Protected From The Truth: Kevin H
Last week, I was “unfriended” on Facebook by a former work colleague and seemingly Christian brother who routinely posted all kinds of hatred, degradation, slander, and falsehoods about Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Democrats, immigrants, etc.
Not only did he frequently post this wicked animosity, but he often did so under the pretenses that he was standing for God’s righteousness in doing so. From time to time in the past, I used to try to reason with him that this was not the way of Jesus and that by posting so much stuff like this, he was actually making it harder for others to trust in Jesus. However, he made it perfectly clear that he would not be reasoned with and subsequently portrayed me as a lost soul who was doing the bidding of Satan. I eventually gave up and told him I would no longer try to converse with him as he rejected reasonable conversation and instead chose to be ruled by his political idolization.
However, when he was recently conversing on Facebook with a mutual former work colleague and friend who is also a believer, and was trying to deceive her with all his political lies and deceptions, I stepped in and said I couldn’t idly sit by as he did this and told him he needed to stop what he was doing. It was at this point that not only did he “unfriend” me, but also “blocked” me so that I could not even see him or his profile at all.
Justin Giboney recently wrote an article in ‘Christianity Today’ where he articulated how people protect themselves from truth to their own detriment. I would expand upon it to say that not only is it to their own detriment, but it is also to the detriment to those around them and sometimes even further out than that. For an extreme instance, we are now seeing the fall-out on a national scale of where hatred and falsehood were spewed and now a people group and a community as a whole are suffering all kinds of tribulation and turmoil. Seemingly it all started with just one woman of previously no particular renown or national significance, posting an unsubstantiated and ultimately untrue rumor on Facebook….. a posting that she subsequently removed and now says she regrets. But that did not stop a whole bunch of people from choosing to reject reality (or at least refusing to investigate reality) and believing it was true, to their own detriment and now to the detriment of an entire migrant group and also a particular town of 60,000-70,000 people.
In his article, Giboney asserts that many people have become insular in their environment and thoughts, and they do not want to hear something that is contrary, even if it is the truth. Despite this, Giboney maintains that we still need to speak the truth and give critique and correction, while also being willing to receive critique and correction, ourselves, from others.
I have tried to do that here, on Facebook, and in personal life. I admittedly do it far from perfectly, especially as I am not one who is quick to recognize, diagnose, and respond to emotional elements and implications, and that can sometimes leave me in hot water. However, that can not excuse me from acting on giftings I believe I have received from God in being able to discern the rights and wrongs of situations based on God’s Word and teachings, and the promptings I believe I receive from him to speak to such situations.
Speaking as such is not fun and does not help one’s popularity. It results in having one’s motives regularly being questioned, if not even skewered. It results in receiving much critique and insults in return, some warranted, but many not. It results in people seeing and treating you like the enemy. And it results in being “unfriended” and the loss of relationships.
Many Christians in our country love to claim how they and other Christians are being persecuted for their faith, even greatly so sometimes, despite the level of persecution we receive here being nowhere near what happens to millions of other Christians in other lands across the world, and even what has happened to millions of other Christians across the expanse of history. The further irony is that some of these same Christians who claim persecution are the ones who are actually persecuting others, sometimes even fellow Christians, through their use of degrading and slanderous words and sometimes even actions. A big reason they do this, consequently, is that they have shielded themselves off from truth.
“Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” – John 8:43-47
I am not judging anyone’s soul. But I would hope the words of Jesus would cause some serious soul searching.
Partisan politics are poison to the soul.
Jesus is the cure.
I don’t comment on politics on Facebook. I gave up after a few really bad encounters with people who “knew” everything and thought I was an idiot. It didn’t seem worth the personal cost of losing the friendships. Talking in person was just better. So, that’s what I do with a few select people who I know can have a good conversation and not retreat into their personal silos. We don’t always agree, but as brothers/sisters in Christ, we can be civil and engaging.
An example, one of my friends truly believed the story about principals putting litter boxes in elementary school bathrooms. I just looked at her and said, “Really? How would you even do that?” She looked at me funny and said it was probably impossible. We had a good laugh.
Linn,
When I engage from time to time those posting such things on Facebook, I try to do so in a civil manner, although I often do not receive replies in such a manner. I have tried the personal route at times, too, but unfortunately, that rarely seems to go any better as people are seemingly so convinced of the things they believe, and if you try to point them to reason and evidence that contradicts their views, even if they are the very words of Jesus, they decide that you must be working for the enemy.
These days, when I do engage those on Facebook about their postings, I rarely do so with any intent or hope that I will change their minds. But I do so with the hope that at least some of the others who might be reading, that they will see that the vile, hateful, sinful things being posted by those who supposedly represent Christ are not actually representative of the real Jesus, and that they may get a little glimpse of who Jesus actually is.
Unfriended?
They were never your ‘friends’ to begin with.
Kevin,
I bet you’re the politest, nicest, and most engaging commentator on social media. I just found that the gene pool I was connected to was really nasty. Worse yet, some of them attended my church (they have since departed my church for places more to their liking). For me, it wasn’t worth the emotional energy expended. However, I’m glad it works for you.
I gave up on Facebook a couple years back, just couldn’t stomach much of the behaviour. it just became too stressful.
The truth is hard to speak when you know it’s going to bring backlash, and Kevin, you’re stronger that myself in that department. I am probably too quiet.
I’m with Linn, I often just don’t have the emotional energy reserves to engage people who aren’t interested in actual dialogue .
I think many forget that being a follower of Christ is not a popularity contest. Our rewards are in heaven.