Sunday, September 27, 2009
The things we do for football
This past weekend at LU we had our non-conference competition with JMU. I camped outside the football stadium with nothing but a tarp to lay on and a towel for a blanket. Did i mention? It was also raining...the whole night! I woke up at ten and stood in line, in the rain, until four thirty when they opened the gates. My friends and I took shifts for lunch. We ended making a "hobo dwelling" with the tarp over us and cardboard to sit on! Anyways, the gate opened and then had to stand in the rain for three more hours! The game started and the rain picked up. I was soaked from head to toe. Then the wind started to blow making it freezing cold. My body was rendered immobile. I couldn't move and I was having muscles spasms. After all that...LU lost :( It was the most miserable night of my life. All in the name of football :)
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Methodology vs. Conviction
Over the past couple of days I have been thinking about the church and how it just "goes". Most of the time we don't even think about "The Why" behind the things we do and the traditions we incorporate into the Christian system of doing things. We tend to look at it as just a weekly mechanical process we are expected to do.
It's like knowing the why behind CPR. You know how to do it, but if you fail to realize the importance of it, someones life could be at stake. Someone could be dying and since you know how to do CPR you give it a try. You do it half heartily, placing your hands in the wrong position, sporadically giving mouth to mouth and then when you decide you've done enough you get up and go about your business.
Is that how we have begun to approach church? Have we failed to realize the importance of church discipline, communion, service, outreach, youth group, invitations, and counseling?
You see, if we do not understand the importance behind a concept we do not have a heart for it. Importance is the catalyst for commitment and commitment is the catalyst for passion. We need passionate people in the church who take their contribution to the body of Christ seriously and put their all into it. It involves conviction.
"Convictions are built, not by practicing the method, but by understanding the principle." - Walter Henrichsen (Disciples are Made not Born)
Without principle communion becomes a Sunday afternoon snack. Without principle door to door witnessing becomes healthy exercise. Without principle daily devotions becomes a chore, public praying becomes a speech contest, and the church becomes a business. Without principle worship becomes a popularity contest between bands. The principle behind what we are doing is very important to understand. We need to take time to think about what we are doing and research the why behind our actions. There is nothing wrong with tradition unless we do it only because we always have and not because we seriously think we are doing it to glorify God. Methodology should not be our focus, rather heartfelt convictions about why the church operates the way it does.
If we focus on methods we close our minds to new and possibly better ways of functioning. Why? Because change becomes a threat. We need biblical conviction back into our churches.
It's like knowing the why behind CPR. You know how to do it, but if you fail to realize the importance of it, someones life could be at stake. Someone could be dying and since you know how to do CPR you give it a try. You do it half heartily, placing your hands in the wrong position, sporadically giving mouth to mouth and then when you decide you've done enough you get up and go about your business.
Is that how we have begun to approach church? Have we failed to realize the importance of church discipline, communion, service, outreach, youth group, invitations, and counseling?
You see, if we do not understand the importance behind a concept we do not have a heart for it. Importance is the catalyst for commitment and commitment is the catalyst for passion. We need passionate people in the church who take their contribution to the body of Christ seriously and put their all into it. It involves conviction.
"Convictions are built, not by practicing the method, but by understanding the principle." - Walter Henrichsen (Disciples are Made not Born)
Without principle communion becomes a Sunday afternoon snack. Without principle door to door witnessing becomes healthy exercise. Without principle daily devotions becomes a chore, public praying becomes a speech contest, and the church becomes a business. Without principle worship becomes a popularity contest between bands. The principle behind what we are doing is very important to understand. We need to take time to think about what we are doing and research the why behind our actions. There is nothing wrong with tradition unless we do it only because we always have and not because we seriously think we are doing it to glorify God. Methodology should not be our focus, rather heartfelt convictions about why the church operates the way it does.
If we focus on methods we close our minds to new and possibly better ways of functioning. Why? Because change becomes a threat. We need biblical conviction back into our churches.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Satan is vanilla extract
okay so this randomly came to me:
Satan is like vanilla extract. He tempts you with the very sweet smell of fulfillment, but when you taste him you want to throw up :) Eph 4:22b
Satan is like vanilla extract. He tempts you with the very sweet smell of fulfillment, but when you taste him you want to throw up :) Eph 4:22b
Origin of right and wrong: the unchangeable God.
