Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Pope Compares Fake News to Snake in Bible; Devil Persuaded Eve to Eat a Forbidden Fruit

Pope Francis today (January 24, 2018) decried the "evil" or "fake news" in a message marking World Communications Day, saying those who create untruthful stories use "snake tactics," according to the Religion News website.


Speaking today to mark the Catholic feast day of Francis de Sales -- the patron saint of journalists -- the pontiff compared the proliferation of "fake news" to the story of the serpent in the biblical book of Genesis.


Noting how the snake (the devil in disguise) persuaded Eve to eat fruit from the forbidden tree, the pope said: "There is no such thing as harmless disinformation; on the contrary, trusting in falsehood can have dire consequences."


Francis also focused on the role of journalists, whom he called "the protectors of news." He said reporters have a "weighty responsibility" to make sure stories are accurate, adding "theirs is, in every sense, not just a job; it is a mission."

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