Is it possible to manipulate truth and reality to make things look different than they really are? Have you ever wondered how the news media can appear to just relate the facts, yet seem to have a liberal bias at the same time? In a world in which not everyone is playing fair, we need to prepare our children to use critical thinking to spot deceitful techniques used to manipulate the truth.

"These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." –Proverbs 6:16-19

Last time I shared about how our emotions can keep us from being effective communicators. You will need to keep your emotions in check as you read this article! Why? Because we're going to be looking at how some people and groups intentionally and systematically distort what we, as Christians, stand for. People can forgive more readily when they believe miscommunication or misrepresentation is unintentional. It is much more difficult to do so when you know it is a result of a calculated plan. However, as I said in the last issue, keeping your emotions in check is what makes for effective communication.

The miscommunication and misrepresentation of Christians and the Christian faith by liberals and the media is calculated, but it isn't something that is recognized by most as such, nor is it something that many who repeat the mantras are even conscious of. Most of the time, it appears to be a poor choice of words, just an unfortunate coincidence, or an honest difference of opinion. But if you dig deeper, you will see that it is no accident.

Why is it so important that Christians understand that it isn't an innocent mistake? There are a few reasons. 1.) Because a small inaccuracy can be cultivated into a large misunderstanding about Jesus and keep people away from the saving grace of Christ. 2.) Because a calculated plan, rather than an isolated incident, has a collective effect of leading people astray. An agenda is something that permeates the classrooms, news media, and, therefore, the mind of a whole generation. 3.) Because, if it is recognized, it is possible to point out those flaws and leaps in logic with gentleness and respect--not only for the benefit of others but also for ourselves.

A child's discernment begins when he understands that "the left" is no longer playing fair. Children need to be taught to follow the money, consider the source, and to consult their "wack-o-meter" when trying to internalize and understand current events. I will cover exactly how to do this in an upcoming article, so be sure to stay tuned!

There is so much misinformation out there that it is important to train our children to consider the source of any information they read or hear. Who is the author, what do they stand for? Where did the money come from for that study or research? On what logic is it based? Just because something has statistical support, doesn't mean those statistics aren't misleading or haven't been manipulated as we will see later on.