Christian Communication: The Christian and Social Media

Christian Communication: The Christian and Social Media

Introduction: Media affects our lives everyday. Whether we’re using a tablet to read or we’re sitting down to play a video game or watching the tv we are saturated with media. Media can be an effective tool for spreading knowledge. The internet provides users an opportunity to learn about so many things. Social media sites like Facebook allow friends to connect nearly at all times of the day. Twitter allows people to share their thoughts at a moment’s notice. Unfortunately, there’s a dark side to these wonderful tools. Back in 2006, a young lady, under the influence of a friend she had made online, committed suicide. Megan Meier, a former user of the social media site Myspace, became friends with an individual that she thought was a 16 year old boy but turned out to be the mother of a friend who lived down the street. Megan had invested so much into this relationship that when the user of this fictitious account messaged that “The world would be a better place without you” she took it seriously and hanged herself that very same day. She was pronounced dead the next day. Our words and actions have consequences both in the real world and in cyberspace. I not only want to warn you about how you may present yourself in social media but also about the dangers of the internet.

Helpful Truths:

Media Myths

Mystery - nothing is completely hidden online

Every time you go online, you're given a unique id number called an IP address.

It is widely known that this number can be used by law enforcement to track down criminals.

This unique number is also very personal and can even be used to view information about what websites you have visited.

Removed - nothing is ever completely erased online

Though you may erase a posting/message, whatever resource your using, whether email or a social media site, they keep records of all that you do on something called a server.

Think about it like a giant file cabinet and they keep a file with everything that you've done or looked at through their website.

Even more so, whoever gives you access through the internet, like Verizon or Comcast or through your phone's data plan like Sprint, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Boost, Virgin Mobile, Metro 4g or Cricket they keep track of all that information also.

This can be beneficial as websites like Walmart and Amazon suggest products for you to buy.

This can be annoying when you get unwanted messages in your email about stuff the sender wants you to buy.

This can be horrifying if you've visited a website you don't want anyone to know about.

Always be careful about what you choose to view on the Internet.

God Cares about you.

God cares about you spiritually. (Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:14)

God cares about you physically. (Matthew ; James 1:17)

God cares about you individually. (Psalm 139; 1 Peter 1:16)

God cares about what you say.

God cares about what you do.

As a Christian, whatever I say or do gives an opinion about God. (2 Corinthians 5)

We always have an opportunity to give the right opinion about God. (Matthew 5:16)

Guidelines:

Rand Hummel, one of my favorite preachers from the Wilds, encourages folks to remember the surfer principle when surfing the internet, Never Go Online Alone.

If you can't always do that, always go online with a purpose in mind, or, never go online just to see what's on the internet. This will get you in trouble just like it's gotten many folks in trouble.

What is the purpose/intention behind my posting/message? (Psalm 19:14)

Is my posting/message kind? (Ephesians 4:32)

What does the content of my posting/message communicate what I believe about God?

Is my posting/message truthful? (Ephesians 4:25)

Is my posting/message helpful? (Ephesians 4:29)

Does my posting/message display God’s high regard for purity? (1 Thessalonians 4:3; Hebrews 13:4)