It's time for a new SOCIAL MEdia pledge

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Catholic tradition holds us to three Lenten observances: prayer, fasting and almsgiving.   For most people though, it’s all about the fasting and the sacrifice. “What will I be giving up this lent.”

 A new trend  that is gaining popularity is to give up Social Media, such as Facebook, for Lent.  This can seem like a worthwhile sacrifice, if we were to approach social media as if it were just technology and devices.   But the truth is social media is relationships.  I would no more give up my relationships for six weeks than I would give up church.   I do recognize that the problem for some is that they have gone to the extreme and thus neglect their face-to-face relationships.  For those folks it would be time to implement a Lenten Fast or a scaling back.  Just like our rules of fasting for Ash Wednesday or Good Friday We cut back to one main meal and the rest light meals.   Perhaps the same principal could apply..

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Comments

  1. Victor S E Moubarak4:29 pm, February 20, 2014

    When we blog, or post on Facebook or other social media, Christian articles we are in effect spreading the Good News of God as best we can. We never know who might visit our Blogs, Facebook page, or whatever, without leaving a comment. To many, what we write may well be the only opportunity for them to get to learn about God and Jesus. Do we want to deprive them of this?

    Cut down on Blog and media posting during Lent by all means; but let the reduction be in fun posts not the Christian ones.

    God bless.

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  2. Manny12:10 am, February 21, 2014

    I'm with Victor M. We can actually spread the faith for Lent. I'm not on social media but I do blog. I try to increase my religious posts on my blog during Lent. This Lent I'll be reading The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas à Kempis and I should have a post or two on it.

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  3. Unknown5:44 pm, February 23, 2014

    Manny and Victor. I agree. The idea I was proposing was not to cut back on social media at all, but to embrace it in use for evangelizing and witnessing our faith. I do not want to forgo the opportunity to share my faith, so I won't be giving up social media at all, but using it only for building the kingdom.

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