The Evils Of Social Networking

Lately, I have been made aware of a couple of people espousing the “evils of social networking”. I have been silent on the subject until today trying to make sure I didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings. While everyone has a right to their opinion and nothing is for everyone, I’d like to simply share the positives and the great possibilities that have opened up for me by using various social networks.

Let me begin by saying that I really had no use for social networks to begin with. I only got on one because I wanted to keep track of what my daughter was involved in. However, I started noticing that there were great advantages to networking with people online. I started connecting with people in the church and it was incredible. I’d see someone’s name pop up and it would remind me to pray for them and I would drop them a note to let them know I was thinking about them. It also gave me the opportunity to immediately remind people of church events as they came up. This is a great tool as we often forget things we want to do. I know I do. As a pastor, I have realized that prior to electronic media, besides being at a church service itself, I would connect with maybe 6 or 7 people during a week besides the ones working directly on church business. That was a good week. Now, I can connect in one way or another with hundreds of people in a week. It’s possible to let the love of God be known to a few hundred people at a time. It’s possible to encourage hundreds of people at a time, or take time to encourage that one that needs an extra boost. I’ve had a few conversations with people online lately that I could not have possibly had any other way and those conversations (according to those with whom I was conversing) changed the lives of those individuals. I can’t take the credit. It was the Holy Spirit ministering, but He would not have had the opportunity to use me in that way had it not been for my involvement in a social network. I find it very encouraging that I put a prayer request down on my status on various networks and instantly have many people praying for my friends and folks in the church and friends of friends.

The Bible says:

Matt 28:19-20
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. NIV

The word for nations literally means people groups. The Bible says to go to where all the various people groups are and make disciples. Now, is the internet and social networks the only place where you find people? No, but it IS where most of the people are. I truly believe that a believer needs to go to where the people are and we are to let our lights shine for the Kingdom of God. So I go on the various social networks and I do all the things I did before too, such as emails and personal interaction.

Saturday, our church fellowship had a baptism out at Lake Lavon. It was a glorious day with 37 of our congregation being baptized. By the time I returned home, literally hundreds of pictures of the event were already on Facebook. How cool to go online today and relive the wonderful time we all had celebrating with our church family. As someone said, “it was like being there all over again”.

I’ve heard some say, “well, shouldn’t you have real conversations with people and not cyber relationships with people?” Of course you should have real relationships with people and hopefully using a social network properly will help you foster and deepen the relationships you have as well as helping to build new ones. Now, If the only relationships you have are cyber ones, you need to make the call on that, but my friends, the internet is where the people are. I believe the Bible would compel us to go to where the people we relate to are and make disciples. Go to where the people are and share the love of God. Go to where the people are and let the lonely know that someone cares. Go to where the people are and let the people who think no one notices them that someone notices and cares. Go to where the people are and let your friends from yesteryear know that you remember them and what a difference they made in your life.

Case in point: I have a friend who I would see once or twice per year. We knew we had a lot in common when we would see one another, but he worked and lived way on the other side of town, so we simply looked forward to getting together once or twice per year. Either I found him on Facebook or he found me, I don’t recall. Now we speak to each other via Facebook many times per week and often many times per day. Plus it led to us having lunch and eventually I found my friend sitting in the congregation at church. Amazing!!! All because we connected on Facebook. There are many other positive things that have taken place with this friend, but suffice to say, I now know him better now because of Facebook and I thank God for it.

People who disparage social networking act as if somehow because you are communicating on Facebook, Twitter or some other network, you aren’t having “real” relationships with people. I find the contrary to be true. Lately, because of Facebook and Twitter, I’ve made lunch appointments with 4 different friends that I most likely would not have had if we had not connected last week on Facebook, plus 2 different people in the past two weeks reached out to me to get together personally because they needed counsel. We got together, one in my office and one for dinner. Where was the initial contact? Facebook. Social networking should be an enhancement to live interaction not a detriment. I’ve literally counseled with many, many people via Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo Messenger, AIM and even the evil MySpace. Yes, let’s use every means necessary to enhance the lives of those we know.

As many of you, I have found many, many friends from my past (Jr High, High School, College, various churches I’ve been on staff with, people from when I travelled on the road and, yes, my current congregation) on Facebook and they have encouraged me and I have encouraged them. Recently, my friend and mentor from college, Jeff, was ill. I was able to converse with him while he lay in his hospital bed in Virginia due to Facebook and Twitter and I was able to encourage hundreds of people to pray for him as he was ill. Before social networks were around, I only wondered how he was doing. Now, I can speak with him and check up on things he is doing and vice versa via Facebook and Twitter simply because we can. I have hundreds of stories like that which enrich my life and ministry and enrich the lives and ministry of others.

