5 Iyyar 5775
Day 20 of the Omer
These days, we are often overloaded with information and much of it is misinformation and disinformation - even on so-called "Jewish" and "religious" newsites. We have to be very careful and fact-check everything.
A case in point - a short time ago I read this in reference to a report about the killing of American-Islamic-Convert-Jihadist Adam Gadahn: "Born Adam Pearlman to a Jewish family which converted to Christianity,...."
When I started fact-checking, I discovered that 1) his mother was a Catholic from Pennsylvania and 2) while his father's own father was Jewish, his mother was also Christian-born. Both Adam's father and paternal grandfather intermarried with Christian women.There is no way this statement about being "born to a Jewish family" is correct.
It used to be that news sources were very careful about fact-checking their reports before publishing them, but no more! We have to do it ourselves, which thankfully, the internet makes possible. If you don't have the time to do that, at least, please don't pass on information that you read before checking it out for truthfulness. I usually try to be careful, but even I need reminding from time to time.
Good for you, Devash.
ReplyDeleteThis has become a very common problem now, what with treif conversions and intermarriage. There are all sorts of problematic people being labeled as Jews (either by themselves or others) when they aren't Jewish at all. I feel like we have enough problems with ourselves without having to deal with the pitfalls of non-Jews being laid on us, too.
(Although I could see how this very problem is yet another way of Hashem saying, "Wake up!")
Well said, Dassie.
ReplyDeleteRaizy