I quit Facebook in April 2018. I’ve never looked back other than missing some people with whom I no longer interact for various reasons. I’ve sacrificed quite a bit in making the choice, but it was so clear to me that Facebook was doing a great deal of harm to our country with their censoring and shadow banning that I did not want to stay on there any longer.
I’m sure my talking about how evil Facebook is amused some people. I’m sure others thought I was loony. I don’t care. I do what I believe I should do. Given what we’ve learned over the past two weeks about Twitter, I expect that Facebook will be exponentially worse when the truth about the government involvement there is revealed. Google (especially the search engine) will be that on steroids when it comes out. (If you don’t know what I’m taking about, you’re not getting real news and are completely out of the truth loop.)
A few months ago, the thought quietly came to me that I should go back on Facebook. I briefly turned that thought over in my head and moved on. The thought came again quietly weeks later and I discussed it with a friend a few times off and on. But I made no move to act on it since I didn’t sense it was clearly from God and I had no interest in going back on Facebook.
(Just ask David about how often I still rant about the evils of Facebook. I rant softly, but it’s still a rant.)
In the past few weeks, it’s become increasingly clear that God is telling me to go back on Facebook. I was in the shower this past week and the thought came to me again. The first thing that popped into my head was this bolded phrase from Acts 10 (NIV):
About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
This is the exact phrase that instantly popped into my head at that moment. I’m not saying my situation is just like Peter’s, but there is a degree of similarity in terms of being directed to do something you find completely objectionable out of belief or principle.
At that point, I was fairly certain I was hearing it from God, but I told Him that I absolutely did not want to do this unless I was CERTAIN it was Him telling me to do it. I told Him I needed Him to make it really clear. Not out of a lack of faith, but because it is a significant thing for me to do this. I truly despise Facebook and suspect Zuckerberg has been a tool of the devil in undermining our country. Not as badly as TikTok and Instagram, but right up there.
(I’m not exaggerating when I say this is what I think. I believe everyone will fully understand what I’m saying in time.)
The next day He sent two clear messages from two different out-of-the-ordinary sources that had no connection to Facebook but were clearly meant for me that day.
(Insert crying emoji)
Why the crying emoji? I wrote this to that friend in an email:
Re: Facebook. I told God the other day in the shower that I did NOT want to go back on there unless He really wanted me to do so. I needed Him to be very clear. Within 24 hours he sent TWO more clear as a bell signals from not normal places about Facebook.
I didn’t fully realize how much I did NOT want to do it until He made it really clear I’m supposed to do it. But since I don’t want to end up in the belly of a whale, I need to get it done.
So I’m going back on Facebook. I have no idea why other than God has repeatedly put battle imagery in front of me in recent weeks so I suspect it’s because it’s time to do battle in some way. I have had no further direction regarding what I’m supposed to do once I’m back on there.
So I will be stepping out in obedience and awaiting further instructions.
Build Back Beauty In 2023
My first impression?
Facebook is a ghost town. I started looking at people’s timelines and comments. It’s NOTHING compared to what it was five or six years ago. David had mentioned that engagement has gone way down in the past year or two, but it is still shocking to see it for myself. I’m so accustomed to seeing active engagement on Gab and Truth Social that this is really something to see.
I suspect groups that people are captive to out of necessity and old associations are the only thing keeping Facebook alive at this point.
I really am in a bit of shock at what a shell of itself it is.
And just to add…
I did scroll back on people’s timelines a few months. I didn’t just look at the past week or two which I readily acknowledge is a busy holiday time. No, this goes back way before our current holiday season.
Now I’m really asking myself why God sent me back. There must be someone on there that I need to connect with in some way…
I really appreciate your insight on this. Thank you for your update in the comments!
You’re welcome! I’m curious to see how this develops. I have zero expectations going into this. LOL!
I appreciate your great insight on this. I have only been on FB in the last year or so and part of a private group and have also used it for some education and learning. The algorithms have changed in the last couple of months especially, and I really don’t like it. I don’t expect to be on it forever. For now, there is a reason why I am there.
For a while I spoke up on some issues but pulled back because it just was horrible in the way people responded, not just to me but others as well. I then chose to use it for why I came there in the first place. I am now choosing how and when I am to speak up and whereas I am led but pulling back some because I have things in daily life that have a bigger priority at this time.
Hi Kris,
I think groups are the main reason most people are still on there. The other is simply everyone they know is on there and they don’t want to break away from that network. It really is a captive audience in many ways. I’m curious how it all plays out in our country in 2024 as the truth comes out about the role Facebook played in so much.
Sallie
George MacDonald’s first and last novels, Phantastes and Lilith, had obedience to God as their central message. In Lilith the battles were mostly spiritual dead-ends–and utterly fruitless. The protagonist had to humble himself enough to do a very simple small task, which turned out to be the key to revitalizing the whole land. In Phantastes, the protagonist eventually accepted a supporting–but essential–role in a necessary battle, with the glory going to much greater heroes.
When God gives explicit direction, it’s for a reason. Praying for you.
Hi Peggy,
Thank you for this thought-provoking comment. I’ve read it several times since you left it and the part that jumps out to me is the idea of being asked to do “a very simple small task” as though God was checking my willingness to follow His directions even when they make no sense.
Thank you for your prayers and friendship.
Sallie
I’ll be interested to hear what you think as times goes on being back on FB. I do agree it’s very much hanging on because of people staying there out of habit.
Hi Ticia,
I’m very curious to know what I think as well. LOL! This is just a weird life plot twist that I never anticipated.
Sallie
Putting this here as a record of my experience…
I have attempted to faithfully do battle for the truth on there over the past 15 months.
I’ve been asking God the past few weeks if I can please leave. As much as I’ve enjoyed connecting with some people again, I find the platform creepy. There is something about the platform that repels me. Part of it is due to the fact that I understand what it is and how it is used to harm us in so many ways. What it is complicit in. The other part is that it simply feels evil to me. I can’t even fully explain it. It’s simply a deep, gut-level instinctive feeling that there is something truly wicked about it.
There’s more, but that’s enough for now.
I received a warning from Facebook this morning that the image I posted below may violate their community standards. This is what I said over there.
———-
This is how social media messes with you.
Twitter/X is designed to make you angry. They fill your algorithm-driven feed with tweets you never asked to see but are selected to provoke you to make a response.
Facebook makes you angry and pushes you toward learned helplessness. They force you to deny the truth and reality in order to stay in their prison walls so you can be involved with groups and family/friends. They drive you to self-censor out of fear which then further diminishes your resiliency and commitment to the truth.
———