Truth: Some thoughts on how to pursue it, find it
Have you wondered if the news is fake, and maybe not reliable? When candidates say opposite things, which do you believe? What advice does the Bible give? What advice do webs sites say abut it?
2 Chron. 18:15 But the king said to him,“How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of Yahweh?”This is one of few verses in the Bible on truth, that appears twice. The context is that even a good man, a prophet, can lie, and we need to have discernment. Job 13:4 “But you coat the truth with lies; you are all worthless doctors.” Again we need discernment. There are a number of videos on the web on detecting lies, if one searches. Here is a brief guide on how to detect lies. This is much easier if you can see the person speaking and watch for nervous habits.
7 Ways To Tell If Someone Is Lying To You – YouTube
- CLEAR DISCREPANCIES. [01:27]
- LOOKING DOWN AFTER A QUESTION. [01:54]
- INCONGRUENCE IN FACIAL EXPRESSION. [02:04]
- THE BOOMERANG QUESTION. [02:12]
- UNUSUAL FORMAL SPEAKING. [02:29]
- REPEATING THE QUESTION ASKED. [02:43]
- DUPING DELIGHT. [04:26]
- REPEATS QUESTION TO BUY TIME. [08:37]
What advice do web sites reviewing the news sites say? Here are a few examples:
How do you determine whether a news source is reputable? Or a news story is reliable?
Nehemiah Gateway University
Victoria, that’s a great question in an age of declining old major media and the rise of the new ad hoc social media postings. Like all storytelling, news writers have data-background assumptions, data assumptions, interpretive frameworks, ideologies, and deeper religious or a/anti-religious worldviews that influence and shape all aspects of their seeing-hearing-telling and thus their entire news narrative. Even the legal standard in defamation cases of “generally reliable news source” is terribly squishy. As a long-time student of news, I find the elements of context (did the reporter provide a fair representation of the broadest possible context that the sources themselves would acknowledge as relevant?), accuracy (did the reporter provide information–quotes, relevant data, etc.– in a context that gives them meaning and that again the sources themselves would acknowledge as fair and accurate?), and fairness (did the reporter tell the story in a way that fairly represents the differing views and the key players behind the event or issue in question?). Reporter and news outlet credibility and trust are built over time (and therefore, sadly, can be abused at later dates). I know of only a couple reporters and very few news outlets that consistently achieve that level or standard of performance. The major newspapers used have third-party editors fact-check stories and call sources to confirm quotes and context, but today’s financial pressures have sadly reduced or eliminated that practice to the detriment of our news quality and public discourse itself. Hope that helps.
A 2018 survey for Research Intelligencer by Brand Keys found that the BBC was the most trusted TV news brand among American viewers, beating out Fox News and PBS.
While it isn’t exactly a news source, C-SPAN is about the most reliable primary source you can ask for when it comes to unbiased political news. If you have ever wondered if what you read in a news report was biased, slanted or outright reported wrong or out of context, you can watch C-Span, or clips from it, and find out the truth for yourself.
Some highly rated news sites: NY Times, Wall St Journal, Wash. Post, BBC, NPR, Reuters
What makes journalism reliable? – Finding Credible News …
salve.libguides.com/c.php?g=590921&p=4098864
Journalism is a field with standards and a code of conduct. The Society of Professional Journalists has a code of ethics, which includes these four principles: Seek Truth and Report It. Ethical journalism should be accurate and fair. Journalists should be honest and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.
http://www.journalism.org/2014/10/21/political-polarization-media-habits/pj_14-10-21_mediapolarization-01/ Note chart on link below: Fox news is more conservative, most others are liberal, BBC is highly rated and has world news. http://salve.libguides.com/c.php?g=590921&p=4459287
As an apologist, I try to pursue truth and cite references for most of what I have said in my writing. See my book: Evidences for God and his Creations available from Author House. There is a section on my book on truth and how great philosophers have defined it. The best view is what corresponds to reality. Some of the younger generation favor relative truth and thus your truth and my truth, where truth becomes an opinion. You would probably agree with me, that the basic laws of math, physics and chemistry are not opinion. My background is being a scientist and engineer and doing research papers. The book has over 200 reverences. As a reviewer of news and journalism, I am not and expert.
One book I reviewed as an apologist and did a brief summary on, is on my web site as Mama Bear Apologetics. It offers some simple techniques for youth to use to practice discernment. My Web site: Creationapologetics.net Here is a brief view of the technique; see the whole file for details.
“The art of discernment has 4 steps p.54:-7” 1. Recognize the message, 2. Offer discernment (affirm the good and reject the bad), 3. Argue ( give reasons for) the healthier approach), 4. Reinforce through discussion, discipleship and prayer.” All media,- movies, TV programs, adds, books, songs-music- have messages. It may be loose sex, freedom, autonomy, drugs to get high, easy wealth, pride, entitlement, you need and deserve this! Most messages are a mixture of good and bad. “The most potent lies are wrapped in partial truths”. I am suggesting a 5th step: Ask Is the author of a message, so committed to his organization or larger goal or boss, that he might slant the truth and tell only one side? If the answer is yes, the message needs to be viewed with more discernment, fact checking and alternate views and the view of Christ. I think you would agree with me that this 5th step applies to most speeches of politicians.
There are 3 types of communication one should be leery of: propaganda, polarization, and gas-lighting and in my view, these are anti-christian. Some links explaining the last 2 are given below:
In addition check the link rating the news sites: http://salve.libguides.com/c.php?g=590921&p=4459287