But this particular item really bothered me, because it had to do with "proof" of an event in the Bible. I felt compelled to respond as a thoughtful believer, because I firmly believe disinformation is deadly to faith, and God abhors that which leads people astray.
It proved to be a frustrating and ultimately futile exercise, because I was trying to persuade someone who was never going to be convinced, no matter how many facts I put before her. It was a valuable reminder that even among those who believe, Satan is working hard to divide and conquer.
Sometimes, people have differing perspectives on a situation. Two people can witness the same event and focus on different things, thus they perceive the situation very differently. No matter how well intentioned, it is easy to go in the wrong direction based on our feelings or beliefs or experiences.
But fact is different. Fact is proven, something that can be duplicated reliably over and over, and does not change with the whim of the person saying or hearing it. For example, the earth is round. That is a fact, and no amount of spin or perspective changes it. You may believe it is flat, triangular or hexagonal if that is your wish, but it does not make it so. If you present that belief as fact, you are, quite simply, wrong, whether you are willing to accept that truth or not. If others base their beliefs or actions on your incorrect facts, you are leading them astray, whether you mean to or not. And when they realize you were wrong, or worse, lied to them, they will no longer trust anything you say, because you have proven to be unreliable.
As a Christian, I believe God has called me to be honest in all things. If I, as a Christian, knowingly or unknowingly, spread falsehoods about anything, but especially about the God who never fails us, I am creating doubt and fear among those who search for his ultimate truth. In my imperfection, I may lead astray those who are searching for salvation. If I spread a falsehood that is ultimately proven to be untrue, I may lead those who are fragile in their faith to reject everything because I have lied about something.
I have been lied to and lied about many times in my life. Some lies were small lies, some lies were big lies, and some lies were life changing in scope. But in confronting the lies, especially the big, life changing lies, I have learned not to build my faith upon the words of others, the findings of a secular world, or the material goods which make up the everyday life I lead. Instead, I build my faith on my experience of God in my life. That is the only foundation that will never fail, and my hope should be built on nothing less.
In the end, faith is about that which cannot be seen, but which is known in the heart and soul. There will always be someone who contradicts your truth, whether they are factually correct or not. God wants us to believe in him, simply and purely. He doesn't want us to believe in him because we can prove he is real, or because we have the correct number of facts to show he exists. He wants us to believe in him because he IS real, and we know him in our heart and soul.
Today I am grateful for the lies that pushed me further into understanding the true foundation of God's love. Although breathtakingly painful at the time, and for a long time after, they have allowed my God to take the frail, errant, human me and build a faith filled foundation on The Rock that will stand for all eternity.
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