On facebook people changing profiles to have colors of France's flag

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PennyinCanada

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Have you done this?
I would love to see all the people who are Catholic change their profile pics to have the colors of France’s flag but include a photo of rosary beads. Here is the weapon of choice when it comes to terrorists and for those who have died. France (and all of us!) would do well to return to it’s Catholic heritage and call upon the Blessed Mother for protection and guidance.
 
I remember a few years ago we were eating freedom fries (removing the French association).
 
Some of my friends have the papal flag superimposed on their profile pics.

Kind of lame, if you ask me.
But better than the rainbow. 😊
 
A lot of my friends have changed their pics. I haven’t. While harmless, I think it’s a meaningless gesture. 🤷
 
DeniseNY said:
A lot of my friends have changed their pics. I haven’t. While harmless, I think it’s a meaningless gesture. 🤷
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I agree, though I have no qualms with those who do. However, I think the most important thing we as Christians can do is to offer prayers–prayers for the survivors, the deceased, as well as the prevention of future terrorist acts.
 
It is a meaningless gesture, just showing your support for the French, while those same people don’t actually help out the people in France.
 
I haven’t changed my profile picture. However, I have a lot of people on my Facebook who have changed their pic with the French flag overlapping their picture.
 
PennyinCanada said:
Have you done this?
I would love to see all the people who are Catholic change their profile pics to have the colors of France’s flag but include a photo of rosary beads. Here is the weapon of choice when it comes to terrorists and for those who have died. France (and all of us!) would do well to return to it’s Catholic heritage and call upon the Blessed Mother for protection and guidance.
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This is the new thing. Rainbow flags French flags… It does nothing except allow others to see you are easily influenced by the flimsy wind of social media. I don’t have Facebook I just pray…
 
If we really supported France we would be leading the world in getting rid of the Islamic terrorists… But instead we tell them to let them in and we do the same… What an odd world we live in. So far from the saints who would have fought a false murderous religion. Instead we change the color of a social media profile. I am bothered by this type of driveby activism that seems to dominate a culture that is ignorant of real substance.
 
PennyinCanada said:
Have you done this?
I would love to see all the people who are Catholic change their profile pics to have the colors of France’s flag but include a photo of rosary beads. Here is the weapon of choice when it comes to terrorists and for those who have died. France (and all of us!) would do well to return to it’s Catholic heritage and call upon the Blessed Mother for protection and guidance.
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Your thought is of course motivated by genuine faith but I think it would be unwise to promote religious solidarity at this point since ISIS has tried to make this about ‘the banner of the Cross’ in Europe. They are indiscriminate killers and lots of their victims were Muslims, Jews and other religions. We need to demonstrate a humanist solidarity that doesn’t risk being divisive in itself because these ISIS nuts don’t care a sod about spirituality and religion. They just want war and hate.
 
DeniseNY said:
A lot of my friends have changed their pics. I haven’t. While harmless, I think it’s a meaningless gesture. 🤷
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I agree. The terrorists couldn’t care less if you changed your profile picture.
 
ShadowBoxer said:
I agree. The terrorists couldn’t care less if you changed your profile picture.
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The families of the victims don’t care either. Which means s why the gesture is not meaningless but rather self congratulatory.
 
I don’t see it as a meaningless gesture as others have suggested. I see it as a way of outwardly expressing sympathy for a country/city that has just been traumatized. It goes to the intent of the poster – kind of like tying a yellow ribbon on a mailbox or putting a blue stripe on your car in support of law enforcement.

If you don’t want to participate, fine; but I think to malign others’ good intentions is a little mean-spirited.
 
I don’t find it meaningless at all. I haven’t added the flag but I see many that have. Since facebook is not just an American thing people all over the world can see facebook profile pics. Personally, I engage with a more globally diverse group on Twitter but again, anyone from France or with French connections (sorry) can see that people all over acknowledge the tragedy. I know I was encouraged by the support shown by other countries after 9/11.

