Tuesday, 20 October 2009

• Christians: Stay Out of the Internet Rumor-Mill

  Have you heard the one about onions protecting you from swine flu? An e-mail hoax that is making the rounds suggests that onions will absorb the H1N1 virus, keeping you and your family safe. Of course, it's not very logical to think that this is true, but there are many other, more convincing internet rumors that Christians and non-Christians alike are guilty of having spread at one time or another.

  A recent article in the Associated Baptist Press (ABP) describes one rumor that has been around so long it has outlived its source. Professed Atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair was given the title of “the most hated woman in America” by Life magazine in 1964 after the ruling in the landmark trial, Murray v. Curlett. The ruling effectively banned schools from coercing students to read the Bible and pray in schools.

  Although O'Hair died in 1995, “patently false rumors about her alleged anti-Christian campaigns continue to spread,” the article states. “Credulous Christians who once forwarded these kinds of rumors in mimeographed chain letters or spread them on talk radio now can broadcast them around the world with the mere click of a mouse.” It's true that an e-mail rumor is currently circulating the internet suggesting that O'Hair is attempting to block religious programming from television, even though she's been deceased for some fifteen years.

  This is certainly not the only example of an internet rumor that Christians have helped to spread. “One frequently forwarded message... identifies Barack Obama as the son of a black Muslim from Kenya and a white atheist from Kansas,” the article says. In actuality, “Obama has described his mother as a religious seeker who was raised a Christian but never has described her as an atheist. His stepfather was an oil executive, and no credible accounts ever said he was a radical Islamist -- the “fact” that he married an alleged “atheist” would sort of mitigate against that.”

  Not all internet rumors are meant to stir up negative reactions toward an individual or group. One rumor attempted to instill positive feelings from Christians to then President George W. Bush. The article explains that the e-mail hoax said “that President George W. Bush, at a thank-you dinner for campaign workers after the 2000 election, took time out of his duties to share the gospel with the son of a volunteer. As the story goes, the boy prayed to receive Christ on the spot, with Bush leading the prayer.”

  While it would be nice to think that something like this happened, “Bush’s campaign never held any such dinner,” the article goes on to say, “and campaign officials said the pressing time commitments of the ongoing Florida recount would not have allowed Bush to deviate so dramatically from his schedule even if he had wanted to.” Despite the fact that the event did not take place, the hoax received attention from churches, websites, and even Christianity Today.

  It's unfortunate to think that so many false accusations and stories have been disseminated among Christians in community online, but Christians are certainly humans, just like the rest of the world, and therefore just as susceptible to believing the lies we want to believe. Christian-ethics professor Bill Tillman told the ABP, “Their gullibility seems to follow the culture's levels and channels of gullibility.”

  This sounds like a hopeless situation, one in which Christians and non-Christians alike are doomed to spread hoaxes and lies because they are just suckers. It doesn't have to be this way, though, especially for discerning and careful Christians. We are called to spread truths, not to spread gossip and slander. So what can we do?

  Take a step back.
  We all want to believe that those we disagree with have secrets, just like we want to believe that those we trust and like will do honorable things. If you don't like Obama, you might want to hear that there is something shady in his past to lend credibility to your opinion. If you liked Bush when he was president, you might have wanted to hear stories of him sharing the gospel to show his opponents what a kind and gentle person he was. This is understandable; we all want to be right, and we want to show others we're right, especially when it comes to politics. That's human nature, but Christians are called to a higher authority. When you read something on the internet or in an e-mail spreading a rumor about an individual or group, take a step back and ask yourself why you want to believe it.

  Do your homework.
  Most internet rumors are both spread on the internet and discussed on the internet. One place where internet rumors are disputed is on Snopes. This website lists just about every internet rumor that makes the rounds, both currently and in the past, including Bush's witnessing story, Obama's heritage, and even some less divisive topics like free giveaways, internet viruses, and even inspirational stories. The site goes to great lengths to find the truth about internet rumors, including research and even interviews with those involved. Another way to check the validity of claims on the internet is to see if it is being discussed by credible sources, such as the Associated Press, CNN, and the New York Times.

  Choose to be silent.
  In the end, perhaps the most effective way Christians can keep from spreading rumors on the internet is to simply not talk about them. It sounds so easy, but when it's a topic about which one is passionate, it's so easy to talk about it. Making the conscious decision to ignore e-mail hoaxes and internet rumors is the only sure way to know that you're not just adding fuel to the fire, gossiping and slandering when you don't even know it.

  I get these emails from just about everyone: my friends, my mom, my grandma, my boyfriend's grandma, they all send them out. I appreciate the concern these people have for the situations written about in these e-mails, but I also understand that you can't always believe what you read in an e-mail. As Christians, just as when we are talking face to face, we need to be careful when forwarding e-mails about topics we are not well-versed in. If it sounds too good to be true, chances are it is.

  What are some e-mail rumors or hoaxes you've received? If you've sent them to friends, what was your reasoning, and did you research them first?

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