Wednesday is for Discussion
Some time back someone asked me why I blog when I could reach a larger audience simply by building up my Facebook™ presence?
My answer was to question two things:
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The assumption that a large audience in Facebook is necessarily better.
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The assumption that significant discussion on complicated issues is best done (or can be done) in the medium of Facebook™.
To overstate my own perspective, my experience on Facebook™ is that it is filled with:
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videos of cats and dogs doing cute and or stupid things.
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videos of humans doing stupid and or dangerous things.
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conversations that are often opinionated rants by people who have not done their homework or whose “homework” was a quick google search of the most popular trending sites on the latest controversy about which they want to opine.
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political and environmental rants declaring this or that persons current bumper-sticker enthusiasms or life-long anger, passion, or prejudice.
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despite these drawbacks, it is a useful tool for certain issues.
I want to use Facebook™ as a tool:
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to stimulate further discussion on the blog.
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to share links to important articles for the development of a Christian World and Life View
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to keep in touch with old and new friends.
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to encourage any who know me to consider or re-consider Christ and the gospel.
I just think that substantive issues cannot be discussed well in the medium of Facebook™. They are better in a more thoughtful, less immediate, and less public atmosphere. Therefore, I BLOG because I think there are things that I have learned or that I am in the process of learning that might be of value to others and Facebook™ is the wrong medium and the Blog is better. And I Blog because there are people who are drawn to the Blog who will help me think through certain issues in ways that will help me grow as a Christian and leader.
Got an opinion? Share it in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.
ChosenRebel's Blog 
Marty, stimulating question. As you know, I am a frequent user of FB in certain areas.
One is to post daily columns from the website of the Fellowship of Ailbe. These posts, depending on the subject and whether or not they are shared by readers, have gained a readership that ranges from 50 to 150 per column per day. The objective here is to draw readers to our website and I think it is working.
The other area covers postings relating to various aspects of the sanctity of life, with a particular emphasis on abortion. The objective here is general education; to assist and equip others to participate in the debate. Is it working? I don’t know but I feel called to continue to try. So far, I’ve only had to deal with one reader stuck on a single defense of Roe v. Wade, i.e. ‘It’s just a bit of tissue and can’t supports itself’ and no rants.
I am considering reactivating my blogsite ‘Immeasurably More’ and attempting to drive traffic to it via FB. The material will probably focus on the societal impacts of sanctity of life, attempting to till the ground and make readers receptive to the Biblical Worldview.
Over to you, john
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John,
Facebook has its place and I like the way you use. (Of course I would say that since it is similar to my own.) I think your posts on Sanctity of Life are a great posting feature to get vital, short, memorable info out to a large potential audience.
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