A New Unchained Melody

This was surprising.  I never ever participate in chain letters - and that goes back to the days when sending letter through the USPS was the only way.  Invitation to participate in a chain letter went directly where it belonged in the round file and I never saw it again.  Same practice when they started happening on email and same thing when the new version of share games on Facebook cropped up.  Nope, I do not send the stories about sick children, miracles, or the appeals to "help me get _____ shares."

The good luck/bad luck threats go past me too. Some of my best friends and even close family members show in my FB feed with the appeal they have passed on.  I ignore and with the very smallest amount of guilt which is adjusted by how close the friend or relationship is. It's a policy and I stick to it.

But when I received one in my email from a casual friend, who I really like, I stopped and considered it.  It sounded so good, what can be wrong about this?  Well, nothing really - if I wanted to do it I would not be doing anything wrong, would I? After all it has a much higher purpose and mission than any previous chain letter effort.  It is simply a way to spread the Word of God.

It is a judgment call.

But it required me to do a quick search so I took the first line of the letter and googled it.

Wow!  The search showed me that this has been going on since at least 2009 and it has participants from around the world.  Most examples were in favor and told of their participation.  Some explained that they really didn't appreciate it - since they were atheist. Others explained, as I am doing, that while it sounds good, they still did not do it.  For all the good points it had, there are some negative ones too.

This is the letter:

We're starting a collective, constructive, and hopefully uplifting Bible verse exchange. It's a one-time thing, and we hope you will participate.
We have picked those we think will be faithful and make it fun.

Please send an encouraging Bible verse to the person whose name is in position 1 (even if you don't know him or her.) It should be a favorite
verse that has lifted you when you were experiencing challenging times. Don't agonize over it - it is one you reach for when you need it or the one that you always turn to.

1..Name Withheld
friend1@myfriends.com

2..Name Withheld
friend2@myfriends.com

After you have sent the verse to the person in position #1 and only that person, copy this email into a new email, move my name to position #1, and put your name in position #2. Only my name and your name should show when you email. Send to 20 friends BCC (blind copy) . If you can do this in 5 days, let us all be fair to those participating. It's fun to see where they come from. Seldom does anyone drop out because we all need new ideas and inspiration.

The turnaround is fast, as there are only two names on the list, and you only have to do it once. (I selected you because getting a word of scripture from a fellow believer is always uplifting. I hope you don't mind that I chose you.)

 So, why do I not do something that sounds like it could be only intended to encourage others and myself as well?

1) Because of warnings that my email program gave me saying it could not verify if the senders email server had actually sent the email.  (Scam and fraud email mimic good servers and hide behind them.)
2) Because to copy and paste is dangerous practice from emails and is a way to transmit bad code.
3) Because it says "We're starting..." and sounds like I'm in on the planning.  I'm not.
4) Because it could result in a whale of a lot of emails coming into my box from address I do not know.
5) Because I may not have 20 friends who I can send it to BCC.
6) Because if I do not do it within in 5 days then I am not being fair and I never asked or volunteered to participate so fairness from me should not be an expectation.
7) Because the  "I hope you don't mind that I chose you." statement is presumptuous. "Yes, I do mind and I mind that your expectation is that I will participate or be a spoil sport. You should ask me before hand if you want me to be one of the "We're starting..."
8) There is no ending so it is hardly a starting and it has been going on and around for years.
9) Because I am indeed a spoil sport about being presumed upon - I always have been that way for nearly 66 years. I will stay that way and hope I do not offend too many others.

If you get this letter from anyone - and I saw examples of Facebook, newsletters, .pdf documents, and regular email - so you don't know how it may come to you, exercise your free will and do what you want. Please know that if you use my email address for one of the 20 BCC addresses, the chain will break right there.

It is a policy, I'm sticking to it.