This past week I came across an article that was being shared on Facebook. It was a nice, “feel good” article. The article was reporting on a recent visit to the metroplex by movie star Kevin Costner. It seems that he had rented a car and was traveling west, when he had a flat on his rental car near Weatherford. He was grateful that several complete strangers stopped to help him change the tire. He noted that such friendliness is rare, and not to be found in Los Angeles.
Problem is, the story was a hoax, as many such posts are on the internet. Some such false reports are very destructive, as lies are told, retold and spread, often to bolster a particular political position or point of view. Too often, Christians participate (often unintentionally) in spreading such lies.
If I may make a few simple suggestions. First, always be skeptical. Don’t just read and share, check the source. Do a search to find out if the story is corroborated elsewhere. If you aren’t sure, don’t pass the story along! These hoaxes sometimes crop up off and on for years, long after they are debunked, simply because people are gullible and too willing to pass along unverified material.
Second, consider being much more discriminating in what you do share. Do people really need to see another reason why a particular politician’s run for president “IS OVER”, or why a particular government official is “SURE TO BE IMPEACHED!” (You can tell I get a lot of political posts in my Facebook feed).
Gossip (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:20) and lies (cf. Revelation 21:8) are evil, no matter where they are spread.
