Very true, there is a responsibility to do due diligence, not jump on every rumor or good-sounding idea without real analysis and thoughtful consideration. This entire situation, even going back to (you)s from Q show a person's character and how they handle attention and responsibility (does it go to their head? do they remain humble? do they make more effort or less?). Tests, if you will.
With regard to religion, consider this:
If you control what people believe about a "prophesy" and how it is interpreted by the masses, you can engineer events to make it look like that prophesy is being fulfilled.
Scofield Reference Bible & all of that.
The people who need to understand this the most are the ones who will reject it out of hand, because it would be painful to face the truth.
Unfortunately, you just made my point, in spades.
All stated as established fact, when much of that is supposition, and the leaps in logic are flawed.
I actually pity you.
It's much more satisfying to them to harangue and harass everyone else with affected superiority and authority, pronouncing interpretations (or taking some translation as literal) while doing so.