Matthew Shepard, McDonald’s coffee millions and Media urban legends
I frequently post and share articles via social media. Many of us do.
My Facebook feed is dominated by voices from all sides of various issues posting stories or images that generate outrage, annoyance, or lament on a whole host of topics.
What I’m constantly amazed by is how much of what we read, hear or pass on is simply not true.
I’m used to this when it comes to Biblical and theological issues, of course. I’ve written numerous articles on various “Christian Urban Legends” that never seem to die. But it always astounds me how pervasive the tendency to obscure or twist facts seems to be in the age when a quick search on Google or Snopes.com can verify claims in minutes.
Recently, an article about a reexamination of the facts surrounding the gruesome killing of Matthew Shepard caught my eye. Not so much because it was pointing out the factual reality that Shepard’s death had more to do with drugs than with homophobia–but because it was published by The Advocate, a leading LGBT publication. The article was titled “Have We Got Matthew Shepard All Wrong?” and no doubt caused a visceral reaction among those who had for years put forth Shepard’s death as the symbol of why hate-crime legislation was so urgently needed.
Now whether or not hate-crime legislation is in fact needed (or even effective), is a completely different issue that is certainly up for fair debate. But what stood out to me was that the Advocate was willing to reexamine a widely-held (and deeply-held!) narrative in light of the facts that did not bear it out…even if it diminished significantly the rhetorical power of Shepard’s murder for the cause of LGBT rights. Just publishing the piece was, I would argue, a truly commendable act of honesty and integrity in the media on the part of the Advocate.
I was reminded of this today when I saw the following video pop up on my Facebook feed. Remember the woman who supposedly sued McDonald’s for millions–and won!–after she spilled hot coffee in her lap while driving?
Yeah…that’s pretty much not at all what happened.
Again, whether one agrees or disagrees with the jury’s decision to punish McDonald’s financially in order to send a corporate message (again, a topic that is worthy of fair debate), the lack of honesty in reporting the incident and the skewing of facts to fit a preconceived narrative on the part of those who sensationalized it is simply unacceptable.
One of the most powerful forces in a society is the cumulative belief of large numbers of people on any given subject. Words shape a culture, and the world, more than bullets and bombs ever could. Or as Jesus’ brother once put it:
“…the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”
(James 3:5-8)
Words, and the narratives they construct, are extremely powerful. Those who make their living by shaping the ideas of a society have a duty to be honest with their words.
Yet in this fallen world, that duty continues to be neglected…either willfully or through intellectual laziness. This in turn leads to widespread misinformation and urban legends that crop up and do great damage for decades (even centuries?) beyond the actual events taking place.
How do we contribute to such falsehoods?
How quick are we to pass on narratives which fire us up with an almost pitchfork-wielding mob-like glee?
Do we believe what we want to believe or what supports our current views or opinions without critically subjecting it to scrutiny and factual verification?
Are we fanning the flames of hell through our Twitter feeds and Facebook timelines?
It’s noteworthy that James began the section in which he makes the above comments with a sobering reminder to any of his Brother’s followers who sought to influence others with their words:
“Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1)
I don’t believe the principle underlying this warning is limited just to teachers of Scripture. That is why I constantly welcome debate, critique and discussion over anything I say or post in a public manner (whether speaking at a seminar or posting on Facebook). If I’ve bought into a lie or a skewed narrative, I want to be corrected! No one who loves Truth should ever be afraid to have falsehood they cherish exposed.
Disciple Dojo exists in part to enable such discussions. To help clear up and expose urban legends–even (or perhaps especially!) those that we find rhetorically beneficial. The “noble lie” should find no refuge within the Body of Christ! After all…if all truth is ultimately God’s truth, then wouldn’t that make all deception, distortion and falsehood is ultimately that of the Evil One?
May we all refuse to settle for nothing less than truth.
JM
ps: If you would like to see the Urban Legends series of articles I’ve written thus far, here are the links:
Christian Urban Legends: “Animals don’t go to Heaven”
Christian Urban Legends: “People who die become angels”
Christian Urban Legends: “Jonah: the reluctant hero”
Christian Urban Legends: “Eve at the apple while Adam wasn’t around”
Christian Urban Legends: “God created rainbows after the flood”
Christian Urban Legends: “The ‘folded napkin’ and ‘Easter comes from Ishtar’”
If you have suggestions for others you’d like to see discussed in future articles, feel free to leave them in the comments section below!
Categories: Arts and Culture, Blog, Ministry, New Testament, Political/Social issues