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Fake News

A New Term for an Old Reality

January 29, 2018 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

Twice now this week we’ve heard Jesus command: “Be quiet.”  This morning it was “Quiet, be still!” in order to calm a storm.  Now here in this story from Mark it’s “Quiet, come out!”  to chase an unclean spirit and cure a young man besieged by demons that today might be labeled PSTD, Schizophrenia, Bipolar illness …

Demons are so disruptive.  The victims long for control over the evil spirit that seems to pull the strings, think the thoughts, speak the words and do the deeds.

In this story, apparently no one in town suspected that the young man had an evil spirit.  Otherwise, they would have been shunned him.  They wouldn’t have allowed him in their company, in the temple or anywhere near Jesus.

Well, I got this far in my reflection (Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress)– pondering the variety of demons our society struggles with today.  Then I got distracted and stymied – I felt like an evil spirit, some might call, writer’s block, was redirecting my thoughts, interfering with my schedule, trying to inflict me with laryngitis or lull me into a nap.

When lo and behold, Jesus said, “Quiet – here’s a reflection already written for you.  It was a blog piece from Stephen Okey professor from SLU who did a presentation for us (here at the monastery) on one of the most insidious demons that invades us most anywhere we turn.  In Stephan’s words:

Fake News and the Good News

Although the term “fake news” may be of relatively recent invention, Pope Francis argues that it begins already in the Garden of Eden.  In an insightful exegesis of Genesis 3, he describes the serpent as the first purveyor of fake news, who relies on “mimicry” and the “appearance of truth.”  The serpent is able to take something true, given in love (the command against eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil), and twist and discredit the claim through selective reframing and presentation.  The same problem continues today, as individuals, networks, and even governmental agencies create attractive and credible lies in order to generate traffic, generate revenue, and generate division.

Francis defines “fake news” as “the spreading of disinformation on line or in the traditional media.  It has to do with false information based on non-existent or distorted data meant to deceive and manipulate the reader.”  He calls for resistance to fake news, to recalling Christ as The Truth on which we can rely, and to learning to discern the true from the false in order to be free.  Pope Francis has three concrete suggestions for resisting fake news, along with one deeper exhortation.

First, avoid “homogeneous digital environments impervious to differing perspectives and opinions.”  Francis wants us out of our “echo chambers,” meeting with those whom we do not already encounter.  This goes beyond cultivating a diversity of sources for media; it means cultivating a diversity of relationships.  If one can avoid living in such a “bubble,” one should be less susceptible to stories that simply confirm one’s worst fears.

Second, slow down.  One of the dangers of fake news is its “spreading so fast that it is hard to stop.”  Journalists in particular are encouraged not to chase the breaking, sensational headlines, but rather the “underlying causes of conflicts” in pursuit of richer and deeper understanding.  This is not only journalists though: many of us would benefit from taking a moment to read an article or story before reposting, understanding it beyond its headline, and reflecting on whether or not it is credible.  Discernment of the truth takes time.

Third, communicate the truth in love.  Francis focuses much of this message on “the true” in contrast to fake news, but he connects it also to “the good.”  He encourages us to consider the fruits of our communication.  If we “provoke quarrels” or “foment division” rather than “promote informed and mature reflection,” then that communication falls short.  Put another way: the repetition of true facts is a necessary condition of communicating the truth, but not a sufficient one.

Finally, an exhortation: strategies are valuable, but they aren’t the whole story.  The three practices listed above must be part of a conversion of heart. If cultivating a diverse body of sources and relationships simply becomes pretty window dressing for the bubble one remains in, then it bears no good fruit.  It is similar to his claim in Laudato Si: if we rely simply on technological or strategic solutions to our problems, we mask the underlying moral problems that contribute to the throwaway culture (or to continue to promote fake news).

“Fake news” is a new term for an old reality.  There is a temptation to deceive, to deceive others, to deceive ourselves, and to deceptively accuse others of deception whenever we don’t want to hear the truth.  But we need to hear the truth, and we need to keep our eyes focused on the truth, because it is the truth that will set us free.

Stephen Okey | January 24, 2018

First Reading  Deuteronomy 18:15-20   Second Reading  1 Corinthians 7:32-35
Gospel Reading  Mark 1:21-28

 

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Filed Under: Blog, Front Page, Homily Tagged With: Be still, communicate, Demons, Fake News, Good News, Jesus, Quiet, truth

2017 Fourth Sunday in Lent

March 27, 2017 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

First Reading   1 Samuel 16:1b,6-7,10-13a   Second Reading   Ephesians 5:8-14
Gospel John 9:1-41 (shorter form: John 9:1,6-9,13-17,34-38)

 

Today’s headline above the fold … and TV scrolling Breaking News:

It’s a Miracle! Man Born Blind Can Now See!

Earlier today a man, blind from birth, encountered the man they call Jesus of Nazareth and apparently now he can see! It was Jesus who stopped and spoke to the man, rubbed clay on his eyes, and then instructed him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. Like magic, the blind man then could suddenly see! Of course, some of the authorities spoke out in dismay since this so-called healing took place on the Sabbath. Even his parents had very little to comment out of fear of repercussions. However, what’s the bottom line? Man born blind now can see!

Fake news for sure!  Like my mother always said, “If a story is too good to be true, it probably is.” There are just so many fake news stories nowadays it can be very difficult knowing truth from fiction. We need to be very careful.

I don’t blame those Pharisees for being overly cautious. Someone spreading such news could have really upset things to the point of creating chaos. But of course, everyone is drawn to sensationalism.

There is an overwhelming flood of news and information that can wash us away if we are not careful. Unfortunately, much of it is commentary disguised as factual news coverage. Then there is the phenomenon of fake news stories that so often mislead well-intentioned people. With all this inundating us, it is easy to become overly skeptical of anything we hear, or even simply deaf to all news, fake or real.

Of course, once you cut away all the junk you can find truth out there. In living out our faith, we are dependent on knowing truth. Yet too often we act like the facts of our faith story are up for debate. We begin to see the account of Jesus in the Gospels as just another series of tales like they were written for a grocery store aisle magazine.

The story of the healing of the blind man tells of an encounter with Jesus that leads to freedom and healing. Jesus was and is real and the fact that he can heal us should be undisputed. But too often we live our lives in desperation and despair, seemingly unaware that we can take our burdens to Jesus. We act like the Bible story is just a nice tale to be told at church and not one that exists to change our lives.

My fear is that too many Christians hear the stories of Jesus but they don’t listen to them. When we hear something we take in sound and physically react. When we really listen we internalize what we hear and then form a real opinion that can motivate us for a response. Indeed, in our world we are lacking a good bit of response to the Gospel.

These Gospel readings of the three weeks in which we find ourselves, from the Samaritan woman at the well to the raising of Lazarus, are proclaimed every year at the liturgies that feature Scrutinies for those in RCIA. They are meant to truly form and change the person who listens to them. They tell of a Jesus who offers us new life in him. Our Savior offers living water, dispels the darkness, and conquers the power of death. These are not simply the climaxes to good stories. This is real truth.

The Son of God is alive and well and we are all called to testify to that truth with our lives. We must step out of the shadows and be bold in our testimony. We must proclaim to a world in dire need that Jesus is Lord. We must take seriously the call to evangelize all who can hear and to spread the good news to the ends of the earth.

After all, it isn’t fake news. It isn’t alternate facts.   It isn’t even simply factual news. It is the GOOD news.

Borrowed mainly from LPI Reflection by Tracy Earl Welliver
Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress
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Filed Under: Blog, Homily Tagged With: 4th Sunday, blind man, Fake News, Jesus, Lent, Nazareth

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