It’s been over a year since I left Facebook, and I don’t miss it. In fact, I’ve discovered that being away from Facebook is a blessing. Frankly, leaving has been of the best decisions that I’ve made over the last few years. Because of that, I encourage all Christians to consider abandoning Facebook. Below, I’ve listed four reasons why Christians should consider leaving Facebook. I’m sure that if we put our heads together, we could come up with many more reasons.
4. Facebook Is the Modern-Day Equivalent of Vanity Fair
Not Vanity Fair the magazine. But Vanity Fair from the popular Christian fable Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan. In the book, Christian and his companions come upon a town called Vanity Fair. Bunyan explains, “It bears the name of Vanity Fair, because the town where ’tis kept is lighter than vanity; and also because all that is there sold, or that comes thither is vanity. As is the saying of the wise, ‘All that comes is vanity.'”
Sound familiar? It should, because Facebook has almost become a synonym for “vanity.” The site’s algorithms are designed to tickle your fancy so that you will stay on the site and help drive ad revenue up. And pleasure-seeking and attention-seeking people eat it up. An entire generation is being trained to clap and giggle with glee at the sight of a red notification. And they’re able to be trained because it appeals to their vanity.
If you’ve ever read Pilgrim’s Progress, then you know how dangerous Vanity Fair is. Christians should avoid the modern-day Vanity Fair.
3. Facebook Is Mostly a Time-Suck
Because Facebook intentionally appeals to our vanity, the social media platform is really nothing more than a giant vacuum sucking free time away. Worse, that same vacuum sucks time that, technically, isn’t free. Time that is owed our employer, our family, and even our God is stolen by Facebook. Sadly, many people joke about the amount of time they waste on Facebook and then in the next moment scroll through their newsfeed. For the sake of this list, I’m going to focus on how Facebook steals our time with God.
According to the Ponce Foundation, “Of over 2 billion Christians in the world, less than 30% will ever read through the entire Bible. The fact is over 82% of Christian Americans only read their Bibles on Sundays while in church.”
What atrocious numbers, made even more atrocious by the amount of time many Christians spend on Facebook. They have the time to appeal to their vanity but next to no time to spend reading God’s Word. Christians should leave Facebook and spend some, if not most, of that extra time reading the Bible and in prayer.
2. Facebook Prompts Hate, Not Love Towards Your Enemies
It’s not a secret that our society is becoming increasingly bifurcated. It’s also no secret that Facebook is one of the main reasons for that unfortunate reality. It doesn’t take much time on Facebook to realize what a cesspool of angry, violent rhetoric the site is. What’s more, as people scroll through their feed and see the posts and comments from “friends” on the other side of the political aisle, the common response is anger.
Facebook has provided people with the opportunity to “say” things that most people would have never otherwise said in public. When confronted with a “friend’s” angry denunciation of something that you hold dear, the platform encourages an angry response. Facebook feeds dissension.
However, in Matthew 5:43-44, Jesus commands his followers, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those that persecute you.”
When confronted by those who disagree with us, our response should be characterized by love and prayer, not witty memes and retorts.
1. Facebook Doesn’t Want Conservative Christians on the Site
All the way back in 2016, National Review’s Kevin Williamson was warning that Facebook “tries to smother conservative discussions entirely.” Since then, the evidence has continued to mount that Facebook is overtly hostile to conservative voices and thought. And it’s not just conservative politics that Facebook targets; the social media giant also censors Christian content.
The number of verified stories detailing Facebook’s censoring of Christians would be astonishing if Jesus hadn’t told us that the world will hate his disciples. It’s to be expected. Three months ago, Facebook censored an ad about a documentary highlighting the genocide of Christians at the hands of ISIS. More recently, Facebook sent the Christian satire site The Babylon Bee a message, threatening their ability to monetize.
The list of stories about Facebook’s bullying and censoring of Christians could on and on. My point is, why would Christians want to participate in a venue in which they are not welcome? It’s time for Christians to seriously consider leaving Facebook and spending their time and energy on pursuits that aren’t openly hostile to their faith.
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