The Chain Letter Hoax
@whimsystoryteller (1743)
United States
September 23, 2007 11:44pm CST
How many of you have passed on chain letters because you were afraid that if you didn't something bad would happen to you? Almost every chain letter I've ever gotten whether by email or real mail before the internet had the famous line at the bottom saying that something bad would happen to you if you didn't pass it on.
What a crock! I've rarely passed on chain letters just because of that line. It makes me angry that someone would use fear to get their message out. It's a low, underhanded thing to do to people.
The ones that really get to me are the ones talking about God and His love and mercy and then they threaten the person if they don't send it along or they promise some extraordinary thing will happen if you do send it along.
For all of you who don't know, God doesn't do things that spread fear. He's opposed to fear! And, God doesn't give miracles because of a silly chain letter. He gives miracles in response to faith in Him.
So, the next time someone sends you a chain letter, don't pass it on with the threat or promise at the bottom. If you want to pass it on, delete the part that threatens or promises miracles and take the hoax out of chain letters.
2 people like this
10 responses
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
24 Sep 07
I can't agree with you more! I don't forward those things unless it's a good joke or something that I found interesting. I don't want to be the cause of clogging up someone's email account over some stupid letter. I like your idea though of omitting the part of a threat or promises. Good idea!
1 person likes this
@Commonsense0 (516)
• United States
24 Sep 07
Hey whimsystoryteller. I couldnt agree more. Especially about those religious ones. I think one of the most annoying things about the "Godly" ones is that they always seem to say something along the lines of "Forward this if you love GOD. If you don't, you are obviously promoting satan." So, if I don't want to annoy people and clog their email, im a satan worshipper? Uh huh... And God will give you a miracle because you posted some dumb letter? Don't think so. Like you said, they are givin because of your faith or need.
@whimsystoryteller (1743)
• United States
25 Sep 07
That's why I say to delete the threat or promise at the bottom of the email if you like the initial message and want to send it on. Of course, if it's a junky one or a joke, you may not want to send it on. But some of them are pretty cute and they sometimes have nice messages. I don't usually pass things on but once in a while they will have a good one.
I agree with you about the ones that say if you love God you will send it on. That's absurd to think that God would think you don't love Him because of some silly email. Fortunately, God has a lot more sense than that.
@TDonald (1421)
• United States
24 Sep 07
Now we know the reason everything is so messed up.
You people are not forwarding those chain letters. LOL.
@whimsystoryteller (1743)
• United States
24 Sep 07
Ha ha ha! And, I won't be sending them along with those horrid little messages at the bottom. If I find the initial content worth passing on, I will send it to a select few without the threat or promise of things at the bottom.
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
31 Oct 07
I have never responded to a chain letter by snail mail or in an email.
@whimsystoryteller (1743)
• United States
24 Sep 07
Unfortunately, many people don't know how to write. They haven't been trained especially in today's educational system where so many kids are passed through instead of being required to learn the basics. I was fortunate because my parents put me in schools that had very high standards and I had a talent for writing.
But try not to be too hard on friends forwarding something that they consider a blessing to you. If you don't want them to send something to you, just explain that you'd appreciate them not forwarding chain letters to you. Don't let your anger injure a friendship.
@jan135 (535)
• Australia
24 Sep 07
I hate chain letters with a passion, even the one's friends send and even the one's for a certain disease etc and if the chain letter is sent on, some unknown entity will pay a sum of money to a particular charity or person.
These are all scams in my eyes and I never send any of them on no matter what bad luck they predict.
@Rozie37 (15499)
• Turkmenistan
24 Sep 07
I get those all the time and I have never thought of them as chain letters. But, you are very right, that is exactly what they are. I usually pass them on if they have a good message, but I will pay closer attention to the note at the bottom from now on, thanks.
@eprado (1467)
• Philippines
25 Sep 07
Hello whimsystoryteller, Yes I always received chain letters in my email and there are a lot of them. I don't usually pay attention much on passing the email much. I just read them If I find the story to be good usually I pass them to my friends but I edit and delete the bottom parts where the treat or promise is located.
I totally agree with you and what you do to chain letters. Ever since I never believed chain letter and about its threat and promises. Even before when I was a child I would recieved chain letter written by my classmates I just tore them up and into the trashcan it goes.
Some people still get the hype of passing chain emails on even if most of them knew its a hoax. I thinks its a waste of ones time and also email storage space because at times you recived very very long chain emails that have been to so many people. You even received the same kind of chain email, title, topic and all, from different person.
Now a days here in our country even through text messages in your cellphones you will recieved chain letter. We call it chain text messages totally the same as chain letters threatining and promising you stuffs if you didn't or pass it on. All I still think are a hoax. :-)
