So in recent times, I've seen a lot of things on Facebook and Twitter that really piqued my interest, and more than that, really made my blood boil. A lot of people use the internet to progress their own agenda, and sometimes even to propagate fights, anger, and general unpleasantness with no real good attached. And a lot of people think that because they write out their own personal views of something that everyone will read it and have their minds changed because of it.
I have a lot of dear friends who post things on the internet (by which I mean social media) that just infuriate me, and make me want to reply via comment in anger. Sometimes, (although certainly not always, probably not even frequently) I may be just in my anger, but just as my mind won't be changed by an angry fool spouting his beliefs online, his mind also won't be changed by my angry words, or any words I use for that matter.
The trouble with these sorts of posts is that all that happens is people get angrier and angrier with each reply. If these conversations aren't happening person to person, and only occur online, do I really have to feel anything about this opinion that opposes mine? The opinion is just words on a screen, it isn't attached to a living, breathing human being, worthy of respect and the love of Christ.
My point is that when you talk about these controversies online, (especially in a social media environment) you're naturally creating a place for people to vent their anger/outrage/disdain/whatever without feeling the consequences of disrespecting those who disagree (whether or not they're actually being disrespectful). And while I'm not saying that we should stop using the internet as a place to talk about real life issues and situations and circumstances and controversies, I just want to issue a word of caution before you post about, or comment on posts about, these hot topics. (This word of caution is for me as much as, if not more than for anyone else. It's a bit of a struggle for me!) I think when we post online, we should try to be pleasing to God just as much as the words we speak or the things we do, and we need to remember that there is another person on the receiving end of our words.
And maybe this idea of posting things on the internet and hoping someone's mind will be changed vaguely describes what this very blog is all about. But I write out of love, and a desire to be honest about things that I'm normally a little afraid of being honest about. I don't want to have some things bottled up inside me forever. And I hope the things I post don't make anyone terribly angry or upset. That is not my intention. Ever.
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