Monday, July 20, 2020

Dear Trinity Baptist Church Family, I rejoice in the good day of ministry that happened at and through Trinity Baptist yesterday. God’s Great Zoo is going well. Except for one family, the attenders are all TBC families. We did not advertise or promote this year because of COVID, but we still had almost 60 students and leaders in the building last evening. Pray for God’s Word to be plain and life-changing in the lives of our children this week.

We often include in the bulletin essays from a blog called A Christ-follower with a limp. They are written weekly by Pastor Scott Caron for his congregation in Burlington, WI. I let him know that I often copy his work. I thought yesterday’s post on conspiracy theories contained great truth for all of us today. 

“People love conspiracy theories.”  Neil Armstrong

“Just recently a Reddit user posted an unsubstantiated theory that the furniture company, Wayfair is involved in child sex trafficking, suggesting certain products on its website may actually be representing children for sale. The conspiracy theory went viral. 

  The user posted a screengrab of Wayfair’s website showing armoires that cost five figures with human names for the products, which led them to speculate that the pricey cabinets were, in fact, people for sale. But there was no truth to the accusation. The products in question are industrial grade cabinets accurately priced. Still Wayfair temporarily removed the products from their site to rename them and provide more in-depth descriptions and photos that accurately depict them, clarifying the price point. 

  Horribly, Adolph Hitler was right, ““If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.” I wonder how much time and money Wayfair has had to spend to kill that lie. But Wayfair is not alone. Most companies and leaders know what it is to be slandered and lies about them to be accepted without question. 

  With the easy access to social media and the gravity of the COVID-19 pandemic, the current crisis is ripe for conspiracy theories. Roughly one-third of Americans believe that the COVID-19 outbreak was intentionally planned by people in power. 71% say they’ve heard at least “a little” about a conspiracy theory that the coronavirus outbreak was intentionally planned by powerful people, including 19% who say they have heard “a lot” about this. Most conspiracy theories share a common premise: A powerful group of elite individuals are withholding or distorting the truth. Only the elites know the truth and everyone else believes a lie. 

  It hasn’t helped that the virus is new and medical responses are continually changing and developing. As a result, there have been contradictory approaches and information (and misinformation). Then, it originated in a repressive country without any freedom of information or freedom of the press. It’s a recipe ripe for paranoia and wild speculation. 

  Yet, the Lord Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Ephesians 4:25 commands us, “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21 admonishes us to “test everything; hold fast what is good.”

  So, do I believe that there are conspiracies or plots? It’s possible BUT I don’t know and neither do you. We don’t have proof, nor are most of us in a place where we’ll ever be able to confirm a conspiracy. And if it is actually taking place, what will we be able to do about it other than build a cabin in the north woods and hide out for the remainder of our days?

  What is unequivocally true is that Christians are to be people of truth, who live in truth, think on truth, and share the truth! Too often the people of truth are the most susceptible to being consumed by conspiracy theories. As the people of truth, we seem to easily slip into a bottomless rabbit hole of conspiracy theories. Yet, it hurts us and it hinders what God has called us to do – share His truth. Sharing unsubstantiated rumors undermine our message of absolute truth that determines one’s eternal destiny. 

  Isn’t it also possible that many sincere people who may differ in their worldview from us are being slandered? Scripture teaches that slander is a serious sin and that God hates slander (Prov. 6:16, 19). James calls it demonic behavior (James 3:15-16). Engaging in slander is scandalous. 

  Yet, many Christians share hearsay. You can hardly glance at social media without seeing a Christian (often a pastor or Christian leader) posting claims that they can’t possibly know to be true. They’re not Washington insiders or international authorities. They’re merely spreading what they learned from what is too often not a credible source. 

  We must remember that our Enemy is the “father of lies” (Jn 8:44). Soon after Satan entered the Garden (Genesis 3), he spread the first conspiracy theory, convincing Eve that the most powerful of “conspirators”—the Creator God was secretly trying to keep the first humans from having their eyes opened in a way that would make them “like God, knowing good and evil.” Eve became the first in a long line to believe powerful forces were secretly conspiring and withholding secret information.

  Instead of thinking about what we’re unsure of, Scripture commands us: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Phil. 4:8). There are serious consequences when we ruminate on conspiracy theories instead of what we know is true. 

  We soak our souls in fear. COVID-19 is a serious virus. When we focus on what’s rumor and can’t substantiate those claims, we increase our own anxiety and that of those who listen to us. One of the most repeated commands in Scripture is that we are not to live in fear (2 Tim. 1:7). 

  We open ourselves up to anger and rage. When we feel helpless and that we have little control, we easily succumb to a very dangerous emotion – rage. Fear can quickly morph into anger because it provides an object: they are to blame, they caused this, they deserve retribution. There is nearly always some target that we can use as a scapegoat. 

  We drown in doubt. The darkest day this world has ever known was when our Lord was crucified. Three days later, Jesus rose from the grave. But for those three days His disciples were drowning in doubt. Like that first Easter God confronts our fears with His presence. God is “with us” (Ps. 23:4). He has “called you by name” (Isa. 43:1), and nothing can separate us from our Heavenly Father and His great love for us” (Rom. 8:35-39).

  We hurt our witness. The gospel already seems too wonderful to be true. That God loved us and sacrificed His Son to pay for our sin, that salvation is a free gift and we can be forgiven by accepting God’s gift of salvation. It’s unbelievable! When we spread theories we can’t substantiate, it hurts our gospel witness. Not only that, but we’re distracted. We become “conspiracy theory evangelists” when God has called us to share His message of hope and forgiveness. 

  This world is terrified and has great difficulty with truth, yet we’re called to be God’s people of truth. During this season of isolation, fear, and uncertainty, let’s determine to be intentional about leaning into God, His truth, and engaging others. It’s a real remedy for hurting hearts. Our world needs God’s truth. Let’s determine to share that!”

Embracing Truth, Pastor