[psmith2.0]

I'm always receiving forwarded e-mails, often from my sister, of full-on glurge, false stuff parading as "ohmigosh, this is real!", etc. I've given her (and others) the link to Snopes and other places many times, to let her know that so much of this stuff is just outright fake, made-up, etc. (and encourage them to, possibly, research "too good - or goofy - to be true" things a bit more, and don't fall for every silly-ass e-mail/Internet-based story or photo out there. And, more importantly, quit passing them on to me all the $%^&#@ time).



To her credit, she's never the originator. But I'll get a "FW:" thing from her and I'll brace myself because it's just going to be a sappy photo or "commentary" that I know isn't legit.

Anyway, I received another long forwarded chain today (about 40 gazillion people), and she's received it and has forwarded it on to me (and Mom, etc.). I nearly fell out of my chair after viewing it, and I've decided I just - for once - don't have the heart to rain on anyone's parade because of the "proof" I'd be forced to provide.

Let me provide the original text of the e-mail (and please bear in mind I'm not doing so to mock or belittle anything stated below; unlike a lot of others, I don't do that...I've got no beef whatsoever with religion or, more specifically, Christianity. I'm only providing the text below to give "context" to the image that follows, and the was attached to the e-mail):

Subject: FW: Photo taken in Kentucky...GOD PARTING THE HEAVENS!!! Cara Winship sent this out it is called: God's hands. I took this picture on Hwy 30, traveling to London, KY. It has given me strength in the times of trouble. I feel I should share it with the rest of the world. I hope it is an inspiration to you. It just goes to show what we already know. We have a God and he's watching over us. I e-mailed this picture to News Channel 36. I was contacted by Meteorologist John James. He said that this picture of the sky is showing up, in all states, around the world. He wanted to know where I was from and where I took it. He saw a similar picture taken in Texas. He said this is amazing to him!

The photo:



I shouldn't have to explain to anyone here what the deal is with this (and if you don't know, just ask around; I don't feel like going down that particular road this morning).



But I'm not about to spill those particular beans with my sister and Mom.



Usually I'll provide a site or link to give a bit of context or explanation to what it is they're sending me, to show that it's not what it appears to be. But I don't think I'm going to be providing that "background" in this case...

"Mom, check out this site: goa..."

I'd instantly be disowned, and not get anything good for Christmas. A lump of coal, I suppose...

[Mugge]

If that is a picture of God, I don't think I like what he's doing!

Shame on you, God.

[rasmits]

What? There are people in this world who actually think that picture is real?

[709]

Parting the heavens indeed.

"We have a God and he's watching over us."

Yes, Cara, with his one huge brown eye.



[edit]: No, I've got it, I've got it.....:

HINDSIGHT!!!

Oh Lord, I'm cracking myself up this morning...

[psmith2.0]

Yeah, that's the whole point, rasmits. Never mind the awful Photoshoppery usually involved (when would a cloud ever look like that?). But folks see what they want. And if they're not up on that whole goatse thing (and most aren't), they're not going to see a pic like this through that particular "prism". Hell, I'm sorry that I know about it, to even be aware of it...



I get some really goofy stuff. And not just of this particular variety...just weird political or cultural things, or badly doctored photos, etc. If I had a nickel for every time I've sent someone a link to snopes.com and said "do yourself a favor and review this site at your leisure, especially before sending me another forwarded e-mail", I'd be a bazillionaire.

[RichieB]

Oh my... I agree with you, pscates

[Luca]

I fucking hate email forwards. My poor girlfriend gets one every day or two from her grandmother.

I just don't understand. Religion aside, do these people really go through life truly believing everything that they get in their email? If I were to say, for instance, that we can't directly see God, would they hit back with that picture and say, "Yes, you can. This is proof!"? Or do they think of these things as mere stories that are enjoyable when they're first told but are not to be taken seriously?

[psmith2.0]

E-mail forwards (especially of silly stuff that isn't real or that you've never asked for) is actually worse than spam because it, to paraphrase "Goodfellas", it comes from the people you know and trust the most. People you've known your entire life...



I expect to get a bunch of "replica Rolex!" and "thicker, firmer erections!" crap in my e-mail inbox from time to time, from complete strangers.

But when I have to sift through "look at this picture of the O.J. Bronco chase taken from the space shuttle" horseshit - from people who I think love me - it just crushes my very soul. I can't put my own family on the Junk filter, can I? That would just be wrong...



I always wanted, strictly as an experiment, to create something completely idiotic (doctor a photo in some goofy way or whatever) and just send it out via an anonymous account, just to see how long it took to "make the rounds". It's amazing to me, the long, unbroken chains of complete weirdness that manage to circle the world and hit everyone's e-mail. It's strange that so many otherwise smart, pulled-together people can see some crappy JPEG of the most obviously altered/retouched stuff and their "uh oh" filter never seems to go off...

[Koodari]

I'd never have believed that someone would get a photoshopped goatse to be hilarious, or even funny. But a little context switch was all it took... this is a work of art.

[psmith2.0]

Let's not get carried away, Koodari...

