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Health & Fitness

The Powerful Influence of Negative!

Over 24 million dollars were spent on negative ads in the recent Iowa political campaign. What in the name of common sense is wrong with us?

Over 24 million dollars were spent on negative ads in the recent Iowa political campaign. The most shocking part of this is that it worked.

Along with that, those who had the ads produced admit they slanted the truth in their favor and the "fault" in their opponents' favor. What is even more amazing is that the voters know the ads are unfair, lacking in real truth, and purposely slanted, and yet they are highly influenced by these perpetrated falsehoods. What in the name of common sense is wrong with us? A very high percentage of the Iowa voters changed their vote on the day of the caucuses because of the negative ads. I guess negative sells.

A local TV station seems to focus on the negative. The mayor of Detroit, or, apparently, any mayor in the metro area, more often than not, is picked at. No matter what he/she may propose, these guys pick and pick until they find some supposed weakness in the plan and tenaciously pick and nag until they make a story where there was no story in the first place.  And, you know what? We take the bait, knowing it's not going to be substantive, but we watch anyway. And...unfortunately, pass it on as fact.

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I know you have experienced, either first-hand or by observation, that negative information (interpret lies) about someone or something travels faster than the speed of light. A long held reputation of honesty and/or integrity is destroyed with one dropped hint of false information. Negative conclusions are drawn on baseless talk. If the truth is ever discovered that the" facts" were incorrect, not only does that news not travel as far as the lies, it usually doesn't go  beyond the person who started it all in the first place. So, the lies live, and the person is left to deal with the consequences without a lot of help, even from their "friends."

So what do we do about this in our own lives? I'd like to share two things we can do.

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First, when you are the victim of the power of the negative, recognize that the harder you try to stop it or fix it, the worse it becomes and the farther it travels. You will not be able to stop it because human nature is sinful and self-centered. It wants to be "the first to know and the first to tell" for the purpose of personal influence. So, the less said, the better. Self-defense makes you no better than the people who are spreading the "story." Hold your tongue and speak only good about those who are involved. Jesus called this, "turning the other cheek."

Second, accept the challenge to never allow yourself to be drawn into talebearing. Instead, offer the love of God from your heart. The point is that when you respond positively, you crush the power of evil that thinks and speaks negatively. You literally take the power and influence of the negative away. You are not just minimizing that power and it's affect, you are destroying it with Godd's love and kindness.

So, understand, though you may not see the results, love always wins! Your choice is to be the victor or the victim. Remember, the agony of choice leads to the promise of change!!

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