Sharing information and pictures has become as easy as clicking a link, especially on Facebook and Twitter. A trend I have noticed, however, is for images and quotes to be misattributed to people and events.

Today I came across an article that was shared on Facebook, and the article sported a graphic picture with a bold caption, “Christians burnt alive by Muslims in Nigeria (November 2010)”. I was taken aback, but decided to set out and find out if this was true. Within 30 seconds I found a plethora of articles clogging up my Google search, all titled in the same way, each accompanied by hate-fueled comments from readers.

Within a further 30 seconds I had found a Reuters news article on a fuel explosion in the DRC that sported the same picture, dated June 2010.

In the Bahá’í Faith, believers are asked to acquire knowledge with their “own eyes and not through the eyes of others.” I find this to be particularly poignant in these times as the world becomes self-aware of itself as a unified planet made of different peoples, beliefs, etc. If we don’t take time to do this, we’ll end up hating or discriminating people or organisations without knowing the full truth.

Investigate the truth for yourself. Do it passionately, do it wisely, and do it with patience.