WBOB Original Reads

Doyle: Barnum Bailey and the Holy Ghost?

8/28/2014

Ed Doyle

We have all seen the social media posts, and I am willing to bet that quite a few of you reading this blog have even shared a few on your own walls. "God works miracles for those that believe. Share this in the next ten minutes and you will be blessed with a miracle. ignore it and something bad will happen!"

"Angels are watching over you! Share this with 5 friends in the next ten minutes and receive a check in the mail!"

It may sound like silliness to many of you but there are those out there that read these types of posts and as much as they will actually try to convince themselves that it is silly, that there is no way you are going to see a reward for passing along a stupid Facebook post, inevitably will still click the share button with that little flicker of superstitious hope that by making 5 friends have to read and pass it along that you might, just maybe. find a quarter under your pillow in the morning.

To me, each and every time that I see a post containing this foolish and in my opinion trivialization of the divine, I get disgusted. Why don't we just put in the Wheel-o-divinity in the back of the church and plop down a prayer and hope that it lands on eternal salvation or better yet.. a hundred bucks.

It is fine in my opinion, and part of every Christian's belief, that one should spread the name of their creator in praise. Prayers for the sick, for the departed, for our military in combat and other special consideration that we would ask of our maker or guardian angel to bestow on someone, come from the love that we have for that person and the faith that we have in that which we consider divine. To attach the name of God, angels and his miraculous power to what amounts to a scratch ticket is just plain wrong.

I and many find it repulsive if you will, to prey on someone's superstition, lack of faith or greed to spread sideshow posters that amount to a carnival barker selling snake oil that will heal what ails you.

How about the next post you spread when you want to share the wonders of whoever you may hold to be your God be one of thanks rather than one from let's make a deal!