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Be cautious; think, before forwarding emails

from superstitious people
August

I’m not really sure why a well-educated person who is a rational thinker would be
superstitious; but I receive many superstitious-type Emails from people who maintain
important jobs.
The Email reads that the letter they forwarded to me must continue its journey around
the world; forward it within 13 days to 10 people to receive a huge surprise! Then the
Email lists case histories: a boss gave the letter to a secretary to make copies, she forgot
to distribute it, lost her job and the boss lost his family. Well, I guess that could be true!
Neglect could be a reason to lose your job, and the boss could have lost his family
because he fired the secretary (or believed the Email); but I guess there must have already
been trouble in the marriage for that gesture to be “the last straw”.
Another case history: someone deleted the Email, saying it was junk mail and his son
died. Why would a person believe that by not forwarding an Email, they would cause a
death? Then I wonder, before they sent the Email to me, did they read it, actually
thinking the message through?
Some religious persons send me ‘demanding Emails’ saying: “if this message stops
with YOU, then the blessing of the Email will disappear!” Well, I guess that makes
sense. If I don’t send ‘the blessing Email’ then no one will receive ‘a blessing Email’!
Should I forward this demanding Email? I was just checking my daily Emails, so I think
I will just delete this Email and go about my day as I had planned. I really do not like to
be pushed, even if it is by computer verbiage.
Wow! Another Email! This one says: if I don’t forward this Email immediately,
then I am ashamed of Jesus - paraphrasing a Bible verse. What does the Bible verse
actually say, in the context it was written? Better look it up before you believe the
paraphrase.
These kinds of Emails ‘give food for thought’ and warrant much research to obtain
the hard facts for they are not based on fact but are based on superstition.
Webster says: “Superstition is a belief …irrationally maintained” (could be by
Emails) “by ignorance of the laws of nature…by faith in magic or chance…a fearful state
or mind resulting from such ignorance or irrationality…idolatry. Paul describes the
origin of idolary in Rom. 1:2125: men forsook God, and sank into ignorance and moral
corruption (1:28).”
Are we forsaking God, when we do not fully read or think-through these Emails and
nonchalantly, carelessly click ‘forward’ on our computer screen for another to read?
Could that gesture be defined as ‘gossip’ if you have not verified the message? Let us
understand these Emails for what they are. You would not telephone a person to demand
that they call someone to repeat an unrealistic story. Would you? Email is only another
form of communication. Be ever thoughtful, as a well-educated, thinking person, before
forwarding an Email. Peace!