"The point which I should first wish to understand is whether the pious or holy is beloved by the gods because it is holy, or holy because it is beloved of the gods." - Socrates
This is a quote from one of the dialogues of Plato. The only things we know about that great philosopher Socrates come his student's (Plato) writings about him. In essence, what Socrates is trying to ask here is this: Is something right because God wills it, or does God will it because it is right? The exception being he was referring to polytheism where I am referring to monotheism. This is a very mind boggling statement which I think I have the answer for. In my GNED 101 (Contemporary Issues) class we briefly hit on this dilemma.
Is something right because God wills it? This is the first of two questions Socrates presents. Well if that is true then God decided what is right and what is wrong. Let's take the issue of rape. We would all probably say that is definitely a sin and is a wrong action to commit. What if God decided it was right though? What then? This approach makes it sound as if God arbitrarily decided what was right and wrong. I t sounds as if God just reached into a hat and pulled out the answers and left it to chance. I believe this is not the nature of God. I believe God is a God of order and preciseness. Ecclesiastes 3:14 it says Gods plan are thought out and permanent and we cannot mess with them.
The second question posed was "Does God will it because it is right?" This question almost readily implies that God is subservient to another cosmic force. God is all powerful and does not answer to anyone else as to what is right or wrong. Psalm 97:9 says "For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods."
If, as you have figured out, I believe neither of these questions are the right answer, then what is?
Here is my answer. I believe what is right ultimately originates in the unchanging character of God. God himself is right and cannot sin or do wrong and it has always been that way. The most profound definition of righteousness is God himself. Look at Mal 3:6 where it says "For I am the Lord, I change not..." and in Psalm 145:17, "The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works." Hebrews 13:8 captures this unchangeable aspect of God. "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
This is a quote from one of the dialogues of Plato. The only things we know about that great philosopher Socrates come his student's (Plato) writings about him. In essence, what Socrates is trying to ask here is this: Is something right because God wills it, or does God will it because it is right? The exception being he was referring to polytheism where I am referring to monotheism. This is a very mind boggling statement which I think I have the answer for. In my GNED 101 (Contemporary Issues) class we briefly hit on this dilemma.
Is something right because God wills it? This is the first of two questions Socrates presents. Well if that is true then God decided what is right and what is wrong. Let's take the issue of rape. We would all probably say that is definitely a sin and is a wrong action to commit. What if God decided it was right though? What then? This approach makes it sound as if God arbitrarily decided what was right and wrong. I t sounds as if God just reached into a hat and pulled out the answers and left it to chance. I believe this is not the nature of God. I believe God is a God of order and preciseness. Ecclesiastes 3:14 it says Gods plan are thought out and permanent and we cannot mess with them.
The second question posed was "Does God will it because it is right?" This question almost readily implies that God is subservient to another cosmic force. God is all powerful and does not answer to anyone else as to what is right or wrong. Psalm 97:9 says "For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods."
If, as you have figured out, I believe neither of these questions are the right answer, then what is?
Here is my answer. I believe what is right ultimately originates in the unchanging character of God. God himself is right and cannot sin or do wrong and it has always been that way. The most profound definition of righteousness is God himself. Look at Mal 3:6 where it says "For I am the Lord, I change not..." and in Psalm 145:17, "The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works." Hebrews 13:8 captures this unchangeable aspect of God. "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
Unpleasant Lunch Buddy
So today I went to the rot to eat lunch. The rot is what we students here at LU call the dining hall. I sat at this table with a guy I knew expecting to have a nice enjoyable lunch. Was I wrong or What! A buddy of a buddy of my buddy (ha ha) was one of those guys who just likes to hear himself talk. Don't those people just get on your nerves?! He made it a point that the topic of every one's speech was going to be about theological debates. He would start off with a general statement about Christ and wait for a response. As soon as someone would say something he would attack them with his "mumbo jumbo". He was really cocky too. He would say statements like "name a book of the Bible and I can tell you everything there is to know about that subject in there." I do not doubt that the guy was smart, but obnoxious.
He wasn't using his knowledge to glorify Christ, but to cause strife and upheaval amongst other Christians. There is nothing wrong with the pursuit of knowledge and I believe there is a place for people with good debating skills. The defining question is therefore this: "What is your motivation for gaining that knowledge?" My observation today led me to the conclusion that this guy was just out to cause strife and chaos and in the process make himself look smart. Is that glorifying to God? Also, I know for a fact someone sitting at that table is struggling with doubting their salvation. Do you think that that display of arrogance and representation of Christ was helping him with his struggles? I think not.
We need to be careful as Christians to not hinder Christ's work in the lives of other Christians by arguing amongst ourselves and attacking each other. I think it would be a far better use of our time to encourage, build up, exhort, and edify each other in the body of Christ.
