Is it Unchristian to Leave a Bad Review?

[HappyHope]

I paid for a lawncare service for a house I'm selling in another state. My not-so-clever-self paid for two months in advance. After stringing me along for almost 4 weeks, I have received no service and now he isnt answering my calls. I'll write off the expense as a gift for my heart's sake but should I leave a negative review to warn others?

Some Christians are against negative reviews I understand. Plus, I'm all for kindness and grace. I'm torn. Let it go both internally and externally with no effects? Or try and hold him a bit accountable and warn others with a negative review?

 

[mkgal1]

After stringing me along for almost 4 weeks, I have received no service and now he isnt answering my calls. I'll write off the expense as a gift for my heart's sake but should I leave a negative review to warn others?

Since we're to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you"....then personally I absolutely believe you should leave an honest review and let others know what happened in your transaction with this person. Isn't that the point of reviews? Wouldn't you have appreciated being warned ahead of time if this had happened to others before you? You don't need to give commentary in your review (for example....saying "what a JERK this guy is...he's not even answering my calls")that should be avoided. I would simply say what you basically wrote in your OP....facts.

I'm sorry that happened to you. Maybe this can be resolved through your review. Is their company listed on Yelp or anything like that? Where are you planning on leaving the review?

 

[bèlla]

I don't think there's anything wrong with sharing a personal opinion. But I've seen Christian reviews which attacked the person because the experiences cites were beyond their norm. I believe that hails from a spirit of envy and is inappropriate.

Yours in His Service,

~Bella

 

[Francis Drake]

Jesus left a whole load of bad reviews!

 

[Chris V++]

I guess it depends on the review. We aren't supposed to repay evil for evil, but if you are honest you should be fine. Maybe give him one more chance. Maybe there are circumstances you are not yet aware of.

 

[grasping the after wind]

I paid for a lawncare service for a house I'm selling in another state. My not-so-clever-self paid for two months in advance. After stringing me along for almost 4 weeks, I have received no service and now he isnt answering my calls. I'll write off the expense as a gift for my heart's sake but should I leave a negative review to warn others?

Some Christians are against negative reviews I understand. Plus, I'm all for kindness and grace. I'm torn. Let it go both internally and externally with no effects? Or try and hold him a bit accountable and warn others with a negative review?

If one is attempting to love one's neighbor warning them about this sort of business is very much the Christian thing to do.

 

[HappyHope]

Since we're to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you"....then personally I absolutely believe you should leave an honest review and let others know what happened in your transaction with this person. Isn't that the point of reviews? Wouldn't you have appreciated being warned ahead of time if this had happened to others before you? You don't need to give commentary in your review (for example....saying "what a JERK this guy is...he's not even answering my calls")that should be avoided. I would simply say what you basically wrote in your OP....facts.

I'm sorry that happened to you. Maybe this can be resolved through your review. Is their company listed on Yelp or anything like that? Where are you planning on leaving the review?

Something like:
I paid ----Lawn Service $390 in advance for 1 power wash ($175) a first time lawn service ($125) and two subsequent lawn care days at ($45 x2). In the last month, Mr. ---- cited weather, truck problems, a miscommunication, and questionably locked gates as reasons for no service. He left me one negative text message ending in "OK!!" I have a screenshot of the text. Now he has stopped responding to my messages. Please be warned of ----- Lawn Service.

**update my math was off. it was ($45 X 2) for two separate long services not ($90X2). my bad.

 

[mkgal1]

Something like:
I paid ----Lawn Service $390 in advance for 1 power wash ($175) a first time lawn service ($125) and two subsequent lawn care days at ($90 x2). In the last month, Mr. ---- cited weather, truck problems, a miscommunication, and questionably locked gates as reasons for no service. He left me one negative text message ending in "OK!!" I have a screenshot of the text. Now he has stopped responding to my messages. Please be warned of ----- Lawn Service.

Yes....I think that's great. I hope maybe this resolves things for you....if not, at least you are telling the truth and protecting others.

 

[paul1149]

Some Christians are against negative reviews

I'm not against them, but I am reticent about them. I will leave one if I feel it's morally right to warn others. It's important if doing so to keep the high spiritual ground, a la Galatians 6:1. I think there's quite a bit of gray area here.

 

[HappyHope]

Jesus left a whole load of bad reviews!

Ain't that the truth!

 

[HappyHope]

I guess it depends on the review. We aren't supposed to repay evil for evil, but if you are honest you should be fine. Maybe give him one more chance. Maybe there are circumstances you are not yet aware of.