Almost every minister I know is on Facebook and Twitter. Why? Because it’s where the people are and we can encourage our friends and congregants much better than at any time in history. Now, don’t think that I’m ignorant of the fact that people can abuse such networks. I know that. That is why there is the ability to block certain people and I’ve had to do that from time to time.

On balance however, I thank God for the social networking tools we have at our disposal today. A couple of weeks ago, I found out via Twitter that my friend Alex was in the hospital. I was able to immediately get many people involved praying for her. I was also able to go visit her in the hospital because I KNEW she was IN the hospital. You know, I find it’s difficult to visit someone in the hospital when I have no clue that they are there. ;-) Funny how things work that way.

Now, I’m not slamming anyone who chooses not to be on a social network or someone who believes they are evil. But just do me the courtesy of not slamming me or thinking ill of me either. To the one who believes “cyber relationships” are bad, you must then throw away your cell phone and disconnect your email because texts and email are no different than a social network. They are literally a larger social network than Facebook, Twitter or MySpace and the others. If social networks are evil, do away with them all and simply see people in person. Don’t write them a letter either for that was the original social network… :-/ Sorry, just couldn’t help but point that out. Truly, I think we should all do what fits us. However, I want to go where the people are. Social networks have increased my ability to share the love of God with others. They have also increased my ability to simply be a good friend. I have to say, I have a bad memory and Facebook reminds me when your birthdays are. I appreciate that because I used to forget everyone’s birthday. :-(

Lastly, I will say, Social networks probably are a bad thing for the self centered. As a Christian, scripture encourages me to be others centered and not self centered. If you are doing anything in life to simply see what’s in it for you, then maybe social networking is not for you.

The Bible says:

Phil 2:3-4
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. NIV

I truly believe that we should be on whatever social network we are on for the sole reason of making other’s lives better. We should log on thinking, “how can I encourage all of my friends today? How can I pray for my friends today? Is there something I can post that will cause them to feel better about themselves or help them understand a current social phenomenon better? Is there something in common that I have with some of my friends that I can talk about to encourage fellowship? Can I recommend a good place to eat or a fun thing to do because maybe others are looking for places like that as well and it will enrich their lives as it has mine? Can I warn my friends about something bad that I heard on the news so they don’t get hurt or caught up into something bad?” Nothing in this life should really be solely about me. It should be about making this world a better place for everyone else we know. That’s what social networking is for me.

The point of this blog was not to argue with anyone about the pros and cons of electronic media, but to share how it has enriched my life. Thank you to everyone who through one social networking site or another has enriched my life. Thanks for allowing me into your lives. It is a great honor. You are special and I hope that we can encourage each other all the more in the months and years to come. God bless you all…

Until later,

Don

Why?

I’m sitting here today amazed at some liberal thought. I don’t say all liberal thought but I believe only the most extreme in the liberal world. This is what I’m amazed about. Some liberals, a lot of liberals, truly believe that conservatives are not capable of researching issues and coming up with our own opinions independent of ANY conservative media interference. I’ve been accused of coming up with all of my political thoughts because of things I’ve heard on Fox News. Now, while I enjoy many of the shows on Fox News, forming my opinion??? I think not.

Believe it or not, Fox News was not even around when I helped the college Republicans with the Reagan campaign. I listened to the issues at hand and realized that conservative values seemed to line up with everything else that I believe. I am a major student of history and, in looking at history, I have formed many of my conservative values and many of my warnings in my blogs come not from any modern media, but from my studies of US and World history. We study history (much of it has been rewritten in recent days) so that we can see the mistakes of the past and those things which our predecessors did correctly. Hopefully we learn this in order to repeat the later and avoid the former. The warnings I have posted in this blog come from a decent knowledge of the Constitution and our political history and a good knowledge of world history and societies being led astray in the past by tyrants and very well dressed, well spoken leaders who use similar tactics and motivations as many of the tactics and motivations being used by those on the left today.

Why do those extremists on the left think it impossible for a free thinker to come up with conservative values. Well, that answer is a simple one. They don’t believe their followers can come up with liberal values unless worked up, bussed in and manipulated with all of the scare tactics they blame upon the right. Oh, they can burn the American flag, hang a conservative President in effigy and proclaim that they love a good ole American protest. They can threaten the safety of others at poling places and bus people in to disrupt and even assault conservatives who are there selling American flags and they proclaim that the conservatives are an angry mob and un-American, but the violent members of the bussed in SEIU members are simply good ole American protesters. The left give out their talking points and their followers parrot their dictates no matter what logical disconnect may be present.

No, I have consistently throughout my 50 year existence on this planet followed conservative values. I used to proudly proclaim myself a Republican and am currently rethinking that as it seems the Republican Party is abandoning true conservative principles. It seems today I am a man without a party. I am a conservative. I have independently looked over what is at stake, remembering where we have come from and not sticking my head in the sand. This nation is moving in the same direction that some pretty devastating revolutions have taken other nations in the past. I believe the country may be starting to wake up. I hope it’s quick enough. Don’t let anyone tell you what to believe. Look it up for yourself. We live in an age where finding information is easier than ever. Find the truth about who is telling you the information you are getting. Find the values that you live by and follow that. If it leads you to a liberal mindset, then follow. If you look at what each side stands for and find that you value conservative values, follow that. If something else, follow that. The Bible says, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free". Please search for the truth until you find it. This country is truly being led around by emotional hype. Those who seek the truth will find it. Those finding the truth are letting the truth be known. You do the same and I will too.

Until later,

Don

We need a President, not an emperor...

Well it seems these days that we have a White House that dismisses free speech that does not agree with them. The President would rather refer to protesters as "angry mobs" and, because we are conservative, dismiss all that we have to say. I am one of the people President Obama thinks he's "helping" with his health care bill. I am one who is in debt due to medical bills (diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke etc, etc, etc...). But I do not want a federal government run health care system. I do not want the federal government in control of 1/7 of our national economy and I do not think the constitution gives the fed the right to tell states what they will and will not do with health insurance. There has always been a thing called states' rights which these radicals in Washington seem to forget about. Every state has an insurance commissioner who negotiates with the various insurance companies and that commission sets that particular state's guidelines for all insurance. Now the federal government is going to march in under Obama care and dictate how that commissioner will do his or her job. I don't see that power in the constitution. Are we simply going to let this man come in and tear up the document which governs our land simply because he has a Messiah complex? I don't think so. My wife came here from Canada. She is now a US citizen (was never here illegally which seems to be a novelty in this nation now). She knows first hand the horrors of government run health care. Are we ready to wait in line to see if the federal government deems our lives valuable enough to save in an emergency. This President who deems all dissent as evil, might not deem the life of a decenter as valuable at all. The czars this man has in place already are quite scary in and of themselves. These Czars come from an ideology which moves from believing in abortion to advocating euthanasia. They do not value every human life in the least. Are we going to take the chance that they will find that our lives are the exception? Do we trust Obama and his cronies to find that we deserve life? I'm not trusting him with that. It's like we've traded in the presidency for the old style Roman emperor. We stand before the great and mighty Obama and wait for a thumbs up or thumbs down when it comes to our health and our very life itself. I'm angry and no one is paying me to be. I wish they were. I could use it to pay some medical bills... :-)

It is really time that we let our voices be heard and not simply dismissed. We cannot have our nation ripped out of our hands at the whim of a few radicals in the White House and in congress who got into office simply because people were angry with President Bush. I warned you of what would happen if these radicals were to take office and exactly what I warned you about is occurring today. They are changing the very nature of our federal government to look like old Soviet style socialism. Do we really want to be brought back to the stone ages with the Cap & Trade bill that will make our utility bills sky rocket and gas prices so high we can't use our automobiles. Obama is recorded admitting that the point of this legislation is to get Americans to stay home. How is that good for industry? People are losing their jobs left and right and the government is proposing legislation that will shut down more industry in the USA??? How can we sit silently by and allow our president to behave like the Emperor of Washington? The health care bill will put our lives in the hands of mad men. Our federal deficit is already so high that even our children's children will not be able to pay it down and they simply want to add more to it???? Unbelievable. Cash for clunkers seemed on it's face to be a decent idea, except where is that money coming from? Why are we destroying the cars being turned in? What will the used car industry do for product if all of the used cars are being destroyed? Don't those people need jobs? Where are the people who cannot afford a new car loan going to find a vehicle to drive? Don't they matter? Oh yeah, Emperor Obama wants us all to stay home... I forgot... silly me... But what about the used car parts for the folks who depend on those to repair their automobiles? If all of the cars are being destroyed, where will affordable used parts come from and what will happen to those who deal in used parts. I know the federal government already owns a substantial part of the automobile industry, but can we see now what happens when the fed socializes a large part of the free market to "help" people? Socialism ALWAYS hurts more people in the long run than it ever helps.

Our nation is being stolen right out from under us unless we let our voices be heard. Obama says that the anger over his policies is simply "manufactured anger" paid for by the GOP. Well, I for one am angry. It's not manufactured and it's not paid for by the GOP. The Emperor of Washington needs to be brought back down to earth. We need a President. A President actually listens to the people. The constitution demands that he do so. "We the people" will not let this stand. We will not sit silently by while another communist revolution happens right here in the United States of America. Our nation is being stolen from us piece by piece and it's time for us to stand up and do something about it to let our voices be heard. We don't want an Emperor. We don't want to be a nation of Czars. "We the people" want our nation back!!! Let your voice be heard. Write your congressman, senators and even the Emperor himself and let them hear the voice of the people once again.

Until later,

Don