Following the death of Alex Pretti in Minnesota, MSNBC released a photo of him that was heavily photoshopped. They tanned his skin tone, brightened and made his smile more visible, darkened his eyebrows aligned with the top of his glasses, gave him a less elongated face, a wider jawline, and added muscle definition.
Clearly, there was a difference between the genuine and modified image, but why would any news agency do this? Because you are in a propaganda war, and they want you to see the specific version of reality that they want you to see. The question that you should be asking is, what motive lies behind this contrived version of reality? What might be gained from using deceptive tactics like this?
Deception. Among the multitude of topics that are applicable for the day and age in which we live, this is certainly one of the most pertinent. Unlike previous eras of history, our present generation living today finds itself navigating a world where it has become increasingly difficult to discern fact from fiction, truth from deceit, and reality from pretense.
The technological explosion that has placed โsmartโ devices wirelessly connected to the โinternet of thingsโ in our hands, cars, and homes, has resulted in a perpetual deluge of information via social media, websites, and audio/video streaming apps. Consequently, the ease with which anyone can disseminate their thoughts, opinions, and ideas has never been greater, regardless of their validity or certainty. The inherent risk and challenge this creates for anyone listening or observing is being deceived into believing something that isnโt true or being convinced of something thatโs been artificially fabricated, especially if it contradicts Godly teaching, morals, and values.
The Cultural Drift Away from a Christian Worldview
Sadly, this is exactly what appears to be occurring in our culture today with profound success. Whether it is by amateur influencers or professional pundits, traditionally accepted views, beliefs, and institutions that have historically been established upon and guided by a Christian worldview are being challenged, deconstructed, and abandoned in favor of alternative political ideologies, secular humanistic philosophies, and unholy religious syncretism.
Coupled together with unbelievable advancements in technology like artificial intelligence and augmented reality, within seconds, written content, images, videos, and audio clips so realistic can be created, it is nearly impossible for the casual observer to distinguish otherwise. This has resulted in information, ideals, and concepts that were once easily discernable and accepted as legitimate, certain, real, and truthful which must be now viewed with suspicion and their veracity questioned.
Quite often, incidents and circumstances reported by mainstream media are intentionally presented from specific political perspectives or aligned with particular cultural agendas, fueled by funding from powerful individuals and institutions seeking to advance their interests by directing or reshaping the opinions and beliefs of the populace to accomplish their goals. For those knowledgeable of this tactic, it has given rise to labels like โwokeโ and โfake newsโ typifying such content and reporting.
As the line between truth and falsehood becomes progressively blurred it is critically important to heed the Bibleโs warnings about being deceived.
Godโs Word has much to say about the topic of deception. Among the multiplicity of admonitions regarding deception, one of the primary principles that must be understood when guarding against being misled is understanding the origin of deception itself.
The Spiritual Source of Deception
Scripture is clear that Satan is the source of falsehood and dishonesty, attributing to him the titles of โmurderer,โ โliar,โ and โfather of liesโ (Jn. 8:44). It also states that he โdeceives the whole world (Re. 12:9)โ and credits him as the source of lawlessness at work in the world which will ultimately be personified in the future arrival of the Antichrist (2 Th. 2:7-9).
Furthermore, the Bible points out how Satan blinds the hearts and minds of unbelievers to prevent them from understanding the truth of the Gospel that leads to salvation in Jesus (2 Co. 4:4). Unlike God, who is not the author of confusion, the devilโs goal is to twist, pervert, and confuse peopleโs thinking in such a way that they turn away from God, reject Jesus, and consume their lives until they are destroyed (1 Pe. 5:8, 1 Co. 14:33).
Knowing these truths should serve as a filter for discerning whether individuals, circumstances, and reported events are being guided by the Lord or by the evil one. When trying to determine the truth of incidents that are occurring or claims that are being made, it is pertinent to ask whether they are promoting confusion, hatred and strife, division, and leading people away from God, or are they stimulating certainty, peace, and collaboration?
