That is MY Friend You are Talking About!

I have a lot of friends. I might sound like I am boasting...I am not. Well, my intention is not to boast but rather state a fact. I love my friends and by every indication they seem to love me...I mean I feel loved and cared for by those friends. I have friends who are VERY conservative in their thinking and actions and some who are VERY liberal, some shades of in-between  and ...others still who couldn't be labeled as anything other than "Could-not-possibly-care-less! I have friends who are Christian and others who have other beliefs...and still others who haven't any faith in anything larger than themselves. I love them all. I can love them and disagree with them...usually without any blood shed. That is a joke...no blood shed EVER!

But...Facebook and Pinterest have opened up a  can of worms, a cauldron of witches brew, a big kettle of fish...Well, you get the idea...I think. People who I thought of as tolerate and loving  have posted things about Conservatives, others posting things about Liberals...that I KNOW for a fact they would never say in person. There is something about the supposed anonymity of a computer that allows the very worst of our humanity to emerge! Sometimes I read articles online and I will scroll on down to the comments and..."Sweet Jesus!"  What anger! What rage! What poor grammar... and you know it is bad if I can tell!

You remember the Beatles song Eleanor Rigby - "Ah, look at all the lonely people Ah, look at all the lonely people!" I think of that song while reading Facebook posts only...I sing (badly) "Ah, look at all the angry people.Ah, look at all the angry people!" The amazing thing is...I know these people who label themselves Conservative would never get along with my other friends who are conservative and those Liberal friends could not tolerate some of my self labeled liberal friends. These are labels that society has forced upon us and we have willingly accepted them. Some because of politics, some because of social issues, and others because of religious views. 

I love you all..I do. But...I love you because we share things we  feel passionate about...my friends are varied. I love that you have different political beliefs, I don't always agree with you but I have learned so much from you! I love that we don't have the same beliefs in everything...you have made my heart grow with compassion as I learn of your faith! I love that we aren't the same color and we haven't had the same life experience because I needed to be reminded that this isn't just my walk of faith that is important. I love that you don't agree with me politically...because you challenge me to research and to think before I speak or make up my mind!



So, my friends...Facebook or otherwise. You are so very important to me. BUT, I won't be a party to your rage against one another. The characteristic I value more than anything else...is your loving kindness. It is what has always attracted me to you...I don't want to lose that attraction!  So...my friends...when you post something negative about conservatives...you are talking about my friends! When you post something mean-spirited about liberals...again, my friends are liberals. When you label Muslims or Christians...you are talking about my friends!

So...my friends who have loving kindness and who inspire me graciously...I will surround myself with you and the others...I will unfriend you on facebook!