PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS

Lately I've gotten a lot of e-mails claiming various negative things about politicians, certain religious groups and on it goes. The problem is they are all FICTION! The rest of the problem is they fit our preconceived idea of how people are, what they do or think. Occassionally there is a kernel of truth in them but it has been twisted--reminds me of Adam and Eve. When you come right down to it, these e-mails are malicious gossip. There are ways to check out things before they are sent on. When they are forwarded, without responsibly checking them, they make Christ's Body look really stupid. The World already thinks we are and I have to wonder if they are started to prove that point.

No Matter what the reason God's Word says:
Romans 1:28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.


When we talk or pass on negative comments we are murdering the reputation of a person, stirring up strife, possibly being deceitful and obviously malicious. We are to love God, ourselves and our neighbors as we love ourselves (paraphrase of 2 great commandments). All the law and prophet hinges on those commandments. The above from Romans is a partial list of that which isn't loving.


There are at least 2 websites where the truth can be checked out:
www.truthorfiction.com
www.snopes.com


Lets not give the world reason to think badly of our Lord because of our preconceived notions. And let's walk in love, treating others like we want to be treated.