I went to a Global Vacation Network presentation in Grand Rapids that promised a free Android tablet to anyone who attended. I have been to several of these vacation and time-share presentations. All of them have delivered the gift they promised. Global Vacations has not -- yet. I submitted my complaint to the Better Business Bureau, but I am not holding my breath. I did not check with the BBB first (as I should have) to learn that there are 191 complaints against Global Vacation Network for not doing what they promise. Caveat emptor.
Right now some of my readers are wondering how someone as intelligent as I could fall for such a scam. I must tell you that I have been the benefactor of many free gifts from similar operations. After winning a free trip to Cancun (many years ago) I sat in a time-share presentation at my beachfront hotel and walked out with a free sarape and two free lobster dinners. The lobsters were delicious; the sarape lasted many years before it went to the landfill. I found Cancun to be a bore, but it was a free bore. We later spent two free nights in a fine establishment in Petoskey with free dinner and breakfast compliments of another time-share type outfit. There were other "sit and listen" presentations that netted free gifts.
I also bought a vacation package several years ago at one of these events. It sounded like a truly worthwhile investment at the time. In fact we did get good use from it for a couple years, but then my financial situation deteriorated and I was forced to relinquish my "ownership" in the vacation property I had purchased. I do not recommend this as sound financial practice.
I am baring my soul in this way as a warning to others who may be tempted by offers that sound too good to be true. The old saying is true: if it sounds too good to be true it is. Granted, I stumbled into a few dollars worth of something-for-nothing, but statistically the adage holds true. There is no free lunch. Despite the fact that I signed up for Mr. Steak's free trip to Cancun and won, the vast majority (like everybody but me) who entered that drawing lost. Millions of people who bought lottery tickets in the last multi-million dollar lottery lost every penny.
Something deep in the human soul wants something for nothing. Scam artists traffic on that. Whether it is the Michigan state lottery, the nearest Indian casion or the raffle down at the parish, somebody is betting that there will be plenty of people who will lay down good money for a slight (and very slight) chance to get something for (next to) nothing. Do the math. There is no way a casino or travel company or church can offer a "free gift" without having someone pay for it. If you happen to "win," someone or many someones "lost." That's just the way it works.
This may explain why so many people are confused about what the Gospel of Christ really offers. It sounds too good to be true. We are conditioned to think that we have to pay something or do something to earn anything of value. Life generally teaches us that only hard work is rewarded with cash and benefits, so anything worth having requires work. People typically don't do what I did and go to a presentation offering something for free. Most people are smart enough to recognize the scam.
So what's the WHAMM here? There actually is a "free lunch" in one sense of the word. (It isn't really free because Someone paid for it already, but it is free to the current contestant.) A free ticket to heaven has been bought and paid for by the Saviour of the world. Christ redeemed (literally "bought back") anyone who places trust in him for salvation. Winning the next Powerball will only get you a few million dollars a year for life. Life ends. Gaining eternal life from a relationship with Christ gets an eternity of "free" benefits that never end. And you don't have to sit through a time-share presentation. And the liklihood of getting what was promised is better than with Global Vacation Network.
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