By Rev. Jon Coyne
Recently someone decided
to play a trick on Jesus First. The trick was neither
sophisticated, nor was it in good taste. The trick certainly
did NOT promote Christians values. What was this childish
trick? Someone entered the Jesus First website address into
another website, which uses a universal translator to make a
“new” website. This new site, then shows a fake Jesus
First web page with new language. In this case, the
“language” was “gangsta rap”. For those of you who do
not know, “gansta rap” is foul-mouthed form of rap music.
Therefore, this fake edition of the Jesus First homepage is a
mockery of Jesus Christ and the organization Jesus First. I
find this kind of mockery offensive.
None of this would have been
public, except someone decided to save the fake website. Then
in an act of clear deception, someone, presumably the same
person who used the translator website, removed the top
portion of the fake web page that identifies it as coming
through the “Snoop Dog” translator. Without this portion
of the web page frame, it is easier to fool someone into
thinking that this is really a new Jesus First web page. Of
course, nothing could be further from the truth. Finally, this
fake web page was given a new web address, so that you do not
click on a website that has anything in common with Jesus
First or the “Snoop Dog” translator.
It is difficult to know how
long this fake web site, mocking our Savior, was online before
it was noticed by an individual who posted the web address
onto a Lutheran Chat group with the following statement:
"In
attempts (sic) to be 'Culturally Relevant' the so-called
'Jesus First' folks have
unveiled a new web site.” I am personally aware of the name
of the author of this statement and the chat room in which
this was posted. I call upon him to repent of his part in this
scandal. It is
bad enough that someone decided to make a mockery of the Jesus
First website. It is sad to think an individual would spread
the false web address to others. One would expect our
sin-filled world to be filled with all kinds of vile websites
that mock and taunt our Lord. This has always been the way of
evil. However, we call upon those who confess Jesus Christ, to
“resist temptation” and repent of their part in this sad
mockery of our Lord.
(Note:
I am not accusing the person who forwarded this web address of
anything other than poor judgment
by not “putting the best construction on
everything.” I do not feel it would be correct to name this
brother or the chat group at this time. Rather, I will
consider this an error in judgment and pray that all people
who have been fooled and all people who have passed this web
address to others, will repent and seek the forgiveness of our
Lord.)
In
conclusion, I would like to say a few words to all of the
people who had the misfortune of seeing the fake web site. I
cannot apologize for something I did not do. I can personally
vouch for the fact that this fake website was not produced by
Jesus First. Finally, I would encourage all people who know
the fake web address, to simply avoid this fake site and
discourage others from visiting as well.
