Facebook - Help or Harm?

T

TransformedinChrist

I am curious about people's stand on Facebook. Being in a position myself having left Facebook [deactivated]. I was very surprised barely anyone messaged me [3 out of alot of people I have connected over the years with]. It's been nearly 2 weeks and I see the change especially not mindlessly scrolling etc.

*Less stressed
*More focused
*Self control
*Calmer
*Life slowed down
*More time to study God's Word, reading and other things.

I am not saying it's for everyone [leaving Facebook]. Some people do great on it. For me I felt alot of different emotions and experienced struggles.

Reality hit for me, was alot of the individuals [Christians] who I connected with never reached out when I deactivated Facebook - I understood more so why it was necessary for me to discontinue it. Friendship and relationships truly do matter and should have substance ❤️ especially when we are apart of the Body of Christ.

PS. Again my experience only. Others may have a certain position and positivity with Facebook. That's okay! Just sharing my experience and take on it.


Warmly in Christ ❤️
 
TransformedinChrist said:
I am curious about people's stand on Facebook. Being in a position myself having left Facebook [deactivated].
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I have never joined Facebook. However, I am familiar with it in that my wife writes and so has the maximum allowed 5,000 ‘friends’ and over 4,000 additional ‘followers’ of her account.

In talking with my wife she tells me that as far as Facebook, the word ‘friend’ is a gross misrepresentation of the conventional meaning of the word. ‘Facebook friends’ are at best more like very casual acquaintances.

An acquaintance is someone you know a little about, but they're not your best friend or anything. Most often you may have a very limited area or issue where you come together with them, but you really know little or nothing about their real lives away from the keyboard. Unlike a real friend they’re not go to get up at 4:00am to drive you to the airport for instance, or bring soup over when you’re ill.

It’s all kinda an electronic mass mutual illusion of togetherness.

Sounds a little harsh perhaps, but this is my vicarious take watching and listening to her.

In all those thousands and thousands she tells me they’re perhaps 3-4 people she would really like to know better but they tend to live 2-3 time zones away so that’s probably not gona happen.

She maintains the account to support her work, but even so she must take breaks occasionally to decompress the stressful nature of its maintenance.

Watching her wade through the waters of Facebook convinced me to stay away.

Like you she generally prefers reading her books over interacting on Facebook although there is daily maintenance. I don’t think she’s gona miss it much when the time comes to unplug.

Great topic.
 
blueskies said:
I have never joined Facebook. However, I am familiar with it in that my wife writes and so has the maximum allowed 5,000 ‘friends’ and over 4,000 additional ‘followers’ of her account.

In talking with my wife she tells me that as far as Facebook, the word ‘friend’ is a gross misrepresentation of the conventional meaning of the word. ‘Facebook friends’ are at best more like very casual acquaintances.

An acquaintance is someone you know a little about, but they're not your best friend or anything. Most often you may have a very limited area or issue where you come together with them, but you really know little or nothing about their real lives away from the keyboard. Unlike a real friend they’re not go to get up at 4:00am to drive you to the airport for instance, or bring soup over when you’re ill.

It’s all kinda an electronic mass mutual illusion of togetherness.

Sounds a little harsh perhaps, but this is my vicarious take watching and listening to her.

In all those thousands and thousands she tells me they’re perhaps 3-4 people she would really like to know better but they tend to live 2-3 time zones away so that’s probably not gona happen.

She maintains the account to support her work, but even so she must take breaks occasionally to decompress the stressful nature of its maintenance.

Watching her wade through the waters of Facebook convinced me to stay away.

Like you she generally prefers reading her books over interacting on Facebook although there is daily maintenance. I don’t think she’s gona miss it much when the time comes to unplug.

Great topic.
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Yes! Very happy to have more time to do things like read, grow in His Word, etc. I don't miss it in that sense of the chaos on Facebook. Even the algorithms were getting to be too much. I couldn't believe the amount of release and peace I had once I did it.


Thank you! I really learned alot from this experience. I pray God contiunes to heal, guide and bring peace over the disappointment I have but glad to be not part of the matrix anymore.
 
We use Facebook and Rumble to broadcast our church services and adult Sunday School classes live (since to the pandemic). I've also joined a few private Facebook groups, and I created a private group for the members of my small group Bible Study to use.

I don't use Facebook for much else than that, but it has been effective and a blessing in regard to the above.

--Papa Smurf
 
TransformedinChrist said:
I am curious about people's stand on Facebook. Being in a position myself having left Facebook [deactivated]. I was very surprised barely anyone messaged me [3 out of alot of people I have connected over the years with]. It's been nearly 2 weeks and I see the change especially not mindlessly scrolling etc. *Less stressed *More focused *Self control *Calmer *Life slowed down *More time to study God's Word, reading and other things. I am not saying it's for everyone [leaving Facebook]. Some people do great on it. For me I felt alot of different emotions and experienced struggles. Reality hit for me, was alot of the individuals [Christians] who I connected with never reached out when I deactivated Facebook - I understood more so why it was necessary for me to discontinue it. Friendship and relationships truly do matter and should have substance ❤️ especially when we are apart of the Body of Christ. PS. Again my experience only. Others may have a certain position and positivity with Facebook. That's okay! Just sharing my experience and take on it. Warmly in Christ ❤️
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Hello TransformedinChrist;

Thank you for sharing Facebook - Help or Harm?

