Deepfakes ∙∙

Deepfakes ∙∙

Just say a simple yes or no so that you will not sin and be condemned. – James 5:12

Matthew 23:23-28

23 What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law – justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.
24 Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!

27 What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs – beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity.
28 Outwardly, you look like righteous people, but inwardly, your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Truth in an Era of Deepfakes

The term “deepfake” entered the cultural lexicon in 2017, describing technology that uses artificial intelligence to manipulate visual and audio content. Through advanced image synthesis software, entirely separate images and videos are combined and superimposed. The result? Seamless yet completely fabricated visuals or face swaps that look authentic but are, at their core, totally, that is, deeply fake.

Deception, of course, is not a new phenomenon. Humanity has struggled with prevarication, the issue of truth versus falsehood, since the Fall, when dishonesty first entered the equation. It seems that deceit has woven itself so deeply into human DNA that it feels inescapable. The difference today is that advances in artificial intelligence have elevated deception to an entirely new level.

The Rise of Uncertainty

Developments in artificial intelligence have raised deceit and deception to an art form. Deepfakes symbolize a modern predicament where what we see and hear can no longer be trusted at face value. These AI-driven manipulations have created a world where reality feels tenuous. With a few clicks, a convincing video or photograph can be produced, blurring the line between truth and fiction.

Of course, Internet-based news and information sites are fertile ground. The proliferation of deepfakes has only heightened our collective cynicism.

The old adage, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” now feels like the understatement of the century. The certainty we once sought from tangible evidence is now mired in suspicion. Videos can no longer be considered impartial witnesses, and images are no longer proof. This cultural shift toward doubt erodes our confidence in what is real, leaving many of us disoriented and wary.

Hypocrisy and Deception

While deepfakes manipulate the digital realm, hypocrisy manipulates the moral and spiritual sphere. The English word “hypocrite” traces back to the Greek term hypokrites, which “originally referred to an actor, someone who donned a mask and played a role on stage.” Over time, “it evolved into a term for moral or religious counterfeits—those who project outward piety or virtue while concealing inward motives.”

Hypocrites are masters of pretense, creating the illusion of authenticity while practicing deception. Just like deepfakes, their actions are carefully crafted to deceive others into believing something that isn’t true. And just as deepfakes poison trust in what we see, hypocrisy undermines confidence in the sincerity of human behavior, especially in matters of faith.

Those who only pretend to love God do a great job of keeping others away from God (Stanley).

A Call to Discernment

The prevalence of digital deepfakes and personal deception underscores the need for vigilance in our pursuit of truth. These challenges serve as reminders of the importance of spiritual integrity and authenticity. Now more than ever, we are called to carefully examine what we accept as true, especially in matters of morality and faith.

REFLECT & PRAY

The Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 remain strikingly relevant today. He urges believers to “examine everything carefully, hold fast to what is good, and abstain from every form of evil and deceit.”

Father, in a world where deception feels omnipresent, teach me to seek and hold fast to Your truth. It is all too easy to believe what aligns with my desires or preconceptions. Encourage me to go deeper, to discern carefully, and to live with integrity, not only so that I may know You more intimately but also so that my life can be a reflection of Your sincerity and love.

INSIGHT

Deepfake or Deep Faith?

Faith has never been anchored in what we see. Instead, faith rests on the truth of Scripture, the unchanging word of God. As Paul reminds us in Romans 10:17, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

We live in an age where the visual cannot be trusted. For centuries, some have argued, “If only I could see, I would believe.” But what happens in a world where seeing is no longer believing? Consider the story of Thomas, the disciple who wrestled with faith because of what his eyes had yet to behold.

Thomas’s Struggle

John 20 recounts an intensely human moment. After Jesus’s resurrection, Thomas, one of the twelve disciples, was told by his peers that they had seen the risen Lord! But Thomas refused to believe without visible proof.

John 20:24-25

24 One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came.
25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

One week later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples, and this time, Thomas was present. Jesus, knowing Thomas’s doubts, invited him to touch the wounds and see for himself. Overwhelmed, Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!”

John 20:26-29

26 Eight days later, the disciples were together again, and this time, Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.
29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

The response of Jesus is surprising, yet it reveals a profound truth for all of us: “You believe because you have seen me; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Faith goes beyond what we can see. It is not solely about what our physical senses can perceive but rather about the trust we place in what God reveals through His Word.

Faith as the Foundation

Faith has always been the lens through which children of the King perceive reality. Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” It’s a confidence not rooted in sensory input but in the unshakable truth of God’s promises.

The Apostle Paul, writing in 2 Corinthians 4:18, urges us to focus on eternal realities rather than fleeting appearances. “We don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

Faith anchors us to what is eternal, even as the visible world continues to shift and fade. This sentiment is reiterated in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we live by faith, not by sight.” To walk by faith is to align ourselves with the Father’s written communication, the Word of God. It is a life of trust, one that embraces what is unseen but eternally real despite what our senses or circumstances may suggest.

Faith becomes not just a choice but the path to intimacy with the Father.

Anchored in Promises

What makes this faith unshakable? It is grounded in the promises of God, written clearly in His Word. The Bible assures us of God’s faithfulness, power, and love. Unlike the deceptive constructs of deepfakes, God’s promises are enduring and trustworthy.

Dwight L. Moody once said, “The Father has never made a promise that was too good to be true.” Indeed, Scripture declares that God’s Word stands unbroken, offering assurance that His promises are fulfilled in Christ.

Faith Over Perception

The rise of deepfake technology reminds us of the danger of relying solely on sight. These illusions reveal how easy it is to distort what we once thought was undeniable. However, they also invite us to ask ourselves a more profound question. Where does my faith truly reside?

Is it trapped in the limitations of what we can see and hear? Or is it grounded in the eternal, unshakable truth of God’s Word? Seeming reality, no matter how convincing, can never replace the certainty that comes from faith.

The choice between deepfake and deep faith is ours to make. Choose faith. Choose truth. Choose the God who never fails.

¯_(ツ)_/¯2-24-2

© Dr. H 2025