Stop the Madness!

Leah at South Breeze Farm posted a really funny post about being thankful the other day. I laughed when I read it, but realized that a public service announcement might be in order. You might want to click over now and read her post before you continue on.

No, really. Go read her post.

OK. I want every single one of you to go to Snopes, bookmark it on your computer and then burn the name Snopes into your brain. This is where you are going to go EVERY SINGLE TIME you receive an email that sounds even remotely like it might be a scam. You know...all the petitions, and the supposed letters from celebrities and the request to forward the picture of the kidnapped child, etc. Even the ones that sound so legitimate with their talk of special interest groups and specific bills that the left wing is supposedly trying to pass in our legislature.

If you get any emails that are forwarded to you and more than 5 other people, go to Snopes and check it out. I have found that 98% of those emails are completely fraudulent, or at least enough of a lie to make the rest of it ridiculous. Find the article on Snopes, copy the link and reply to all so that everyone will be aware. I don't know anyone who likes getting all those chain emails and maybe if we all investigate a little further, we can eliminate some of them.

Leah made an interesting comment to me, and I think it bears repeating. She asked me if I thought it was possible to gossip by email, and I answered with a resounding yes! These emails spread lies and half-truths that people obviously take to heart otherwise they would not still be circulating out there. It's the same thing as hearing something through the grapevine and then perpetuating it by repeating it to someone else. It's gossip. Plain and simple.

Are you guilty of doing this in Sunday School or small group? You know...relating the troubles of a friend in more detail than strictly necessary under the guise of a prayer request? I know I am, and after it was all said and done didn't feel very good about it. Sometimes the details are necessary, but by and large they are not. I don't need to hear all the nasty details about a divorce or child custody case to pray for that situation.

A gossip betrays a confidence,

but a trustworthy man keeps a secret. Proverbs 11:3

So bookmark that site and let's try to keep the gossip out of our inboxes!