About once a week, I receive an email from one of my many devout friends with some inspirational message and the directive to forward the message on to some random number of people and to the person that sent it. I'm curious to know how others feel about these messages. Do you follow instructions and pass them on, or do you discard them? Do you think they are effective in spreading the Gospel or do they have a negative affect?

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2001

Answers

I have a co-worker with whom I discuss this very topic quite often. The reason we discuss these "Jesus Chain Letters" so much is that I'm usually venting to her about them. I abhor them. Sometimes they come with a thought or a message that is uplifting and useful (although many times they come attached to a ridiculously contrived story). However, when I reach the bottom of the message and find a statement that casts aspursions upon my relationship with God based on whether or not I choose to follow the ridiculous directions listed therin, or promise me blessings...well,I get bothered.

I must say that I am getting better. My blood pressure does not go quite as high when I recieve these communications that are nothing more than ridiculous supertition. I've received them from some very well meaning friends. For the most part, I chosen to deal with these communications in the same fashion that I would if a friend or associate unitentionally offended me to my face. I've simply explained (to those who matter to me) that I would rather not recieve these types of communications. Most respect that, but sometimes they slip through anyway. In those cases, I delete them. If the message contained in one of these is particularly good, I delete the foolishness on the bottom, and simply pass the message along to whom I wish...not to any prescribed number of people, in any prescribed amount of time, nor expecting any prescribed blessing.

I think that these messages have no positive effect on the spread of the Gospel; as a matter of fact, I recieve many from people who don't even profess Christ. I think they do much more harm than good.

In Peace,

Linda

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2001

Good question WJ!! Are they [Jesus chained email] "spam" communication or useful correspondence? I tend to agree with Linda Barta that these chain emails can be potentially mischievous if not a workplace annoyance. The implication that failure to follow the step-by-step instructions will result in spiritual forfeiture of Divine Blessings is sheer hyperbole. While I don't want to erect "Chinese Firewalls" and other filters to ward against such incoming messages, I do believe there are some limitations with this form of "witnessing". QED

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2001