The power of the internet

I was just listening to "The One Show", with a piece about rhino horn, and the increasing problems of poaching. Apparently, a rumour started that some vietnamese official had been cured of cancer by taking rhino horn. However, the evidence is that this is jsut an urban myth - there is no no evidence that there is any truth behind this. And yet the result of this myth is that dozens of rhino are dying and being injured, for a lump of fingernail.

The reality is that rhino horn does not have any medical benefit. It is, in essence,  fingernail writ large. So if you think it will do you some good, try biting your nails instead - cheaper and less damaging to the species. The myth has no substance, so all of these rhinos are dying and being hurt for no value. One of the things we should have learnt over the last decade or so is that the ecological diversity of our planet is something very precious and special, that we cannot affort to damage. Everything from big ugly animals like rhinos, to little ugly ones like bugs are part fo a delicate system - it is not just the cute animals that need help.

However, the driver behind this is an internet rumour. Someone somewhere made up a story - either for fun or, more likely I believe, maliciously - and sent it to someone. It spread to other people, and across the world, reaching millions of people. And this story drives the demand for rhino horn as a medicinal product, and so rhinos are dying for a story. Tragic though the increase in poaching is, the global impact of a story made up by someone is fascinating. We no longer live in a world alone, because ideas we have in our own little houses can reach - and change the world.

The Christian story is a very simple tale at heart. It was originally written nearly 2000 years ago, but even today, it has the power to change the world. The stories of people who have encountered God have the power to change the world. There are so many scams, tragedy and ridiculous stories spread about, and yet the greatest story of all is so often not spread. If done properly, it will continue to change the world.