Christians and Facebook (Video)

How should we as Christians respond when we have non-Christian friends using Facebook to challenge Christian views or make comments?

Comments

[Rick Yuzzi]

Anyone who is a "friend" on Facebook knows my views, since I will post things of interest or that reflect my beliefs. I've not gotten a lot of push-back, but the majority probably share similar views to me, and those who don't probably respect the type of forum it is. It's probably true that it's not the right forum for an intense debate on a subject, unless your goal is to stimulate those kinds of exchanges. When it seems that is the Facebook owner's intent (such as by opening a controversial topic for discussion) it feels more appropriate to engage.

[Scott Giese]

I have many friends on my FB that who's views are completely opposite of mine. I enjoy sharing articles on Christianity, links to comparative religion docs, quick Bible references ala John Piper style. As well as a good mix of humor and daily updates. Personally I feel that if you are a Christian your faith should show through in every aspect of your life. FB is no different. It is a great medium to be able to share the gospel w/ friends and family. And if they are your friends and family they probably know your disposition already and love you the same (if they do not odd's are they aren't your friend on that site any how). In addition to that I am constantly getting requests from old co-workers,high school buddies, and people I have not been in touch with forever. Granted we should always follow 1 Peter 3:15 when doing this.

I have been able to lovingly open up conversations my non believing friends friends via facebook which we have then moved the discussion to email or in person. Discussions that would not have happened in person due to geographical limitations.

I say go for it, but do it with gentleness & respect! It is a great medium to practice and employ Greg's "tactics" methodology!

[Sam]

Facebook makes me nervous because I'm always afraid one of my friends is going to offend one of my other friends or making them uncomfortable or something. I find myself avoiding making any status update posts about religion for that reason. And that's kind of a bummer. I don't like holding back.

[Chris Hamm]

I post in the same vein as Rick and Scott. I have lost one friend because of my posts, and she was an admitted atheist. But before she unfriended me, she heard the gospel. I don't get preachy (my wife keeps me in check) but I do post the truth. I post a lot of Piper quotes, and quotes from the Monergism.org site when they do status updates. But also a lot of humor and normal updates as well

[drew]

i guess i was out of line.

A pro-abort wrote a letter to the editor of a local newspaper, stating that he supported such homicides (not his words). i googled him, got his email address and promptly rebutted him.

He was offended by my intrusion.

[David Hawkins]

drew,

Do you think he'd have been offended if your email had paid him complimentary tribute for his view?

(In other words, do you believe it was your "intrusion" that he found offensive...or your opposing viewpoint?)

...If he's that easily accessible AND willing to put his view out for public reading, he needs thicker skin. For that matter, we should make sure we have some too. :)

Bravo, drew.

[Mark]

I was on FB for about a week, but I saw so much filth, both in photos and written form, that I didn't want to model embracing that to the young children that look up to me, so I left.

Commandments are broken, and His name abused all over it, and there certainly is a cost.

There is no privacy and your photos become the property of strangers and marketers, and your relationships are matter for gossip which is the fuel that keeps FB going.

Men have seen their wives' photo in ads for singles dating sites (allowed by FB). This was in the news for a while.

I cannot condone what this site allows, so I also would never encourage children to go there to read what I have read, and see what I have seen. And yet there are "Christian" websites that promote this filth by putting links to it and sending children there.

Is that the level of Christian standards now? Reduced to the level of the people running FB? Very sad.

Yes, the internet is a powerful tool, and we need to be there. But we need to discern between health sites and unhealthy sites. We don't just blindly jump into whatever is hip or popular. We don't need to advertise those sites that are unhealthy. There are many decent sites out there we could be promoting. Before adding that FB link to your site ... consider where you are sending people. Especially if your site welcomes children.

If you want to be in FB to minister to those already in there, then as an adult that may be wise. But to promote and send people (children) there is another issue. I could not do that.

[Andy]

I highly recommend posting uncompromising Christian messages on Facebook. Unless they're an outright hostile atheist, most people aren't very offended. And Facebook is definitely a wilderness that could stand to be cried out in.

Very occasionally, I'll dispute someone else's postings. I'm thinking specifically of a recent example, where a professing Christian posted on their Facebook that there's nothing sinful about homosexual behavior, because Jesus encourages "all forms of love." I felt that sort of clueless deception, advanced in a public way, needed to be disputed publicly.