A lot of my friends and family are leaving Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the like due to their banishment of Donald Trump. For many, it’s because they love Trump and won’t tolerate anyone who does not tolerate their friends. For others, who do not love Trump, they see this as a fundamental attack on free speech. And, of course, for all my dispensationalist friends and colleagues, this is the beginning of the end.
Maybe it is.
The problem with switching to alternative social networking sites like Parlor and MeWe right now is that they are being overrun by conservatives with a chip on their shoulder. Yes, I am a conservative. Yes, I have the same chip on my shoulder. The difference is that I have a lot of other chips that are bigger than my conservative chip could ever get.
So, a part of me does want to leave Facebook and Twitter and every other outlet that may be limiting free speech beyond my comfort zone (including the computer I am typing this on!), but the bigger part of me does not want to go somewhere else that will be out of balance with propaganda for my own cronies (not saying that is what the others are designed to do; that is just what they are now). It actually makes me more discouraged to see my side spewing just as much mindlessness as the other side.
More importantly, I don’t like to congregate with those who only think and believe the same as me. What a waste! I love gracious diversity. There are plenty of things I am wrong about. I don’t know what they are or I would change and be right! For now, I will have to find places to continually challenge my presuppositions, testing them, shaping them, and forging them in the fires of those who think differently.
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However, it is increasingly difficult to find this kind of fellowship out there. The loudest and most vocal are flooding the internet “streets,” looking for someone to “cancel.” Ironically, the loudest and most vocal are usually the most insecure. They exchange arguments for volume and critical thinking for anger. Out there today, the moment I say, “I voted for Trump” (or, worse, say “Hell yes, I voted for Trump!”—I almost have to say it with a bit of shame if I have any chance), some of my closest friends leave me in hatred and disgust, while others want to give me a gun and a MAGA hat!
Ironically, the loudest and most vocal are usually the most insecure. They exchange arguments for volume and critical thinking for anger.
Why? Because it is human nature to become addicted to propaganda and we lose focus on the relative importance of all else.
I will stay on Facebook. I have my accounts at the other places. I don’t like the censorship that is happening, both publicly and institutionally, but I can’t dare sacrifice the opportunities (for myself and others) when I mix-mingle.
from Credo Courses
For now, please know this: I probably will not accept much of what you have to say about any social or political issues. Those of you who know me know why? It’s not so much that I don’t trust you; I just don’t trust your sources. Until I am convinced someone is not in this new dark
To the rest of you: you will have to kick me out of the madness. Otherwise, I’m not leaving!
40 replies to "Why I Am Not Leaving Facebook"
Yes, sources are an issue. Actually, they might be THE issue in communicating with people of various opinions. What sources seem good to you for news? I have noted that no one wants to answer this no matter if they are liberal or conservative. My sources have been questioned many times. When I ask why or for better, I get no response.
Susan, I do not watch TV and have not since 1996. So, my method of getting news has evolved over the years. I will not go into the details of the method and how it progressed, but my present method is via Podcasts. News such as msm networks only give brief info and most of it is either bald faced lies or the stories are slanted to a certain narrative. This is nothing new. It is what got me off msm in 1996. Podcasts are 30 mins to upwards of 60+ minutes long. No commercials or very limited breaks. Just pick a subject and explore podcasts. But remember to be discerning.
You are absolutely Wrong on this. Your supporting big tech who will eventually banned You and others from proclaiming Jesus as Lord. You can write me off as someone who is going to far but it’s coming. You should be standing up for free speech,Facebook is not an essential however if you’re on there proclaiming Christ than you will probably be kicked off anyway.
Jeff, can you give only 1 example of whom was banned because proclaimed Jesus as Lord?
Luis I said Eventually and it’s Coming not that they did ban anyone . I have seen so many people kicked off Facebook and Twitter for giving their view on different subjects . A lot of the stuff was just giving facts about things so my belief is Christian beliefs will be labeled hate speech and than censored 🤬
Sorry Jeff but I don’t see that apocalyptic view, what I see is people forgetting who God is, and follow a political view more than they should follow Jesus, and creating persecution where there isn’t any.
