Since when did Facebook transpose from a place to share thoughts and pictures to a platform of legalism and tearing each other to pieces?
Recently, and especially in light of everything happening in the Middle East, I am being bombarded with posts and comments about voices, preferences, opinions, and straight "big talk no walk." I personally got hit with the fire a few days ago by posting something against a stereotype about Vegas. I won't go into detail, but I will be honest in saying I did not speak in (as much) love as I could have.
But it's my wall so I'm entitled to my own opinions, right?
But what happens when your opinion becomes so outspoken against something that doesn't even matter?
So here's my two cents, and for once I'll make it short because I don't want to give another opinion, I want to give some food for thought...
What would happen if we, all people from all walks of life, actually gave as much voice with the same authority and "loudness- hear-me-roar" as we do with our opinions on Facebook? I post something about God or homosexuality or Christianity, something conflicting-but minor on the grand scale of things happening in the world-and suddenly an uproar appears blasting my notifications with a billion opinions from different people with different voices from different backgrounds.
And you know what I say to that, for the most part?
Who cares?
Or better yet, why do YOU care?
Why are you so adamant about me personally not agreeing with one of your beliefs, but not so adamant about 8 year olds being married off to 45 year olds in Yazmin because their families can't afford to keep them so they sell them as a child bride?
Oh wait that's their culture, and how they grew up, so it must be fine.
LRA and child soldiers: same thing, kids are too expensive so they sell them into a form of slavery.
Same with human trafficking.
But something unnerved you when you read that.
Why?
Because it's not okay, much less humane, to force an 8 year old to become a 12 year old mother because their country is so poor it can't afford to give it's daughters a future or childhood.
So again I ask you, why are you throwing such a fit on a social media website, about a topic that's sure to die down in the next few days and be forgotten in the throngs of thousands of other statuses to come--especially when you'll remain "friends" at the end of the day even though in your comments it looked like you were enemies? Better yet: why is the Church so divided against one another that we will target one another before we target the real enemy? You know, the non-flesh-and-blood-ones?
Whatever happened to remembering what Paul said about "our war is not against flesh and blood (your brothers and sisters in Christ), but against demons, darkness and the principalities of Satan?" (My own rendition of Ephesians 6:12)
The Church should be at the forefront of the battle to stop social justice issues, and justice issues in general. Yeah I know we can argue over what's "just or not", but let's face it. A video of a journalist being beheaded for covering a story is unjust. But we are not making any real headway against it by simply re-posting the video and adding a sentence with ALL CAPS and lots of exclamation marks.
It's time to throw down the legalism, and pick up the love.
Legalism is what was rooted in the hearts of those who crucified the man who loved everyone unconditionally.
Jesus never judged, He forgave.
So why aren't we doing the same?
Shut up with your legalistic answers to questions that don't matter, and start to love and find answers to wake up this sleeping giant that has been in hibernation for too long.
And yes, I am talking about the Church, and double yes you can bet I am talking to myself...
Because if I can't back up what I type with my words with the ones I speak, I have no business saying anything at all.
Recently, and especially in light of everything happening in the Middle East, I am being bombarded with posts and comments about voices, preferences, opinions, and straight "big talk no walk." I personally got hit with the fire a few days ago by posting something against a stereotype about Vegas. I won't go into detail, but I will be honest in saying I did not speak in (as much) love as I could have.
But it's my wall so I'm entitled to my own opinions, right?
But what happens when your opinion becomes so outspoken against something that doesn't even matter?
So here's my two cents, and for once I'll make it short because I don't want to give another opinion, I want to give some food for thought...
What would happen if we, all people from all walks of life, actually gave as much voice with the same authority and "loudness- hear-me-roar" as we do with our opinions on Facebook? I post something about God or homosexuality or Christianity, something conflicting-but minor on the grand scale of things happening in the world-and suddenly an uproar appears blasting my notifications with a billion opinions from different people with different voices from different backgrounds.
And you know what I say to that, for the most part?
Who cares?
Or better yet, why do YOU care?
Why are you so adamant about me personally not agreeing with one of your beliefs, but not so adamant about 8 year olds being married off to 45 year olds in Yazmin because their families can't afford to keep them so they sell them as a child bride?
Oh wait that's their culture, and how they grew up, so it must be fine.
LRA and child soldiers: same thing, kids are too expensive so they sell them into a form of slavery.
Same with human trafficking.
But something unnerved you when you read that.
Why?
Because it's not okay, much less humane, to force an 8 year old to become a 12 year old mother because their country is so poor it can't afford to give it's daughters a future or childhood.
So again I ask you, why are you throwing such a fit on a social media website, about a topic that's sure to die down in the next few days and be forgotten in the throngs of thousands of other statuses to come--especially when you'll remain "friends" at the end of the day even though in your comments it looked like you were enemies? Better yet: why is the Church so divided against one another that we will target one another before we target the real enemy? You know, the non-flesh-and-blood-ones?
Whatever happened to remembering what Paul said about "our war is not against flesh and blood (your brothers and sisters in Christ), but against demons, darkness and the principalities of Satan?" (My own rendition of Ephesians 6:12)
The Church should be at the forefront of the battle to stop social justice issues, and justice issues in general. Yeah I know we can argue over what's "just or not", but let's face it. A video of a journalist being beheaded for covering a story is unjust. But we are not making any real headway against it by simply re-posting the video and adding a sentence with ALL CAPS and lots of exclamation marks.
It's time to throw down the legalism, and pick up the love.
Legalism is what was rooted in the hearts of those who crucified the man who loved everyone unconditionally.
Jesus never judged, He forgave.
So why aren't we doing the same?
Shut up with your legalistic answers to questions that don't matter, and start to love and find answers to wake up this sleeping giant that has been in hibernation for too long.
And yes, I am talking about the Church, and double yes you can bet I am talking to myself...
Because if I can't back up what I type with my words with the ones I speak, I have no business saying anything at all.
-Saint
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