CNN asks "Who in the World Isn't on Facebook?" and I reply, "My family and I and close friends". The article I came across today was disheartening to me. Not only because, I've watched others lose their morals on Facebook but also because 3 people we know left their spouse after entering the Facebook world. Those things have only warned me of the dangers involved.
Am I really that odd? Am I so socially unacceptable to the majority that I'm some kind of kook for not being on Facebook? Am I peculiar maybe? Is that what I have to join to be accepted and liked by others? Why are those without divided from those within? Does it promote cliquish behavior? Does it cause division? Is it of the right spirit? Is it expedient? Can anyone ever set rules on what you shouldn't do on facebook?
I came across and excellent on article on "Should Christians be on Facebook" by R.C. Sproul Jr. He makes some very valid points and challenges your thinking. According to the Bible, Paul states that all things are lawful for we as Christians, but not all things are expedient. Simply put - it isn't sin but it could be a weight, idol or lead to sin. Same with all other things of course but what other area do you put out your first and last name, location, job, who your friends and family are, where you grew up, went to school and so forth? I was able to show my sister that I could easily steal her identity knowing nothing about her but just what was on her facebook profile. She was scared to say the least lol. Imagine how easy for pedophiles it has become to track your children.
I know everyone gets their toes stepped on when you mention ANYTHING negative about the F-word and believe me - I've gotten an earful of it from saying anything against it lol. I've had people ask me "Are you on Facebook" and when I reply "No", they stop and look at me and then I get this LONG essay on why they are on there and all the great things about like its some sort of god. I wonder sometimes why it has to be defended so greatly? I wonder why it causes such a stir? Why are others so sensitive about it when people, a few years ago, were afraid to even use their first and last name online. The way some talk about it, even the media, you would think people actually bow down to it and worship it daily.
Here are some great quotes from the above article:
"How, I wonder, can a person take a technology that exists to say to the watching world, “Here I am. Come see about me” complain that the world is coming to see about them? Anyone who wishes more privacy can find such easily enough."
"Is the rush of nostalgia from finding long lost friends encouraging you to be dissatisfied? Are you secretly looking for that old girlfriend? Are you already caught up in adultery simply by wishing you could be sixteen again?"
"is Facebook encouraging contentment or resentment? Are you coveting your neighbor’s friend count? Are you jealous of how many “likes” there are for his posts compared to yours? And are you content with the real life you are shutting out while hunched over your keyboard?"
I have no doubt that if I ever got a Facebook, satan would make sure all the men from my past found me. It would be a door left wide open for temptation to enter in. Sadly, we already have witnessed that in a few people. I don't want to be found necessarily because the girl back then DIED and I became a new creature in Christ. Hubby feels the same way and quite frankly, I don't want my husband to have other women on his page to chat with. Overfamiliarity breeds more than just contempt.
However, don't take this post the wrong way - but, alas, some will always find wrong in me no matter what I say or do. Sadly, I'm in the minority with this viewpoint and I know its not accepted but I will not cower to the social norm. I can only hope that more marriages aren't destroyed by this social device.
Divorce lawyers reveal that one in five divorces now cite Facebook as the reason and one 35-year-old woman even discovered her husband was divorcing her via Facebook:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/6857918/Facebook-fuelling-divorce-research-claims.html
I watched a news story video online and the news anchor mentions Facebook is like piping infidelity into your home. He said he even knows personally of 3 marriages that ended because of Facebook.
I will end this post with a video of a conservative Baptist minister sharing a story of some Godly young men reaching others for Christ and also a bit of admonition dealing with being a man of God:
