12 thoughts on spirituality and facebook

The other day, my brother sent me an article about facebook. It can be found here, and it wouldn’t hurt to peruse it. It states, among other things, that facebook could be an example, a demonstration, of the egotistical, self-loving attitude that too often permeates our society. Having briefly considered the matter (and the rest of the article), I offer this rudimentary response. I first provide a brief introduction, followed by a dozen thoughts on facebook and its implications on spirituality.

INTRODUCTION

By itself considered facebook should probably be considered a neutral means of communication. The pencil, the computer, a text message–they can all be used to promote either healthy or unhealthy ideas. By means of these and other instruments, you can send a love song, a death threat, or anything in between. They can each be used in helpful and harmful ways, in other words.

There are of course positive and negative features to every avenue by which humans connect, and facebook is no exception. The positive might include, for instance, that facebook allows us to express ourselves creatively and to relate to those who are not in our immediate presence. When my (eventual) wife was still at college and I was already home, our phone would have been significantly reduced had such technology been available. Negatively, facebook can obviously provide access to a false world in which we believe (as the article states) that we are on center stage and everyone is watching.

This all said, I thought I would sent out this note, for it helps me to make some sense (and at some level to defend) my own use (or misuse?) of facebook. This is nowhere near an exhaustive list, but perhaps it’s a start. Well, here goes . . .

12 THOUGHTS

1. We live in this age. So, it’s important to live in this age faithfully and appropriately, whether on facebook or anywhere else.

2. There is such a thing as faithful and appropriate, but these require that we look outside of ourselves to others and, especially, to God for guidance, direction, wisdom, and strength. Neither facebook nor any other endeavor can be engaged in effectively if we ignore such resources.

3. There is a certain narcissistic tendency that is revealed via facebook, but this is rather a societal tendency than something isolated to facebook. Facebook merely provides a platform by which we give expression to whatever tendencies govern us.

4. One ought to be careful about what one says publicly, and some of us seem to take little time thinking about the implications of the messages (or pictures) we send. I have learned this when writing, for people read what you have to say and always have a permanent record of it. What we say (and especially write) ought to be tempered with humility and wisdom, and when we mess up it’s best to fess up.

5. Then again, there is also a need (and in some postmodern circles a greater tendency) to be genuine or authentic. Too many people, especially in “church circles,” are consumed with maintaining the plastic images they project to others; this way, I suppose, they can “appear” spiritual to other plastic individuals. In contrast, it’s okay to laugh, cry, express frustration or anger, and a whole host of other emotions. These are good because they are human. To the degree that facebook facilitates these matters, it is a refreshing thing.

6. We are made in God’s image, and the God in whose image we are made is a triunity (a 3 in 1/1 in 3 being). As God is a relational deity, we, his creatures, are born to relate, to connect with others. Facebook is simply another avenue by which we express our social inclinations. We are creatures who relate, and it is up to us to relate in helpful and dignified ways.

7. In the grand sweep of things, it’s likely that facebook is simply one more tool along the way. Something else will eventually become popular. At that point, facebook will either adapt or be absorbed by newer avenues of communication. Thus, we mustn’t make facebook an idol any more than we should a computer, an online chat group, or anything else.

8. Facebook and other technologies (emailing, chat rooms, gaming, etc.) ought not so dominate our existence that they crowd out other important aspects of healthy relationships (face-to-face contact, etc.).

9. God is on facebook. Don’t fall off of your seat! What I mean is that if He is everywhere present, as traditionally perceived, we can expect His presence (via human beings) among the various connections. This ought to breed humility and a careful spirit, but it also is a reason for celebration, for it means that good and ultimately helpful things can be accomplished through facebook. (By the way, God is everywhere else, too!)

10. Facebook serves as a microcosm of a greater story, one in which God actually does see and hear and read everything about us. If you have any sense, this will seem a bit (or a lot) scary.

11. Facebook also reminds us of what we often forget. We require forgiveness and grace or else we are in big trouble. Again, God knows everything about us (whether or not we display some of these matters over facebook), and–according to Christian tradition–he freely accepts us anyway because of his Son; he came, in other words, not to condemn us but to restore us to himself and our true humanity. Forgiven for facebook blunders and for all of the other foolish things we ever do = grace.

12. Facebook is also cool and allows for creativity, and both the cool and the creative are–within the confines of wisdom–good and God-given things.

More . . . ?

restored

Have you ever done anything wrong? It’s a stupid question, I know. We’ve all messed up in numerous ways. We’ve violated our consciences, hurt our loved ones, damaged our own souls, and ignored God’s requirements. There are good things we’ve failed to do and bad things we should never have done.

We’re all guilty. More times than we’d like to admit, we have disregarded truth and placed ourselves in a precarious position before our Maker. But this is not the entire story, for the same One whose ways and commands we’ve ignored, the very same Creator whose heart we have broken, has promised to forgive our countless misdeeds and restore our sanity, making us whole.

When we screw things up–and we’re so prone to in many obvious ways–there is often a sense of shame that accompanies our behavior. We’ve blown it, and we know it. Though we’ve promised a million times to “get it right,” we once again find ourselves humbled by our own foolishness choices.

At this point, we tend to beat ourselves up. Having recognized the error of our ways, we simmer in a mixed state of anger and frustration, wanting to make things right. Personally, I understand these reactions, for they at least indicate that we possess a distaste for that which is harmful and idiotic; at least our frustrations reveal that there is indeed something (and Someone) to which (to whom) we are accountable.

But there is a better way, the way of mercy and restoration, the way of forgiveness and grace. You see, God is not some concept for theologians to debate. He’s not trapped within the confines of “religious” activities. And he’s certainly not to be considered a disinterested deity, a deity who is unconcerned about our lives.

No, God is a personal being, a being who has sent his one and only Son to earth in order to rescue and restore us. Indeed, it is because of his Son that you and I can unhesitatingly turn to him at any moment. We don’t have to wait until Sunday. We need not go to church. Our relationship with him is not for a second dependent on the presence of some member of the clergy. While Sundays, church, and clergy all have their proper place, all you really need is right in front of you. You need this same God, who promises that he will not forsake you.

So, you’re struggling with a sense of remorse. You feel guilty because you are guilty. That is, your awful feelings are a result of your inappropriate choices. So, what do you do? Sometimes, when we mess up, there is restitution to pay–if you’re caught running a stop sign, saying you’re sorry doesn’t eliminate the fact that you may have to pay a fine. Other times, there are important practical things we can and should do (e.g., apologize to someone we’ve wronged). But, at the end of the day, our sense of stability and peace is provided by the God of love.

In one place it is stated like this: “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). You can’t get any more separated than east is from west! This is another way of saying, God will forgive us, and he won’t ever remind us of our previous indiscretions. He can do that, after all, for he is God.

So, you’ve done it again. Welcome to the club. We’ve all “been there” more times than we know. The way ahead, however, is not all darkness and gloom. The path before us is one of forgiveness and grace, and it is ours–at any moment, in any place, whatever the specific circumstances–when we simply and sincerely ask for it. So, ask!

But what is next? Well, I think it’s relatively simple. When someone has done something wonderful for you, you think about it, and you appreciate it. What, then, ought our response be? What does God require? Simply that we turn him where we are, asking for his restorative grace and invigorating love, reflecting on how good he must be to freely grant us such forgiveness. There is no formula. There are no special words. All we need is simple faith, ongoing faith, and he takes care of the rest. Indeed, he provides “the rest.” By childlike faith, we can be (will be) restored.