Faith/Politics and Facebook

[GRATEFULONEjim]

I have many FB friends who are ultra-liberal, agnostic or atheist who routinely post secular trash and believe that the world is there to just gobble it up. I take these people head on. The world is quickly spiraling down a moral slide and those Catholics and other Christians who sit quietly by and allow it to happen are as much to blame for being complacent. The problem behind a secularized nation is not going to just go away. Stand up and fight for your beliefs or wallow in the mire. These people have their right to post this kind of thing on FB. I also have the right to tear it down.

 

[Bklynguy]

I feel like I need to stop debating things on facebook because I have no religious common ground to build an argument from with most people on there.

Should you maintain “friendships” on facebook with people you don’t see much anymore who all you want to do is argue with?

I’m guessing I should end contact given that I fear my debating on the issues can sometimes lead to sinful [angry] behavior.

I only use Facebook to stay in touch with friends and family that I don’t get to see very often–or, people I knew in school but don’t see anymore. Stick to CAF to debate religion, politics, current events, etc.

 

[nickybr38]

Sometimes just liking an article or comment that someone else made can lead to a debate. Sometimes just saying: I love Mass. or posting a quote from a great Church leader can spark a debate.

I’m to the point where I’m fairly certain me daring to voice WHAT I believe will start a debate and a war.

It’s incredibly frustrating.

I don’t know about others posting here but I’m not seeking debates. I am simply sharing my faith and posting statuses about things I like. Apparently this is too obnoxious for some people to handle, even while they are posting links to pro-abortion nonsense, atheist nonsense, heck! Even pictures that bash the Catholic Church. But it’s okay for them to post such things and yet I cannot post a link to a prayer I like or a religious image I admire.

This world is frustrating. That’s all I’m going to say!

 

[PatriceA]

I only use Facebook to stay in touch with friends and family that I don’t get to see very often–or, people I knew in school but don’t see anymore. Stick to CAF to debate religion, politics, current events, etc.

Same here. I think it all depends upon what one wants to get out of having a FB page. I don’t use it to discuss current issues. I use it just as another way to stay in touch with people I don’t see face to face very often. Parents from my daughter’s various activities also use FB occasionally to send out mass information to everyone and post pics. But what I discuss on FB, I wouldn’t post here or on other message boards I frequent and vice versa.

I have made a “friend cut” from time to time. I don’t know why people are so afraid to “defriend” someone that isn’t particularly good at being friends.

 

[nickybr38]

Same here. I think it all depends upon what one wants to get out of having a FB page. I don’t use it to discuss current issues. I use it just as another way to stay in touch with people I don’t see face to face very often. Parents from my daughter’s various activities also use FB occasionally to send out mass information to everyone and post pics. But what I discuss on FB, I wouldn’t post here or on other message boards I frequent and vice versa.

I have made a “friend cut” from time to time. I don’t know why people are so afraid to “defriend” someone that isn’t particularly good at being friends.

It’s complicated.

1. If you cut a family member from your friends list they most likely will be VERY offended (this has happened in my family more then once now).
2. If you cut someone they will likely think you want nothing to do with them OFFLINE - and this isn’t always the case.

 

[PatriceA]

It’s complicated.

1. If you cut a family member from your friends list they most likely will be VERY offended (this has happened in my family more then once now).
2. If you cut someone they will likely think you want nothing to do with them OFFLINE - and this isn’t always the case.

First instance, I haven’t defriended family, but if I was, it would have to be a serious offense and one that I realize would have to be addressed offline as well.

Second instance, when I have defriended someone online, it is because I no longer want them to be a part of my life offline as well.

 

[nickybr38]

First instance, I haven’t defriended family, but if I was, it would have to be a serious offense and one that I realize would have to be addressed offline as well.

Second instance, when I have defriended someone online, it is because I no longer want them to be a part of my life offline as well.

Works for you, doesn’t work for everyone. There are people who can’t figure out the filters and end up wanting to delete people who post too often or post things too personal. I have mentally disabled friends on my Facebook who post VERY inappropriate stuff online but I know I can’t delete them. They’d be SO offended and honestly I don’t mind being friends with them offline because they don’t say that **** to my face… I’ve decided to filter them instead but thankfully I know HOW to do that.

