Is facebook just for farmville?
I suspect that many of my facebook friends think I'm a little crazy.
Because of my job I have almost 1100 friends and on average only a dozen or two post comments regularly on my status updates. So what about the other 1075 of them? What are they 'not' saying?
I am fully aware that it's a little arrogant of me to think that 1100 people are waiting with bated breath to see what I will post next, or that many of them ever even see my updates. I don't care in the least if I have a large 'audience' or not, but I do care if people are being unnecessarily offended or frustrated by my thoughts.
I went to our parish mission this week and one of the gems I got out of it was a question asked by the mission priest; "If you were the only Catholic/Christian that a person had ever met, what would be their impression of the Church?" It hit me hard in that moment and caused some self reflection for sure.
I have always said that one of the best assets to effective evangelization is just being normal. I say it to the students all the time; 'just be yourself, be the happy, informed, well adjusted, social, fun person that you are and people will naturally want to know why you are the way you are. Then you'll have their attention and their ear.
In college we were all aware of those adults who seemed to appear at every Catholic event in town toting pounds of medals around their neck and sharing prophecy wherever they went. It was often hard to tell if these people were 'holy crazy' or just plain crazy. We have a plethora of these people in the Church and God bless em, they are much more devout than I am. To quote Mr. Chris Stefanick " If you know someone who is holy and crazy, it means that they were crazy before they were holy." They are amazing assets to the communion of saints, stalwarts of prayer and powerful intercessors...but they don't do much for the approachability of the Church. We need them, they need us- it's a pretty good arrangement.
So then, for those of us who try to be 'normal' and approachable in an effort to give witness to the sensible nature of the Church - times like these are hard. A lot is going on right now that feels like a pretty direct attack on the Church and no matter where you stand on the issues there is a daily assault on personal beliefs and a severe lack of awareness. So, how should we proceed?
Earlier this week I heard a student say " I'm just going to start hiding status updates from some of my friends because they just think its a place to spout their political or religious beliefs." I giggled and asked him if he had hidden my status' and he jokingly replied "No, but I will if you keep it up." It got me thinking about how many other of my 'friends' think the same thing. I saw another student post this quote later in the week, "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem." Indeed.
My facebook contacts range from high school classmates who I haven't seen in years to family members to co-workers, college students, friends from around the country and even complete strangers. Am I doing more harm than good by posting so many controversial thoughts and articles? Or am I helping them to understand an issue that needs to be understood on a deep level? Is facebook fueling the anger and scandal in the world or is it giving us an opportunity to evangelize to groups we would never otherwise be in contact with? If I am the only Catholic/Christian on their newsfeed, what is their impression of the Church?
I don't know the answer. I guess, at the end of the day, I have to be true to myself and trust my conscience (which I hope has been and is being adequately formed). If you are one of my contacts who knows me in person, I would hope that you would agree that I'm a fairly normal and approachable person. I'm certainly not the poster child for cool but I'm even keel, rational and have even been known to get a laugh out of people from time to time. If you 'know' me then you also probably know that the fact of the matter is, this 'stuff', the content of all of the debates and questions, lives in the center of my heart. Nothing is more important to me than my relationship with Christ, followed by my little family and those I love. I want everyone to know the beauty and fullness of truth of the Catholic Church. So, if I seem overexcited about issues that falsely attack what I believe to be the pillar and foundation of the truth, don't be surprised. If you know me, you know I"m not crazy. If I'm willing to take the risk of appearing that way by sharing the truth, then know that it must be an issue of utmost importance. You are free to chose to ignore it (or hide my posts) or write me off as a medal wearin' crazy but you have to come face to face with one undeniable fact; There is no middle road here. Either it's crazy talk, or its truth. If it's crazy then you're wasting your time believing any of it- go and do as you please. But, if its truth, there is nothing more important.
Do yourself a favor and figure out which one it is. Then live it with your whole heart.
Because of my job I have almost 1100 friends and on average only a dozen or two post comments regularly on my status updates. So what about the other 1075 of them? What are they 'not' saying?
I am fully aware that it's a little arrogant of me to think that 1100 people are waiting with bated breath to see what I will post next, or that many of them ever even see my updates. I don't care in the least if I have a large 'audience' or not, but I do care if people are being unnecessarily offended or frustrated by my thoughts.
I went to our parish mission this week and one of the gems I got out of it was a question asked by the mission priest; "If you were the only Catholic/Christian that a person had ever met, what would be their impression of the Church?" It hit me hard in that moment and caused some self reflection for sure.
I have always said that one of the best assets to effective evangelization is just being normal. I say it to the students all the time; 'just be yourself, be the happy, informed, well adjusted, social, fun person that you are and people will naturally want to know why you are the way you are. Then you'll have their attention and their ear.
