Hoaxes and Well Meaning Folks
I received an email from a member of my congregation the other day. It's the type that often circulates around the 'net, leaping from email inbox to email inbox as people forward them along. Here's the body of the text:
I have to admit that I rarely ever pass anything along... this one included. Every once in a while, I decide to check out the story, and see if there's anything to it. I have yet to find a single one of these that is actually grounded in fact.
Something smelled a bit funny about this one, because points 1,3, 15,16,17, and 18 were all a bit suspect, because the geography is a bit off. That, plus the fact that I am doing Reclaiming Revelation, point 18 is waaay off because of the symbolic usage of Babylon... even though Babylon is indeed in modern-day Iraq.
So armed with that information, I decided to check it out. Perhaps cross-referencing the verse in the Koran perhaps, or just a general Google search on the subject. Interestingly enough, I type in the words "Koran" and "Eagle" into Google, and the first page that comes up is this. Sure enough, this is yet another hoax or urban legend circling about our email boxes.
I guess what troubles me is not so much the fact that it is forwarded along by well meaning people, emails like this usually have some sort of blessing/curse attached to them to get people to forward them along... It bothers me that this particular item was likely concocted by someone with a particular political agenda (keeping the troops in Iraq), but who is likely someone actively involved in a church. At least I would make that assumption, given the references to Iraq quoted from the Bible. In other words, someone who is an active, practicing Christian lied when they made this up.
I guess I have to wonder out loud... have we missed the ninth commandment in here someplace?
Sigh. Maybe it's just a cautionary reminder to always take anything that comes to you on email, especially matters of faith, with a truckload of salt.
Read all of this one, it is interesting!! Read down to the very bottom highlighted in green. You don't want to miss this!! VERY INTERESTING-And you have probably seen this one. Israel is the nation most often mentioned in the Bible. But do you know which nation is second? It is Iraq! However, that is not the name that is used in the Bible. The names used in the Bible are Babylon, Land of Shinar, and Mesopotamia. The word Mesopotamia means between the two rivers, more exactly between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The name Iraq, means country with deep roots. Indeed Iraq is a country with deep roots and is a very significant country in the Bible. No other nation, except Israel, has more history and prophecy associated it than Iraq.
- The Garden of Eden was in Iraq.
- Mesopotamia, which is now Iraq, was the cradle of civilization!
- Noah built the ark in Iraq.
- The Tower of Babel was in Iraq
- Abraham was from Ur, which is in Southern Iraq!
- Isaac's wife Rebekah is from Nahor, which is in Iraq!
- Jacob met Rachel in Iraq.
- Jonah preached in Nineveh - which is in Iraq.
- Assyria, which is in Iraq, conquered the ten tribes of Israel.
- Amos cried out in Iraq!
- Babylon, which is in Iraq, destroyed Jerusalem.
- Daniel was in the lion's den in Iraq!
- Belshazzar, the King of Babylon saw the "writing on the wall" in Iraq.
- Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, carried the Jews captive into Iraq.
- Ezekiel preached in Iraq.
- The wise men were from Iraq
- Peter preached in Iraq.
- The "Empire of Man" described in Revelation is called Babylon, which was a city in Iraq!
And also, This is something to think about! Since America is typically represented by an eagle. Saddam should have read up on his Muslim passages... The following verse is from the Koran, (the Islamic Bible)Koran (9:11 ) - For it is written that a son of Arabia would awaken a fearsome Eagle. The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands of Allah and lo, while some of the people trembled in despair still more rejoiced; for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah; and there was peace.(Note the verse number!) Hmmmmmmm?!
I BETTER NOT HEAR OF ANYONE BREAKING THIS ONE OR SEE DELETED This is a ribbon for soldiers fighting in Iraq. Pass it on to everyone and pray. Something good will happen to you tonight at 11:11 PM. This is not a joke. Someone will either call you or will talk to you online and say that they love you. Do not break this chain.
I have to admit that I rarely ever pass anything along... this one included. Every once in a while, I decide to check out the story, and see if there's anything to it. I have yet to find a single one of these that is actually grounded in fact.
Something smelled a bit funny about this one, because points 1,3, 15,16,17, and 18 were all a bit suspect, because the geography is a bit off. That, plus the fact that I am doing Reclaiming Revelation, point 18 is waaay off because of the symbolic usage of Babylon... even though Babylon is indeed in modern-day Iraq.
So armed with that information, I decided to check it out. Perhaps cross-referencing the verse in the Koran perhaps, or just a general Google search on the subject. Interestingly enough, I type in the words "Koran" and "Eagle" into Google, and the first page that comes up is this. Sure enough, this is yet another hoax or urban legend circling about our email boxes.
I guess what troubles me is not so much the fact that it is forwarded along by well meaning people, emails like this usually have some sort of blessing/curse attached to them to get people to forward them along... It bothers me that this particular item was likely concocted by someone with a particular political agenda (keeping the troops in Iraq), but who is likely someone actively involved in a church. At least I would make that assumption, given the references to Iraq quoted from the Bible. In other words, someone who is an active, practicing Christian lied when they made this up.
I guess I have to wonder out loud... have we missed the ninth commandment in here someplace?
Sigh. Maybe it's just a cautionary reminder to always take anything that comes to you on email, especially matters of faith, with a truckload of salt.
posted by John Crowdis at 10:48 p.m.
1 Comments:
I once got into an argument with a friend who believed that President Bush was invading Iraq so he could take back Babylon and begin the Second Coming.
The fact that both the Bible and Koran are used wrongly to justify a war is tragic. Jesus was called the Prince of PEACE (something both Muslims and Christians agree on) for a reason.
Post a Comment
<< Home