He wasn't using his knowledge to glorify Christ, but to cause strife and upheaval amongst other Christians. There is nothing wrong with the pursuit of knowledge and I believe there is a place for people with good debating skills. The defining question is therefore this: "What is your motivation for gaining that knowledge?" My observation today led me to the conclusion that this guy was just out to cause strife and chaos and in the process make himself look smart. Is that glorifying to God? Also, I know for a fact someone sitting at that table is struggling with doubting their salvation. Do you think that that display of arrogance and representation of Christ was helping him with his struggles? I think not.
We need to be careful as Christians to not hinder Christ's work in the lives of other Christians by arguing amongst ourselves and attacking each other. I think it would be a far better use of our time to encourage, build up, exhort, and edify each other in the body of Christ.
Friday, September 18, 2009
The Pick or The Pig?
Tonight I went to a Liberty University hockey game. Go Flames!! They won too baby! Even though it was an interesting and intense game I noticed something else going on behind me. Standing behind me was a really cute girl and her "everything-you-could-want-in-a-guy" boyfriend. This guy was tall, handsome, muscular, and had "the style". Basically, this guy looked like he just walked out of Hollywood's front doors. Two of his buddies walked up and started talking to him about the game and immediately his attention shifted to his friends. Was that bad? No! But his attention never once shifted back to his girlfriend the rest of the night! What a guy huh! The girlfriend tried to be a part of the action, but I could tell she was not enjoying herself anymore.
My point is this: Just because that guy or girl looks to be everything you have ever dreamed of doesn't necessarily mean he or she is a good pick. Looks can be deceiving. Does this go for everyone? Absolutely not. Just be careful not to hold on to something that is going to treat you bad just because you think you got "the catch".
My point is this: Just because that guy or girl looks to be everything you have ever dreamed of doesn't necessarily mean he or she is a good pick. Looks can be deceiving. Does this go for everyone? Absolutely not. Just be careful not to hold on to something that is going to treat you bad just because you think you got "the catch".
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Reasons Why I Hate Facebook
Since we have hit the information age, new developments in technology have emerged in American society. With the rise of the Internet in the late 70’s, when the first LAN’s appeared, American culture greatly shifted in the way we communicate and “stay in touch” with peers and family. The rise of social networks is strongly leading the way in this shift of culture.
One particular social network has hit America hard, growing in popularity by the day. Of what do I speak? Facebook! Facebook is the second largest social network, trailing MySpace. It has acquired the attention of over 8 million people across the U.S. since their launch in February of 2004. Facebook has littered the screens of computers, desktops, blackberry’s, iPod’s, and about every device that has internet access. According to the internal September 2005 survey, Facebook is the 7th most trafficked site in America!
America’s youth, especially, seem to be consumed with “the buzz” every day because the information is so readily accessible. Studies show that 85% of students, in supporting colleges, have an account and 60% of that log on daily. With a movement gaining so much momentum, it goes without saying the consequences of Facebook (whether good or bad) must be evaluated. The question that is raised, then, is this: “Is this helping or hurting society as a whole, furthermore, on an individual basis? My personal opinion is I do not like Facebook. I created an account, tried it out for a while, and decided I hated the whole concept. I will present to you the ideas and arguments I have against Facebook. It goes to say that I hold to these opinions about all social networking sites. Facebook however is the site I used, therefore it will be the one mentioned by name.
Let me start off by saying this. Facebook is not wrong. The purpose and concept of Facebook has good motives behind it. I base everything I do on the standard of the Bible. It is not contrary to the Bible, nor does it have an appearance of evil. There are a lot of benefits that we can gain from having an account. To be able to keep up with our friends and family, in moderation, is a luxury we can enjoy that our ancestors did not have. Likewise, it speeds up the communication process by being able to contact multiple people by just one click of the mouse. Unfortunately, I do believe that there are more reasons to dissuade me from using this social site than not.
The first and most notable reason is as I browse around I find a lot of immodesty floating around the site. Some of the pictures and videos that girls post on their profiles are very immodest, promiscuous, and inappropriate. For a guy, that is hard to ignore. That is one of the hardest temptations for a guy to resist. Also, guys have pictures and videos that do not honor God even though this problem is more centered on the female users of Facebook. Not only do I find pictures and videos that are condescending, but also the words and philosophies that are freely displayed. Profanity and the use of strong language are frequently evident as I click around. Philosophies that do not match up with my beliefs are displayed on profiles. In light of this observation, as a young man trying to pattern my life by God’s Word, this site seems to be a hindrance to that goal. Many temptations meet my mind, eyes, and beliefs making it easier to compromise than if I did not put myself in this situation.