 

[GRATEFULONEjim]

Sometimes just liking an article or comment that someone else made can lead to a debate. Sometimes just saying: I love Mass. or posting a quote from a great Church leader can spark a debate.

I’m to the point where I’m fairly certain me daring to voice WHAT I believe will start a debate and a war.

It’s incredibly frustrating.

I don’t know about others posting here but I’m not seeking debates. I am simply sharing my faith and posting statuses about things I like. Apparently this is too obnoxious for some people to handle, even while they are posting links to pro-abortion nonsense, atheist nonsense, heck! Even pictures that bash the Catholic Church. But it’s okay for them to post such things and yet I cannot post a link to a prayer I like or a religious image I admire.

This world is frustrating. That’s all I’m going to say!

That is why I am not afraid to stand up against the people who post the secular/atheist/agnostic viewpoints on FB. They make it out to be the utmost offense for a Christian to express his/her faith openly in a public setting. It is our own fault for letting society batter and bash people of faith. Our culture is now reflecting Christians taking the back seat. The longer we remain quiet, the worse it is going to get.

 

[PatriceA]

Works for you, doesn’t work for everyone. There are people who can’t figure out the filters and end up wanting to delete people who post too often or post things too personal. I have mentally disabled friends on my Facebook who post VERY inappropriate stuff online but I know I can’t delete them. They’d be SO offended and honestly I don’t mind being friends with them offline because they don’t say that **** to my face… I’ve decided to filter them instead but thankfully I know HOW to do that.

There are also people that accept every friend request, and don’t think before hitting that button.

 

[Bklynguy]

Same here. I think it all depends upon what one wants to get out of having a FB page. I don’t use it to discuss current issues. I use it just as another way to stay in touch with people I don’t see face to face very often. Parents from my daughter’s various activities also use FB occasionally to send out mass information to everyone and post pics. But what I discuss on FB, I wouldn’t post here or on other message boards I frequent and vice versa.

I have made a “friend cut” from time to time. I don’t know why people are so afraid to “defriend” someone that isn’t particularly good at being friends.

Oh really? I never actually cut someone from my friends list after they were added, even though I will ocassionally “like” some of their posts or make a comment here or there, and they will never do the same for me. I just assumed it would hurt their feelings for no good reason. I guess I just think that there is no extra work for having someone on my friends list, so why would I cut them (unless for some reason, felt I couldn’t trust them)?

Did you get any flack for it from anyone? Just curious.

 

[PatriceA]

Oh really? I never actually cut someone from my friends list after they were added, even though I will ocassionally “like” some of their posts or make a comment here or there, and they will never do the same for me. I just assumed it would hurt their feelings for no good reason. I guess I just think that there is no extra work for having someone on my friends list, so why would I cut them (unless for some reason, felt I couldn’t trust them)?

Did you get any flack for it from anyone? Just curious.

If they are hurting your feelings, isn’t that a good reason to defriend them? If they can’t respect your views and opinions, why be concerned if their feelings are hurt? That’s what I don’t get.

Yes, I have had flack from two people. But in both cases the relationships offline had grown quite toxic and I began the process of distancing myself from them. No reason to keep them as friends in the online world at that point. That would just send a mixed message.

 

[InJesusItrust]

I just defriended someone on facebook who fits the definition of an internet troll perfectly. He is a marxist anti-theist and he constantly posts offensive stuff about faith. Whenever I do respond he never argues intellectually but ridicules. I have to constantly hold back the urge to reply so I deleted him. I pray for him because I have begun to detest his presence on facebook. Hopefully the day is coming where he will realize his folly.

The internet makes people vulgar and stupid. Too much internet memes makes a normal person a jack***. I used to know him in real life before I moved.

 

[GRATEFULONEjim]

I just defriended someone on facebook who fits the definition of an internet troll perfectly. He is a marxist anti-theist and he constantly posts offensive stuff about faith. Whenever I do respond he never argues intellectually but ridicules. I have to constantly hold back the urge to reply so I deleted him. I pray for him because I have begun to detest his presence on facebook. Hopefully the day is coming where he will realize his folly.