Luis, I don’t wanna come off as rude or mean but you couldn’t read my comment and understand what I meant. You assumed I said people were ban from Facebook for proclaiming Jesus and I never said that. You need to think more critical of your beliefs. Is saying abortion is wrong political or is it something Jesus would want us to do . What about homosexuality, Jesus being the only way to God political or following Jesus Luis.???? These are the things that I believe will be censored 🤬 eventually.Big Tech is a Big problem are our freedom of speech/beliefs is at stake. You cannot separate political and following Jesus like the few examples I gave.
I can give you an example. Our churches Facebook page was taken down because someone reported as hate speech.
He wrote ” eventually”. Words are important.
David,I wrote eventually because I did not know of any Christians being kicked off of Facebook but do know of others being kicked off because of their beliefs/ stating statistics.
Thank you for speaking out against Herodians and Zealots. Certainly in Jesus’ disciples, these activities ceased as they became Apostles who submitted to the LORD God of the All things (Jesus) who said “My Kingdom is not of This World”.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who is recognizing how cultists and bigots are moving Christianity towards Persecution from the pagans in Western Civilization. They are just like the world, and not like Jesus. I pray for all, just as Christians should have back when the German Christians let Hitler go unchallenged so long leading up to and into WWII. It is shameful.
Gregory, that’s not what is happening.
I agree with Jeff. Its about taking power away from the powerful and taking a stand for free speech. Staying on Facebook is an endorsement of their actions.
Love you, Michael, and I appreciate your stand. I’d also say that when we only socialize online in our little echo chambers it does two things. First, it leads to more and more extreme thinking because there is no check against that. Second, when we “cancel” those people who do not see things the way we do and flee the platforms where “those” kinds of people are, we lose our ability to say anything to impact those who are most in need of our message. What good does it do to be a witness to those who are already in our camp? All it does is confirm our biases and stroke our egos. Totally pointless. So I couldn’t agree with you more. Keep up the good work of showing sound judgment and reasoning.
I commend you for trying to stay engaged on Facebook. I, too, am deeply concerned about censorship, especially the current efforts by big tech to supress Parler, which might and probably will make for an interesting anti-trust case. On the other hand, I have a number of contacts on Facebook whom I can influence by keeping my cool and providing level-headed discussion as opportunity presents, and that appears to be part of your goal, as well. Good luck.
I am strongly conservative, both biblically and politically, but I quit making political comments on my FaceBook page months ago. I read quite a bit (mostly Christian and chess), and frequently find quotes by Tozer, Lloyd-Jones, Bridges and others that I want to share with my friends, fellow church members, and the kids I graduated from high school with (50+ years ago; okay, maybe “kids” isn’t totally accurate anymore). While I care strongly about politics, it pales in comparison with Scripture, and I don’t want to turn anyone off with my political views, and then have them miss a good Christian quote because of it. Just my decision.
Love it.
As long as you don’t open a chess game with anything other than e4.
I do not stay on Facebook for the mental challenge. I stay on Facebook because I have many liberal friends who are not saved. Who will witness to them? Who will show them the love of Jesus and the hand of fellowship even when we vehemently disagree. I am infuriated by the censorship. I am equally infuriated by the propaganda and deceit. But my friends don’t know Jesus and I don’t want them to be left behind.
If all the conservatives dropped off Facebook and Twitter for a month, the drop in ad revenue would make them take notice and perhaps change their behavior. It would have to be ALL of us, though. Otherwise, we’re just funding our internet overlords.
I both agree and disagree with you Mike. I agree with your stance to not get out of the mix when it comes to Facebook. However, I think get off it is a good idea anyway, not because the reasons you mentioned in your post (though I think there is merit in the free speech argument) but for the reason that social media is driving everyone crazy. I think our country, and the world in general, would not be at odds with itself the way it is if social media were not a feature. Obviously the world will still be at odds with God because of sin, but it seems to me social media has increased the efficiency of sin to a large degree. It brings out the worst in people, it depresses people, it makes it easy to dehumanize and hate people. For that reason alone, I think we should all pull the plug on the various platforms.
I am with you. I voted for Trump both times so I’m not against him and I am very much a conservative.
BUT……
The only person that i idolize that much is Jesus Christ. When He makes me feel that I need to get off of it I will. It just seems that so many Christians are trying to put Trump ahead of Him and they are not thinking straight. That scares me.
