Re. Previous Post (about Urban Legends)

Okay, in the scenario I gave, it's something of an extreme reaction to one "preacher story" told from the pulpit. (It's slippery slope thinking, which inevitably leads such a thinker into disaster.) I suppose I'm referring to a continuing pattern -- but patterns begin with one instance.

It's not my intention to embarrass anyone and so I will be deliberately vague: One preacher told some others the cigar arson urban legend and added that it "actually happened". Another pastor there repeated this assertion that it "actually happened".

On reflection I think that a better response by me would have been to have said "That sounds like an urban legend to me. I doubt very much that any insurance company would ever pay out for deliberate damage. But when you go back to your computer, remember this website: www.snopes.com and look it up yourself."

This would have given them credit for believing as I do: that those in positions of responsibility for teaching the truth should not deliberately (or due to lack of effort) pass on fiction as fact. I say this, even though my experience leads me to believe that some Christian speakers do NOT share this belief.

Instead, I looked it up at home and sent the link to those who had been gathered at that time and added some of my own reflections about Christians passing on these hoaxes (which possibly was a mistake to do).

Perhaps it is a good sign that of the dozen or so gathered only one (who shall remain anon. and s/he was not the teller of the story) replied at all (so far) and said

"Even if it was just a story, we often tell 'stories' to illustrate a point.
Laugh at it brother and get over it.
You would think that this was the end of the world for you....
Sorry, but your perspective isn't mine...."

Since the events likely NEVER happened, I'm not sure what the point of this story could be, except possibly to remind us that, even though our insurance and judicial systems are stupid at times, we can thank God that they are not THAT stupid.

Another intended point might be that "cheaters never prosper".

However, then we should do the work of finding an example of something that ACTUALLY happened to illustrate this.

Else, maybe the point itself is NOT true. In fact, given as an absolute (in terms of NEVER prospering in THIS world) it is, in fact, NOT true -- as many cheaters do prosper. Be we might WANT to believe this story, because that crafty person (who is never me, of course) gets his BEFORE the end, requiring less patience and faith on our part.

If in fact this story had happened, a more complete presentation of the truth would still include reference to the crafty ones who are not caught in this world, but will face judgment in the next (which, by the way, WOULD be the end of the world).