{"id":83797,"date":"2025-01-29T17:11:16","date_gmt":"2025-01-29T23:11:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=83797"},"modified":"2026-01-27T12:15:54","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T18:15:54","slug":"propaganda-wars-rhetoric","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/propaganda-wars-rhetoric\/","title":{"rendered":"Propaganda Wars – Rhetoric"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

by Terry Wane Benton<\/p>\n

Interestingly, the rhetoric used in truth vs. propaganda often turns to prejudicial phrases. Elijah was called a “troubler” in Israel by the wicked king. Who really <\/b>was the troubler? Was it not those who grew to accept immorality and idolatry? But Ahab used the word “troubler” to close minds against God’s messenger. I have noticed through the years that members of the church get drawn into such useless rhetoric. When false teaching is being spread or a brother is living in sin, if such is addressed, the “troubler” is whoever speaks up to oppose <\/b>sin or false teaching. It becomes a convenient propaganda war to make the good guy look bad and to protect the bad guy and his “friends.” The good guy gets labeled “divisive” or with other convenient terms. Often, we find that “truth” is not what people want <\/b>to hear or stand for. Truth is often inconvenient.<\/p>\n

In our society, it is easy to swallow the rhetoric. “Racist, white supremacist, Xenophobe, homophobe, hate, insurrectionist, divisive, etc.” are terms that can be used against innocent people for prejudicial purposes. It is all part of the propaganda wars to actually label innocent people and isolate them, treating them as the “troublers in Israel<\/em>.” But who is actually <\/b>being the thing of accusation? That takes more thought and investigation. It often comes down to a sense of fairness, not being quick to judge, and taking time to analyze what you can gather in evidence and relevant information.<\/p>\n

Jesus knew no sin, but propaganda succeeded in crucifying an innocent man. They claimed he was an insurrectionist who would replace Caesar, and that if you respected Caesar, you would not let this insurrectionist live. The truth was that Jesus was no insurrectionist and was not here to destroy the Roman government (John 18:35-38). But propaganda seemed to prevail. The truth takes investigation. Propaganda is often emotion-driven, and people are more easily swept up in emotion than they are in a rational search for evidence.<\/p>\n

Truth is not always self-evident, but it wins in the end; if not now, it will when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ (II Corinthians 5:10).<\/p>\n

Be careful not to be swept up into the propaganda wars. Seek the truth. The truth will win and make you a winner.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPropaganda Wars\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Terry Wane Benton Interestingly, the rhetoric used in truth vs. propaganda often turns to prejudicial phrases. Elijah was called a “troubler” in Israel by the wicked king. Who really was the troubler? Was it not those who grew to accept immorality and idolatry? But Ahab used the word “troubler” to close minds against God’s…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[884,1774,1775,441],"class_list":["post-83797","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-arguments","tag-propaganda","tag-rhetoric","tag-truth"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":83773,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/propaganda-wars-when-people-cant-or-wont-hear-truth\/","url_meta":{"origin":83797,"position":0},"title":"Propaganda Wars – When People Can\u2019t or Won\u2019t Hear Truth","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 29, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton We have the book of Jeremiah only because truth wins in the end. But think of the propaganda that seemed to prevail when Jeremiah was trying to preach to the corrupt establishment. God had an important mission for Jeremiah, \"to root out and to pull down,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":83794,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/propaganda-wars\/","url_meta":{"origin":83797,"position":1},"title":"Propaganda Wars","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 29, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton Controlling the Narrative Rhetoric Unbelief Based on Propaganda When People Can't or Won't Hear Truth Manipulating the Truth The Use of the Education System","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":87047,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/things-the-lord-hates-sowing-discord-among-the-brethren\/","url_meta":{"origin":83797,"position":2},"title":"Things the Lord Hates: Sowing Discord Among the Brethren","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 7, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton Text: Proverbs 6:19 Sowing discord is not making an effort to get brethren to unite in doing the truth. 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The fruit on the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":20258,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/when-hard-hearts-need-hard-words-of-truth\/","url_meta":{"origin":83797,"position":4},"title":"When Hard Hearts Need Hard Words of Truth","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 21, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry W. Benton The preacher was all alone in his stand for truth and right because the assembly had become so worldly, and now he was the \"troubler in Israel\". He was so discouraged that he decided to quit preaching. 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