Religious Email Hell

I love email. I'm just not a fan of forwarded emails. They're basically chain letters of the computer age. To be fair, forwards can be cute. I'm sure they honestly inspire some people. They just don't work that way for me. Most forwards are harmless notes that provide a brief break from work, making us smile and leaving us feeling a little better than before. Then there's the religious forwards. We've all seen them. Some have an inspiring personal story. Some, a message of hope. Others, a digital guilt-trip that belongs in the virtual trash bin. An example might be helpful, right? Okay. Here's a portion of the latest one I received:
If you love this man please forward to 10 people.
He did something for you, now do something for him.
Spread his word, and you'll be rewarded. How?
Matthew 10:32...'Whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will acknowledge him before My Father in heaven. But whoever disowns Me before men, I will disown him before My Father in heaven.'
Wow. I had almost forgotten how absurd these forwards had become. I say absurd because that's what they are. Period. They're just as ridiculous as the ones that claim Microsoft will donate two cents to the Make-A-Wish Foundation for every email that you forward. Yeah, right. Microsoft isn't a heartless company whose generosity depends on people's willingness to send forwarded emails. In the same way, Jesus Christ didn't die on a cross with an extra requirement that not only must we believe in him, we must also forward ten emails to prove it.

The problem is that people send these religious forwards out of guilt, not out of faith. Let's be real – these forwards do more harm than good and don't seem to serve a fruitful purpose. It's helpful to think about it in this way. Do you think a jaded person who's not a Christian will decide to come to faith because of a forwarded email? Maybe, but my guess is they'll find it very annoying. That forward will then probably reinforce a negative stereotype that already surrounds Christians. Here's a thought. Why not send a nice email to someone asking them how their day is going? That's a better example of doing something Christ-like than sending some cliché forward.

Forwarding an email is also a cop-out. Just as it's easier to share deep feelings using an instant message, it's easier to share your faith by sending a forward. That's not the way to share your faith. Sharing your faith is real when it's done in person, over a cup of coffee or while taking a walk with a friend. That's authentic faith. That's the type of faith that really does change lives. It's not always easy and is a lot harder than pressing "send" from your inbox. It's the type of faith, though, that truly gets others interested in your God. No email has that power.

I guess I'm going to hell because I deleted a religious forward. I just couldn't bring myself to send it on. It would only increase the gap that stands between authentic Christianity and damaging Christianity. As it is, that gap is too big and prevents far too many souls from crossing. I'm writing this blog because I don't want anyone else to send a religious forward out of guilt. It's wrong. The concept of 'earning' salvation by forwarding emails eerily resembles the days when Christians would buy penance from priests to have their sins forgiven. God's grace doesn't work like that. You don't get brownie points with God if you send the gospel over the World Wide Web. These religious emails use ignorant and damaging language like, "what goes around comes around," and, "if you love Jesus, you'll send this on." The people who write up these emails are using guilt like a gun. They load their magazine and fire a hundred rounds into cyberspace. Nowhere in the Bible does it mention a stipulation to God's grace. Belief alone saves a man. No one is going to hell because they delete a religious email without forwarding it to a dozen people. There is no ancient law regarding email forwards. It's not in the Bible. If I'm wrong, you can forward me an email with the chapter and verse.

(John 3:15, 16, and 17)