Pat,

I've done just as you suggested, that is, removed the stuff at the bottom,
if, that is, the story, or testimony, or devotional was true as a stand
alone.  So, that's a good idea.

Phil.



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pat Ferguson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 8:36 PM
Subject: Re: You can hate me now or later


> Phil, I have been guilty of forwarding such emails, and though I
> don't always forward them, but I do pray even before I delete them,
> and I use to feel bad when I didn't forward an email that someone
> sent, and now I don't feel bad at all.
>
> I guess if the email itself is really worth forwarding, then we could
> delete all that stuff at the bottom of it.
>
> Just my thoughts.
>
> Blessings,
> Pat Ferguson
>
>
>
> At 05:33 PM 1/2/2008, you wrote:
> >Email Curses, Hexes, and Spells
> >
> >By Phil Scovell
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >      Now, don't become offended, or take it personally, as you
> >read this article.  It is something I have been prayerfully
> >considering for a long time.  Now just seems to be the time to
> >write about it because I believe it is a spiritually important
> >topic.  My many years of bulletin board and internet experience
> >have also led me to how I feel concerning this subject.  I'm
> >talking about 18 years of experience, owning at least 6 mailing
> >lists once upon a time, and probably processing literally a
> >million emails so far in my life time.
> >
> >      I know everyone with an email address has received Christian
> >related email messages which tell a wonderful story.  I have read
> >these for years.  These messages are often clones of the secular
> >type which normally end with a tag line which reads, "If you don't
> >forward this to your 10 best friends within 5 days, you will
> >experience bad luck for a month."  Sometimes it will say just the
> >opposite, that is, you will have amazingly good luck for a week.
> >The variables on this theme are endless and I've literally seen
> >hundreds of them.
> >
> >      The Christian stories have always intrigued me.  I mean, they
> >sound true, they feel good, they are often miraculous stories, or
> >cute and innocent reminders of a big loving chubby grandfatherly
> >God somewhere up in the sky, stroking his long white beard as He
> >is serenely looking down upon His little play world of innocent
> >peoples whom He dearly loves regardless of their sins, but when
> >you hit the tag line, wham!  You are belted with a threat of some
> >type or another.  For example, "If you believe in prayer, forward
> >this message to your friends.  If you want to really experience
> >God's love, forward this message."  "If you love others, and
> >believing in having friends, forward this to your best seven
> >friends and be certain you also forward it back to me."  Again,
> >they vary endlessly but they all sound somehow threatening and
> >most certainly magical in nature.  The question is not, "Is the
> >story real," but what is behind the tag line?  I don't
> >necessarily believe it is an ominous evil curse designed to trash
> >your complete life, but I do believe it is a curse, of sorts,
> >which is very likely, in most cases, initiated by someone who
> >doesn't believe in the salvitic message of the Bible and wants to
> >see their own message come back a couple of months later to get a
> >good belly laugh at Christians.
> >
> >      More sinister, in my opinion, is the curse that is delivered
> >with the good old Christian story for which I have already stated
> >examples.  Is it really a curse?  Good question.  Those who play
> >around with the unseen world have no problem believing it is a
> >curse that works.  Christians, on the other hand, think it is just
> >good Christian works playing itself out on the global internet
> >and, bless God, it is reaching millions of souls for Christ.  I,
> >on the other hand, mostly consider them a story with a curse.
> >Yes, I have forwarded them on myself over the years so don't get
> >your tail in a knot because I am not criticizing anybody.  I am,
> >on the other hand, suggesting you at least think about these email
> >forwarded messages that come with a promise, a threat, or a curse
> >or a guarantee.  Here is a classic example of what I mean.  Then
> >I'll tell you what I do about such email messages.  A lady emailed
> >this one to me and asked for my opinion.
> >
> >Beginning of Email.
> >Subject: FW: 7x7x7
> >
> >               The cross is supposed to be swinging when you
> >receive this.  I hope it still  is.  This is cool - had to pass
> >it on.  I think we could all use a miracle.  I know I certainly
> >can!!!
> >
> >You are in my 7 in 7 seconds.  I am not breaking this.   No way!
> >I'M TOLD THIS WORKS!!!  Just repeat this prayer and see how God
> >moves!!
> >
> >"Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless
> >me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name.  Amen."
> >
> >Share this message with 7 people and you will receive a miracle
> >tomorrow.   I Hope that you don't ignore.  God bless.
> >
> >End of example.
> >
> >Sounds almost perfect, doesn't it?  It sure does.  The problem is,
> >on the other hand, you are being promised something based upon a
> >lie.  The very first question we should ask is, which Jesus is
> >this message making promise.  Jesus the Christ, the Lord and
> >Savior, or another Jesus.  You know, the one you get out of a book
> >the one used as a swear word, or the demon who claims his name is
> >Jesus?  If the latter doesn't seem true to you, then you don't
> >know how to pray.  If you don't know how to pray, then, by all
> >means, read and forward all these cute little emails you wish.  A
> >year from now, let me know how it comes out.
> >
> >      Many years ago, I received, long before internet days, a
> >similar message.  The message was sort of nice but the tagline,
> >the promise that is, wasn't.  It literally said, you will be
> >blessed if you forward this to your five best friends but if you
> >didn't you'd have three weeks of bad luck.  No, I did not forward
> >it nor did I pray against the curse it delivered.  The next three
> >weeks of my life were like hell on earth.  I was audited by the
> >IRS, I got a hernia which later needed surgery, and a whole bunch
> >of other things, including deep dark depression, that plagued me
> >for that period of time.  So, yes.  You bet I pray against each
> >and every one of them no matter how cute they sound and how
> >harmless they look.  I send the curse back to the original source,
> >too.  No, not to the sender but to the original source of the
> >email.
> >
> >4  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
> >through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
> >5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth
> >itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity
> >every thought to the obedience of Christ;
> >6  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when
> >your obedience is fulfilled, (2 Corinthians 10:4-6).
> >
> >
> >The Curse That Works Is The One We Believe
> >WWW.SafePlaceFellowship.com
>
>