Now that's a story to tell
INSPIRATIONAL stories from the
Internet: who hasn't been flooded with them?
There's one about Farmer Fleming, a poor Scotsman who one day
heard a cry for help and ran to save a boy from drowning in the
bog. The next day, the boy's father, a nobleman, pulled up in
a fancy carriage and offered payment. The farmer refused. Then
the farmer's son came out of the family hovel and the nobleman
made an offer to educate the farmer's son. And as the story goes,
the farmer's son went on to graduate from St Mary's Hospital Medical
School and then discovered penicillin (did I mention the son's
name was Alexander?)
Years later, the nobleman's son, not content with being rescued
from drowning, got himself stricken with penumonia and had to
be saved by penicillin. The story ends with the nobleman's name
- Lord Randolph Churchill. And the name of his son who found succour
in both Farmer Fleming and Sir Alexander Fleming? Sir Winston
Churchill.
One good turn deserves another (and another). What an inspirational
story. What a pity it is complete bunkum. The Winston Churchill
Centre in Washington, D.C, says this is a myth, as does Churchill's
official biographer, Sir Martin Gilbert. Lord Moran, Churchill's
physician, said that he treated Churchill's pneumonia with sulphonamide,
not penicillin. All this hasn't stopped the story from making
its rounds.
Or how about the one with the atheist professor at the University
of Southern California who challenges students about their faith.
The professor makes Christians stand up, and says if God really
exists He could prevent chalk from breaking. The professor then
goes on to drop and break a piece of chalk on the floor. The Christians
are made to look like fools. This goes on for 20 years until a
particular Christian joins the class. This student stands up to
be counted, the chalk is dropped, but then it slides, bounces
and rolls off the professor's clothes and finally ends up on the
floor unbroken. The professor rushes from the room in shame, and
this student (no doubt a Methodist) preaches the Gospel to the
300 other students in the room.
Unfortunately, although inspirational, the story as it stands
is fiction. There is actually a statement on the University of
Southern California's website debunking this urban legend. There
is a similar but true story involving a glass flask that occurred
in a chemistry class at Allegheny College, in Pennsylvania in
the 1920s. But that's another story.
These and many other fictitious stories are regularly circulated
by well-meaning people out to spread some hope, love and joy in
the lives of their friends and family. They are unaware, in some
instances unconcerned, that these stories are fictitious. I don't
really mind receiving such imaginary stories, because it means
that somewhere out there someone is thinking about me with good
intentions.
I also have nothing against imaginary stories in general; I read
lots of fiction. Imaginary stories can help illustrate a point
you want to make. We need imaginary stories for laughs -- most
of our jokes are made-up stories. But I am not sure we need imaginary
stories for inspiration.
Imaginary stories passed off as true do not become altogether
uninspiring once they are revealed as fiction. But I feel they
lose a certain quality. Why disguise imaginary stories as the
truth? You do not have to resort to lies to inspire people. It
is the truth that inspires.
We all need to be more discerning with what is true and what is
false. The apostle Peter, in the second chapter of his second
letter in the Bible, warns of false teachers who introduce destructive
heresies. "In their greed these teachers will exploit you
with stories they have made up." (2 Peter 2:3).
On the other hand, Peter insists that where the disciples are
concerned, "We did not follow cleverly invented stories when
we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty." (2 Peter 1:16).
Let me tell you a true story that will inspire you, one which
you can and should spread to everyone you know. Long, long ago,
in a land far, far away, when people were estranged from God and
dead to sin, when Death waited eagerly to reap the souls of men,
God himself came down as a little baby to bring hope and relief
to his people. The small baby's name was Jesus.
Oh wait, you already know this story …
(For those of you who would like to check out the veracity of
stories before circulation, you may want to visit www.truthorfiction.com
or www.snopes.com).
The Rev Chiang Ming Shun is an Assistant Pastor at Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.
QUOTE:
TRUTH INSPIRES
'Imaginary stories passed off as true do not become altogether uninspiring once they are revealed as fiction. But I feel they lose a certain quality. Why disguise imaginary stories as the truth? You do not have to resort to lies to inspire people. It is the truth that inspires.'