Social Revolution: Social Networking Sites

Facebook, Twitter, Multiply, Orkut, Tumblr, Google+ and Friendster are just examples of social networking websites that changed how we view the world today. These social networking websites simplified our way of communication through the internet. It also drew us closer to friends by staying in touch with each other through updates. Through these websites, we can also show our lifestyle to almost anyone: our ways of thinking, political views, religion, who someone is interested to or even our simple likes and dislikes.

A week ago, here in Reborn Youth, we celebrated our first anniversary and we entitled it "La Revolucion" (The Revolution). That revolution is about changing our lifestyle, turning 180 degrees from the wrong path that leads to destruction and that also includes our social lifestyle as well as our cyber activities. I have already written an article about a particular computer game here but this time I will focus about social networking sites and how most people use it.

Here in the Philippines, Facebook addiction is now more popular the cellphone addiction but before that was Friendster addiction. I can see everyone now had their own accounts on these websites and people are getting addicted into it. I had a friend who stays online for hours, even late at night, just staring, updating, chatting, commenting, liking and customizing her Facebook account. This seems too much but it really happens to most Filipinos.

NOW, STRAIGHT TO THE POINT. We are talking about a revolution. Romans 12:2 says "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.". IT MATTERS WHAT YOU SHARE ON THIS SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES!!! I saw many women display their bodies as display pictures and some men, likewise. Some others share everything, from brushing their teeth to almost sharing what should be kept in private. Kenneth Cole, a famous clothing designer once quoted "If we expose too much online, are we virtually naked?", which, for me, is almost literal. It also covers what our personal info contains (and this is also for your own security). These things are garbage, online garbage. Do you remember what GIGO and WYSIWYG means? It means "Garbage In, Garbage Out" and "What You See Is What You Get". Sharing your garbage means others also get garbage. Your waste should be waste and it should not get to others. The devil works this way in this social networking sites.

USE IT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE.  We can share the word of God through these websites and win souls to Christ. Now what others now see from you is what they get. Our online accounts can also be a living testimony when others see that your profile gives glory to God. Like the pages that are wholesome and noteworthy and avoid pages that stimulates our lust or destructive to others. Me, personally, I use my account to share my blog posts (like this) so that it could reach more readers and turn them to Christ. We can also use it for businesses that are not harmful. I have a friend who turned his account into an online store which is good and I was reminded of the parable of the talents. Let us start cleaning up our accounts and use it to glorify God.

For final remarks, too much communication through social networking sites depreciates our real world social skills, we should always keep in touch personally. This will also limit ourselves to living only in our own cyber world when we got too much of it. ALSO, please don't be a full time CYBER-CHRISTIAN. It is always better if someone sees you as a walking testimony rather than a cyber testimony and it is more better if you are serving God not only in the cyber world but also in the real world. Remember, too much is too bad.

This is only a part of the revolution. We are in the process of changing every time, from glory to glory unto perfection.

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