Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Eph. 6:16-18 (KJV)

An article; “Be careful where you get your news about coronavirus” Posted February 01, 2020, 10:30 Am. Updated March 16, 2020, 5:22 Pm and written by Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing is an eye opener to Christian community or culture.

Where should you turn for the latest information on a rapidly changing situation? It’s hard to beat the convenience of the internet, and we know there’s a lot of useful and reliable information online. But there’s also a lot of misinformation. The trick is to figure out which is which. However, the scripture already admonished believers to protect their mindset against contrary information that will be lifted against that of God. Isaiah 54:17

Why you need to know about this new virus? The concern regarding this rapidly spreading virus is well-deserved. As at the time of writing this post, statistics on infections and deaths worldwide are truly sobering. Unfortunately, the numbers are likely to rise as efforts to quickly contain its spread have proven unsuccessful. So, it’s particularly important to get reliable information about what is happening and to find out what you can do to protect yourself.

Robert H. Shmerling, MD in his article, apportioned an enlighten opinion very pleasant for our consumption. “Beware: Misinformation is rampant”. Just as the number of people and countries affected by this new virus have spread, so have conspiracy theories and unfounded claims about it. Social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok, have seen a number of false and misleading posts, such as:

  • “Oregano Oil Proves Effective Against Coronavirus,” an unfounded claim a hoax stating that the US government had created and patented a vaccine for coronavirus years ago, shared with nearly 5,000 Facebook users
  • A false claim that “coronavirus is a human-made virus in the laboratory”
  • Sales of unproven “nonmedical immune boosters” to help people ward off 2019-nCoV
  • Unfounded recommendations to prevent infection by taking vitamin C and avoiding spicy foods
  • Dangerous suggestions that drinking bleach and snorting cocaine can cure coronavirus infection
  • A video with useless advice about preventing infection with the new coronavirus by modifying your diet (for example, by avoiding cold drinks, milkshakes, or ice cream). This video, which demonstrates the removal of a parasitic worm from a person’s lip, is many years old and has nothing to do with the current virus.

According to Dr. Shmerling, Facebook is trying to fact-check postings, label those that are clearly false, and reduce their ranking so they are less prominently displayed. Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok have also taken steps to limit or label misinformation. But it’s nearly impossible to catch them all, especially since some are in private social media groups and are harder to find.

The lesson to believers is simple, protect your mindset against any information that is not wealthy for your spiritual consumption. In my next post, I will help you understand how to protect yourself scientifically and Biblical against evil news from the enemy.

PRAYER POINT: From today, I reject any misinformation that might have affected my soul in the trial moment of Covid-19. My mind is free from today to relate to the healing information from the Bible. Amen!