Conflicting Propaganda

There is a war going on right now. A war in Ukraine. A war between Ukraine and Russia.

Since the war started, the amount of conflicting propaganda (a tale as old as time) is a bombardment on those of us in the US trying to figure out who is right. Who is good? Whose side should we be on?

Distrust in media is at an all-time high. Suspicious citizens and a flurry of conflicting voices and sources have all created a tide of confusion.

On social media, someone posted a comment that could be repeated by many, many of us, “what impartial sources gives the most accurate reporting on the day to day operations [of the war]?”

What indeed?

Complementary Perspectives

At the same time as this war is going on, my church is going through the gospel of Mark. Admittedly, I have liked Mark the least of the gospels. (Forgive me, Lord!)

Have you ever questioned why there are four gospels? Especially considering the differences in organization, in length, in theme or topic, and tone. Nor do these gospels repeat have the same accounts apart from a few key moments in Jesus’s life.

To the lone voice wondering where to get an unbiased source of this Eastern European war, someone noted the difficult truth; there isn’t one. Read many. Form conclusions based on multiple of sources.

Because this will give a fuller picture. One source will be one perspective. But two sources gives dimension.

The four gospels do that for us. They are not necessarily incomplete pieces that create a single puzzle. They turn a flat picture of Jesus into a 3-D account of the Son of God. Matthew walked with Him, Mark heard about Him, Luke researched Him, John leaned on Him.

The Holy Spirit gives these four men the perspectives that the audiences (we) need to fully understand Jesus as the Christ so that we can trust Him. So we can follow Him. So we can know He is the Way, the Truth, and Life.

And that’s not propoganda. That’s a promise.