Time is one of the most precious commodities we as humans possess on this earth. Let’s face it; everyone wants some of it too. We have to be careful in what we pour our time into. Prioritizing is one of the most beneficial practices we could do. We are called to be disciplined and use our time wisely. 2 Peter 1:5-6, 8-10 says, 5-6 “…giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to your virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness. 8-10 For if these things be in you (namely temperance), and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things (namely temperance) is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fail.” (Bold and parenthesis added). When we practice self-control with our time we will never fail in being effective. Also, we will be able to see afar off if we prioritize. Facebook is considered an extracurricular activity. The youth of today have fallen to the temptation of making Facebook a priority over homework, time with the Father in His Word, and responsibilities that were entrusted to them. Realizing then, that time is precious we should ask the questions: “Is Facebook a necessity in my life?” and “Is it worth my time?”
Facebook can produce a lot of emotional stress in a person’s life as well. From “top friends” jealously to rumors that go around all the way to basic miscommunications, a Facebook user can sometimes find him/her in an uncomfortable situation. Let me ask these following questions and I want you to consider yourself in these situations and ask yourself what you would do and more importantly how you would feel.
• How would you feel if your best friend, who had you as a top friend forever met someone new and put his new found friend higher on the list than you?
• What if your friend never wrote back on your wall when your expectation of him was to do so?
• How would you feel if someone was online and they would not chat back?
• How would you feel if one of your closest friends posted something on Facebook and you found out through their post and you felt like they should have told you first?
• How would you feel if you had someone “stalking” you on Facebook and would not leave you alone?
• How would you react if you saw flirtatious comments on your boyfriend’s/girlfriend’s wall from other people?
• What if someone got a hold of your password because you trusted them and then took advantage of their privilege?
• What if you saw a comment about you that was not true and people believed it?
These are just some of the questions I could ask. This barely skims the surface of the endless possibilities that could rise from interacting on Facebook. Now, I realize that these things I mentioned are a fact of life and will happen regardless of Facebook. My point is this: Facebook provides an atmosphere where that enhances and almost ensures hurt feelings and uncomfortable situations.
Going alongside with my last point, is the sense that Facebook, if we are not careful, can easily become a front or a mask we hide behind. Since everything is electronic and you are not physically present with the person you are talking to, you might feel as if there are fewer consequences to your actions and what you say or post. That is not good because people can very easily get hurt by words, and if we create an atmosphere whereby people feel less inclined to restrain their words then there will be a lot of hurt people.
One minor problem I see with the use of Facebook is this: Over a period of time your eye sight could digress. I feel this is not just for Facebook users, but for computer users everywhere. This goes along with my point on time management. Make sure you are staying accountable to yourself about how much time you spend looking at a blinding screen every day.
On the other hand, one major problem that presents itself on the Internet, especially in social networking is the problem of sexual predators and the loss of privacy. An article by Matt Murphy for The Berkshire Eagle located in Boston, Massachusetts says that the state has made an agreement with Facebook to put new restrictions on its site. This is just one of the other 48 states to have made this agreement. The state of Texas is the only exception. The new restrictions include an “age lock” where minors can block all users over the age of 18 years of age, and an installation of a 24 hour hotline to respond to law enforcement inquiries. “These are just a few of the 40 new safeguards that will be implemented on the site”, says Murphy. Still youth, in my opinion, are not safe. Despite the fact that almost all the states and the company of Facebook recognize the threat; rules and regulations cannot substitute for parent involvement or wisdom used by today’s youth (Facebook users). Take a look at these statistics from the department of FBI taken from Murphy’s article.
“FBI crime statistics shows that six out of 10 kids online have gotten an e-mail or instant message from a perfect stranger, and more than half have written back. One in every 33 children has been coaxed to meet an online stranger in person, and one in four kids between the ages of 10 and 17 has reported being exposed to unwanted sexual material. A 2006 Emerson Hospital survey of 8,000 junior and senior high school students found that almost 14 percent of seventh-graders and 15 percent of high school students had met someone in person that they initially met over the Internet.”
This is a new issue arising in today’s culture and needs serious attention. With the breakdown of families across the nation, with a divorce rate of over 50%, the guidance and protection is just not there. I really do hope that law enforcement will do all they can to stop these predators, and I am glad to see this agreement has taken place.
