![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/forward.jpg\")
Before forwarding that next e-mail, consider the following:<\/p>\nBefore forwarding that next e-mail, consider the following:<\/p>\n
Inasmuch as “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance<\/em>” (Proverbs 15:13), it is nice to send and receive jokes and humorous stories, but care must be exercised in doing so. The Scriptures describe “coarse jesting<\/em>” as behavior that should “not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints<\/em>” (Ephesians 5:3-4). If it contains sexual humor, thus trivializing sin (I Corinthians 6:18; I Thessalonians 4:3-4), it is coarse and should not be forwarded. If it contains “filthy language” (Colossians 3:8) it is likewise coarse and should not be forwarded. If the joke itself is harmless but contains gratuitous profanity, just delete the offensive words before sending it.<\/p>\n Remember that “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight<\/em>” (Proverbs 12:22). If you are less than certain that the information received is accurate, then verify it before sending it on. Websites like snopes.com exist for the single purpose of vetting rumors and urban legends. Information that cannot be validated is not worth sharing. This is especially important when the content is critical of another because “whoever spreads slander is a fool<\/em>” (Proverbs 10:18).<\/p>\n If the message on your screen mentions God, prayer, miracles, or the antichrist, do yourself and everyone else a favor: back it up with book, chapter, and verse (II John 9; Revelation 22:18-19). Otherwise, don’t send it because what you share may lead others astray (James 3:1).<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Bryan Matthew Dockens Before forwarding that next e-mail, consider the following: Is It Morally Correct? Inasmuch as “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance” (Proverbs 15:13), it is nice to send and receive jokes and humorous stories, but care must be exercised in doing so. The Scriptures describe “coarse jesting” as behavior that should…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[642,441],"class_list":["post-55160","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-christianity","tag-truth"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9935,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-we-post-memes-that-contain-bad-language\/","url_meta":{"origin":55160,"position":0},"title":"Should we post memes that contain bad language?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 19, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have been talking to someone about the Facebook memes they post that contains offensive language. I was telling them that it's not right as a Christian, but he says things like, \"Well, sometimes you have to to get the point across\" and \"Just ignore that part.\" He doesn't\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1814,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-sexual-acts-should-not-be-committed-before-marriage\/","url_meta":{"origin":55160,"position":1},"title":"What sexual acts should not be committed before marriage?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 21, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What sexual acts should not be committed in a relationship before marriage? Answer: \"Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge\" (Hebrews 13:4). From the time that God created the world, His intention was that sex would be freely expressed within\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":18974,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-are-the-definitions-of-foolish-talk-and-coarse-jesting\/","url_meta":{"origin":55160,"position":2},"title":"What are the definitions of “foolish talk” and “coarse jesting?”","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 2, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Ephesians 5:4 says that \"neither ... foolish talking nor jesting\" ought to be found among the saints.\u00a0 However, I have had difficulty coming to the precise meanings of these words, or maybe I am afraid to.\u00a0 I see\u00a0on your web site\u00a0that you, and most others, define \"foolish talking\" as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":41076,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-to-tell-jokes\/","url_meta":{"origin":55160,"position":3},"title":"Is it wrong to tell jokes?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 25, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Please, I want to know the difference between jesting and comedy. Is being a comedian godly? Answer: Humor is an important part of communication. There is nothing wrong with telling jokes, so long as they are appropriate. You would not make a joke that implied you would (or did)\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":43961,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-appreciate-your-definition-of-course-jesting\/","url_meta":{"origin":55160,"position":4},"title":"I appreciate your definition of course jesting","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 13, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I read\u00a0your definition and explanation of coarse jesting\u00a0on Google, and I appreciate it. It helped me to understand the term better in the context in which it is written in Ephesians 5:4. Thanks for your input. Answer: Happy to be of service.","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":25871,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-talking-sexually-through-texting-before-marriage-considered-wrong\/","url_meta":{"origin":55160,"position":5},"title":"Is talking sexually through texting before marriage considered wrong?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 30, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Is talking sexually through texting before marriage considered wrong? Answer: One of the mistakes the Pharisees made was to look at God's laws so narrowly that they decided that only what was precisely mentioned was wrong. They understood that committing adultery was wrong, but they excused thinking about it.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55160","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55160"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55160\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55160"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55160"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Is It Factually Correct?<\/h3>\n
Is It Scripturally Correct?<\/h3>\n