Hi Bro. Michael, I pray you are blessed and doing well.
Providence would have it that I had this very discussion with my brother this afternoon. Despite many of my family and friends doing so, I (like you) have no plans to leave Facebook nor Twitter for many of the same reasons you shared. My primary reason being: If every person valuing truth (theological and secular) runs for the exits, who will be left to witness to the deceived of this world? Being a disciple of Jesus Christ and a witness for Him (Acts 1:8) our duty to (and for) Him, our faithful, immediate obedience (Matthew 28:28-20), is more important than ever and even more so as The Day approaches!
I may or may not join one or more of the new social networks to aid in keeping up with family and friends who have migrated; but, I will not be cutting ties and lines of communication with those whom I have been commanded to share my faith and His Truth.
In Christ’s service and yours,
Bro. Chris
I dropped Twitter but kept Facebook as I have a ton of ministry and family contacts there. I read Twitter for the politics, rarely posted there. So, I can live without it. It only made me angry anyway. As to diversity of views, in the last year or so I’ve stopped following the news other than major, non-political events such as disasters and violent crime. If it’s anything else that I need to know, I figure that it will trickle down to me soon enough.
Hogwash!
I stay on Facebook because I have many conservative friends who speak as if they are not saved (when I know they are) and find so much of what is spoken (on both sides of issues) too unhinged from reality to be left alone and unchallenged. I have responded to those who were certain that the progressive Democrats are THE answer, and with those who repeat the fantastical and clearly false conspiracy theories of the far right. There is much in the politics of both sides that needs to be considered, but dogma and isolation in both that needs to be rejected and rooted out. As for news sources, I have slowly come to reject the conservative sources, not because I am less conservative or am liberal, but because even from my conservatism I can see that the closed-mindedness, judgementalism and conspiratorial nonsense repeated by the right while the media of the left at least sticks to the facts and merely views them from a more liberal perspective. And the liberals will even challenge the errors of liberals — like Ossof claiming Perdue was seeking support of the KKK. I don’t see that on the right. As for religion in all of this, I find too many issues with religious/moral underpinnings to declare any candidate to be the “moral choice.” There is more than one “right to life issue” yet too many of us declare one of those to override all others (and all other moral issues) and rush after one of the most immoral persons of our lifetimes to aspire to (and win) the presidency. And we are reaping the harvest of that choice.
Some of you sound very noble (hats off). But can we just be honest, not leaving FB or other social media platforms has NOTHING to do with being faithful witnesses or Social Justice warriors or political assassins. You don’t want to leave FB because you LIKE it, plain and simple. Admit it! FB, Twitter, the Gram has become part and parcel of your social DNA. and life would seem odd without it. You don’t need to justify yourselves. Micheal Patton you could have saved time and space by simply writing, “I’m not leaving FB Because I “Like it”.
Todd, I too suspect that’s the real reason. People become addicted to those platforms because they’re addictive. There’s no way to replace interpersonal contact, none.
@David-👍
The root is the loss of gracious diversity (as you so appropriately put it). Without both grace and diversity, edifying discussion is lost. Further, the loss of grace tends to over-ride critical thinking in the heated moments that result. We live in sad times…
My thoughts and opinions are those you would call diverse from yours. My pastor wrote a letter this week and called us to a different focus. I hope you would not be opposed to it. He reminded us of several biblical stories of difficult days. By example he pointed us to Jesus and Jesus’ story so that our focus would be on higher truth. My response is Jesus is Lord. Nothing anyone says changes that.
This is a perfect example of a straw man argument, and it fails terribly. In fact, MeWe and Parler actually believe in freedom of thought and expression. Fakebook does not. If you do not toe the line and parrot the accepted left-media-Dem-RINO narrative of things, you are censored. MeWe and Parler are NOT an echo chamber. Your argument is sloppy and irresponsible.
Mike. That seems to be bit of an overstatement and the kind of rhetoric I avoid. I was not attacking Parler or MeWe as a concept, but how they are right now relative to my calling, purpose, and intent. I stand by my assessment of the situation, not to glorify a situation that may limit the voice of the people, but because I intent to use my voice and gain from the current diversity as long as I am allowed. I will not limit my voice if it means limiting my devotion to Christ and if they gets me ousted, I will cross that bridge when it comes. If I had to choose right now I would like to think I will always stay in the place that is most corrupt and be a light than to go to those who have no need of the light.
