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Dans.Faithweb.comThis page is more of a prayer request for a lost soul than a complaint about an organization. This story depicts the actual accounts that happened to me on March 20th & 21st, 1999 and witnessed by my wife. This page was not designed to slander anyone or any organization. This mearly displays the actions of people who claim to be Christians. I am not saying they don't believe in God, they just didn't appear to have any Christian values; especially since they were representing a so-called Christian organization. I'll let you be the judge, here's the story:
I stumbled accross this supposedly Christian web site called Youth of America. I saw on there where they offered free web space so I thought I would sign up with them. After I started the sign up procedure, I saw this disclaimer on their page:
| * A Standard, One Time YOA 50.00 set up fee applies: ( No Set Up Fee For Church/Non Profit, Youth Of America Chapters- $60 if you choose to use a Virtual Domain Name and/or $50 for Custom Graphics and Page Design. if you choose) |
Knowing that I was not a Church, non-profit organization, or a member of their Youth of America chapter, I assumed that I would have to pay the one-time $50 setup fee. I immediately aborted the sign up procedure & went about my business.
A few days later, I received 2 e-mails from sanctify@youthofamerica.com & this is the exact contents of their letters.
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What are your bandwidth requirements??? 770.736.6890 1426 Web Gin House Rd Lawrenceville, Ga. 30045 |
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All of these pages were created in & are best viewed in 640 X 480 resolution. I have also found
that Netscape Navigator will NOT allow you to see all of my pictures & backgrounds & it won't
play some of the background sounds. If you experience these problems, try using are you aware that a few scripts solve the above problems?? BTW: Your page is of the Lord! Great Work... let me KNOW the amount of web space you would like.... rock 770.736.6890 1426 Web Gin House Rd Lawrenceville, Ga. 30045 |
The first letter confused me a little, I couldn't figure out who was e-mailing me & wanting to know my bandwidth limits. After I read the second letter, I remembered going through the partial sign up with YOA. Since I was not planning on using their service, I replied with this brief message:
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I was looking for a free web host for my page. After begining the signup procedure with your
organization, I noticed you charge a fee which I am not interested in. Thank you anyway.
Dan Paschal |
This seemed humble enough without going into any great detail. So, once again I went about my business, not requesting or expecting a reply back from this person. About 5 minutes after I sent that message, I received another message from the same person. Not expecting a reply, I anxiously opened the e-mail. Immediately I noticed this message was very different from the previous ones. It had the aroma of an angry person & it had bold, bright red text, like the devil had inspired it. Once again, here is a copy of the letter I received, including text color, punctuation, and everything exactly as I received it.
| Well, you obviously have poor manors?? Where is the THANK YOU for taking the time to reply??? As to FEE, WE CHARGE NOTHING FOR YOUTH OR MINISTRY PAGES! AND OFFER FOR FREE!!!!! 10 megs to start, real vid and audio, 3 POP 3 mail accounts, guest book, www board, ultimate forum, free links, cgi bin, 21 scripts, form mail, web banner program, Mirv Engine, PhP, FP 98, FULL AnyThing.yoa.com Sub Domain, Anonymous FTP, FTP account, Online editor, Real G2,audio-video, Major Domo Mail, Mailing List Mgr Chat/Conference BOTH IRC and Java, SSL !!!!!, Shopping Carts, Random Link, Random Sounds, Text Counters Graphical Counters. Web Site Hits Log, Web Trends, Web Site Reporter, HTTP Analyze, Pass Word Mgr, Excite Search,MIRV Engine, Web Adverts, Site Promotion, Random Images, MySQL Data Base, Web Based E Mail and ALL W/O ADVIRTISING!! Only The YOA FAMILY Banner exchange (composed of others in the yoa family!.. also, FREE TECH support, training and COMPUTERS!!! THE ONLY CHARGE FOR FREE ACCOUNTS are IF one WANTS THEIR OWN VIRTUAL DOMAIN NAME.. and even then, we ONLY charge OUR cost!! So, next time, read the info, or, at least, thank the person in Jesus Name... goes a Lot Further!!!! Blessings Rock |
I was shocked! I went back to the last letter I sent him & tried to find anything in it that could make him this angry. I did thank him in my first reply, what more was he expecting? I felt it hard to beleive that a true Christian person would send out this type of letter. I probably should have ignored him & went on my way, but I felt I should write him back and try to clear the air. Here is my final letter to him:
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I was very offended by your last response. I am a true Christian & I thought I was dealing
with another Christian. Do you respond to all of your prespective clients in this mannor?
The first thing you said was "Well, you obviously have poor manors??". I took that as an insult.
I did thank you in my last email, maybe you need to re-read it. I have enclosed a copy of it
below in case you've already deleted your copy. As far as the fee I was refering to, it states on you website (http://youthofamerica.org/RealFree.htm) that - " *A Standard, One Time YOA 50.00 set up fee applies: ( No Set Up Fee For Church/Non Profit, Youth Of America Chapters- $60 if you choose to use a Virtual Domain Name and/or $50 for Custom Graphics and Page Design. if you choose) " I am not a Church, non-profit organization, or Youth Of America chapter. I am just an individual looking for a host for my site. So my understanding is that I will be charged this fee. If this is not the case, then I appoligize again. One last note, in the future, please proof-read your letters before you send them & ask yourself. Would I be offended if I received this letter? (Luke 6:31). And remember that no man is prefect & we shouldn't expect that (Ephesians 4:32). God bless & I'll be praying for you. Dan Paschal > >I was looking for a free web host for my page. After begining the signup >procedure with your organization, I noticed you charge a fee which I am not >interested in. Thank you anyway. > >Dan Paschal |
Well, sure enough, he wrote me back, this time he was even madder than before. It seems like I had brought out the devil's advocate in him, but I wasn't trying to make him mad. I was trying to explain to him how he insulted me for no apparent reason. Well, here is his final (I hope) response. You can decide for yourself whether you think this is a true Christian response or not.
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I MEANT EVERY WORD!!! you are the most rude child I have EVER met!! Take that to the bank! what, do you think that you can be rude and not informed of it>>?>?>? I stand behind what I said!! AND!! If you read the info, you will find THATALL YOUTH ARE FREE!! do NOT email me back.. I care less about your Christian hypocrisy! 770.736.6890 1426 Web Gin House Rd Lawrenceville, Ga. 30045 |
Well, I think we all need to pray for this lost soul, especially since he will be working with the Youth of America organization. If he can get that mad at me, that easily, for virtually nothing, what will he do with an unruly child. I will not attempt to contact him again as he seems to have a grudge against me. I can only hope that God will touch his heart so the next person that contacts him will not be treated in the same manner.
As far as my values, I am a Christian man. I was saved back in high school in 1978. I've been married for 10 years & I've been working for the same company for 10 years. I am very active in our Church, not only as their web designer & church council member, but I also help teach the TeamKID class every Wednesday night & I play on our Church's softball team. I don't drink or do drugs. I love children and animals & I enjoy reading my Bible. One of my goals is to read the entire Bible, front to back. I am not perfect by any means of the word, but I love the Lord & I try to follow His Word as best I can.
Once again, I am not trying to slander this person. I just feel that we all need to think about what we are doing, before we do it. I am a firm believer that we should all "Do unto others as you would have them do to you" (Luke 6:31). If everyone would do that, this world would be alot more enjoyable to live in.
If you have any questions or comments, please
e-mail me here.