Christians on Facebook is a “thing?”
As you may know, back in 2010, a New Jersey pastor (Rev. Cedric Miller) encouraged church leaders to delete their Facebook accounts because twenty couples at his church ran into marital problems after spouses reconnected with a former love interest on Facebook.
Huh?
My face felt warm as I read the article.
I was like “THAT’S THE CRAZIEST THING IN THE WORLD!”
Then, I realized what bugged me most was how illogical it all was. I’m sure he didn’t mean it. I was so annoyed by this.
In fact, I had the same nagging frustration when the lady sued McDonald’s because she burned herself with the coffee.
Coffee?
Hot?
Gimme a break!
Please don’t be offended, because I’m just…me.
It’s just sometimes, we as Christians, act like we’re on crack or some other kind of hallucinogenic drug. Madness, I tell you…MADNESS!
Facebook, like a lot of things, is morally neutral.
It is not good or bad; it’s what one chooses to do with it that makes the result of it favorable or unfavorable.
The issue, for the Christian, is not Facebook itself – it’s the issue of the heart.
For instance, you can remove Facebook or anything else from a sick soul and they will still find a way to sin. Why? Because the heart is sick, the spirit diseased.
If someone says “hey, but I can’t be on Facebook because of all the temptation on there“, I respect that.
This is what I call a wise, self-aware person who knows their [own, personal] limits.
Managing temptations and Facebook boils down to one thing.
In the end, we must all know our limits and stay clear of the temptations that want to snare us. I get that.
I know the things that snare me.
Do you know the things that snare you?
Some of mine may not even bother you, but they trip me up every time.
Still, just because I’m too weak (or frail) to handle those situations, doesn’t mean I should assume you are too.
Along those same lines, why prohibit an entire ministry of folks from Facebook because of the failures of a few?
To me that’s a broad sweep that makes little …
ok …
no sense to me.
In that case, they should ban cars because they can transport people to sin?
Oh yeah, we should abandon television because all the wickedness on it.
Don’t forget the refrigerator – Lord knows that creates problems…at least for my thighs!
Senseless!
Again, if Facebook is getting you into trouble, get rid of it according to Matthew 18:9.
It’s better to keep temptation away from you than to fall into sin.
The self-assessment is your work to do; not for someone to tell to do.
My Own Testimony & Temptation…
Revisiting my single days, I learned I could not put myself in certain situations without INTENSE temptation.
As a divorcee, one of my snares was excessive physical contact with my boyfriend at the time.
I wanted to do my best to live a life of celibacy until I married. It was important to me.
Girl, let me tell you, dudes would dump me like a hot potato once they discovered my rigid lifestyle. The crappy dudes, that is.
Fortunately, my now-husband understood me when I told him (on our second phone call) I was celibate and had to live with lots of boundaries.
I explained I did not kiss in an intimate way (i.e. french kissing) nor spend excessive time in my home alone with any dude (I dated).
He so “got” me! He understood me. He accepted me.
In fact, we shared our first kiss on our wedding day – my first in several years.
Now, had I let that joker (my hubby) come over late at night, stay late hours, ‘Netflix and chill’… who knows what failures we would have suffered?
Thankfully, we were both committed to guarding our hearts and staying pure before God.
You get my point? I didn’t need anyone to tell me “You can’t have any men at your house!”
Know your weakness, so you may abstain from sin – whether Facebook, alcohol, clubs, etc.
Back to the “Facebook-less” Church and Christians on Facebook
“I’ve been in extended counseling with couples with marital problems because of Facebook for the last year and a half…” said Pastor Miller
Sorry, Pastor, but the reason you’re counseling those couples is much deeper than Facebook itself. It’s more than managing temptations and Facebook…it’s because some have weak faith and sick souls.
Ok, I admire this man of God and his spirit. I am not trying to be disrespectful.
Really I’m not. I’m trying to be realistic.
But, in my humble opinion, this is a classic case of mislabeling the root problem.
In addition to counseling, his job is to rightly divide that Word so folks will grow, become whole, and empowered in the Holy Spirit. then they can self-regulate.
He must also teach people to be spiritually reliant on God and not restrictions only. What do you think?
Choose you this day….WHAT YOU GONNA DO!!!!
I can tell you when I was single and tempted to compromise, I’d hear my former pastor, Dr. George Westlake’s II, sermons in my mind and the scriptures I’d learned under His leadership and even before it.
Then “I” had to choose to make Godly choices…or not.
Do know, I didn’t always make the right choices, but at least I got to choose them. I was managing temptations and Facebook as well as the temptations of life in general!
Thank God Pastor Westlake didn’t tell me what I could and could not do.
Had he done it, he would have resembled more of a cult leader rather than the awesome pastor he was/is.
My tips for managing temptations and Facebook…
- Use a name other than your real one so old “people” cannot find you.
- When someone “hits you up” on your private messages, don’t respond. Delete IMMEDIATELY!
- Just don’t “friend” people who may be a problem.
- The biggest mess happens in the private conversations. DO NOT HAVE THEM.
- If you and your husband are both on FB, share an account and plaster a pic of your hubby on your profile or that big ole pic next to it.
- Use common sense.
- What else?
What do you think? Generically speaking.
Source: LA Times
Honesty is always simple. You handled thta situation wisely because your heart and intentions are pure. We must get to the root of the dandeline.
Christians are to be equipped and not controlled. Amen?
I agree it’s a ministry tool!I praise God for FB.
I so agree with you!!!! I don’t know if you remember a ministry that was very well-known some years ago called IBLP, the leader, Bill Gothard, taught about root problems Facebook is the head of the dandelion, so-to-speak. The root of the issue isn’t what makes the sin more accessible. The root of the issue is the heart that is led by immorality. I am on FB and an ex-boyfriend sent me a friend request…now, I know that in a million years I wouldn’t have anything to do with him. But to keep things above board, I told my husband about it and ignored the request. It is so simple. FB can also be a great way of ministering to people – as I have had the opportunity to do. It is only a tool – and it can be used for good or evil, depending on whose hands use it. Sometimes we lay the blame at the wrong door.