Truth Can Hurt...Especially When It’s Twisted

+JMJ+ Years ago, when my brother suddenly died at 22, before we even had the autopsy results, a local paper ran a story implying something suspicious must have happened. They mentioned protein powder. They speculated. They fed a narrative. My husband (his best friend) was the one who’d bought him that protein powder. He carried the weight of that insinuation like a stone around his neck. All because a headline needed a hook.

TRUTH MATTERS

Then, when the news broke about the abuse I suffered at the hands of a priest, my family and I weren’t just doubted. We were painted as unstable. The media framed my parents as overbearing religious zealots. They painted me as the over-imaginative, isolated child looking for attention. In short, we became a story to be spun. Those portrayals caused deep pain and led to ridicule, even from people at my church who I had known and trusted. Because of that spin, many turned against me and instead supported a predator.

The media doesn’t just report stories. It shapes them. Sometimes, it crushes people in the process.

I’m not writing this to play victim. I’m writing this because people still underestimate how damaging even subtle distortion can be. Whether a story is positive or negative, if it’s not rooted in truth, it can still harm.

Here’s something else hard to say, but I want to say with care: I never want to take away from the pain of victims—ever. I believe survivors deserve to be heard and supported. I’ve also seen some rare cases where survivor stories were manipulated, not by the media, but by the survivors themselves. There have been cases where speculation was presented as fact, or certain details were exaggerated for attention, sympathy, or to fuel a cause.

These cases are rare, but they matter. No matter the situation, truth still matters.

That doesn’t mean we should assume anyone is lying. I don’t. I believe we should listen and support, and only question when something concrete gives us reason to. However, when something seems off, it’s okay to pay attention to that feeling. It’s not cruel. It’s not disloyal. It’s not a lack of compassion.

It’s honoring the truth.

Lately, I’ve seen a surge of viral stories that just aren’t true or are wildly exaggerated:

• No, Pope Leo did not appoint Cardinal Sarah to a new role.

• No, the story of Pope Leo and the Swiss Guard isn’t real.

• No, Pope Francis did not say those “last words” circulating online. That wasn’t even a picture of his real bed.

• No, the June 14th parade isn’t a “birthday parade” for the President. It’s to honor the 250th Anniversary of the U.S. Army. (And yes, it’s also Flag Day and Trump’s birthday—and for what it’s worth, my 17th wedding anniversary. But I don't suppose that’s headline news.)

Those are just a few of the more well-known ones. These false or embellished stories aren’t limited to one side. People twist facts to praise those they admire or tear down those they hate. Truth gets buried under what’s dramatic, viral, or profitable.

Let's say it plainly:

Just because something fits your feelings or sounds persuasive doesn’t mean it’s true.

Almost every news source today has an angle. That doesn’t make everything fake, but it does mean facts get filtered, shaped, and spun. And no, it’s not harmless.

It can retraumatize victims.

It can divide communities.

It can distract from what actually matters.

In a world of AI-generated fiction, distorted images, and headlines built to provoke rather than inform, we’ve got to do better.

We need discernment.

We need patience.

We need integrity.

So before you hit “share”:

• Fact-check.

• Ask where it came from.

• Learn to find reputable sources.

• Question whether it’s actually true or just convenient.

  
  

Truth is still truth, whether it flatters your side or not.

Truth is greater than bias.

Integrity is greater than impulse.

It’s exhausting, yes, but it’s worth the work.

Let’s care more about what’s real than what goes viral.

Holy Spirit, help us to discern wisely!