Holy crap, there are about seven million birds outside my window right now! In the grass, trees, phone lines...I kept hearing all this screeching/twittering noise and I finally went to the window.

My life is a Hitchcock movie...

[kieran]

Originally Posted by Mugge If that is a picture of God, I don't think I like what he's doing! Shame on you, God.

The sad part is that I thought the same thing when I first looked.

[Koodari]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 Let's not get carried away, Koodari...

I love a good display of social engineering and you have to admit that whoever made this utilized the respect people have for their own favored brand of supernatural quite well. Not to forget the social tendency to hit the forward button.

It's like a delicious muffin masking a payload of internet anthrax.

[psmith2.0]

True. It's a guaranteed "round-maker", something like this.

I'm just a bit worried that the next time I go to my sister's for a visit, she will have printed the pic out on her inkjet and have it tacked to the wall above the computer, or stuck on the fridge.

I would, at that point, simply have to leave...and alternate between laughing and crying all the way home.



As I've said, I don't have it in me this time to "explain" this one...I really don't want to either.

[709]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 Holy crap, there are about seven million birds outside my window right now! In the grass, trees, phone lines...I kept hearing all this screeching/twittering noise and I finally went to the window.

You've angered teh god for ridiculing his divine anus! It's a plague!!!

[psmith2.0]

That thought briefly crossed my mind...

"Uh oh, I've gone and done it now...an old-fashioned bird smiting".

[turtle]

I never forward these things on. If I really like the contents then I might share it with a few people, but I always remove the "forward to 20 or you'll die in five minutes!" crap from the bottom. Out of the forwards I do get, there are only about 1% at best I share. I have no desire to waste internet space with the latest boycott or further proof I love Jesus.

[psmith2.0]

I get some legit stuff, and I've got no problem with it. But even then, I'm only sending it to 1-2 people, tops, who I know would genuinely appreciate it.

But I get some of these things and I look through the header info and TONS of people have received it. And you scroll and scroll all the way down to see the photo or body content and it's something so nutty.

That stuff always ends with me because I'm certainly not going to forward it on if it's something goofy or lame.

We're going to get to a point where I'm going to start campaigning for licenses to use the Internet.



We do it for fishing, driving and other things (and we should be doing it for having kids, but that's a whole other thread). But if this kind of crap keeps on, I'd fully support basic mental competency/licensing exams for Internet usage.

Worldwide usage would drop to about 4,200 people.



"Imagine peace", my ass...imagine a world without lame-o forwarded schlock and bullcrap clogging your inbox. That's something I could get behind and passionate about.

[Mugge]

1 God 1 cup?

Ca. 3 billion girls.

[Taskiss]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 "Imagine peace", my ass...

Yes, I can see that as a title for this picture. You should replace the comma with a semi-colon though, and quote the "my ass" too.

You can even just drop the whole "imagine peace" part, really.

[autodata]

Back when I used to get forwards, I'd just mark them as spam. If it meant no more email from that sender, then that was a plus. I now rarely receive this kind of junk.

[psmith2.0]

Yeah, except I'd be doing this to my own sister. And sometimes I do get some normal e-mails from her.



I'd hate to permanently blacklist her...seems kinda harsh.

[BuonRotto]

From God's anus to my ears. Preach on, brother! Piece (of...) on Earth!

Anyway, it's just a quick delete. My oldest sis isn't quite so gullible, but she does send way too many of those "funny" emails that aren't funny. It's a slight nuisance, but easy enough to just trash them as they come in.

[herodian]

i have a sign on my postbox that says 'NO religious propaganda'

it doesn't work.

i hate those forwards, i really do. i tend to add people to my junk list if they send me any... family or not... i have asked time and time and time again not to send me them (much like application requests on Facebook) but people ignore them, so i ignore them.

[thegelding]

god is great
god is goatse

g

[Xaqtly]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 I shouldn't have to explain to anyone here what the deal is with this (and if you don't know, just ask around; I don't feel like going down that particular old dirt road this morning).

T,FTFY

[Capella]

*falls over laughing*

Maybe God started the whole goatse craze by posting the original pic once upon a time?

[murbot]

Originally Posted by Mugge 1 God 1 cup? Ca. 3 billion girls.

Someone needs to video several buckets of chocolate mousse being dumped off of a balcony onto some whores.

[Moogs]

Luckily I've trained the elder members of my tribe to ignore bullshit by teaching them that most often, the number of people on the forward list, is directly proportional to the level of bullshit contained in the body of the email. Also by scaring the hell out of them WRT to virus propagation. I might've *cough* taken a few liberties in describing the extent to which viral horrors can be spread by email in such chain letters. But it works.

PS - not trying to be mean but anyone who looks at that and genuinely believes [they are the hands of God] or tries to argue why it might be real... man. IQ deficit. Welcome to Kansas, toto.

[Doxxic]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 The photo:

No matter what story comes with it - this is easily the most hilarious picture I've seen in ages!
(dirty mind - joy etc)

And then, on top of that...
Connecting this to religion needs one hell of a flexible mind!

[thegeriatric]

Crap. Is the one word that comes to mind.