I just received another one of those “I named it and claimed it, now if you name it and claim it and send this to 8 people within 8 minutes you’ll receive 8 blessings”, type of internet prayers, this morning.
It’s tempting to pass this stuff along. We don’t want to o
ffend the one that sent it to us, and there is something inside us that thinks this stuff could really be true, and who are we to break the chain…so on and so forth.
Well, I’ve got some news for you regarging these boilerplate prayers complete with fluttering angel’s wings, and clouds, and portraits of Jesus…they are probably more pagan than they are Christian. They are wrought with more superstition than faith. They are loaded with quid pro quo, ‘if you’ then ‘God will’.
What do I do when I receive one of these “internet prayers” from a friend or loved one? Well, I pass it along to the prescibed number of people and then wait for my blessing. Just kidding. I usually send back a note telling the sender that I don’t think God is too pleased with that sort of activity and that it actually works against faith in Jesus. I have actually been thanked for this on occassion, but more often I imagine my friend or relative to be thinking that I am some sort of “religious crank” that just wants to spoil their fun and show my superior knowledge on “spiritual matters”.
How do you handle it when you get one of these prayers from a well-meaning sender?
Filed under: Internet Prayers |
The Old Adam Lives! 
If I like the content of such a “forward”, I send it to a few select people, but delete the superstitious stuff at the bottom first. I haven’t had any that were prayers, but rather spiritual ponderings of value with the “stuff” at the bottom about luck.
I got quite a few of them from a Christian relative and got sick of them, so I did write back after one that was really bad, saying that I didn’t think it was Christian. Boy, did I get a hot answer to that, but NO MORE FORWARDS from him, hooray. But he was offended that I called him on it and said that he was only forwarding them to have fun. Yuk.
For the most part, I exercise my finger on the delete button.
Hello PS,
That’s something I hadn’t thought about doing (deleting the superstitious or anti-Christian stuff) an then just forwarding on anything that could be edifying.
I too, use the trusty delete button and once in awhile send back a quick note, depending on if the sender is Aunt Agnes in DesMoines or Louie down at the gas station.
Anyway, I appreciate your comments on such, PS. Thanks for stopping by. I’m looking forward to checking out your site a bit later this afternoon.
– Steve M.
Hi Steve,
I have done the same as PS in the past, but now I just normally delete them due to the time factor. But today I have a few minutes to chill because we have no classes Mon. & Tues. because of reading days–yeah a time to catch up!!
Today I just need to get ready for teaching parish tomorrow–some reading and I’ll be teaching confirmation. Take care my brother.
Ivy,
Enjoy your catch up time, Ivy! Do a good job teaching tomorrow. Keep Christ and His work (for us) central, and you can’t go wrong.
You too, Sis!
I am glad to see that someone has tackled this. I have also recieved some of the ‘ cheesiest ‘ types of ‘ pass it on or be cursed ‘ forwards with a complete array of do this and that 7 times ( ir was it 9 ? ) and have always deleted without thought of reaching out to the well-meaning but deceived soul who sent it my way. Thanks for your thoughts.
Bob
http://www.bobhanks.wordpress.com
Bob,
It was 9, Bob. If you don’t get this stuff right, Bob, you’ll not only screw up the blessing for yourself, but also for everyone else down the line.
Pass this on to seven people within seven months to receive my blessing.
Thanks, Bob, for stopping by and chiming in! I’ll check out your site later today (late for church now)
– Steve M.
I always trash it – seems like some superstitious thing to me (for some reason). I also see the other one’s that if you don’t – then something bad will happen…I think they are pretty weak in my opinion…they function out of guilt.
SocietyVs,
Trashing them is a pretty good idea (I think) unless ,of course, the e-mail specifically states that trashing it will bring a plague upon my home.
Naw, just kidding….trash them!
Thanks SocVs!