There are many reasons why I “hate Facebook”: immodesty, discipline of time management, emotional heartache and rumors, loss of consequences to our actions, poor eyesight, sexual predators, and loss of privacy. These points are only a basic overview of the reasons I personally will not involve myself in the social networking circle. I hope you will read this essay with an open mind, see my viewpoint, and consider adopting these views as your own. If nothing else, examine your activities on Facebook and ask yourself this question: “Is what I’m doing on Facebook giving glory to my Heavenly Father?” In Matthew 6:33 Jesus Christ says these words, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Are we seeking the kingdom first? Facebook could easily become another distraction to this goal adding clutter to our life. Please join me in coming back to this simple discipline in the Christian life - simplicity.
Works Cited
Leiner, Barry M.. "A Brief History of the Internet." isoc. 10 Dec 2003. Internet Society. 6 Sep 2009.
Murphy, Matt. "Facebook turns tough on Web predators." PoliceOne.com. 09 May 2008. LexisNexis. 12 Sep 2009.
Yadav, Sid. "Facebook: The Complete Biography." The Social Media Guide. 25 Aug 2006. Mashable. 12 Sep 2009<>.
One particular social network has hit America hard, growing in popularity by the day. Of what do I speak? Facebook! Facebook is the second largest social network, trailing MySpace. It has acquired the attention of over 8 million people across the U.S. since their launch in February of 2004. Facebook has littered the screens of computers, desktops, blackberry’s, iPod’s, and about every device that has internet access. According to the internal September 2005 survey, Facebook is the 7th most trafficked site in America!
America’s youth, especially, seem to be consumed with “the buzz” every day because the information is so readily accessible. Studies show that 85% of students, in supporting colleges, have an account and 60% of that log on daily. With a movement gaining so much momentum, it goes without saying the consequences of Facebook (whether good or bad) must be evaluated. The question that is raised, then, is this: “Is this helping or hurting society as a whole, furthermore, on an individual basis? My personal opinion is I do not like Facebook. I created an account, tried it out for a while, and decided I hated the whole concept. I will present to you the ideas and arguments I have against Facebook. It goes to say that I hold to these opinions about all social networking sites. Facebook however is the site I used, therefore it will be the one mentioned by name.
Let me start off by saying this. Facebook is not wrong. The purpose and concept of Facebook has good motives behind it. I base everything I do on the standard of the Bible. It is not contrary to the Bible, nor does it have an appearance of evil. There are a lot of benefits that we can gain from having an account. To be able to keep up with our friends and family, in moderation, is a luxury we can enjoy that our ancestors did not have. Likewise, it speeds up the communication process by being able to contact multiple people by just one click of the mouse. Unfortunately, I do believe that there are more reasons to dissuade me from using this social site than not.
The first and most notable reason is as I browse around I find a lot of immodesty floating around the site. Some of the pictures and videos that girls post on their profiles are very immodest, promiscuous, and inappropriate. For a guy, that is hard to ignore. That is one of the hardest temptations for a guy to resist. Also, guys have pictures and videos that do not honor God even though this problem is more centered on the female users of Facebook. Not only do I find pictures and videos that are condescending, but also the words and philosophies that are freely displayed. Profanity and the use of strong language are frequently evident as I click around. Philosophies that do not match up with my beliefs are displayed on profiles. In light of this observation, as a young man trying to pattern my life by God’s Word, this site seems to be a hindrance to that goal. Many temptations meet my mind, eyes, and beliefs making it easier to compromise than if I did not put myself in this situation.
Time is one of the most precious commodities we as humans possess on this earth. Let’s face it; everyone wants some of it too. We have to be careful in what we pour our time into. Prioritizing is one of the most beneficial practices we could do. We are called to be disciplined and use our time wisely. 2 Peter 1:5-6, 8-10 says, 5-6 “…giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to your virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness. 8-10 For if these things be in you (namely temperance), and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things (namely temperance) is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fail.” (Bold and parenthesis added). When we practice self-control with our time we will never fail in being effective. Also, we will be able to see afar off if we prioritize. Facebook is considered an extracurricular activity. The youth of today have fallen to the temptation of making Facebook a priority over homework, time with the Father in His Word, and responsibilities that were entrusted to them. Realizing then, that time is precious we should ask the questions: “Is Facebook a necessity in my life?” and “Is it worth my time?”
