Pope Francis says ‘fake news’ is evil, urges journalists to search for truth
- Pope Francis urges journalists to be truthful and objective in their reportage
- He advises reporters to shun fake news
- He said fake news leads to spread of arrogance and hatred
Pope Francis has denounced ‘fake news’ as evil and urged journalists to make it their mission to search for the truth.
Bloomberg reports that the pope said the first case of fake news is in the Bible when Eve was tempted to eat the forbidden fruit based on disinformation from the serpent.
Comparing fake news to the serpent's message of temptation in the Bible, Pope Francis said: "We need to unmask what could be called the 'snake tactics' used by those who disguise themselves in order to strike at any time and place."
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After a week in which Pope Francis faced unprecedented bad press during his South American tour, he released his annual social communications message on Wednesday, January 24.
He dedicated this year’s annual social communications message to "fake news and journalism for peace."
The pope called for a commitment to restoring the “dignity of journalism" and urged reporters to speak the truth with a journalism that is "truthful and opposed to falsehoods, rhetorical slogans, and sensational headlines."
In his message, The Truth Will Set You Free - Fake News and Journalism for Peace, Francis gave an articulate explanation of "fake news" and why it is so effective and dangerous.
He stated that fake news plays on stereotypes and prejudices, exploits anxieties and fears, and is spread via social media contacts who often all have the same point of view.
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He said: "The tragedy of disinformation is that it discredits others, presenting them as enemies, to the point of demonizing them and fomenting conflict.”
The pope urged journalists to focus less on breaking news and more on "exploring the underlying causes of conflicts".
Pope Francis has frequently complained about journalists, and was known for his cold relationship with the Argentine media before he became pope.
Though Francis has learned to use the media to get his message across since he became pope, he still frequently complains about what he calls one-sided reporting.
Legit.ng previously reported that Pope Francis called for a phrase “lead us not into temptation” in the ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ to be changed.
The Pope argued that the translation used by many parts of the world goes against the teachings of the Bible.
He also stated that the Italian and English translation go against the teachings of the church.
Followers of the faith in the much-recited prayer, call on God to “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Speaking to Italian broadcasters, the Pope said: “It is not a good translation because it speaks of a God who induces temptation.
“The French have modified the prayer to ‘do not let me fall into temptation’, because it is me who falls, not the Lord who tempts me to then see how I fall."
Image of Jesus Christ appears in Ikorodu Church - on Legit.ng TV.
Source: Legit.ng
