The nature of spam
Spam is a processed form of ham that has been particularly created to be protected from spoilage, tasty, easy to handle, and cheap. Although it is noted to be not very nutritious because of its high levels of fat, sodium, and preservatives, it is still occasionally consumed by some individuals who like its spicy taste. Some written comments that are published online may be easy to read and may be immediately pleasing or at least not offensive in the tone of their words, but they may be regarded as “spam” and not be accepted or appreciated by their intended consumer who has not requested this “product”. Some published statements that contain religious or spiritually meaningful words, even those that come from the Bible or other religious documents, may be regarded as “spam” and may be rejected by their intended readers.
What is wrong with religious spam?
I do not generally appreciate religious statements, even those that briefly quote passages from the Bible, that are so brief as to be impractical in their implementation in my life and a nuisance to handle in my online programs. So I regard such statements as religious spam that I have not requested or intend to save or to use. Religious spam is frequently published and displayed online as a post-it-note with a colored background, which draws one’s attention, but the content of the “package” has no practical or personal value. The authors of such religious statements and others that are displayed in other formats are probably very sincere in their efforts to write brief messages of spiritual help and encouragement for individuals in their audiences, but sincerity will not overcome the failure of their “product” to deliver anything of any real personal benefit. They should be regarded as religious spam.
Let’s talk about this
What do you regard as religious spam online? Why do you regard such statements in this way? What religious statements that you see on online or receive do you appreciate? What is about them that you appreciate? What religious topics or matters of personal interest or concern would you like to see getting more published attention online? Let’s talk about this.
Hello Mr. Sherbondy: Your analogy of spam is good. It prompted me to think about the popularity of Spam in the 70’s. We also had the “Good News Revelation” and Jesus Christ Superstar” events in the 70’s as I recall. Somehow this also reminded me that popular or not, convenient or not, Spam was not healthy and it was fattening, just as half-truths are bad for our spirit. In cyber space spam is just as obnoxious. It can contain malware and disrupt the functioning of your hard drive, hijack your personal information and clone your identity. And, although I do appreciate some religious memes on social media I try to remain mindful and sort them out with accurate knowledge, not taking them at face value. I think that is all we can do as Christians in this dim world of half-truths. We have to investigate and discern everything we absorb. We must become connoisseurs of The Word and finicky about what we read.
Thank you Dora for your thoughtful comment to my post. I like your statement that “We must become connoisseurs of The Word”, which I assume refers to Jesus and his Spirit. That is certainly the best authority for any words that are suppose to express any spiritual “truth” on the internet. I trust that you recognize that just attaching a passage of Scripture to a statement to seek to give it biblical authority regardless of its context in the Bible is not helpful.