The internet makes people vulgar and stupid. Too much internet memes makes a normal person a jack***. I used to know him in real life before I moved.

You should engage these people and show them that your love of God and neighbor far outweighs their secular hatred toward our faith.

 

[InJesusItrust]

It does not work. I have tried many times. I even showed, true reasoned discourse, that he believes what he does subjectively and not objectively. He then condescends to me or continues trolling. He does not seem to care if what he believes is objectively true or not. He seems to troll because it pleases him. His attitude bugs me the most: he behaves as though he were sophisticated and intellectually superior to anyone who disagrees with him. He like sounding sophisticated and artistic. He does not mind being vulgar and rude.

Rather than have annoyed feeling whenever I open Facebook I just removed the guy.

 

[GRATEFULONEjim]

It does not work. I have tried many times. I even showed, true reasoned discourse, that he believes what he does subjectively and not objectively. He then condescends to me or continues trolling. He does not seem to care if what he believes is objectively true or not. He seems to troll because it pleases him. His attitude bugs me the most: he behaves as though he were sophisticated and intellectually superior to anyone who disagrees with him. He like sounding sophisticated and artistic. He does not mind being vulgar and rude.

Rather than have annoyed feeling whenever I open Facebook I just removed the guy.

Yes, but in the meantime you are also evangelizing a myriad of other people while you are bearing your cross.

 

[ESMDHokie77]

Yes, but in the meantime you are also evangelizing a myriad of other people while you are bearing your cross.

It’s true, while it’s obvious who is responding we never really know who is reading what we say in the effort to evangelize.

 

[3DOCTORS]

Sometimes just liking an article or comment that someone else made can lead to a debate. Sometimes just saying: I love Mass. or posting a quote from a great Church leader can spark a debate.

I’m to the point where I’m fairly certain me daring to voice WHAT I believe will start a debate and a war.

It’s incredibly frustrating.

I don’t know about others posting here but I’m not seeking debates. I am simply sharing my faith and posting statuses about things I like. Apparently this is too obnoxious for some people to handle, even while they are posting links to pro-abortion nonsense, atheist nonsense, heck! Even pictures that bash the Catholic Church. But it’s okay for them to post such things and yet I cannot post a link to a prayer I like or a religious image I admire.

This world is frustrating. That’s all I’m going to say!

I’ve had the same experiences myself. (I’ve started several threads about Facebook here on CAF and replied to some started by others, if you are interested in more about this, BTW)

Anyway, it depends how my mood is at the given time, how aggressive I know the person to be, and whether it would be an occasion of sin (or elevated blood pressure - which doesn’t benefit my own Temple of the Holy Spirit!) for me to come back at them with both barrels! :slapfight:

For awhile I avoided all controversial topics. Then when the HHS mandate hit the news, I felt I could no longer restrain myself. I put a carefully, diplomatically worded announcement on my FB status to the effect that “This is what I believe, I have just as much right to be pro-life on my page as you have to be pro-choice on yours, I pray that if you don’t understand right now maybe someday you will, etc.”

Even the person who is most outspoken on the other side hasn’t given me nearly the flak that I’d expected - and anyone whose post I just can’t stomach, I simply hide the post.

In short, I’m learning on FB to act when I choose to, rather than simply react when someone else tries to provoke me to it, which I think is a handy skill to have in life.

 

[Bklynguy]

If they are hurting your feelings, isn’t that a good reason to defriend them? If they can’t respect your views and opinions, why be concerned if their feelings are hurt? That’s what I don’t get.

Yes, I have had flack from two people. But in both cases the relationships offline had grown quite toxic and I began the process of distancing myself from them. No reason to keep them as friends in the online world at that point. That would just send a mixed message.

Oh, yes–those are definitely good reasons. I was talking more of the people who defriend just because you don’t stay in contact frequently.

 

[InJesusItrust]

I think all my sharing of my faith on Facebook is bearing fruit. One of my friends is thinking of Buddhism but he said he finds my views interesting. Even though he doesn’t believe Jesus was the ONLY Son of God, he understands that Jesus could not have been a moral teacher only.