Church Demands Tradesman Take Down A Review Or Get Sued, He Shuts Them Down With Another Review
There are certain things that you probably shouldn’t do in a church. Always remember to take off your hat, watch your language, refrain from gossiping, and silence your cell phone. And apparently, thou shalt not write any negative reviews either.
One tradesman recently posted in the Malicious Compliance subreddit detailing how he found himself in a sticky situation with a church all because he called them out online. Below, you’ll find the full story, as well as some of the replies amused readers shared.
We’re expected to be on our best behavior when in a church
Image credits: lil artsy (not the actual photo)
But when one church decided not to practice what they preach, this tradesman knew he needed to call them out
Image credits: charlesdeluvio (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Massive-Discount845
Online reviews can be incredibly important for businesses nowadays
In this day and age, online reviews can be extremely important for businesses. Word of mouth is a great way to bring in new customers, and that word can spread even faster and farther when patrons are posting pics on social media and detailing their great experiences on the internet. On the other hand, however, this means that negative reviews can hold a lot of weight if there aren’t hundreds of positive reviews to balance them out.
According to Invesp, a whopping 90% of customers read reviews online before deciding to visit a business, and 88% of consumers trust these reviews just as much as they trust personal recommendations from friends. These reviews even affect how much patrons are willing to spend, as customers are likely to spend 31% more on companies with “excellent” reviews.
72% of consumers say that great reviews make them trust a local business more, and 92% of customers will be happy to go to a local business if they have at least a 4-star rating online. At the same time, negative reviews can deter potential customers. Invesp reports that a single negative review on Yelp can cost a business 30 customers. So it’s recommended for businesses to reply to negative comments and see if they can fix their mistakes to ensure their ratings don’t fall too low.
Image credits: Meruyert Gonullu (not the actual photo)
Some businesses consider negative reviews to be defamation
While it’s important for businesses to have great reviews, they should actually earn their reviews, rather than simply scaring off anyone who wants to critique the company. And I can’t imagine positive reviews are particularly important for places such as a church. But because this church decided to pursue legal action, they must have felt like the review posted about them was libel.
According to Freedom Forum, libel is “the publication of false statements that damage someone’s reputation.” This might also be referred to as defamation. But libel does not include opinions a person has had; it only includes specific facts that can be proven untrue. For example, if the man in this story accused the church of not paying him and that was untrue, the church would be onto something.
Assuming, however, that the man was telling the truth about the church owing him money, it’s questionable why they would try to pursue legal action. In fact, as many commenters pointed out, he could have simply sued the church first for never paying him what they owed. There’s even an example online of how to handle a potential situation where companies refuse to pay a worker in Germany.
Image credits: Lisa Fotios (not the actual photo)
It’s not always worth it to pursue legal action over online reviews
The laws will be different in every country, so depending on where you live, it may or may not be possible to actually attempt to sue over a bad review. A business may decide to sue for defamation, but it’s important that they’re able to prove that the claim made against their business actually was false. They might also need to prove to the court how the negative review has impacted their business or profits.
But this doesn’t come without any risks. Going through the entire process of taking legal action can reflect poorly on the company if it doesn’t go their way. And in general, people are allowed to express their opinions on a company online. So O’Flaherty Law notes on their site that it’s typically wise to seek an alternative solution, to avoid the hassle and costs of a lawsuit.
“In many cases, pursuing legal action for a bad review can be challenging and costly and may yield a different outcome than what is anticipated,” the law firm explains. “It is generally encouraged for businesses to consider alternative strategies to manage their online reputation effectively and to contact a litigation attorney for additional support on the matter.”
We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. And then, if you’re interested in another Bored Panda article featuring bad reviews, look no further than right here!
Image credits: Sora Shimazaki (not the actual photo)
Amused readers shared their thoughts on the story and asked the OP why he didn’t sue in the first place
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Can I call BS on this one? Mind you I don't know German laws about reviews, that said German contractors will happily send you a 1. then 2. Mahnung (overdue notice) and then let the legal path take its course, usually "Betreibung und Pfändung" (prosecution and seizure). In the beginning this costs money however which usually will be added to the deptors amount. Maybe he tried to get the church to pay without going down that path? 🤷♀️ Otherwise I really can't understand why he wouldn't take legal actions. Either there is more going on we don't know about or the guy doesn't know his rights real well 🤔🤷♀️
I agree with you that this is nonsense. Also the argument that the church can claim that they paid in cash: if you pay in cash, a receipt is issued (unless you are working illegally). They should then be able to present this as proof.
Load More Replies...
Never ever do anything for a church without getting paid in full first. These people are used to handouts from their parishioners that they feel entitled to everything else as well. And using the Lord's name to get freebies!
Organized religion is a haven for the worst people in the world. Prove me wrong. The possibility this story is fake doesn't change that.
Funny comment by PdSales. „If they paid the first half by check“. This is how I know that one is from the US. First: Assuming something normal in the US is normal everywhere. Second: we don‘t use checks anymore. I am 40 and never seen a check in my life. Third: In Germany cash is king. People prefer paying cash. So the first half was most likely payed cash too.
