Godless Chatter–is it avoidable in a Social Media world?

In a world of Twitter, Facebook and Blogging, where people are given a blank canvas to use their voice: is it possible to be obedient to 2 Timothy 2:16, which says

“Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.”?

In my opinion, it is probably possible, but certainly not probable. The likelihood that in a virtual world, where we can hide ourselves from others or blame a “misunderstanding of tone” on the typed word instead of the spoken, we can hold ourselves accountable and be even 50% obedient is not high.

I noticed this myself on Facebook recently. Even some things I posted that could have been considered Godly chatter, were actually meant as a passive aggressive stab at someone or some particular group. Not always – but sometimes it happened.  Does that please or honor God? Probably not. I know for certain that my attitude didn’t please God. And let’s get real honest here: God knows our THOUGHTS – which means that if they are anything but loving and good then they are evil and sinful. How’s that for a little bit of conviction?

God tells us to avoid Godless chatter. AVOID it. Not just “don’t do it; don’t be a Godless chatterer” but AVOID it. Go out of your way not to be ANY part of it.

He says that those who indulge in it (and I am guessing that we are all guilty of it to one degree or another) will become more and more ungodly. The trick with the social media & blogosphere when it comes to avoiding Godless chatter versus indulging in it – is that in the virtual world – it is not quite as easy to just “walk away” from the Godless chatter in the same way that it is easy to walk away from an actual person. In fact, in some instances in social media or the blogosphere – walking away is permanent and can’t just be on a case-by-case basis. For instance, on Twitter – to avoid someone who occasionally tweets Godless chatter – you have to unfollow them – ALL of their tweets – there is no “Godless chatter” filter – boy it would be nice if there were!

But let’s think about what God is saying about those of us who indulge in it – that we will become more and more ungodly.  It makes sense and here is why: we see someone put a cuss word in their status or someone else retweets something about adultery or homosexuality – after a while we stop blushing about it or getting offended by it and just accept it, shrug it off or turn a blind eye. Doesn’t that make us look like the rest of the world to a certain degree? And that right there makes us less godly. Remember we are to be living IN the world NOT of it. That MUST look different… in OBVIOUS WAYS!

So what do we do? What is the solution? I don’t know if we should be getting off of Facebook. If we should stop tweeting or blogging altogether. What I do know is that God says to AVOID GODLESS CHATTER. For me that meant getting rid of Facebook altogether. But I still tweet and (obviously) blog. The blogosphere is somewhat easy – I can choose what to read and what not to read – I become familiar with who is involved in Godless chatter on their blog and adjust what I read accordingly. And, I can very easily control my own writing because I purpose to write Godly things – PLUS I believe that blogging removes the element of response and therefore also the stumbling block and temptation for being passive aggressive or sinful in any other way (in thought or deed). 

But what about Twitter? Where is that line? For me, it is in unfollowing people who usually tweet only Godless chatter. For me, it means that if I would not want God to see what I am reading – then it is probably time to stop following that person. Now granted, it’s going to happen from time to time and not necessarily be a pattern – because nobody is perfect. But at what point do I “walk away” – for me if it happens more than once a week, it’s time to say good-bye. Godless chatter will slowly, deceptively pull me from being more Godly to being less Godly and I have to do whatever it takes to move in the right direction. Even if that means feeling left-out or lonely or different. 

Ironically, when studying this verse I realized that the opposite of the world – being In NOT Of - would be making the “Unfollow” button my “Friend” and then blogging about it.

I encourage you to meditate on this scripture. To pray about it and let God speak to you about what He wants you to do with it. Is there anyone you should “unfollow” any accounts you should just go ahead and delete? “The Lord is Near” it says this over and over in the Bible – He is near… now is the time – don’t wait. Just do it – be obedient – be ready!