Facebook Obligations?

[Ana_v]

Are we obliged to use our Facebook to posts statuses about Catholicism and various sins of our culture? Do we commit sin of omission if we don’t?

When I first opened Facebook – this was before I came back to the Church – I posted statuses often about trivial things. Eventually, I cam to rarely posted statuses, and most of the time when I would they consisted of videos, e.g. some of Fr. Robert Barron’s videos.

I have also over time posted statuses about abortion/pro-life on Facebook, for example,
Randy Alcorn’s statement that being personally pro-life but in favor of another person’s right to have an abortion, is like being personally against wifebeating or child abuse, but favoring the right for people to engage in such behavior.

Also a picture of a pregnant woman holding a beer bottle prop and cigarette prop, and the words on the poster saying “Don’t worry. Planned Parenthood says its not a baby yet”

Another is a poster drawing of am abortion procedure, with the female symbol in pink highlighting the unborn baby, and the words of the poster say “What about Her rights?” (“Her” in pink), and the “Abolish Human Abortion” logo on the bottom right of the poster.

Another a plaque on parish grounds which said “In loving memory of all the uborn children known only to God, the innocent victims of abortion”
Etc.

My recent one was a tweet posted on Facebook of a pro-life hotline number for pregnancy support and post-abortion healing/counseling.

Most of the times in the past, these have incited debate on the comment thread. I participated in them, but it was stressful; I’m an introvert and when I would post these things, my mind would be so consumed with anticipating the objections, mentally preparing how to respond,

My main use of Facebook for a while now has been to keep up with pages/blogs and public figures, especially Catholics ones. I have “liked” many pro-life pages (Live Action, American Life League, Abolish Human Abortion, We can end abortion, and others) and Catholic pages, NFP pages, and have commented on public pages and friends post of things related to faith and morals (and also in the comment sections of newsites and blogs), just don’t often post statuses anymore.Some of these commenting activities have probably showed up on my friends newsfeed, because I know that I have some friends who comment on public pages/people with public profiles and their activity shows up on my newsfeed. For my timeline cover picture, I’ve had a crucifix (photo of one in a chapel), and last Sunday I changed it to a poster with an Advent wreath at the left with one candle lit, and the words “First week of Advent” on the right (see attachment), which I plan to update throughout the season. I don’t hide that I am Catholic on Facebook, I just try to find ways to invite people to look into Catholicism by way of probing their curiosity, rather than directly admonishing them or being confrontational.

I would really appreciate any (name removed by moderator)ut, as I am stressed and overwhelmed about this issue, couldn’t sleep last night. The thought of people, including lay Catholics not being informed about x,y, z, but also the thought of having to tend to the comments on a thread (if you don’t the perception will be you are unable to refute to objections raised). I don’t want to “debate” on my Facebook threads, it’s time consuming especially if you’re the only one handling it, wish there was a way of bringing attention to things without entailing a debate, and I’d like to think I’ve done that but I don’t know.

 

[Burdensome1]

Are we obliged to use our Facebook to posts statuses about Catholicism and various sins of our culture? Do we commit sin of omission if we don’t?

Maybe you are being called to evangelize Google+. You know, like John went into the wilderness…

I would really appreciate any (name removed by moderator)ut

Seriously, though, if you want to end abortion consider praying in front of a clinic. Liking something on Facebook or posting a status is about the most ineffectual way to affect change in the world.

Most of the times in the past, these have incited debate on the comment thread. I participated in them, but it was stressful; I’m an introvert and when I would post these things, my mind would be so consumed with anticipating the objections, mentally preparing how to respond,

So go, kneel down, and pray. We Catholics have faith that this technique actually accomplishes something.

 

[Joe_5859]

Please don’t lose sleep over Facebook!

There is no obligation to turn your Facebook wall into the National Catholic Reporter comment section.

You do want to listen to God’s promptings. It’s certainly possilbe for God to choose to “call” certain individuals to evangelize via Facebook. But if it is disturbing your peace this much, I would take a break from it.

As Budensome said, commenting via Facebook is generally not the most effective means of evangelization. There’s no need to hide your Catholic identity. You can even keep posting such things as you described. But don’t feel obligated to respond in depth to every angry comment one of your “friends” might make. I refuse to allow my Facebook wall to become home to nonsense. I would have no qualms about deleting a person’s comments from my wall rather than engaging in a tit-for-tat debate.

 

[1ke]

If you tend towards scrupulosity, please talk to your priest.

No, you are not obligated to do anything on Facebook.

 

[Joe_5859]

If you tend towards scrupulosity, please talk to your priest.

No, you are not obligated to do anything on Facebook.

Indeed. There is no obligation to even be on Facebook let alone post anything there.

 

[TimothyH]

Indeed. There is no obligation to even be on Facebook let alone post anything there.

99% of the people on facebook would be holier people if they stopped using it.

Mostly all I ever hear of from most facebook users is drama.

I’ve heard some good, like people finding family members in another country, high school students collaborating on projects and such things, but mostly drama… arguments and strife, temptation to search for old boyfriends/girlfriends, secret relationships that husbands and wives don’t know about…

Rediculous drama. Most people would be better off if they just quit and read a book instead.

-Tim-

 

[St_Francis]

Everyone has said good nd serious things, but I tey to catch myself before I get to the point you describe by recalling that cartoon of someone being called to go to bed and replying something like I can’t: there’s someone wrong on the internet!

Use FB for what you want to use it for, and with the time you save, pray, which is a much more powerful thing to do! No sense trying to bail out the ocean…

 

[runningdude]

Are we obliged to use our Facebook to posts statuses about Catholicism and various sins of our culture? Do we commit sin of omission if we don’t?