I don't know about Germany but in Spain the catholic church doesn't have to answer to the tax authorities. Any ONG has to. They receive 300 million every year from the state plus many more millions because many schools in Spain are semi private and owned buy the catholic church.This not counting the millions they receive from collections and inheritance.
In Germany both Christian Churches also receive a huge amount of money from the government. One of the reasons is the "Reichsdeputationshauptschluss" of 1803 (gotta love our German words!) and the resulting Secularization of church property. Yes, we're still paying for that. 600 million Euros last year. And to add to that, it is against our constitution. The government is bound by it to find a solution, but no government so far was willing to. Something that really pisses me off
Load More Replies...
On the other side of this issue, I don't hire tradespeople with obvious religious affiliations, i.e. symbols on their paperwork, their vehicles or use a lot of religious speech during the interview process. I have been scammed by these zealots twice and have had to take legal action to get my work corrected, or even PERFORMED!!!, and my money returned. Never again!
No offence, but you shouldn’t expect them to be honest & give them all your trust just because they work at a church; as they say the devil may come in all forms to bewilder us. You can’t always be nice, as that’s how people take advantage. Sometimes you HAVE to set boundaries. We’re supposed to believe that the church is built on people who are honest & kind, but many have become corrupt & greedy over money, donations & services they expect to get for free (as “an act of charity”). Thus, there are some who will do a job that should be paid for, only to be denied payment afterwards; & they may even be accused of trying to rob the church of funds, then get heckled by the church community. Be smart about it; if you plan on doing a job for them, make sure they pay up first. You may be able to ensure payment if you get their agreement in writing & have a witness when they sign (though you might want to check with a lawyer/solicitor to be certain of this route). 🤔🤷♀️
What's the point of a review if it can't be negative as well as positive? Its a sick world.
That is so tacky to have not paid somebody for their services then to blame them for your bad business practices!
Ya, another BP made-up story since they don't have to be verified and they can claim whatever for revenge. Or just another I hate church post, so unoriginal anymore!
Can I call BS on this one? Mind you I don't know German laws about reviews, that said German contractors will happily send you a 1. then 2. Mahnung (overdue notice) and then let the legal path take its course, usually "Betreibung und Pfändung" (prosecution and seizure). In the beginning this costs money however which usually will be added to the deptors amount. Maybe he tried to get the church to pay without going down that path? 🤷♀️ Otherwise I really can't understand why he wouldn't take legal actions. Either there is more going on we don't know about or the guy doesn't know his rights real well 🤔🤷♀️
I agree with you that this is nonsense. Also the argument that the church can claim that they paid in cash: if you pay in cash, a receipt is issued (unless you are working illegally). They should then be able to present this as proof.
Load More Replies... Never ever do anything for a church without getting paid in full first. These people are used to handouts from their parishioners that they feel entitled to everything else as well. And using the Lord's name to get freebies!
Organized religion is a haven for the worst people in the world. Prove me wrong. The possibility this story is fake doesn't change that.
Funny comment by PdSales. „If they paid the first half by check“. This is how I know that one is from the US. First: Assuming something normal in the US is normal everywhere. Second: we don‘t use checks anymore. I am 40 and never seen a check in my life. Third: In Germany cash is king. People prefer paying cash. So the first half was most likely payed cash too.
I don't know about Germany but in Spain the catholic church doesn't have to answer to the tax authorities. Any ONG has to. They receive 300 million every year from the state plus many more millions because many schools in Spain are semi private and owned buy the catholic church.This not counting the millions they receive from collections and inheritance.
In Germany both Christian Churches also receive a huge amount of money from the government. One of the reasons is the "Reichsdeputationshauptschluss" of 1803 (gotta love our German words!) and the resulting Secularization of church property. Yes, we're still paying for that. 600 million Euros last year. And to add to that, it is against our constitution. The government is bound by it to find a solution, but no government so far was willing to. Something that really pisses me off
Load More Replies... On the other side of this issue, I don't hire tradespeople with obvious religious affiliations, i.e. symbols on their paperwork, their vehicles or use a lot of religious speech during the interview process. I have been scammed by these zealots twice and have had to take legal action to get my work corrected, or even PERFORMED!!!, and my money returned. Never again!
No offence, but you shouldn’t expect them to be honest & give them all your trust just because they work at a church; as they say the devil may come in all forms to bewilder us. You can’t always be nice, as that’s how people take advantage. Sometimes you HAVE to set boundaries. We’re supposed to believe that the church is built on people who are honest & kind, but many have become corrupt & greedy over money, donations & services they expect to get for free (as “an act of charity”). Thus, there are some who will do a job that should be paid for, only to be denied payment afterwards; & they may even be accused of trying to rob the church of funds, then get heckled by the church community. Be smart about it; if you plan on doing a job for them, make sure they pay up first. You may be able to ensure payment if you get their agreement in writing & have a witness when they sign (though you might want to check with a lawyer/solicitor to be certain of this route). 🤔🤷♀️
What's the point of a review if it can't be negative as well as positive? Its a sick world.
That is so tacky to have not paid somebody for their services then to blame them for your bad business practices!
Ya, another BP made-up story since they don't have to be verified and they can claim whatever for revenge. Or just another I hate church post, so unoriginal anymore!
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