Facebook can produce a lot of emotional stress in a person’s life as well. From “top friends” jealously to rumors that go around all the way to basic miscommunications, a Facebook user can sometimes find him/her in an uncomfortable situation. Let me ask these following questions and I want you to consider yourself in these situations and ask yourself what you would do and more importantly how you would feel.
• How would you feel if your best friend, who had you as a top friend forever met someone new and put his new found friend higher on the list than you?
• What if your friend never wrote back on your wall when your expectation of him was to do so?
• How would you feel if someone was online and they would not chat back?
• How would you feel if one of your closest friends posted something on Facebook and you found out through their post and you felt like they should have told you first?
• How would you feel if you had someone “stalking” you on Facebook and would not leave you alone?
• How would you react if you saw flirtatious comments on your boyfriend’s/girlfriend’s wall from other people?
• What if someone got a hold of your password because you trusted them and then took advantage of their privilege?
• What if you saw a comment about you that was not true and people believed it?
These are just some of the questions I could ask. This barely skims the surface of the endless possibilities that could rise from interacting on Facebook. Now, I realize that these things I mentioned are a fact of life and will happen regardless of Facebook. My point is this: Facebook provides an atmosphere where that enhances and almost ensures hurt feelings and uncomfortable situations.
Going alongside with my last point, is the sense that Facebook, if we are not careful, can easily become a front or a mask we hide behind. Since everything is electronic and you are not physically present with the person you are talking to, you might feel as if there are fewer consequences to your actions and what you say or post. That is not good because people can very easily get hurt by words, and if we create an atmosphere whereby people feel less inclined to restrain their words then there will be a lot of hurt people.
One minor problem I see with the use of Facebook is this: Over a period of time your eye sight could digress. I feel this is not just for Facebook users, but for computer users everywhere. This goes along with my point on time management. Make sure you are staying accountable to yourself about how much time you spend looking at a blinding screen every day.
On the other hand, one major problem that presents itself on the Internet, especially in social networking is the problem of sexual predators and the loss of privacy. An article by Matt Murphy for The Berkshire Eagle located in Boston, Massachusetts says that the state has made an agreement with Facebook to put new restrictions on its site. This is just one of the other 48 states to have made this agreement. The state of Texas is the only exception. The new restrictions include an “age lock” where minors can block all users over the age of 18 years of age, and an installation of a 24 hour hotline to respond to law enforcement inquiries. “These are just a few of the 40 new safeguards that will be implemented on the site”, says Murphy. Still youth, in my opinion, are not safe. Despite the fact that almost all the states and the company of Facebook recognize the threat; rules and regulations cannot substitute for parent involvement or wisdom used by today’s youth (Facebook users). Take a look at these statistics from the department of FBI taken from Murphy’s article.
“FBI crime statistics shows that six out of 10 kids online have gotten an e-mail or instant message from a perfect stranger, and more than half have written back. One in every 33 children has been coaxed to meet an online stranger in person, and one in four kids between the ages of 10 and 17 has reported being exposed to unwanted sexual material. A 2006 Emerson Hospital survey of 8,000 junior and senior high school students found that almost 14 percent of seventh-graders and 15 percent of high school students had met someone in person that they initially met over the Internet.”
This is a new issue arising in today’s culture and needs serious attention. With the breakdown of families across the nation, with a divorce rate of over 50%, the guidance and protection is just not there. I really do hope that law enforcement will do all they can to stop these predators, and I am glad to see this agreement has taken place.
There are many reasons why I “hate Facebook”: immodesty, discipline of time management, emotional heartache and rumors, loss of consequences to our actions, poor eyesight, sexual predators, and loss of privacy. These points are only a basic overview of the reasons I personally will not involve myself in the social networking circle. I hope you will read this essay with an open mind, see my viewpoint, and consider adopting these views as your own. If nothing else, examine your activities on Facebook and ask yourself this question: “Is what I’m doing on Facebook giving glory to my Heavenly Father?” In Matthew 6:33 Jesus Christ says these words, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Are we seeking the kingdom first? Facebook could easily become another distraction to this goal adding clutter to our life. Please join me in coming back to this simple discipline in the Christian life - simplicity.
Works Cited
Leiner, Barry M.. "A Brief History of the Internet." isoc. 10 Dec 2003. Internet Society. 6 Sep 2009
Murphy, Matt. "Facebook turns tough on Web predators." PoliceOne.com. 09 May 2008. LexisNexis. 12 Sep 2009
Yadav, Sid. "Facebook: The Complete Biography." The Social Media Guide. 25 Aug 2006. Mashable. 12 Sep 2009<>.
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