"Thou shalt not bear false witness." (Exodus 20:16) This is known by Christians and Jews. Muslims have "And (know that the true servants of God are) those who do not bear witness to falsehood. (Qur'an 25:72) If you aren't very religious or not at all, you likely have some personal value associated with this same concept. It isn't anything we really haven't heard or don't understand. I don't think we misunderstand this to be a suggestion...but we sure seem to be living as if it is. Why am I writing about this? I'm likely to offend a few with this post.
Over the past several years, with an exponential increase due to the daily use of social media, I have noticed a rise in the every day "person next door" willingly violating this. Good, solid, generally honest individuals take no thought in breaking this long known commandment. When? How? "Surely not me," we all say. But likely, yes, it was you. I know I have been guilty of it. I still remember the day I decided I didn't want to even go down this path ignorantly, let alone willingly, if I could avoid it after embarrassment by my own hand.
I avoid Twitter like the plague. But, I am a Facebook addict. I admit I have a problem. Maybe that's why I noticed this so much. There is a lot of passion expressed there. People feel safe just saying whatever is on their mind, as if it protects them like a shield. Tag lines, memes, sound bites...they catch the eye and drive an idea straight to the point. I posted them right along with everyone else. After all, I was indignant or believed in something or wanted change or didn't like the guy. I wanted to get my two cents in. I have no problem with expressing these. BUT...
One day I posted one...as usual...and one of my Aunts, very kindly, pointed out that what I had posted was actually not correct. She sent me the information. I found out for myself. I had posted something that was a lie about something. I don't even remember what I posted, but I do remember I was embarrassed that I had put out there something that was not true. That was not who I was or wanted to be. Ever since, I prefer to check things out BEFORE I post it. (Doesn't mean I don't make a mistake here and there.)
Mostly I see this around political topics or cousins of them. Some are just outright wrong. Most, however, are twisted and skewed versions to "fit" an agenda or ideology to get the other guy/side. "Ha ha...I nailed you." That's what we've come to. Many take something out of context and meme it up with their own personal spin. After all...NO ONE digs for the truth. It is taken as..."this proves my point"...and shared. I once informed someone that what they had posted (it was inflammatory) actually hadn't occurred, but stemmed from an article that another had written about the supposes that he thought could happen if x,y,z came about. Their response surprised me. They didn't care. They felt they should post it because they didn't want those things to happen and this would fight that. But it was a lie. We have decided to not fight with truth now. Bearing false witness is okay now.
Another thing I see is posting something and then saying, "I hope this isn't true." I have done that one, too. But...those in our circle don't always do anything other than share and believe. This is nothing short of gossip...and we helped spread it.
I am not perfect. I don't always think before I do something. But that embarrassing day certainly changed things for me. I want truth. I want to know what the truth is so I can do or say something truthful. We won't solve any issues unless we are honest. Goodness, it is so hard to figure it out sometimes because we are tirelessly "creating" our version of "truth." We are so busy "getting" the other guy, vilifying the guilty until proven innocent, and making sure our agenda is the one that prevails, that we have became a nation of bearers of false witness...all in the name of "I WIN" or "Look at how with it I am." I don't want to win at all costs. We just lose. We don't trust anyone anymore. We won't sit down with the other side and talk and compromise. We won't let people make mistakes and repent and we forgive (a whole other topic). We follow every whim of meme that crosses our paths that fit what we want...truth or not, we don't know, but it sounded good. We destroy people...and are happy about it. We inhibit a real understanding of issues thereby preventing a meaningful ability to cooperatively solve them.
We elect a President, and before he/she even takes the Oath of Office half the country is already hating him/her, dug a hole for their grave, and begun the process of putting him/her in it. There's no "What can I do, Mr. President, to help make this country even greater?" Nope, it's just, roll over and die, because you are on the other side. We meme away and post every article from every ultra conservative or ultra liberal publication (who are all spin professionals) that we find blows them away. We feel powerful and smart when we do this. But they are often not entirely lacking in bearing false witness. We can disagree. We can disagree respectfully and like grown-ups (although it is the grown ups I am mostly speaking of). We can still work together and make things great. We are angered at the constant showdown in Washington...yet we do it every single day on our own posts. Hypocritical we are.
We tell our kids to not call names, not tell a lie or a half-truth, be forgiving, etc. What are we demonstrating to them? Do we teach them that not everything on the Internet is true....or believe it all if it fits our personal whatever? Are we teaching them to be kind, or vengeful? Do as I say, not as I do.
STOP this insanity. Think before we post. Check out facts from reliable, non partisan, non biased sources. Be willing to let the other guy be right. If you don't know still...maybe don't post or share it. Remember people have feelings...the Golden Rule applies even on Tweets, memes, posts, etc. One day...you could find yourself on a meme, and it just might not be the special one your child created saying Parent of the Year. I wouldn't like that much. Mr. X likely doesn't either.
