Communication

---

I received another one of those “forwards” today,……you know what I mean, the ones that damn or insult you if you choose not to pass it on to likewise intimidate one of your other trusted friends. How can people participate in such manipulative and demanding behavior under the guise of Christianity? Oh sure, the message may indeed contain some Christian concepts and principles, but what good does it serve if the devil’s tools of coercion and intimidation are added and employed along with the message?

I don’t know about you, but when someone sends me a “Christian”e-mail forward with statements such as: “If you don’t pass this on, you don’t love the Lord.” or “If you’re a real Christian you will pass this on.”I immediately push “delete”. God doesn’t interfere with our freedom of choice, why do some e-mail “forward junkies” think they have the right to do just that, and pass judgment on others? It’s just plain wrong!

All such statements are in fact acts of intimidation, they presume to pass judgment on the salvation status of another based solely on response to their unsolicited, generic-form, e-mail message,….a direct violation of scripture in Matthew 7:1-5, Luke 6:37 and James 5:9. Senders of such messages would do well to remember God’s word instructs that it is wrong to attach evil phrasing in with Godly messages (James 3:10).

Now, personally I don’t like forwards at all, I would rather use my e-mail abilities to send and receive true, personal communications between relatives, friends and business associates. I believe spam, pop-ups and forwards are the JUNK MAIL of the internet and I get enough unsolicited “stuff” in my mail box to wear out one shredder every two months, so….I really don’t want to also have such tripe clogging up my inbox.

If we Christians feel we must pass on a “forward” message, let’s all make sure any personal statements accompanying such a message also reflect the grace of Jesus in complete accordance with God’s word.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE