Would Jesus Use Facebook?

I am fascinated by a growing number of people throwing Facebook under the bus, claiming it to be an unhealthy and evil enterprise.  

In their defense I’ve witnessed young and old, disclose too much personal information, lie, and lose themselves in a crowded and complex virtual society. 

But Facebook is not the problem.

We are the problem.  

Facebook is a thing. And as tempting as it is, we should not hold “things” responsible for our inclination to sin.

Its not the thing. It’s us.

It’s not the alcohol, it’s me overindulging.

It’s not the gun, it’s me not dealing with my anger.

And its not Facebook, or Myspace or any of the others.

It’s we who are not setting and maintaining healthy boundaries. We are the creators and members of a culture that has difficulty balancing its needs for transparency and connection with our competing needs of privacy and solitude.  

Making Facebook the problem enables us to avoid taking responsibility for my actions. And it fails to address the real problem.

We’re exerting too much energy demonizing the thing and not enough helping people understand their basic human needs and the boundaries necessary to keep them in balance. 

I don’t suggest that its virtuous to have a Facebook account. There are good reasons for not using it and/or disallowing others from using it.  But lets be clear that we are not scapegoating Facebook for our problem—especially in the name of Christ. 

So, would Jesus use Facebook? 

I don’t know. You’ll have to ask him.

I do know that he wouldn’t demonize it or make it the problem. He’d see beneath the symptoms to the deeper needs giving rise to it and spend his energy meeting people where they are, and calling them to more. We should do the same. 

I am currently conducting In-Services (including Safe Environment) and Workshops for teachers, ministers and parents entitled "What Every Adult Needs to Know About Facebook, Myspace and the Cyber-Social LIves of Today's Young People."

My presentation for teens is  "Find Me, Friend Me and Follow Me--But Please Don't Hurt Me--Tips for Having Fun and Staying Safe in Cyber-Space" (email me for more information or to have me present to your group at roypetitfils@yahoo.com) 

Comments

[Harry]

Hey Roy,

You hit the nail on the head - we're spending way too much time and energy shaking our fingers and clucking our tongues at the bogeymen in the dark, when we have access to the Light that dispels darkness. Young people instinctively see through the facade that adults seem to be constructing when we aren't honest and genuine about the presence and power and reality of Sin. Not just our sins (little 's'), but capital 'S', powers of darkness, schemes of the enemy kind of Sin. Kids will take the free pass we give them by demonizing Facebook, but we diminish their idea of spiritual reality and throw gasoline on the fire of their skepticism and incredulity that the Church has something relevant and worthwhile to speak into today's high tech culture.

Keep speaking truth my friend.

Peace to you,
Bear/Harry

[Russell Dawdy]

Great post Roy. I was first introduced to Facebook through a KLOVE broadcast. However, I really like the broader sentiment of your message. I guess I still have a little bit of that 20 year old philosophy major in me after all. lol

[Puma Outlet]

thank goodness for rule breaking! I love your page.Thank you for another great article.so you are allowed to change them whenever you want.