The assassination of conservative leader Charlie Kirk has been compounded by waves of misinformation and slander. In this difficult time, Christians are reminded to hold fast to truth and pray for integrity in public discourse.

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One widely shared lie falsely attributed to Kirk claimed he said, “Black women do not have the brain processing power to be taken seriously.” This fabricated statement spread online after former Washington Post editor Karen Attiah cited it. In reality, Kirk’s comments addressed four public figures — Sheila Jackson Lee, Joy Reid, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Michelle Obama — and were misrepresented as racially-based.

Another damaging rumor circulated by author Stephen King and others accused Kirk of advocating the stoning of gays. This was wholly false. King later admitted he had repeated something without fact-checking, retracting his words and apologizing. Similarly, journalist Alastair Campbell issued a correction after spreading the same untrue claim. Even leaders within the gay conservative movement, such as Jaimee Michelle of Gays Against Groomers, testified that Kirk welcomed them into his work.

Accusations of racism also arose when a viral post claimed Kirk repeatedly used a slur toward an Asian woman. In truth, the video showed him debating progressive commentator Cenk Uygur, which is pronounced “Chenk,” which sounds similar to a slur.

Likewise, The New York Times had to issue a correction after wrongly attributing anti-Semitic statements to Kirk, clarifying he was quoting and condemning a social media post rather than endorsing it.

False claims have also extended to the identity of Kirk’s alleged killer. While evidence and testimony confirm the suspect, Tyler Robinson, leaned toward radical leftist ideology, prominent voices have wrongly insisted he was a far-right extremist. California Rep. Dave Min and historian Heather Cox Richardson both spread unverified claims tying Robinson to the Republican Party, despite investigators, the suspect’s own mother, and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox pointing to his leftist leanings.

These repeated distortions reveal how truth can be twisted in times of division. Yet Scripture reminds us that “the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

Share your continued prayers for honesty in the discourse below.

(Excerpt from the Daily Caller. Photo by Gage Skidmore via Flickr)