For example, when angry mobs take to the street and vandalize property, harass law enforcement, and threaten local citizens and residents who simply want to pass by or return to their homes, it is not behavior that results from virtuous motives; they are actions that stem from Satanโs influence in the world. They are actions that go beyond the scope of peacefully protesting and instead constitute acts of lawlessness and hostility. Regardless of the professed motives for doing so, utilizing an argument, cause, or rationale to justify sin is faulty logic, regardless of now noble it may appear.
When Sin is Rebranded as Virtue
Related to this is another warning from Godโs Word about not being deceived. There are many behaviors, lifestyles, and character traits highly esteemed, promoted, and defended in our present day that do not align and directly contradict those valued by God.
Anyone or anything that promotes and defends qualities and actions explicitly condemned in Godโs Word have their origin in the kingdom of darkness, not the kingdom of God. Examples of conditions such as these are outlined by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthian church: โDo not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Co. 6:9b-10).
When various organizations, institutions, or media channels disseminate and publicize content that praises sexual immorality, challenges the Biblical model for the nuclear family, elevates environmentalism above our Creator, or advocates for rebellion against those in positions of authority, they are communicating ideas and values that contradict those of God. Yet these types of ideologies and lifestyles are often deceptively cloaked by terms such as โprogressive,โ โmodern,โ โinclusive,โ โequitable,โ and โliberatingโ to make them sound noble and appealing thereby leading to their gradual acceptance and celebration within our culture.
There is a very real danger in embracing and following societal trends that celebrate sinful behaviors such as these, and without a personal relationship with Jesus, empowered by His Spirit, and grounded in His Word, there are eternal consequences for those who fall into such deception.
The Influence of Voices We Allow Into Our Lives
Along these lines, a third valuable lesson presented in Scripture about avoiding deception is highlighted in 1 Corinthians 15:33, which states, โDo not be deceived: โBad company corrupts good morals.โ โ In other words, the voices that one listens to have a direct impact on oneโs thinking, attitudes, and ethics. It is vitally important to evaluate the individuals and sources of information that one allows to pour into their life. Whether it be celebrities, politicians, educators, religious leaders, financial experts, or influencers on social media platforms, the content of what they profess and the ideals which they advocate should always be compared with the Word of God to determine whether it is accurate and truthful or erroneous.
Words are powerful. They naturally communicate information, and information in turn is what shapes the way people think, believe, and act. Therefore, what one reads, watches, or listens to always has the potential to affect, influence, and impact their life in one way or another. Knowing this, one of the best ways to guard yourself from being deceived is to observe and assess whether the voices of those speaking into your life align with the things that Jesus loves and esteems or whether they contradict godly morals.
Many times, leaders and individuals in positions of status, power, and influence will use their titles and reputations to promote the ideals they treasure and causes in which they believe, but that doesnโt always mean they are right, honorable, or true. So, it is necessary to exercise wisdom about who you follow, with whom you associate, and who you look up to as worthy of your attention.
One way this can be done is to consider whether they convey Godly character and virtues such as those enumerated as the fruit of the Spirit โ โlove, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.โ (Ga. 5:22) Individuals who display and advocate for such qualities are more likely to be communicating truth and speaking with sincerity. People whose lifestyles contain moral failures or whose speech and character traits contradict these Biblical principles have a high likelihood of promoting content, disseminating information, or supporting agendas influenced by the kingdom of darkness.
Standing Firm in a Deceptive Age
In the end, followers of Christ will continue to live in a world full of deception until the time of His return. As the day of Jesusโ return grows ever closer, it is to be expected that deception will only get worse (2 Ti. 3:13, 4:1, Mt. 24:11). This is not a reason to be fearful or to shrink back from being an ambassador for Jesus or advancing His Gospel. On the contrary, understanding the Satanic roots of deception, recognizing sinful traits of deception, and being able to identify those who promote deception, will only make you a more effective servant of Christ who can call out and counteract the false and deceitful trends so prevalent in our world.
The more you become familiar with the truth of Godโs Word, the better equipped you will be to speak out against the multitude of lies that pervade our culture and point people to the source of truth โ the Lord Jesus Christ.
