"Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions!" Proverbs 18:2 If you are a Christian, you cannot...must not...better not be a troll!
Stop it! Internet and social media is not a free for all where you can quit acting like Christ. Free wifi is not an invitation for free venting; where you think you have the God given right to just let it all hang out without any repercussions. You still represent Jesus even if people can't see your face. Controlling your tongue includes controlling your rantings online as well. Did you know that Ephesians 4:29 and 5:4 are still in the Bible? Even the new ESV has included those two verses because they are still really important for all believers to abide by. Maybe it would help us all to be reminded again what these verses say: Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear...Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. The purpose of words, both written and verbal, is clear: "to build up others, give grace, and be thankful." How many Christians on the internet aim to accomplish these purposes? Not many. I know I am not perfect with my words, but I have intentionally tried to make one of my primary aims to encourage and build up those who listen. Sometimes building up does require tearing down what is wrong and detrimental. (Look at Ephesians 5:7-11 - Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.) But for the most part I aim to inform and bring joy. I have been wanting to write on the topic of "training your troll" for a long time now. But the recent Twitter screed against the famous baseball pitcher Curt Schilling's daughter pushed me to finally write this. If you haven't read what the Twitter world said about her you are lucky...the filth of the low-life troll world came out in full force against his daughter and it is abhorrent. Curt, as a loving and protective dad, was having none of it! Listen to some of his words, At the end of the day this is becoming a cesspool of cynicism that we live in. I can deal with my issues and my detractors and haters. But some people can’t and women shouldn’t ever have to. I grew up in a world where women were treated with respect and dignity. When did that become out of date? Obsolete? How? Why? You want to rag me? You want to MF me about RI, about things I said when I played, about my congressional testimony in 2001? Go for it. Dear Christian, you never should be a part of spewing sewage across the cyber galaxy! We are meant to beautify and bring peace. Philippians 4:8 says, "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." Wow, that is hard to do, but that is exactly what Jesus asked us to do! So, practically, how do we do this? I have three simple, tiny suggestions: (1) Before you hit post, reply or send..."think." Take a five second breath, re-read what you wrote and then if you feel Jesus is alright with what you wrote, go ahead and send it. If you notice on Facebook and twitter, people will put down the first thing that pops up in their mind. Sadly, some of these knee-jerk hostile rants are from people who go to our church - - and frankly, some of their thoughts are downright shameful. Don't people know the internet is public and everybody can read what you write? Can you imagine going up to heaven and Jesus has a folder of your postings and he says, "Really Chris, you thought it was ok talking about your bowel movements all over the internet? Is that really that lovely?" (2) Before you hit post, reply or send, make sure you have thick enough skin for the trolls that will go after you. If you are a sensitive person, my advice is to stay off the public forums. People these days will attack you over the smallest of subjects. What people sometimes say about me is mind-blowing. Because I support traditional values and believe in God, all of a sudden I have become in the eyes of many a, "Homophobic, misogynistic, close minded, stupid neanderthal, who hates progress." It doesn't bother me (well, maybe a little) because I am ready for it. But if you are not, and you start getting attacked, it can feel like you were sucker punched and you will never want to associate with the world again. People have evil thoughts, and the internet offers a very convenient avenue to express every evil thought without any personal fall out - - because there is no skin in the game. So beware! (3) Learn to love people on the internet by first trying your best to understand their point of view. Timothy Keller, a very intelligent Christian writer and pastor, once said that to love your enemy when you are arguing with them means to first understand them completely. So before you disagree or critique a point, take the time to hear their opinion, fully! And when you can objectively articulate back to them what they believe, you have loved them. It is at that point it is o.k. to respond. Did you know argument is a healthy thing? Disagreement is what brings improvement and destroys ignorance. And as Christians, the art of healthy arguing and discussion must begin with us. In fact, our job is to persuade and win over a world that hates Jesus. But if we hate first, we are just inciting more hate against him. We love because he first loved us. So stop being a troll!
3 Comments
Art
3/4/2015 04:47:08 am
AMEN! I hate it when professing Christians do the old "hit and run" on media sites. Whatever happened to picking up the phone or setting up a face to face meeting with the person or organization you have a problem with? We have so become a "hide behind the keyboard" society and we as Christian should know better. Always pray before you speak in conflicts, and pray double before you put the anger into typed words for all the world to read! Chris thanks for having the guts to challenge us to think before we talk! (I would have put this on Twitter but they shut my account down for abusive language!)
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chris
3/4/2015 07:30:51 am
Thanks Art:) for the great input! I am glad they pulled your twitter account, it is about time!
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Tom Tom
3/5/2015 02:06:47 am
I certainly agree Chris. I do not face book but totally understand the separated mental condition people are in. Face to faced always changes the atmosphere and that is what I was brought up on and need to use. While I am driving 34 miles to work and back every day people think just because they are alone behind the wheel of a vehicle that there actions do not hurt anyone. Well we all know about road rage. It sounds like social media is turning into social media supper highway rage.
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