A Good Idea Gone Amok

One of the most divisive tools ever used in society is social media. Yes, social media has provided entertainment, and been beneficial in bringing long lost friends together as well as families. I guess there may be countless advantages found in the various social media outlets. However, when social media spills over the boundaries of civility I wonder if it is worth it. When a young person becomes a punching bag to be unfairly scorned just because he is different, or a teenage girl’s indiscretions are posted to be read or seen by her friends I wonder if maybe this freedom to post anything we want has gone too far.

Social media has gone amok when a family member shares in detail a conflict between those who are at odds with them. I am not entertained by off color, nasty pictures or jokes. I am not moved by pictures of small children who have been severely burned, or beaten, or animals that have been abused. If these children or pets have personal significance for you just tell me about it, and I will pray for them. I don’t have to see them. Don’t show me pictures of aborted babies. I’m a bit squeamish, as I’m sure others are, so I speak for those people as well as myself, don’t show us any body parts that have been slashed, cut, dislocated, swollen, bruised, are bloody, or amputated.

Perhaps the worst abuse of social medial is in the political arena. Have any of you become upset by something someone posted about a candidate, a senator, a president or anyone holding a political office? I have, but I have chosen not to retaliate. In fact, my policy is to not post anything about politics. Here is what happens: You read a post which may have disparaging remarks about a political figure whom you love and respect. You know that these remarks are lies, and that they may cause damage to this person's reputation. You become very angry. Before you consider the civil way to respond you immediately react to the person’s post, and you write things that later, after you have calmed down, you regret writing what wrote. Or maybe you don’t regret what you wrote, but your post is so violently written that others who read your reply will have a lesser view about your character.

Yesterday our pastor mentioned how a Christian Republican and a Christian Democrat should conduct themselves in these kinds of situations. He said, “If you are a Christian Republican or a Christian Democrat you should always behave differently than a non-Christian Republican or than a non-Christian Democrat would behave.” Using social media in the privacy of our homes does not give us a short vacation from our call to be Christ like. We are to humbly and diligently show the world the face of Christ, even on Facebook. When we allow our use of social media to run amok by responding in violent anger we are destroying our ability to witness for our Lord.