"Gaslighting is invalidating you and your perception" as one person put it.
Mind games are another way narcissists attempt to control your emotions. Their tactic is to bring on an emotional response in their target, it's how they perceive control over someone.
When we do not react or respond and just walk away they know they have no power and will begin gossiping to cause others to see us in a bad light.
We see this in the media all the time. The media uses words like: "they refused to" instead of they declined to do something. They manipulate the understanding to make us think that someone would not do what they should have done, instead of reporting honestly that the person had honest choices and made one.
Spinning the language in a way that makes the hearer think something was terribly wrong is a favored tactic of the media and of narcissists. Let's face it, the media is the personification of narcissism, of course not all but nearly most.
Even conservative talk show hosts spin things to bring their listeners to a conclusion they wish them to believe. Liberals do these things on steroids but conservatives are not innocent either.
When we leave out part of the information to lead someone to a conclusion that is not entirely true, we have sinned. Half-truths are whole lies as someone once said.
And, sadly, even worse is when religious leaders use manipulation, intimidation and "half-truths", they are telling a lie while attempting to control others.
Never did God say in His word that we should attempt to control others. Christ told the truth but never manipulated. He asked questions to get people to think and even trap them in their own lies. The purpose was to bring to light what is dark, exposing deception and manipulation for the evil that it is.
If we are going to expose the spin and manipulation we need to develop Biblical discernment. In these last days, there are foolish conspiracy theories without proof floating around insincerely and treacherously betraying trust, leading people to false conclusions with little to no evidence.
If you have not seen anything for yourself, only having media hype then it is best to disregard it. It is a distraction from Christ an the work God has for us to be continually feeding on the conspiracies that you have not been called to solve. Just repeating the lies you have heard from others isn't doing anything except creating fear while agitating the hearers to distrust Christ.
If you have not seen the event you hear about then don't repeat it to anyone else. If you are continually going to news sources that traffic in sensationalism from sources you should not trust, then stop looking at this nonsense.
Philippians 4:7-9 "7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think on these things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.…"
There is no instruction from God to dig for dirt that does not pertain to you. those who love the dirt are perhaps the ones who would rather enjoy filth than God's Word.
Lastly, anyone who places their trust in "anonymous" sources is acting foolishly.
Charles Spurgeon: “Never write what you dare not sign. An anonymous letter-writer is a sort of assassin, who wears a mask, and stabs in the dark. Such a man is a fiend with a pen. If discovered, the wretch will be steeped in the blackest infamy.”
As believers, we must keep our minds free of muck that the devil uses to cause division and dishonesty. You can be sure if anything is anonymous it is not worthy of repeating.