In college we were all aware of those adults who seemed to appear at every Catholic event in town toting pounds of medals around their neck and sharing prophecy wherever they went. It was often hard to tell if these people were 'holy crazy' or just plain crazy. We have a plethora of these people in the Church and God bless em, they are much more devout than I am. To quote Mr. Chris Stefanick " If you know someone who is holy and crazy, it means that they were crazy before they were holy." They are amazing assets to the communion of saints, stalwarts of prayer and powerful intercessors...but they don't do much for the approachability of the Church. We need them, they need us- it's a pretty good arrangement.
So then, for those of us who try to be 'normal' and approachable in an effort to give witness to the sensible nature of the Church - times like these are hard. A lot is going on right now that feels like a pretty direct attack on the Church and no matter where you stand on the issues there is a daily assault on personal beliefs and a severe lack of awareness. So, how should we proceed?
Earlier this week I heard a student say " I'm just going to start hiding status updates from some of my friends because they just think its a place to spout their political or religious beliefs." I giggled and asked him if he had hidden my status' and he jokingly replied "No, but I will if you keep it up." It got me thinking about how many other of my 'friends' think the same thing. I saw another student post this quote later in the week, "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem." Indeed.
My facebook contacts range from high school classmates who I haven't seen in years to family members to co-workers, college students, friends from around the country and even complete strangers. Am I doing more harm than good by posting so many controversial thoughts and articles? Or am I helping them to understand an issue that needs to be understood on a deep level? Is facebook fueling the anger and scandal in the world or is it giving us an opportunity to evangelize to groups we would never otherwise be in contact with? If I am the only Catholic/Christian on their newsfeed, what is their impression of the Church?I don't know the answer. I guess, at the end of the day, I have to be true to myself and trust my conscience (which I hope has been and is being adequately formed). If you are one of my contacts who knows me in person, I would hope that you would agree that I'm a fairly normal and approachable person. I'm certainly not the poster child for cool but I'm even keel, rational and have even been known to get a laugh out of people from time to time. If you 'know' me then you also probably know that the fact of the matter is, this 'stuff', the content of all of the debates and questions, lives in the center of my heart. Nothing is more important to me than my relationship with Christ, followed by my little family and those I love. I want everyone to know the beauty and fullness of truth of the Catholic Church. So, if I seem overexcited about issues that falsely attack what I believe to be the pillar and foundation of the truth, don't be surprised. If you know me, you know I"m not crazy. If I'm willing to take the risk of appearing that way by sharing the truth, then know that it must be an issue of utmost importance. You are free to chose to ignore it (or hide my posts) or write me off as a medal wearin' crazy but you have to come face to face with one undeniable fact; There is no middle road here. Either it's crazy talk, or its truth. If it's crazy then you're wasting your time believing any of it- go and do as you please. But, if its truth, there is nothing more important.
Do yourself a favor and figure out which one it is. Then live it with your whole heart.
Thanks to my friend Katie for posting this on Facebook yesterday.
"At times, I am tempted to despair at the media juggernauts of the day. Watching the endless parade of entertainers, reporters, experts, and public intellectuals deliver the party line leads me to wonder whether the fix is in, whether the network of opinion-makers is too powerful, too connected to be resisted. Are we destined for a future of group-think fueled by the narcissism of popular acceptance?
But then one thinks of the great figures in history who spoke their obstinate "no" in the face of decadent cultures and refused to surrender. I think of St. Benedict taking his stand in the small community of men who followed him to the wilderness. I think of the pioneering nuns who brought faith, education, and healthcare mission countries throughout the world. I think of someone as ordinary as the family back home who has formed their own quasi-monastery through a life of simple Christian discipleship.
Then I remember how evil is like chaff which the wind drives away. Yes, it shows itself strong in the moment. But a moment passes. Sober, clear-sighted Christian discipleship lasts much longer--eternally if you trust St. John--because it is founded upon a relationship that needs no attention, no spectacle, no approval. As psalmist wrote, the man with strong roots will not be budged."
But then one thinks of the great figures in history who spoke their obstinate "no" in the face of decadent cultures and refused to surrender. I think of St. Benedict taking his stand in the small community of men who followed him to the wilderness. I think of the pioneering nuns who brought faith, education, and healthcare mission countries throughout the world. I think of someone as ordinary as the family back home who has formed their own quasi-monastery through a life of simple Christian discipleship.
Then I remember how evil is like chaff which the wind drives away. Yes, it shows itself strong in the moment. But a moment passes. Sober, clear-sighted Christian discipleship lasts much longer--eternally if you trust St. John--because it is founded upon a relationship that needs no attention, no spectacle, no approval. As psalmist wrote, the man with strong roots will not be budged."
Fr. Kevin Dyer, SJ
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