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John Meyer
Blue Springs
To the editor:
Setting aside Mr. Greening’s Oct. 30 comment about “genuine Christians,” where in the world did he get the idea that “most people would probably guess 20 percent or less” as those claiming to be Christians in the United States?
Look, there are a lot of crazies out there who believe a lot of crazy stuff, but the craziest thing I have ever read in a newspaper column is “my information was taken from my e-mails, which I consider a reliable source.” Is he serious?
I recently received multiple e-mails from friends, all good people, bucking along absolute lies. That the Obama administration started a program to use “taxpayer money” to give free cell phones to welfare recipients. False. That the ACLU is suing to have cross-shaped headstones removed from military cemeteries. False. That Navy chaplains can no longer mention Jesus’ name in prayer thanks to the ACLU and the Obama administration. False.
These sort of chain e-mails have gone on for years. Some say they have their political roots in the 2000 South Carolina Republican primary, the Bush e-mail whisper campaign claiming McCain had an illegitimate black child. The importance of that event was not that it took place, but rather who participated in it. The key was these messages were planted with Christian groups and spread like wildfire.
The same holds true today. My friends are church-going patriotic Americans, but over the last year or so, I have received dozens of e-mails from them stating as fact that which is false. That the Obama administration burned soldier’s Bibles. False. That Obama outlawed swords at the U.S. Naval Academy graduation. False. That Obama was going to ban the sale of small arms ammunition. False. That Obama is not an American, that Obama is a Muslim and on and on.
Although they might deny it, I am educated by nuns and priests. We were not allowed to “gossip,” to pass along that which we did not know to be true, and would confess same as a venial sin. But if we were to tell tales about someone, to pass along that which we knew to be false, we would “bear false witness” and would confess that as a mortal sin. So, is it any less a sin if it’s an e-mail?
John Meyer
Blue Springs
To the editor:
Setting aside Mr. Greening’s Oct. 30 comment about “genuine Christians,” where in the world did he get the idea that “most people would probably guess 20 percent or less” as those claiming to be Christians in the United States?
Look, there are a lot of crazies out there who believe a lot of crazy stuff, but the craziest thing I have ever read in a newspaper column is “my information was taken from my e-mails, which I consider a reliable source.” Is he serious?
I recently received multiple e-mails from friends, all good people, bucking along absolute lies. That the Obama administration started a program to use “taxpayer money” to give free cell phones to welfare recipients. False. That the ACLU is suing to have cross-shaped headstones removed from military cemeteries. False. That Navy chaplains can no longer mention Jesus’ name in prayer thanks to the ACLU and the Obama administration. False.
These sort of chain e-mails have gone on for years. Some say they have their political roots in the 2000 South Carolina Republican primary, the Bush e-mail whisper campaign claiming McCain had an illegitimate black child. The importance of that event was not that it took place, but rather who participated in it. The key was these messages were planted with Christian groups and spread like wildfire.
The same holds true today. My friends are church-going patriotic Americans, but over the last year or so, I have received dozens of e-mails from them stating as fact that which is false. That the Obama administration burned soldier’s Bibles. False. That Obama outlawed swords at the U.S. Naval Academy graduation. False. That Obama was going to ban the sale of small arms ammunition. False. That Obama is not an American, that Obama is a Muslim and on and on.
Although they might deny it, I am educated by nuns and priests. We were not allowed to “gossip,” to pass along that which we did not know to be true, and would confess same as a venial sin. But if we were to tell tales about someone, to pass along that which we knew to be false, we would “bear false witness” and would confess that as a mortal sin. So, is it any less a sin if it’s an e-mail?