I closed my account 3 years ago after 10 years. I'm 66 and have friends at FB going back when we were 10 years old. Speaking for myself I loved sharing my testimony, good times with friends and ministry in a post, etc...only to get an emoji such as 👍 or ❤️

I felt there was a lack of transparency and didn't feel led to post anymore so I quietly closed my account. Nobody followed up with other means of communication. No worries and no regrets. I moved on without looking back. 😎

Today my friends, family and ministry stay in touch via text, phone call or email. There is actually more communication and substance in our conversations and prayers.

God bless you, TransformedinChrist.
 
You touched on exactly what I struggled with. I tried to explain reaching the lost was more than a ❤️ 👍 post and sharing. Discipleship, relationships and so forth are created too in the process. There was no substance

I didn't feel comfortable either. I used it for the same reasons you did.

I am so grateful I closed it.

Thank you for sharing your story.
 
TransformedinChrist said:
You touched on exactly what I struggled with. I tried to explain reaching the lost was more than a ❤️ 👍 post and sharing. Discipleship, relationships and so forth are created too in the process. There was no substance I didn't feel comfortable either. I used it for the same reasons you did. I am so grateful I closed it. Thank you for sharing your story.
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Hello TransformedinChrist;

Someone shared with my wife and me today, Jesus says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear,” just from having a conversation that lasted 4 hours. It ministered to me.

Sitting down, having a cup of coffee and conversation with a brother or sister - nothing beats "live" testimony, amen?

(Hint) There is an alternative social media for good communication. It's called Christian Forum Site. lol!

Thank you for sharing as well.


 
I left FB about 3 years ago too.
I don't miss it that much. I was using it for a purpose and had about 100 friends but not everyone I knew that well and its not the main way I communicate. I had some problems with it and I didn't really want to know every else's business or want them to know mine.

Some friends who use it too much keep saying did you know so and so blah blah blah. It was on the facebook - I have to remind them I am not on facebook nor would I check it every single day if I was. If you have too many friends on it plus the volumes of posts and ads you can never keep up, but its not important things either. I am also not interested in hearing everyones comments on contentious political situations either.

I was on something else called Neighbourly, it had some good things but it ended up leaving because people were complaining way too much on it. If I am there I'd like to be helpful but I cannot spend all my time on it.

With forums like this you can choose which thread topics you want to participate in and ignore the rest and nobody will blast you for it. But on facebook its one big long scroll of random comments and 'status updates' or 'what are you thinking' and sponsored ads being made all the time. No thanks.
 
bobinfaith said:
Hello TransformedinChrist;

Someone shared with my wife and me today, Jesus says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear,” just from having a conversation that lasted 4 hours. It ministered to me.

Sitting down, having a cup of coffee and conversation with a brother or sister - nothing beats "live" testimony, amen?

(Hint) There is an alternative social media for good communication. It's called Christian Forum Site. lol!

Thank you for sharing as well.


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Absolutely! I am loving the alternative!
 
I had an account years ago, but I only used it because my sister used it and posted about her experiences with comfort pets. They go to hospitals & elder care facilities where the animals provide warmth and non threatening companionship.

Eventually I just stopped logging on. My sister and I now keep track through e-mail and occasional phone call.

I suppose someone could find my old data and use that as a starting point to get more data about me, but all they will find is a couple of posts about the ostomy support group in which I was active.
 
One thing that occasionally occurs that I really wish didn't is that there are several sites/organizations in which I might be interested but they are on Facebook exclusively. Sometimes I can gain access to an introductory page, but am unable to fully interact.

Facebook is such a personal information collector (and marketeer) that I choose not to use it. I would much prefer access through other means.
 
Siloam said:
One thing that occasionally occurs that I really wish didn't is that there are several sites/organizations in which I might be interested but they are on Facebook exclusively. Sometimes I can gain access to an introductory page, but am unable to fully interact.

Facebook is such a personal information collector (and marketeer) that I choose not to use it. I would much prefer access through other means.
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Very good point Siloam.
 
Well, my experience with Facebook is that I had my old account hacked and there I was taken over by something/someone trying to sell shoes to my internet buddies. ☹️ Luckily they told me and we reported it.

I haven't had my identity stolen before and it felt very surreal seeing my smiling face as a sales woman I can tell you. Lucky it was only shoes. It could have been worse....Buy one shoe, get the other later 😬
 
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Via dolarossa said:
Well, my experience with Facebook is that I had my old account hacked and there I was taken over by something/someone trying to sell shoes to my internet buddies. ☹️ Luckily they told me and we reported it.

I haven't had my identity stolen before and it felt very surreal seeing my smiling face as a sales woman I can tell you. Lucky it was only shoes. It could have been worse....Buy one shoe, get the other later 😬
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I get it, you were in the business of saving soles.
 
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