this is something i've thought and wondered about a LOT in my life, and especially with recent events ie COVID, election, BLM, OUR, etc etc etc.
When do YOU speak up?
When SHOULD someone speak up?
Is it appropriate or not to share a post (political or otherwise) to reinforce your position?
Is it appropriate or not to share a post (political or otherwise) to negate their position?
How do we share opinions without twisting facts? This is a big one, right? I've seen several posts that state false information as fact, not as opinions, but as fact. I get really bothered by that. Not bothered like "George Washington had dentures made from the teeth of slaves" uncomfy bothered cuz that's gross and weird, but bothered like "You're deliberately misleading the people who read what you post" frustrated.
What would Jesus do?
That is something I've continually asked myself. I'm about the age He was when He began His ministry. What would He do in this situation? Ignore it all? Leave it be? Or be actively engaged in posting positive, uplifting things that lead people toward a better life? Or both??
And, what good does it do to share a post and critique it anyway? I mean, say a famous person like, oh I don't know, Beyonce posts something that is factually incorrect and yet her followers all say "Yes, Queen B, what you say is truth despite what we've known before". I mean, so what, right? Does it do any good at all for some lowly "regular" person to share that post and say "Actually, this is how this post is factually false"? Or does that just spread the post further?
A lot of questions today. I'm struggling to find answers. And maybe it doesn't matter!
I have lots of friends who I disagree with politically. They are incredibly wise, good, loving people and yet our points of view on how the county/state/country should be run are VASTLY different. I like that. I can see their posts and not care that they are different than what I'd post.
So what motivates me to share a post myself? Lies. Deceit? Goodness. Truth? What am I sharing when I share something on my social media?
I shared a post the other day that contained a lie. I didn't want to see that post ever again and so I first shared just a blank image so that in my feed, I wouldn't need to see it, but others could swipe and read it. It was shared by someone who I don't know personally, but who I follow because of their line of work and who I admire because of how they live their family life. They shared the post in support of what was written. Then I shared what they shared to expose the lie - to who? to myself? my family? my friends? a random person in my feed?
That's the frustrating part, I guess. I don't share "political" things as a rule. Even when I agree! There's too much hate and anger wrapped up with everything that I don't even want to share positive things. How sad is that, right? But I read that post and immediately immediately had the strongest gut feeling that I needed to delcare it untrue. Why? Neither the original writer of the post, nor the person who shared it will every see what I wrote. All I did was get some virtual high-fives from moms who I knew would feel the same and an anatomy lesson from one person who said I wasn't be sympathetic to the post. So . . . what's the point?
Why speak up when everyone thinks the same?
Why speak up when everyone thinks differently?
When is it right to share, to correct falsehoods, to promote agendas whether your own or someone else's? Cuz every share is done for personal gain, whether to promote yourself or bring down someone else, right?
And then today, the questions and the butterflies and the wondering . . .
When do YOU speak up?
