Fake news is false news headlines, stories, or hoaxes to misinform or deceive readers. They create doubt, confuse, or mislead, often to make money. They sound like the truth but are lies. To spot fake news, experts say we should check the source or author, look beyond the dramatic headline, check other sources, and verify facts. Fake news is not new. False prophets existed in ancient times. The prophet Micah in chapter 3 wrote this about false prophets long ago: “This is what the Lord says: ‘You false prophets are leading my people astray! You promise peace for those who give you food, but you declare war on those who refuse to feed you.’ ‘The sun will set for you prophets, and your day will come to an end. Then you seers will be put to shame, and you fortune-tellers will be disgraced.’” False messages are still a serious problem today. Thankfully, God has left us a source of truth for what we need to know. Even though we do not understand everything fully in the Bible, we know the key character of the Bible, Jesus the Christ. He declared himself to be the way, the truth, and the life. Then He died and rose again to prove He and His message are not fake.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr. is the founder and chairman of UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.). Under his direction, UMI has grown to be a leading publisher of Christian education resources for churches in the African American community. Read More
