A Manifesto For Myself on Social Media

Florida College professor and gospel preacher Doy Moyer posted on facebook the other day some personal guidelines for posting on social media. He titled it “A Manifest for Myself on Social Media.”

With Doy’s permission I would like to adopt this manifesto for my own. I recommend it to all of you as well

“Please note that these are thoughts I’m mulling over for my own growth and attitude as I think about culture,” Doy wrote. “If you disagree with anything here, that’s fine. I ask for respect and consideration, but you are also perfectly free to ignore this. This is in first person because they really are notes to myself about reacting to things I might struggle with or disagree with. These are my intentions.”

1. I don’t have to comment on every post I disagree with. People will be okay without my input. I can walk away and move on to something else. People will be people, for good or ill.

2. I need to give the benefit of any doubt when I first hear something instead of having knee-jerk reactions. I must stop, contemplate, think it through, then respond (or not) accordingly.

3. If I think someone should be cancelled because I disagree with something said, I don’t really believe in freedom of speech. I believe in freedom only insofar as I like it. This reveals an insecurity in my thinking because rather than respectfully disagreeing, making an actual argument, or just moving on, I want to assert my view and silence any opposition.

4. Trying to get people fired from a job because they differ with me is a form of bullying. This is especially true if the person I’m trying to oust is not even remotely part of my life. I’m trying to hurt someone who said something that affects nothing in my daily routine. This reveals a bitterness on my part and does not bode well for having any kind of open mindedness. In this case I only want to hear what I agree with because I can’t tolerate diverse views. This is unacceptable. If I have an actual argument, I will make it without threatening others in the process.

5. To promote inclusion and tolerance and then exclude those who believe something I don’t like is hypocrisy. “Inclusion” comes to mean “people who agree with me.” This is irrational and causes me to lose my credibility for reasonable discussion. In such cases I am not for freedom of speech or inclusion. However, I also recognize that we should exclude those influences that are morally reprehensible and dangerous (cf. Eph 5:11), but that’s another discussion. I don’t believe in including sin even though I have failed at that.

6. If I react to something without reading it in full or hearing it out first, I am being foolish. I need reminding of Proverbs 18:13. If I’m reacting to headlines and not carefully considering what was actually said or done, I do not deserve a place at the table of discussion until I back off and do my due diligence. I need to be able to consider the possibility that I am wrong about something and willing to change if the evidence warrants it.

7. If I see a shocking headline, I need to remind myself that there is a great deal of satire out there and I must not conflate these things with real news. This is one reason why reacting too quickly is a problem. I need to be careful about what I accept as true in the media and social media. If I get worked up about something that is not even true, I will have benefited no one. This hurts everyone.

8. If someone disagrees with me, I will not be morally outraged by it. I need to be willing to discuss calmly. I will make my arguments and try to persuade, but just getting mad because someone takes a view different from mine is neither rational nor conducive to understanding one another. It’s a form of arrogance on my part.

9. I will not engage in hurling insults at those who disagree with me. I need to be respectful and honorable. I want there to be peace, understanding, and mutual respect. This needs to start with me. And even if they insult me, I will refuse to reciprocate the ugly and inappropriate. Think about Jesus.
10. I will avoid passing on gossip about others. I don’t want to hurt someone just because I may not agree with them. I want to treat others as I would like to be treated. If I am truly concerned about a situation, I need to be willing to go to the person in question so as to minimize potential damage.

11. If I read a post like this and get angry because I am guilty of any of the above, I need to calm down, eat some fruit, then join in reasonable discussion without feeling scarred for life because someone differed with me. I need to quit taking things so personally, especially when those who differ with don’t even know I exist or care about my life.

12. Above all, and most importantly, I will seek to glorify God. I need to do all in the name of Christ and to the glory of God. I will rely on God’s word as the revealed standard from God and seek to please Him in all matters. I have failed, but I will not give up.

As an added thought Doy’s  guidelines can be applied to our conversations, emails, text messages, and personal interactions with others.

To me, they are a wonderful application of the “Golden Rule” (Matt. 7:12), the Second Great Commandment (Matt. 22:39) as well as Paul’s exhortation in Colossians 4:5-6. “Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman