Do you know the technical difference between opinion vs. fact? A seventh grader does. For example, “Lava lamps are cool” is an opinion, while “Lava lamps were invented in 1963 by British entrepreneur Edward Craven Walker” is a fact.
Merriam-Webster defines opinion as “a view, judgment, or appraisal formed in the mind about a particular matter.” Fact is defined as “the quality of being actual.” By definition, the difference between facts and opinions has to do with where they exist.
An opinion is actual only in the mind, while a fact remains actual everywhere, regardless of what you think. Your feelings about lava lamps won’t change who invented them and when.
The problem is our tendency to state opinions as facts.
Hey, I’m Lauren, author of YA Christian fiction and blogger for teens with higher aim.
In This Article
Opinion vs. Fact: Blurred Lines
Consider these statements:
“Opera music is lame.”
“Soccer is the best sport in the world.”
“Michael Jackson was the greatest performer of all time.”
“You haven’t lived if you haven’t [fill in the blank] at least once.”
Fact or opinion? These are all opinions, but they’re presented as statements of truth. We, as a culture, have a bad habit of stating opinions as facts. Instead of saying, “I personally am not a fan of opera music,” we turn it into a declaration with an implication:
“Opera music is lame, therefore you’re lame if you like opera music.”
I love opera, and that’s a fact. But it would be wrong of me to say, “People who don’t like opera music are uncultured.” In both cases, we are stating opinions as if their actuality existed everywhere, meaning anyone who doesn’t agree is wrong.
And therein lies the danger of confusing facts and opinions.
What Happens When You State Opinions As Facts
While it may seem obvious that you’re stating an opinion, the truth is, statements like these have a divisive effect. When we don’t like something (or, conversely, we love something), we tend to make others feel that there’s something wrong with them for not feeling the same way. In this way, opinions are misused.
When we don’t like something, we tend to make others feel that there’s something wrong with them for not feeling the same way.
“Anybody who cares about others will get vaccinated.” (Hmm, where have we heard that one recently?)
“You’re not for women if you’re not pro-choice.” (Yes, that’s an opinion, not a fact.)
“Only a fool will believe in God.”
You might strongly believe something, but that doesn’t make it true. As Dr. Paul Kelm says in his book, Truth in Our Time, “you are entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts.”
Absolute Truth: Does It Matter What You Believe?
What makes a shape a square? (Four equal straight sides and four right angles, no exceptions.) What happens if you drink too much cyanide? (You will die, no exceptions.) Which travels faster, light or sound? (Light, no exceptions.) If you waste 20 minutes on social media, can you get them back again? (Nope, they’re gone, baby. No exceptions.)
How can a person live forever? (Ahhh… read on.)
Is it arrogant to say there’s only one way to do something—and you know what it is? That in and of itself does not automatically constitute arrogance. If you were stuck in a burning building with a group of people and you knew the way out, they wouldn’t call you arrogant for showing them. If your teammate collapses on the field one day and you’re the only one who knows CPR, it wouldn’t be arrogant to use it.
And if you know that your best friend is about to go to hell, it’s not arrogant to lovingly guide her away from that direction.
Opinion vs. Fact: How Can I Have Eternal Life?
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
To withhold such a truth from someone who needs it would be the most unloving thing you could do.
Jesus is very explicit in this section of the Bible. No one means no exceptions. Period. Therefore, anyone who doesn’t go through Jesus doesn’t go to heaven. There is a right and wrong way in this instance, and it is our job as Christians to share it with as many people as possible. To withhold such a truth from someone who needs it would be the most unloving thing you could do.
True arrogance is not declaring that you know the way. True arrogance is declaring that what God says doesn’t matter. If there’s a right and wrong way to handle hypothermia or a second-degree burn or a fire on your kitchen stove, why shouldn’t there be a right and wrong way to have eternal life?
Yes, it matters what you believe. Opinions are not facts, and Jesus is the only way!
The Real Danger of Confusing Facts and Opinions
True arrogance is not declaring that you know the way. True arrogance is declaring that what God says doesn’t matter.
For Christian teens, the danger of confusing facts and opinions goes beyond disgruntled friends. You’ve been called to be the light in a dark world, the telescope that zooms in on God’s glory. Your words, when spoken in love and kindness, can amend the soil of the heart and make it a fertile ground for God’s word to take root, and you cannot do that if you start mixing opinion with fact.
“Jesus died for all people” is a fact supported by 1 John 2:2, which states, “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Saying “All Christian women must cover their ankles at all times” is an opinion (even if it is grounded in biblical standards of modesty).
“All governments are under God” is a fact from Romans 13:1, but saying “You can’t be a [Republican/Democrat] if you’re a Christian” is an opinion (regardless of which one you choose to fill in the blank).
Let’s get this right: Opinions are not facts, and that’s a fact!
How to Share Facts and Opinions Without Arrogance
Be encouraging, even to those who don’t share your viewpoint. Think first about whether your opinion is needed at a given moment because, frankly, the world is in need of more truth, not more opinions.
The world is in need of more truth, not more opinions.
When the time comes to give an opinion, be thoughtful in how you state it so you can’t be found guilty of confusing facts and opinions.
“Opera music isn’t my thing, but that’s cool that you like it.”
Not everyone will share your opinions, but if you exercise a little wisdom in determining when and how to state your views, you will become a safe haven for those seeking refuge from the storming opinions that cloud our news outlets and social media feeds.
How to Share the Gospel Facts
Of course, there is an arrogant way to share the truth with someone, and it’s for this reason many look at Christianity with hostility. Somewhere along the way, they probably encountered an arrogant Christian—one who was only interested in being right, not in saving souls.
How can you be sure you are never such a person?
- Listen first. Ask why she feels the way she does about God, Jesus, religion, etc. When you know her reasons, you can tailor your approach to what she needs.
- Share lovingly. Instead of telling someone what he should believe, share what you believe based on truth, and why. (See Speak the Truth In Love: A How-to From the Garden.)
Check out these resources for sharing the gospel in truth and love:
- How to Talk About Jesus With Almost Anyone
- Is There Ever a Wrong Time to Defend Your Faith?
- Speak the Truth in Love: A How-To From the Garden
And let me leave you with a truth:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16
Now that’s a fact!
You don’t have to have all the answers.
But, hey, why not?
Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.
Love the facts!! ??♥️✝️ Good explanation on how to comment on opinions. Thank you, Lauren!
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