Episode 486: The Gospel and Fake News with Love Thy Neighborhood

12/08/21 • 46 min

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A recent survey found that 49 percent of pastors reported conspiracy theories were spreading within their congregations. This is especially prevalent within evangelical communities. Although evangelicals are supposed to be known as people of the “good news”—which is what the word “evangelical” literally means—in many places they’ve become the largest consumers and spreaders of “fake news.” In this special episode co-produced with the Love Thy Neighborhood podcast, Skye Jethani and Jesse Eubanks take a closer look at the origins and impact of fake news. How we should define what’s “fake”, why it’s become such a problem, and what can Christians do about it.

Love Thy Neighborhood podcast: https://lovethyneighborhood.org/ltnpodcast/ Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com 0:00 - Intro 2:04 - War of the Worlds 7:40 - What is fake news? https://www.newsguardtech.com/special-reports/special-report-2020-engagement-analysis/ https://lifewayresearch.com/2021/01/26/half-of-u-s-protestant-pastors-hear-conspiracy-theories-in-their-churches/ https://guides.lib.umich.edu/fakenews 10:25 - Fake news in the church https://www.businessinsider.com/pastors-quit-after-qanon-radicalize-congregation-2021-3 12:01 - Follow the money https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/abs/partisan-polarization-is-the-primary-psychological-motivation-behind-political-fake-news-sharing-on-twitter/3F7D2098CD87AE5501F7AD4A7FA83602 23:17 - Episode sponsors With God Daily: http://withgoddaily.com The Movie Proposal: https://www.themovieproposal.com 25:35 - Technology Jason Thacker: https://jasonthacker.com https://news.mit.edu/2018/study-twitter-false-news-travels-faster-true-stories-0308 31:03 - Reclaiming truth https://www.allsides.com https://www.businessinsider.com/christians-are-often-victims-of-conspiracy-theories-health-falsehoods-2021-4

Previous Episode

Episode 485: The Biblical Case for Redemptive Privilege with Dominique DuBois Gilliard

Today, privilege has become a dirty word that is automatically associated with sinfulness, but Dominique Gilliard, author of “Subversive Witness: Scripture’s Call to Leverage Privilege,” says it doesn’t have to be. He explores the many biblical characters who used their privilege redemptively rather than selfishly, and challenges us to rethink our assumptions about who is really privileged in our society.

Also this week, a new study reveals how our preferred news source shapes our political and cultural beliefs—especially for those on the more conservative end of the spectrum. As the Supreme Court hears arguments about Mississippi’s new abortion law, Tish Harrison Warren says we need to rethink our definition of feminism to include women who are pro-life. Plus, Phil goes to an indoor waterpark, and the Japanese have an innovative new energy source.

News Segment:

0:00 - Intro/Thanksgiving highlights 12:41 - News of the Butt 20:50 - PRRI media study https://www.prri.org/spotlight/why-we-divide-republicans-by-media-trust-the-oan-newsmax-effect/ 36:29 - Feminism and pro-life https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/28/opinion/feminism-abortion-pro-life.html 50:11 - MyPillow ads 52:17 - Holy Post merch https://www.holypost.com/shop

Interview with Dominique DuBois Gilliard:

“Subversive Witness: Scripture’s Call to Leverage Privilege” - https://amzn.to/3Dm9igF

53:32 - Introduction 57:31 - Defining privilege 1:04:45 - How stories in Scripture help us 1:08:20 - Accountability in leveraging privilege 1:21:08 - Interpreting the rich young ruler 1:26:49 - Fruit in ongoing repentance

Other resources mentioned: “Rethinking Incarceration: Advocating for Justice That Restores” - https://amzn.to/3E9n8nK

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Next Episode

Episode 487: Why Gen Z is “Unbundling” Faith with Josh Packard

Everyone seems to be talking about “deconstructing” faith, but researcher Josh Packard says it’s better to describe young people as “unbundling” faith. He joins Skye for a conversation about Springtide Research Institute’s new report on the State of Religion and Young People, and why Gen Z has such a negative perception of the church and such an inflated view of themselves. Also this week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that could overturn Roe v. Wade. With some pro-life activists ecstatic, and pro-choice activists apoplectic, the Holy Post crew discusses what a post-Roe country could look like, how the pro-life movement could evolve, and what lessons we can learn from the era of Prohibition. Plus, the word “sorcery” was the fastest-growing search term on Bible Gateway in 2021. Should it have been “asininity”?

News Segment

0:00 - Intro

3:26 - Fastest-growing search term on Bible Gateway https://religionnews.com/2021/12/02/why-sorcery-was-the-fastest-growing-search-term-on-bible-gateway-in-2021/

14:23 - Supreme Court and Roe v. Wade https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/how-southern-baptists-became-pro-life/

48:31 - Sponsors

This episode is sponsored by Abide: http://abide.co/holypost

Interview with Josh Packard Springtide Research Institute report: https://www.springtideresearch.org/research/the-state-of-religion-2021

49:36 - Intro 51:12 - Major findings from report 55:06 - Implications of unbundling 1:05:55 - Values gap 1:18:41 - Impact of religious communities on flourishing Other resources: www.wsj.com/articles/young-people-say-disconnect-keeps-them-from-church-11635163200