I actually want to. But now that communication has stopped I'm at a loss. He kept promising every two - six days for over three weeks . My realtor was waiting on him so she could take pictures. My realtor could not understand why I didn't move on sooner. My husband is done waiting too. It's time to move on.

 

[Hazelelponi]

I paid for a lawncare service for a house I'm selling in another state. My not-so-clever-self paid for two months in advance. After stringing me along for almost 4 weeks, I have received no service and now he isnt answering my calls. I'll write off the expense as a gift for my heart's sake but should I leave a negative review to warn others?

Some Christians are against negative reviews I understand. Plus, I'm all for kindness and grace. I'm torn. Let it go both internally and externally with no effects? Or try and hold him a bit accountable and warn others with a negative review?

If it's a business and they failingly provided or refused to provide the service you paid for then it's fine to warn others. I would.

The only time you wouldn't would be if there was some personal issue between you and the business, and it ended up being more like gossip.

But leaving a review for a business, whether positive or negative, isn't backbiting... If I have no concerns over leaving a positive review in order to recommend a business, then why would I have qualms over a negative comment about my experience?

 

[Hazelelponi]

I'm not against them, but I am reticent about them. I will leave one if I feel it's morally right to warn others. It's important if doing so to keep the high spiritual ground, a la Galatians 6:1. I think there's quite a bit of gray area here.

I don't see how Galatians 6:1 has anything to do with an honest review of a business. Galatians is talking about a Christian, one truly in Christ who has been caught by sin. The restoring of this person is restoring them back to a right relationship with God, and with the church if need be.

Business reviews in a secular society really have nothing to do with that. The poster isn't restoring this person back to a right relationship with God, or even pointing out sin, but rather, bad business practices so this individual doesn't take another innocent person, if it can be avoided.

If I read a review like that, I may still take a chance on the business but i might make sure to get the work done before paying, for instance... that's something helpful to be aware of, at any rate for any future customers.

 

[paul1149]

I don't see how Galatians 6:1 has anything to do with an honest review of a business.

I think that generally we should take that spirit into a confrontation whenever possible. Sometimes it is not possible.

 

[Hazelelponi]

I think that generally we should take that spirit into a confrontation whenever possible. Sometimes it is not possible.

I used to be an e-commerce manager for a smaller business...

Reviews are everything these days, and I built this companies online business from being 5% of all their sales, to over 50% of all sales in just over a year, by delivering the kind of service I would want delivered to myself, and getting excellent reviews for it.

But there are scammers out there too, people all too willing to take advantage of others.

Now that I live in a remote area I do a lot of online shopping, and by listening to what customers have to say, almost never have a bad experience although I have once or twice.

If it's a minor issue, I wouldn't bother but over 500 dollars out of pocket and no work done to show for it with much patience in allowing plenty of time? I'd say something... that's not a business, it's a scam.

 

[Sketcher]

Others deserved to be warned if these people took your money and won't make it right with you.

 

[NerdGirl]

I paid for a lawncare service for a house I'm selling in another state. My not-so-clever-self paid for two months in advance. After stringing me along for almost 4 weeks, I have received no service and now he isnt answering my calls. I'll write off the expense as a gift for my heart's sake but should I leave a negative review to warn others?

Some Christians are against negative reviews I understand. Plus, I'm all for kindness and grace. I'm torn. Let it go both internally and externally with no effects? Or try and hold him a bit accountable and warn others with a negative review?

There's nothing un-Christian about being honest. Of course you should leave a negative review. This business conducted itself in a negative fashion. That's what reviews are for! So people can get an idea of how a business conducts itself.

 

[NerdGirl]

I actually want to. But now that communication has stopped I'm at a loss. He kept promising every two - six days for over three weeks . My realtor was waiting on him so she could take pictures. My realtor could not understand why I didn't move on sooner. My husband is done waiting too. It's time to move on.

If you paid for a service and didn't receive it, these people are thieves. They stole your money. Wouldn't you want to know if you were about to conduct business with a thief?

 

[xaris]

Nothing wrong with warning others.

 

[Francis Drake]

Some Christians are against negative reviews I understand. Plus, I'm all for kindness and grace. I'm torn. Let it go both internally and externally with no effects? Or try and hold him a bit accountable and warn others with a negative review?

Anyone who believes we shouldn't leave a negative review, should also refrain from voting either way in any election.
Christians who believe we shouldn't judge, should also refrain from voting, or for that matter, taking any other decision.

Life itself requires that we make constant judgement of people or things or situations.