If you are a part of my family or close circle of friends, then chances are good you’ve heard me rant about spam email forwards inciting fear, slander or lies. Here’s a few examples:

Barak Obama is a racial Muslim who refuses to to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Cell phone uses must register their numbers in the Do Not Call registry to prevent telemarketers.

Walmart is being boycotted by Planned Parenthood because it refuses to sell the morning after pill.

Airlines won’t pair Christian pilots and co-pilots out of fear the Rapture will incapacitate landing.

Philippians 4 encourages Christians to focus on the truth. How often do we waste thought and emotion on rumors, and then pass along the misinformation as idle gossip?

One resource I utilize in searching for the truth is snopes.com. At the top left of google’s homepage is a news link to narrow your search to recently reported items. Using the search box at Associated Press or Fox News is also a great way to read the news for yourself to decide if you agree with the email’s spin, and to help decide whether it is truthful and worth sharing.

Following up on a forwarded email takes me no more than five minutes. I think the time is spent well if I can spare my loved ones anxiety over their insides being eaten away by Coke. The truth is out there, now go find it!