I recently disconnected my account at the star of the Social Media, Facebook. I had made sure, during my membership there, to "friend" those who shared my religious and political outlook. I thought it would be good to share "family" talk online, see what was going on in the church, and so on. I have recently decided that it is better to get my news from news organizations, and my friends from the real world around me. Here were some of the things that helped in my decision, as I outlined in several farewell posts to my "friends."

1. TIME. The Facebook posts are very entertaining, very time consuming... and endless. I felt my time would be better spent elsewhere, though I do value so many of my FB friends. Facebook can become an addiction to those who have "addictive" personalities. My personal belief is that just about all of us can be addicted to something we love, and that Christians need to be aware of that fact.

2: Too many of my "friends" were caught up in hating Obama. For the record, I do believe he is the worst President in my lifetime. That's Eisenhower until the present. I did not live during all the Presidencies, so I cannot compare the rest. Yes, he is at least half Muslim. Yes, he is selling us out to the enemy. Yes, Obamacare is socialism. I can say all those things too. Obama is an easy target. And I feel Ohhh so righteous when I compare myself to a clearly bad man.
I am allowed in this country to be critical of my leaders. But Scripturally I am not allowed to hate or ridicule one who holds an office given him by God. Yep. Romans 13. Please read it carefully. I can vote against him, hate his policies. But the man, I am only to pray for. If he is what we are saying, he is in need of salvation and protection and huge amounts of prayer and fasting. After the fast, I think it will be harder to hate him or anyone.
Anyway, I was taking in too much of this, and entering the fun myself. I believe that being for Jesus is better than being constantly against someone. Not trying to start a conversation about this, and definitely hoping that their angry guns will not be turned in my direction. Just explaining why I needed an extended leave of absence from "social media."

3: God's people have always had enemies. David and company killed them, at God's command. But often those enemies were brought in as a judgment on His people. That seems to be the case in our day. We have become an unholy people in the West. The church was to be a place of holiness, but much of it too has become poisoned with the filth of this world. It is not Washington that is bringing on the judgment of God, but a decadent church, in my opinion.
But there is more. The Son of David gave His people new marching orders. He reminded us that He will have vengeance on His and our enemies. He calls us to love them. That has all but been forgotten on the posts I constantly was reading about Islam.
Where is the plan to reach Muslims for Christ? Where is the compassion and love for a horribly lost 1/4 of the human race? Way too much hatred and fear. Hearing this hatred every day was counter-productive to the preaching that I offer Muslims and others here in Chicago.
Wurmbrand of Romania (Voice of the Martyrs founder) experienced the overthrow of his country by Nazis, then Communists. In both cases he preached Christ to his enemies and saw many come to salvation.
This is not a time of looking to Washington for someone to blame, but for looking in the mirror at the cause of God's gathering wrath.
And purchasing some tracts and Bibles in the Arabic language is not a bad idea either.

4. I left Facebook once before, after this father's heart was burdened by seeing offspring going further off into the world, jeopardizing their eternal souls. I couldn't bear to look at it...
My Christian family, as viewed on Facebook posts, also had some areas that were hard to look at. I saw addictions. Gluttony. Issues with sex. Love of this world. In some cases the images were so powerful that I had to immediately "unfriend", lest I also be tempted to indulge.
Yet everyone of those pictures of fleshly entrapment were posted by believers. Jesus people. But people whose life is wrapped up in this present evil world. And they don't see it. Perhaps my leaving Facebook will cause some of them to take a look at what they consider valuable. Perhaps at the very least they will not try any longer to entice others, to promote a worldly life style to others.
"The night is far spent. Day is at hand." Time to wake up, brothers and sisters. This world passes away, and all its lusts. Those who do the will of the Father stay on, and they will keep doing the will of the Father on into eternity.
Of course, I do not speak of all my FB friends. Some of the posts were downright uplifing, holy. And if someone tried to make me smile now and then, this I understand. But constant caving in to the flesh is not who we are.
I can only hope they understand my leaving.

5. Biblical teachings that are to the left and right of the "narrow way." I won't say "false teachings" , just teachings that were not edifying to me at this time of my life. There is a trend in the Christian world away from the written Spirit-anointed Book, and toward a subjective experience-oriented religion that often exalts itself above the faith revealed in Scripture. I want to avoid it. Totally. Most of my friends do not engage in this teaching, but some do have connections to it. It is very enticing, but slowly erodes the foundations of our faith. When something goes, it isn't long before "anything goes..." Let the wise understand.

6th, and final, reason for leaving FB :

Me. I'm pretty easily distracted. The posts are fun. One leads to another. Before long the whole direction of the day can be changed. Better to spend that time in prayer and the Word.