I’m discouraged by those who dismiss this gesture. It’s simple, yes, but there are people who think prayers are meaningless, too. People of faith don’t, but those on the outside looking in don’t see any effect. So maybe be less cynical or dismissive of those who are trying to show solidarity in a way that people can recognize.
 
Bruised_Reed said:
I don’t find it meaningless at all. I haven’t added the flag but I see many that have. Since facebook is not just an American thing people all over the world can see facebook profile pics. Personally, I engage with a more globally diverse group on Twitter but again, anyone from France or with French connections (sorry) can see that people all over acknowledge the tragedy. I know I was encouraged by the support shown by other countries after 9/11.

I’m discouraged by those who dismiss this gesture. It’s simple, yes, but there are people who think prayers are meaningless, too. People of faith don’t, but those on the outside looking in don’t see any effect. So maybe be less cynical or dismissive of those who are trying to show solidarity in a way that people can recognize.
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Thank you. I have put the flag on my profile temporarily to show support and solidarity for what the French have gone through the last few days.
If you put the rainbow flag on your profile, was that meaningless??
 
*Research, however, shows social media trends like embracing Facebook’s French flag profile picture can have damaging effects on giving. In a phenomenon researchers have dubbed “slacktivism,” a study from the University of British Columbia revealed that posting support online enables people to associate with causes but makes them less likely to commit any resources to them. *

ibtimes.com/facebook-french-flag-why-you-shouldnt-change-your-profile-picture-support-paris-2187416

news.ubc.ca/2013/11/08/slacktivism-liking-on-facebook-may-mean-less-giving/

Pray for them, send money to some charity that is doing work among those affected, but don’t fool yourself into thinking that changing your personal never-to-be-seen-by-a-Parisian Facebook page is going to do anything more than calling your fries “Freedom Fries” ever did. It is not just that it is pointless. If it were only pointless, then it would be fine to do it if you were so inclined. No, if you convince others to think this way you may actually be encouraging less meaningful action rather than more. That is a bad thing that feels like a good thing, not just a pointless thing.
 
Lots of folks turning up their noses in this thread. 🤷 I’m American, and I’m using the French flag filter in the wake of the attacks. I don’t think it’s a thoughtless or meaningless gesture at all. I have several dear French friends who use the filter, and after seeing that I chose to use it myself in solidarity with them. It’s a great way to reinforce our friendships with French people and France herself. Of course it’s easy, almost effortless, to click the button and apply the filter. But so is saying a prayer for the victims and their families every morning. Does that make my prayers meaningless? Was it meaningless when Americans all over the country began to hang flags outside their homes after 9/11? Of course not. Each of these outward gestures, however small, is an important part of reinforcing solidarity and strength in the face of great evil.
 
EasterJoy said:
Research, however, shows social media trends like embracing Facebook’s French flag profile picture can have damaging effects on giving. In a phenomenon researchers have dubbed "slacktivism," a study from the University of British Columbia revealed that posting support online enables people to associate with causes but makes them less likely to commit any resources to them.

ibtimes.com/facebook-french-flag-why-you-shouldnt-change-your-profile-picture-support-paris-2187416

news.ubc.ca/2013/11/08/slacktivism-liking-on-facebook-may-mean-less-giving/

Pray for them, send money to some charity that is doing work among those affected, but don’t fool yourself into thinking that changing your personal never-to-be-seen-by-a-Parisian Facebook page is going to do anything more than calling your fries “Freedom Fries” ever did. It is not just that it is pointless. If it were only pointless, then it would be fine to do it if you were so inclined. No, if you convince others to think this way you may actually be encouraging less meaningful action rather than more. That is a bad thing that feels like a good thing, not just a pointless thing.
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who’s saying we’re NOT praying for them or helping them in other ways?
are those on here suggesting that those who have the profile actually are naïve enough to think that because we clicked a profile we are going to make everything all better by doing nothing else?
Of course we’re not that naïve-of course we’re praying for them and want to help and show solidarity with them.
I didn’t see these kind of criticisms when people displayed the rainbow flag in June.
 
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