No

 

[JimG]

Are we obliged to use our Facebook to posts statuses about Catholicism and various sins of our culture? Do we commit sin of omission if we don’t?

You sort of lost me at that first sentence. As far as I’m concerned the only thing I feel obliged to do with Facebook is to avoid it as much as possible.

 

[waanju]

Maybe you are being called to evangelize Google+. You know, like John went into the wilderness…

That line made me laugh at the computer screen and look like a crazy person.

OP- everyone else is spot on, no need to worry.

 

[garn9173]

In my profile, other than for listing my Religion and Catholic and Politics as Conservative, Politics and Religion, two others I avoid talking about on Facebook. Would you sit at a bar and talk politics and religion with your best friend or siblings? Probably not.

 

[TomFromMD]

Maybe you are being called to evangelize Google+. You know, like John went into the wilderness…

Win.

 

[18trouble]

Too true that we are not obligated to be on facebook. If one is on facebook, it seems that it would be right to at least be a voice of reason when another says something that goes against our faith. I, too, have had some issues with this. Facebook is not conducive to clearly responding in a convincing manner (or perhaps because people are not open to discussing other viewpoints.) For example, one of my “open-minded” cousins unfriended me because she did not agree that abortion is wrong.

Overall, I do like getting little updates about family/friends that I wouldn’t otherwise keep in close contact with.

I do agree that praying is the better thing to do than “arguing.” I do both sometimes. Until recently, I did find myself getting angry/frustrated when someone posted something pro-choice or pro-same-sex marriage. I do feel called to at least speak out realizing that they can’t know what they don’t know. Perhaps something that I post may help one person think of things in a different way than they had before. Maybe to open the window just a crack? Is this part of the New Evangelization?

Blessings!
R

 

[gxensen]

The Pope has recommended it.

Young people in particular, I appeal to you: bear witness to your faith through the digital world!..Employ these new technologies to make the Gospel known, so that the Good News of God’s infinite love for all people, will resound in new ways across our increasingly technological world!

-Pope Benedict XVI, Vatican City, May 20, 2009​

 

[Kelfa28]

I’m not entirely sure the words facebook and obligation even go together.

 

[Ana_v]

If you tend towards scrupulosity, please talk to your priest.

No, you are not obligated to do anything on Facebook.

I will be honest – there are times where I do. I say “times” because there are some things with respect to which I was previously scrupulous about (until seekign clarification).

I received a letter today from a Catholic friend at my previous parish, and in it came a Scripture verse that says : “But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at bringing others to Christ. Complete the ministry God has given you.” (NLT) This made me all the more worried. I know there the context to the verse, but it’s the fact that I received it the same day I posted this CAF thread.

 

[Ana_v]

What about the duty to speak out against evil? In what way are we to understand this, and relate it to the Facebook question?

 

[Kathrin]

Maybe… there are times when you will just feel : “This is a good opportunity to say (or post) something”. Not out of worry whether or not you have to, but because it feels like the right time and the right place.
And out of LOVE. And then you will probably just WANT to do it and not wonder whether you HAVE TO?

I remember posting a poem I wrote about how I felt during an Easter Vigil mass. I wanted to share that, it felt so wonderful. Or maybe I would wish HAPPY EASTER or MERRY CHRISTMAS, maybe in a little bit more spiritual and less commercial way… can’t think of anything specific right now. Or share something that really touched me. That I feel might touch other people and help them on their way.

I must admit, I also have the scrupulosity problem, and often I am not sure whetehr or not to post still another petition for a good cause… … too many is also overwhelming for my facebook friends maybe, and they might not even look at them anymore.

Just some thoughts, these…

 

[Joe_5859]

What about the duty to speak out against evil? In what way are we to understand this, and relate it to the Facebook question?

Yes, we need to speak out against evil, but we also need to be prudent. Is regularly posting one sentence status updates that generically get posted for every “friend” to see really the best way to do this? Wouldn’t it be better to have these types of conversations in person, or at the very least for the conversations to be intentional and individual?

I think we do need to be discerning about how we use our social media. There is a tendency to view such things (especially for introverts like myself) as the way for us to spread the Gospel. We can fire off comments or links on a whole host of contentious, faith-related issues from the shelter of our own computer. We can do this indiscriminately without targeting anyone specific. And then we can feel good about ourselves because we just “evangelized” several hundred people with one minute of our time and the click of a button. And if people get angry about our posts, we can rest sure in the knowledge that being persecuted means we’re doing things the right way.

I’m not saying this is what you are doing (because I obviously do not know you at all), but I simply bring this up as a danger to avoid. Just because we may experience persecution for our attempts to spread Christian ideas is no guarantee that we’re doing what we ought to do. Sometimes it just means we’re being belligerent. And if that’s what we’re doing, we may well be doing more harm than good.

I think it helps to view things from the perspective of others. If one of my Facebook “friends” posts some confrontational one sentence update about how they think the Catholic teaching on contraception is ridiculous, is that going to encourage me to pause and re-think my stance entirely? Not in a million years.

 

[Kathrin]

If one of my Facebook “friends” posts some confrontational one sentence update about how they think the Catholic teaching on contraception is ridiculous, is that going to encourage me to pause and re-think my stance entirely? Not in a million years.

I think this might be an instance where I MIGHT actually write something back. If I see a post of one of my friends specifically AGAINST Catholicism. It might again depend ont he situation though, for shouldn’t we avoid making people more angry at Catholicism by challenging them? But I really don’t know, that in itself is a good question, A fine line, probably… Hey, it is not for nothing that Jesus said to his apostles not to worry in advance about what they should say (see Mark 13:11)… the Holy Spirit must lead us and every situation is different again anyway…