Reverend Cedric Miller of Living Word Christian Fellowship Church in Neptune, NJ is making national headlines with his recent message to fellow church leaders, “either quit Facebook or resign from your leadership positions.” Rev. Miller says that the marriage counseling he’s been doing over the past 18 months suggests that the way Facebook easily allows you to reconnect with exes is creating marital trouble. People are up in arms over this statement, calling him a dictator and saying the church is like a cult. And this story hits close for me (@MarisaMendez) because I’m not only a member of this church but as he is the father of my best friend and roommate, I know him very well..
While Pastor Miller acknowledged that some might see his actions as “controlling,†he told the newspaper that his bigger concern is “to save families and marriages.†From today’s report:
Miller said there was no problem when people just met with friends from high school in a platonic way. But that has changed, he said, and now people are reigniting old passions and connecting with people who should stay in the past. He said a marriage can be going along fine when someone from the past breaks through and trouble begins.
While that is one thing, it is pretty big to tell people to “resign” if you don’t get off Facebook. I understand the message, though. It’s bigger than Facebook. My stance? I stand behind him. Marriages are falling apart left and right in this day and age, and why put yourself willingly into more temptation? Especially as a leader when you are setting an example. What do you guys think about this?? I want to hear your thoughts.
I understand his worries, but if a marriage can fail from the devil’s attack through Facebook, there’s a storm coming regardless. What about allowing the congregation to watch a couple stand strong despite the attacks. Shoot, if they must shutdown their Facebook accounts, what about shutting down class reunions, dinners with friends without the spouse, etc, etc? I know, doesn’t make much sense, but to each his own and God bless us all.
It won’t be long before his own skeletons start kicking their way out of his closet. I agree with him that people should avoid those elements that stimulate negative temptation, but forcing them to do so only encourages them find ways to hide those temptations. His clergy may quit Facebook, but because they had very little choice, it won’t be long before they find another, possibly more sinister, outlet.
Marriages are falling apart really quickly these days and Facebook has a role in that but in my opinion, that’s not going to stop a person from cheating. If we tell a person to shut down their facebook account, a person will find other means to cheat if that is what they really want to do. Facebook is very popular and I’ve had friends break up with their bf/gf over facebook but a person can do the same thing on myspace, twitter, bbm, kik, pingchat, aol, texts, etc. Facebook is not the only website people use to cheat and creep, its just the popular one. My advice to the pastor, and I’m no expert, instead of telling people to delete their facebook accounts, why doesn’t he speak more about the goodness of marriage in his sermons or offer some classes/counseling for couples with marital troubles. Facebook or not, temptation is all around us and we have to stand strong in our beliefs in order not to give in so maybe we all need a lesson in how not to give into temptation.
what people need is self-control. dignity. respect. not give up facebook.