When is the information age really something else?

Last Friday, November 19, a so-called news and information source on the internet published the following in their news of the day:

"From the Diocese of SW Florida and its Bishop Dabney Smith comes word that once a survey has been completed, the diocese will permit liturgies for same-sex blessings. Bishop Smith voted 'yes' on the 2009 GC resolution to explore the development of same-sex liturgies. This should come as no surprise really, but it should signal the beginning of the end for Anglo-Catholics and Evangelicals still in the diocese. Quoth Smith, 'The GC resolution asks us to look at material for the blessing of same-gender couples. Thus, that is the language all of our materials will use. We also recognize that there are places where same-gender couples can be married or have a civil-union; and that there are broad concerns throughout the church about blessing same-gender couples.' "


That sounds like regular reporting, except that there was NO SURVEY and Bishop Smith never said any of those words attributed to him. On Saturday, I was in Diocesan Council with him and he informed council that the "news story" was untrue. I would call it a complete fabrication.

The warning here is clear enough: be sure to verify all internet "news" stories prior to sharing them as if they were actual news.