John Michael Talbot, the Christian musician, posted this a bit earlier on his Facebook. I felt it was a really healthy perspective not only for Facebook but also for any online community. That would include SI, or any other place people gather in a "virtual" world. I post his words below. Hopefully you find it with as much wisdom and common sense as I did. It now follows
Begin Quotes-
I have witnessed several folks "crash and burn" on this and other FB (and assorted online sites-solomon101) sites recently. They say extreme things, sometimes angry, violent, or just innappropriately argumentative things that betray deeper problems. It moves me deeply. FB (SI, and other online sites solomon101) are a great place for support we might otherwise never experience in daily life. It is also a terrible danger to those prone to anger or depression. Someone disagrees so we get upset, no one responds so we get depressed, and so on. FB, and other online sites, cannot be a replacement for good family or community relationships, or especially for good spiritual direction and even therapy. These must be face to face, person to person in the non virtual reality. FB and online sites remain only what they are: "virtual," or "nearly, almost, but not quite." Please pray for the ones who fall by the wayside, that they experience real community, family, or spiritual direction. Pray for those who need professional help and pray for yourself that you would keep FB ,and your online interactions ,a healthy thing so they would be positive places to share and build one another up. Thanks.
end John Michael Talbot quotes.
