Op-Ed: Embracing truth while ignoring gossip and opinions
LIVING ON PURPOSE
By Dr. Billy Holland
The majority of the world does not agree with the God of the Bible being the author and finisher of their faith. With so many diverse religions and philosophical convictions, along with masses of people that have no spiritual affiliation at all, we still realize that today’s spiritual and political environment is not that much different from thousands of years ago. Humans are influenced by what we hear and read, so an important consideration is how much knowledge we have discovered that we know is true. Especially since the invention of the internet, independent research and critical thinking are hardly necessary. Today, information is given to us instantly, but shouldn’t we be asking asking God instead? Jesus talks about this in the Sermon on the Mount, and all leaders should study it carefully.
We notice that somewhere between social media, chat forums, and lying advertisements, people love to absorb information. Instead of praying for answers, people trust complete strangers. Let it be said we are not in the midst of a drought of knowledge, but rather engulfed in a tidal wave of confusion and deception. Since most religions and political parties are so biased according to what they believe is correct, it’s no surprise the planet is filled with animosity and haughtiness. I’ve pondered through the years about how little we actually know about things we would fight over. For example, would you be persecuted for your personal religious interpretations? What if Biblical passages are not translated correctly, or you are trusting a teacher who has misunderstood them? How do you know your daily quota of news reports are true about politics? How can you be positive they actually know what’s going on behind the scenes? Could media be an idol that is controlled by Satan to deceive those who follow it?
According to the dictionary, critical thinking is the process of analyzing facts, evidence, observations, and arguments to reach sound conclusions and informed choices. (This does not include being addicted to mainstream media or gossip). It involves recognizing underlying assumptions, providing justifications for ideas and actions, evaluating these justifications through comparisons with varying perspectives, and assessing their rationality and consequences. The goal is to form a judgment through a process of rational, skeptical, and unbiased analyses and evaluations. Similar to a criminal investigation, building a case for what we suspect is true needs to be done responsibly, as what we say is being recorded by all who are listening. I know an elderly man who will never discuss politics or religion. He does not want to be judged for his opinions, but to be respected for the person he is.
The majority of the masses have always been heavily influenced by what they hear and read, but it seems the masses have developed a craving and are controlled by information. Does the listener ever wonder if what they are hearing is false? For example, our government has declared itself as non-biased when they make laws; however, where does the state and federal court system, including the Supreme Court, receive its wisdom when they make a ruling? Human logic? Mortal intelligence? Emotional feelings? We would hope they would pray and seek God’s guidance, but is this the case? Our motto is “In God We Trust,” but is this now considered ancient folklore and no longer relevant? When leaders are elevated to great authority, our old nature tends to drift into arrogance, which continues to advance to an infection of humanism. We know that Satan is the author of confusion and loves to persuade those who are blinded by illusions of power into openly justifying rebellion and compromise.
There is not enough time here to discuss how fast artificial intelligence is developing. Even the people building this technological beast understand it is no longer just a harmless toy or a workplace assistant. The International Energy Agency reported that global data centers grew 17 percent in 2025. We are in the infancy of a new age, and the questions we should be asking are: Who is programming it? How will people discern truth from error? Will families teach their children about God, or allow their thinking to be outsourced? When we trust AI as a substitute for our spiritual views, moral judgments, character, creativity, and human responsibility, we risk being controlled by the temporary ruler of this world, who just so happens to be the prince and power of the air. We are being warned, but it’s the individual’s responsibility to seek God, to listen, and obey HIS voice.
Dr. Holland is an ordained minister, chaplain, and Christian author. Read more about LIVING ON PURPOSE at billyhollandministries.com.