Episode 1239- Truth in the Age of Information (Part 2)

As we continue to discuss “Truth in the Age of Information,” (in our “Ripped from the Headlines” chapter of “10:10 with Jesus - A Deeper Look”) we explore how Jesus's life and teachings provide a framework for navigating modern-day debates about education, history, and community. The episode first examines the tension between parental authority and educational independence through the story of twelve-year-old Jesus in the temple. This narrative suggests a "both/and" approach, where he honored his parents while remaining committed to a higher truth. This principle could be applied to modern educational debates, advocating for parental involvement while insisting that neither parents nor schools have the right to suppress truth or harm children.

The episode then addresses the challenges of teaching difficult truths about power, oppression, and systemic injustice. The host points to Jesus's declaration of his ministry—to "proclaim freedom for the prisoners and... set the oppressed free"—as a clear sign of his concern for social justice. This would likely lead him to support an honest examination of history and race, not to create guilt, but to liberate people to build a better future. The key, the host notes, is to frame these truths in a way that builds empathy and heals divisions, rather than creating resentment.

Finally, we consider how Jesus's ability to unite a diverse group of disciples—including a tax collector and a revolutionary—provides a model for a polarized world. He did this by giving them a shared mission, modeling a different way of handling conflict, and consistently humanizing his opponents. The episode also revisits the concept of cancel culture, offering Jesus's model of community restoration from Matthew 18, which prioritizes accountability while always leaving the door open for repentance and redemption. The episode concludes by challenging listeners to consider whether they are using information to liberate people from fear and division or contributing to the noise that keeps them enslaved.