I don’t necessarily disagree with you in principle, but I think at this point in American history that is naive. I am convinced we are dealing with forces of evil (Eph. 6:12) that want to destroy us by silencing us. If we support the means, we support the end. Our liberty, which is a moral good I believe we are compelled to defend, is at stake, as is the country which bequeathed it to us. They are shutting down Trump supporters now, and anyone who questions the accepted “narrative,” but we’ve already seen the “narrative” hostile to Christian moral values, and the implications that has. No, Fakebook is indeed fake, claiming to be for open dialogue and community, then using Stalinesque tactics to silence anyone they disapprove of. In my opinion, those who support the platform by using it tacitly approves of their tactics. This is the political and culture left of our day, and they must be confronted, and called out for what they are.
I stay on FB for all the great baking pages haha
I do share your thoughts about not leaving a media. Occasionally I will interact on a subject. Every time I do, I always get people lashing out in the rudest manner or in a overly agreeing manner lined with poison. I hardly make a statement though, but question the subject to show something I seen, heard or read and challenge the certainty of that particular subject. I do answer mostly everyone that has at least attempted to express their opinion even though it is quite ugly or condescending as if I am child and they are teaching me what is really happening. I bite my tongue, sometimes pray and then answer them starting with a hello Mr./Mrs. whatever the case might be or maybe hi and their first name, just depends on how I feel, but I like to start with a friendly greeting and then I am gracious to their thoughts and rebuttal as kind but factual as possible. I rarely get an answer back. If I give a snarky answer, they would be quick to bite back and it could go on and on. That’s something that always reminds me that our nature is to run from God when mean words cause us to run toward the fire (our nature) and kind words usually dowse it (Holy Spirit). Anyways, us who know and love Christ need to be in places we have opposition, like you said to challenge our presuppositions for one and most importantly to share God’s grace, love and understanding with our simple interactions even if they are throwing bricks. Anyways, thanks for the article, it was good.
I do join the other medias though, so I can find more baking pages 🙂
Todd, I too suspect that’s the real reason. People become addicted to those platforms because they’re addictive. There’s no way to replace interpersonal contact, none.
I’m not leaving Facebook because it is a great mission field. It is where you can have all sorts of lost and confused people responding to posts about God, faith, politics, family life, and more. We can share the Christian faith and worldview with them. Also Christians need to be countering the growing hostility and aggression of militant progressives and secularists. My debates with them don’t change them very often, but they help my friends and family and strangers who are onlookers and need to see someone put up valid arguments against the lies of the world. It’s a ministry of encouragement that more Christians need to take seriously. Facebook may eventually kick us all off, but until then, I think we need to maintain our witness where the widest exposure lies.
Mike, can we really consider FB a “Mission field”? Is it our mission based on the Great Commission texts to ,”….counter the growing hostility and aggression of militant progressives and secularists….”?
I understand the Bible the way Piper does, in his book Let the Nations Be Glad: that the mission is not rightly speaking about reaching as many people as possible, though that is a good thing. The mission is about reaching all the peoples of the planet, as in “every nation, tribe and tongue”. We are to make disciples of every nation. The emphasis is not on making more disciples in nations that have had the Gospel proclaimed, but on going to every nation (people/ethnic group. for instance, there are over seven hundred distinct language groups in India alone that are not in danger of extinction in the near future). We can speak of FB as a place to share the hope we have (of the resurrection, judgement, and new creation under the first and only perfectly benign and wise ruler). We do not rightly refer to FB as a mission field, except in the most infrequent cases of crossing over the people group line via a dotcom website.
@Glenn. Brother I LOVED your comment. I loved it so much that I copied it and will share it with my students. I especially loved this part, “…. The mission is about reaching all the peoples of the planet, as in “every nation, tribe and tongue”. We are to make disciples of every nation. The emphasis is not on making more disciples in nations that have had the Gospel proclaimed, but on going to every nation (people/ethnic group….”
Brother, AMEN and AMEN 🙏