
How can we be perceptive of the news and information we receive?
What should we demand from our leaders and journalists?
“Recent weeks and months have taught us a painful lesson,” Biden said in his inauguration speech. “There is truth and there are lies, lies told for power and for profit. And each of us has a duty and responsibility, as citizens, as Americans, and especially as leaders, leaders who have pledged to honour our Constitution and protect our nation, to defend the truth and defeat the lies.” President Joe Biden inauguration speech
