13/06/2026
🐱 The "Cat Man" of West Cumbria: A Lesson in How We Consume Fear
Recently, social media in West Cumbria was flooded with viral videos and panicked warnings about a "Cat Man" allegedly prowling local cycle paths. Parents were worried, posts were shared thousands of times, and anxiety spiked.
The reality? Cumbria Police investigated and found absolutely no evidence. It was a total hoax.
This is a textbook modern example of how quickly fear can be manufactured and weaponised on social media. Psychologically, fear shrinks our world. When we absorb unverified, divisive, or alarming content, our "fear circle" tightens. We become defensive, suspicious, and insular. This week I have been in conversation with many people from different groups, ethnicities, ages and social backgrounds and there has been a theme of fear that has come from online content rather than personal experience.
Helen Keller (disability rights activity) once wisely noted:
"Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold."
If we constantly hide from what scares us—or let the media dictate what we should fear—we stop growing.So, how do we respond?
As Christians, we are explicitly called not to let fear dictate our boundaries. Scripture reminds us that "perfect love drives out fear" (1 John 4:18) and that we have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7).
A faithful response to anxiety isn't to retreat into safety, but to intentionally stretch our fear circle. Jesus constantly stepped across social, cultural, and political barriers to meet people with grace. When we actively stretch our circle, we replace passive anxiety with active, courageous love. We refuse to let the digital algorithms dictate who we trust or how we live.
