How Talking About God and Politics on Social Media Is GOOD For Americans
“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act,” Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Some people get really ticked off at those of us who post political or religious content on social media. To those of you who are bothered by it, there is the block or unfriend option that can be utilized at any time. Those of us that post like this are usually not that easily offended and know how dangerous political correctness is. We generally don’t practice political correctness and probably won’t even notice that you are missing.
Some truly believe that we should keep our views to ourselves and keep our pages “social and fun.” I love social and fun posts too, but I really want to do my best to do what I can to help keep America free for future generations. Religion and politics both play key roles in this, but we will stick to politics here to make my point. I know “politics” is a dirty word for many people but these upcoming elections are critical. Some even considered it “unholy” to talk about or participate in politics. As the campaigns progress many will get more aggravated with the political posts of those of us that are very concerned about preserving our nation. It’s best to tolerate and even better to participate in spreading this information yourself. Here’s why:
It’s simple. We know what an incredibly powerful and effective tool social media is. Our presidential candidates are all wisely and effectively using it, too. Did you know that the average number of Facebook “friends” one person has is 338? Every time you share a great article it has the potential to reach another 338 people at least and that’s only if one person shares it…. Then one more shares and so on. The numbers add up very quickly and that’s only Facebook. This is only an average and many people have far more contacts. Posting and sharing work. Liking encourages the person posting.
You never know who is reading your stuff and so many do. I learned that many read and actually agree with us many times, but don’t want to feel embarrassed or get mocked if they share it. Those of us far less concerned about getting a “posting reputation” and far more concerned about our nation and future generations don’t mind the negative publicity. You might thank us later. I lost count of the numerous private conversations I have had with fearful people that read my posts. Most people do not research candidates like we probably should to make an informed decision and all us “posters” are trying to do is help. Face to face communication is the best way to communicate, but it is limited. Technology clearly helps us spread messages far and wide.
What truly bothers me is when I don’t see many posts or shares coming from Christians when the evangelical vote can determine the winner. Anyone can participate in the campaign process simply by utilizing the tools readily available to them and reaching out to their own networks. Some evangelicals live under the assumption that “God will just take care of it.” Well, He is… He saved you and left you here. Some believe all they have to do is “wait for it” and God will zap some knowledge into “everyone with enough faith” and somehow “magically” they will know who to vote for. It doesn’t work like that. Aren’t Christians supposed to be God’s hand and feet and, I am thinking, mouthpieces? Don’t you think that might include promoting who is the best candidate for President of the United States?
How difficult is it to share or post something about a great candidate or show that a candidate is not grounded in Judeo/Christian values? Both types of information are helpful. Simply asking a question online is helpful to others, too. They can read the comments you receive and participate in the conversation if they choose to. The Bible says loving God is the greatest commandment and loving others is second. (See Matthew 22: 36-40) Helping others learn and do the right thing is very loving. The evangelical vote in this election is critical. If every Christian chose and promoted a candidate that actually believes in and tries to live by Judeo/Christian values, we’d be in way better shape as a nation. How easy is it to put a post on your wall promoting a godly candidate? What a difference that could make for our children.
Image: http://cs205sp14.wikidot.com/social-networking