I just want us, me included, to have a good honest truthful world. I want my kids to know up is up and down is down. I want to rock the world without throwing rocks. I think we all do. We just have to actually be willing to do it.
Over the past several years, with an exponential increase due to the daily use of social media, I have noticed a rise in the every day "person next door" willingly violating this. Good, solid, generally honest individuals take no thought in breaking this long known commandment. When? How? "Surely not me," we all say. But likely, yes, it was you. I know I have been guilty of it. I still remember the day I decided I didn't want to even go down this path ignorantly, let alone willingly, if I could avoid it after embarrassment by my own hand.
I avoid Twitter like the plague. But, I am a Facebook addict. I admit I have a problem. Maybe that's why I noticed this so much. There is a lot of passion expressed there. People feel safe just saying whatever is on their mind, as if it protects them like a shield. Tag lines, memes, sound bites...they catch the eye and drive an idea straight to the point. I posted them right along with everyone else. After all, I was indignant or believed in something or wanted change or didn't like the guy. I wanted to get my two cents in. I have no problem with expressing these. BUT...
One day I posted one...as usual...and one of my Aunts, very kindly, pointed out that what I had posted was actually not correct. She sent me the information. I found out for myself. I had posted something that was a lie about something. I don't even remember what I posted, but I do remember I was embarrassed that I had put out there something that was not true. That was not who I was or wanted to be. Ever since, I prefer to check things out BEFORE I post it. (Doesn't mean I don't make a mistake here and there.)
Mostly I see this around political topics or cousins of them. Some are just outright wrong. Most, however, are twisted and skewed versions to "fit" an agenda or ideology to get the other guy/side. "Ha ha...I nailed you." That's what we've come to. Many take something out of context and meme it up with their own personal spin. After all...NO ONE digs for the truth. It is taken as..."this proves my point"...and shared. I once informed someone that what they had posted (it was inflammatory) actually hadn't occurred, but stemmed from an article that another had written about the supposes that he thought could happen if x,y,z came about. Their response surprised me. They didn't care. They felt they should post it because they didn't want those things to happen and this would fight that. But it was a lie. We have decided to not fight with truth now. Bearing false witness is okay now.
Another thing I see is posting something and then saying, "I hope this isn't true." I have done that one, too. But...those in our circle don't always do anything other than share and believe. This is nothing short of gossip...and we helped spread it.
I am not perfect. I don't always think before I do something. But that embarrassing day certainly changed things for me. I want truth. I want to know what the truth is so I can do or say something truthful. We won't solve any issues unless we are honest. Goodness, it is so hard to figure it out sometimes because we are tirelessly "creating" our version of "truth." We are so busy "getting" the other guy, vilifying the guilty until proven innocent, and making sure our agenda is the one that prevails, that we have became a nation of bearers of false witness...all in the name of "I WIN" or "Look at how with it I am." I don't want to win at all costs. We just lose. We don't trust anyone anymore. We won't sit down with the other side and talk and compromise. We won't let people make mistakes and repent and we forgive (a whole other topic). We follow every whim of meme that crosses our paths that fit what we want...truth or not, we don't know, but it sounded good. We destroy people...and are happy about it. We inhibit a real understanding of issues thereby preventing a meaningful ability to cooperatively solve them.
We elect a President, and before he/she even takes the Oath of Office half the country is already hating him/her, dug a hole for their grave, and begun the process of putting him/her in it. There's no "What can I do, Mr. President, to help make this country even greater?" Nope, it's just, roll over and die, because you are on the other side. We meme away and post every article from every ultra conservative or ultra liberal publication (who are all spin professionals) that we find blows them away. We feel powerful and smart when we do this. But they are often not entirely lacking in bearing false witness. We can disagree. We can disagree respectfully and like grown-ups (although it is the grown ups I am mostly speaking of). We can still work together and make things great. We are angered at the constant showdown in Washington...yet we do it every single day on our own posts. Hypocritical we are.
We tell our kids to not call names, not tell a lie or a half-truth, be forgiving, etc. What are we demonstrating to them? Do we teach them that not everything on the Internet is true....or believe it all if it fits our personal whatever? Are we teaching them to be kind, or vengeful? Do as I say, not as I do.
STOP this insanity. Think before we post. Check out facts from reliable, non partisan, non biased sources. Be willing to let the other guy be right. If you don't know still...maybe don't post or share it. Remember people have feelings...the Golden Rule applies even on Tweets, memes, posts, etc. One day...you could find yourself on a meme, and it just might not be the special one your child created saying Parent of the Year. I wouldn't like that much. Mr. X likely doesn't either.
I just want us, me included, to have a good honest truthful world. I want my kids to know up is up and down is down. I want to rock the world without throwing rocks. I think we all do. We just have to actually be willing to do it.
well said, Sonja...I've fallen into that trap a few times, myself.
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