Back in 1957 the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), known for its accurate reporting of the news, did a special segment on the spaghetti harvest in Switzerland. Of concern was a change in the spring weather that threatened to affect the taste of the spaghetti. The report showed women harvesting spaghetti from tree-like bushes. Years of scientific engineering had enabled spaghetti growers to grow spaghetti strands that were the same diameter and length, the famous reporter said in this 3-minute documentary.

The report brought mixed reactions, some saying the report tainted the credibility of a respected news source, while others wrote the station to find out how they could order their own spaghetti bushes. This was the first use of television to broadcast an April Fool’s prank.

But its not funny at all that so many fools have rejected the good news of Jesus Christ and swallowed the lie that they can live life to their own ends and never have to be accountability to “a High Power”. Its as foolish as growing our own spaghetti.

Tags: April Fool, deception, prank

Somehow we got a virus in our home computer. We have an antivirus program installed on the computer, however, apparently a counterfeit snuck into it when I was online. The popup said a virus had been detected and showed several viruses in my computer. It asked if I wanted to remove them and I checked the ‘Fix’ button. Big mistake! When I told the counterfeit antivirus program to ‘Fix’ the problem, I downloaded the real virus.

The moral of the story is clear to me: Beware of counterfeits. Because I was trusting the real thing to do its job, I innocently was fooled into trusting the counterfeit by mistake. It was like the proverbial worm on the hook. I bit and got bit.

What’s your experience with deception and counterfeits?

Tags: counterfeit, deception

First, somebody told it,
Then the room couldn’t hold it,
So the busy tongues rolled it
Till they got it outside.

Then the crowd came across it,
And never once lost it,
But tossed it and tossed it,
Till it grew long and wide.

This lie brought forth others,
Dark sisters and brothers,
And fathers and mothers —
A terrible crew.

And while headlong they hurried,
The people they flurried,
And troubled and worried,
As lies always do.

And so evil-bodied,
This monster lay goaded,
Till at last it exploded
In smoke and in shame.

Then from mud and from mire,
The pieces flew higher,
And hit the sad victim
And killed a good name.

Tags: deception, poetry

I heard of a 12-year old boy who was a key witness in a lawsuit. One of the lawyers, after intense questioning, asked, “Your father told you what to say, didn’t he?”

“Yes,” answered the boy.

“Now tell us,” pursued the lawyer, “what were his instructions?”

“Well,” replied the boy, “Father told me the lawyers would try to tangle me in my testimony; but if I would just be careful and tell the truth, I could say the same thing every time.”

“A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies will not escape” (Proverbs 19:5).

Tags: deception, truth

In 1943 the Allies wanted Adolph Hitler to believe they were going to invade Sardinia and the Greek Peloponnesus, not Sicily as was actually planned. The British came up with an ingenious scheme: float a dead man, carrying phony letters concerning invasion plans, off the coast of Spain, where German operatives were active. If all went well, the body would be recovered and its false secrets would fool the enemy.

Scrupulous attention was devoted to detail. The body had to look as though it had been in an airplane crash and then drowned. After an exhaustive search, the British discovered the perfect corpse: that of a man who had died of pneumonia following exposure. They called him Maj. William Martin.

The British conspirators stuffed the corpse’s pockets with theater ticket stubs, an “overdrawn” notice from his bank, love letters from his fiance, a cranky letter from his father about fuel rationing. And of course, the secret invasion plans. The body was placed strategically where currents would deposit it where desired.

The entire deception worked marvellously and the Germans were caught off guard. Satan is the master deceiver. He knows how to work events around to make us think we’re safe when we’re about to be destroyed.

When was the last time you were deceived?

Tags: deception, Satan, World War II

Everyone wants a great bargain. Pay close attention to the real deal you get in this national donut store chain ad:

“FREE! 3 Muffins when you buy 3 at the Regular Half-Dozen price.”

Unless there’s a typo in that, it sounds like you can buy 6 donuts at the price of 6 donuts. But the double-talk makes it seem like another deal altogether.

Its kind of like that with Satan’s deceptions. He makes it sound like its a special deal to do this or that. Then in the end, we pay much more than we thought, and the bargain ceases to become a bargain. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and there is no way around it except to repent.

Tags: bargain, deception, repentence, sin