It is so comforting to know all this talk about disinformation or misinformation and folks wanting to control their enemy's speech is not new. What is not comforting is that it exists at all. This morning my devotion found me in John 7. I discovered the originators of the "ministry of disinformation." Those who are attempting to shut down speech they hate. Speech that challenges what they do not want others to hear. Speech that is a challenge to their authority.
In John 7:37-39 Jesus was teaching the people if they thirsted and came to him in faith, "out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." These words angered the Pharisees. They desired to arrest him but did not because of the people. There was much debate about who this man was saying these things. All kinds of emotions filled the hearts of the hearers, because no one before had spoken with such authority.
There was a conversation between some officers and the Pharisees. The officers stated, "no one ever spoke like this man!" Instead of offering facts to disabuse that statement or debating it, they chose to regulate it. "Have you also been deceived?" Then, to achieve a false sense of backup for regulating the officer's words the Pharisees point to other authorities the people would have respected. They basically responded with the old adage that no one else we know believes this. Here are their words, "Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?" What puts them in an awkward position is Nicodemus, a Pharisee (read John 3) actually wants to give an audience to the officer's questions. Can you imagine the looks after they say, "none of us believe him," then Nicodemus basically says, "let's hear them out?" Awkard moment!
Instead of arguing from a factual place about what Jesus was saying and how it did or did not line up with the Torah, they attempt to shame, then dismiss them. The Pharisees point to some leaders of the people and the fact that they did not believe. That is an effective way to coax people into not investigating any given scenario or using critical thinking. As humans, we can be pretty lazy. It's easy to say, "all my favorite preachers or politicians believe this or that," then we simply fall in line. This is never an excusable action. We will find ourselves believing a lie if we don't take the time to come to our own conclusions. That is exactly what the "ministry of disinformation" wants from us. Lethargy fits nicely into their pockets. They won't need to work so hard to keep us in line.
There is a commercial that runs regularly and is replete with physicians bolstering the Covid vaccine. They go on to say they trust the vaccine. Therefore, you should and can. Now, mind you, any legitimate physician would never promote any medication as suitable for all people without knowing their medical history. This commercial could easily have been a few Pharisees saying, "we are your religious leaders. None of us are following this Jesus. You can trust us and not follow him too. Reject anything he says; no investigation necessary. Just believe us because, again, we are religious leaders. Anything you hear or see backed up by miracles he performs are misinformation. When he forgives sin, that is heresy. Believe ONLY us, your ministry of disinformation."
Thankfully, the officers were not so easily dissuaded. They persisted. The Pharisees used their and other authorities to bolster their superiority, which is meant to minimize others. When that did not work they attempted to dismiss the citizens by calling them ignorant, "But this crowd that does not know the Law is accursed." All of this looks so familiar to what is going on today with our National leaders. We see our Government attempting to tell us what to believe and what is disinformation. They are not challenging us to seek truth for ourselves. Science is never settled. Faith is always growing. Stagnancy and complacency are always stinky. Being a follower of someone simply because they say so will drop you off a cligg.
The final argument from the Pharisees was to offer their own disinformation. They twisted the truth. "Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee." While I am not researching to see the truth or lack thereof for that, the reality is Jesus was not from Galilee. He was from Nazareth, but his family heritage was Bethlehem. There was an assumption on the part of the Pharisees that Jesus was from Galilee because that is where he was speaking at this time. The trick of disinformation is those who are truly promoting it hope those they are trying to mislead will be too lazy to verify what they say.
These Jews should have been familiar with the prophet Micah foretelling the birthplace of the Messiah. "Bethlehem... from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel." The reason "ministers of disinformation" bark so loud is when what they say is actually challenged or investigated they will be proven a liar, or liars. It's interesting because in the text the Pharisees do get the final word. They shut down the conversation. In their mind, due to their authority they were correct and they were done. You see that regularly on any Beauracratic News network. The Anchors, as an ally to the "ministry of disinformation," shut down debate by getting the final word. The final word is not always the correct word.
I am sure this sounds familiar we see this used on social media too. The mob uses the same tactics to shut down their opponents. They do this because just like the Pharisees they are threatened. Truth threatens them. Critical thinking defeats their arguments. Reason repels their rhetoric.
* They won't relent so they refer back to their authority.
* When that doesn't work, they insult.
* And lastly, they lie and then shut down the conversation.
It's ironic that today's progressives get their game plan directly from the book they attempt to dismiss or twist. They are unaware of this history, but it is right here in John 7. While this administration puts together a "ministry of disinformation," it has nothing on the Pharisees who were the first to dismiss truth as disinformation, while they themselves lie. The good news, it didn't keep people from finding the Truth.
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