Some Thoughts on Christians Joining Alternative Social Media

Overswamped with ministry specifically with talking to people online outside my church going through various things and late night discussions.  All of it the last few days resulted in me yesterday falling asleep early hence this late post.

Piggybacking off yesterday’s post Big Tech Interference with Veritas Domain in 2020 I want to share a post I wrote for an apologetics group in the context of many Christians talking about leaving Facebook.

I wish in the future to flesh out a Christian theology of social media; there’s some work out there but they are pre-2020 and things has changed in the sense that most of those literature isn’t accounting for the present heated culture war. But for now I want to share some thoughts narrowly on the topic of jumping to new social platforms in light of censorship and self-censorship.

1. Just a word of encouragement for those that sign up for various social media: Remember all social media starts kind of slow and not much going on when they first start up. Over the years I remember Xanga was slow, WordPress was slow and Facebook was so plain and not much activity when it was only for people in certain college and universities to sign up. So something being slow or glitchy must be put in perspective. Sometimes patience is a virtue we need to cultivate. Sometimes it pays off and the social media platform grows.

2. In light of point 1, realize some social media will get bigger but also some will fade away. Think of Myspace and many other no names.

3. In light of point 2, signing up to more than one platform might be a wise idea you don’t know which one will catch wind for its sail.

4. Rejoice there is more than one platform being discussed right now (GAB, Mewe, Parler). Given our concern for freedom of speech and the problem of censorship and self-censorship the more there is the better since as basic economics if there’s only one platform that is catering to conservatives than there is less disincentive for that one platform to go against Christian conservatives later down the road (caving to outside pressure) since the platform feel they are the only venue for Conservatives anyways and conservatives are still going to have to ride with them. Then you will have what some people are complaining about the Fox News effect. Use Freemarket to our defend free speech and don’t depend on the government to intervene with everyone’s concern about Big Tech.

5. Generally speaking starting up earlier in a platform as a rule of thumb you will have easier time to increase more following, influence or meaningful interactions when a social media does grow.

5. Also by influence I don’t mean in a superficial man centered way like social media influencers who are wannabe starlet. I mean influence to be motivating people towards what is right, good, true, and beautiful.

6. I realize time is a limited resource we all have and we all have various responsibilities. It might sound like more is going to eat up our time. But as we grow in Christ we have the spirit of discipline and we have to be more intentional of what we are doing.

7, Redeeming the time by writing and post some stuff from time to time, maybe from your reading, a verse, some Bahnsen quote, or a couple of links here and there and make sure you use hashtag to maximize views.

8. Also if you are involved with other things like teaching, preaching, writing and blogging recycle that and share it on social media platforms. If you write a book review for one platform say Amazon reviews, share it other places. Don’t waste your social media time in one platform!

9. Still I think some of us when we do things we want to increase our impact for others. Sometimes that means sitting down and really spending the time and effort in studying, writing and research. What Christ’s body need more than anything now is quality content for the Glory of God. A lost and dying world also needs it. Give freely good contents and God will give you more grace and wisdom for future contents.

10. Also beware of the danger of using social media only as echo chambers. There’s a place for like-minded fellowship, help, resources and sharpening who have basic Christian conviction. Here is where I am going to say I’m not going to totally leave FB or Twitter altogether (unless they ban me), though I will be judicial in my interactions with others. Even if one doesn’t comment much on FB and Twitter we can see opposing views and learn from them.

11. Nothing is easy. But I think of how people in 2020 have had changed views, Christians gotten more biblical and people warned. Such were some of us here in this group. But we are so weak. Pray about your use of social media. Don’t be discouraged. WE aren’t the first to go through this. Our Reformed and Protestant forbearers wrote pamphlets that was their version of blog posts. The printing press was the first to make the truth of the Gospel viral. Before podcasts there was table talks. Sermons were live streams. Tracts were comment threads with opponents. God uses the medium we use to communicate truth. SDG.