I don't like Face Book drama

I know that many think that I am antiquated and out of touch for what I am about to say. I don't do Face Book. Don't hear what I am not saying. I am not condemning those who do Face Book. In fact every one in my family does Face Book except me and Ross (he's 10 and too young to do it). My wife and my two teenagers think I am a weird kook who needs to get with the times. They are continually extolling the virtues of the Face Book lifestyle. I know that Face Book is a very popular way for people to keep up with each other these days, and can serve to help people stay connected in a fast paced society. That is a good thing.  My perception of Face Book from the outside looking in is that it can be really time consuming, and quite frankly I have been reticent to involve myself in anything that will take up more time in my life that is already overflowing with things to do. That fear is my primary reason for avoiding it. 

I know that Face Book has many healthy, and positive uses, but I am watching a growing, disturbing trend even among Christians and the use of Face Book. I am watching a proliferation of what I have come to refer to as "Face Book drama". People go after each other on Face Book. In Christian circles they don't often name each other. They post general comments about things that they don't like, or types of people that they don't like. They speak in veiled language so that only their closest friends can "read between the lines" to understand to whom they are really making reference. Often there is a specific set of circumstances they are addressing that those closest to the poster of the material are familiar with. The face book posts become a way for angry people to blow off steam, and take cheap shots in front of their friends when they don't have the back bone or the spiritual maturity to actually go to the person they have the issue with and have a discussion one on one.

How do I know that all this goes on when I do not do Face Book? I hear other people talking about it. I could pay off the note on the Roberson Center if I had a dollar for every time I have heard people in the last year say something like, "Did you see what so and so put on Face Book yesterday?" What usually follows is some cheap shot that one person took at someone else.  I know I have heard at least 20 times in the last month about Face Book drama in different forms.

The bible gives a command in Matthew 18. "If your brother sins against you, go to him." Some Christians are living out a revised version of that verse, "If your brother sins, Face Book about him."

Come on folks, grow up. Enough with the Face Book drama please.