What To Do When a Family Member Posts Something Stupid on Facebook

Last updated on: July 12, 2013 at 8:30 am by Brad Williams

What To Do When a Family Member Posts Something Stupid on Facebook 2013-07-11T20:33:14-06:00 Brad Williams

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

For more, see Racists Pig Racing?: Why Christians are Obligated to be Discerning on the Internet. Image: rogefer84 via Flickr (cc by 2.0)

Facebook used to be such a fun place for you. I remember those days, too. It was a nice place to find old friends from high school and maybe college, to check on old girlfriends and boyfriends to see if they’ve stayed fit and if they married somebody as cool as you, and to read fascinating updates of what everyone was up to in life. Good times!But then, your mom found Facebook. Then your crazy uncle got on there. And all your cousins. And your dad. Suddenly, it was like your little brother tagged along with you on your date at the movies. To make matters worse, your family cannot seem to tell the difference between The Onion and Yahoo! News. (There is a small difference.)

Your aunt sent this to me. She’s pretty sure it’s legit. Image: Robert Couse-Baker via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

All day long, your Facebook is updating with screeds against the President, Gun Confiscation, Gay Marriage, and the wicked, wicked Monsanto with its GMO foods. Instead of neat place to spy on people with permission, Facebook has become a place where people go to wear tin foil heads and complain about the government.

I understand your frustration, your embarrassment, and I’m here to help. I’ve been there. I remember when one of my dear family members discovered the internet. She was from a generation not hip to the lingo spawned in AOL chatrooms, and so she got the idea that LOL meant “Lots of Love”. So she posted on someone’s wall, “So sorry to hear that your Aunt is in the hospital! LOL!!!” That actually happened, in human history.

I have another relative that cannot go a day without some graphic claiming that President Obama is a Communist (or Nazi, somehow he is BOTH, which is amazing), born in Kenya, and quite possibly the anti-Christ of Revelation. If that isn’t enough, I am actually a pastor in real life (IRL). I am friends with all my church members so I can spy on them constantly. I have seen it all.

Once he shows this kid how to win this game, Ted is going to check the latest news on Infowars! Image: emilykreed via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

So what do you do? Should you unfriend your own father? Should you dump your aunt? Won’t that make Thanksgiving awkward? Of course it would, assuming they are savvy enough to know that they got unfriended. But that is a tactical error on your part. It is a terrible mistake. You have to think like the NSA here; you are gathering information to help them and keep them safe from themselves. If you see that your uncle is a paranoid conspiracy theorist, you know EXACTLY when to walk away when certain topics come up at Christmas. Plus, at extended family get togethers, you’ll know the normal, happy cousins to talk to.

Besides that great advice, I thought I’d make a short list of things to do when your family members post stupid things on Facebook. I hope this will help you survive the internet a little longer:

1) Use the scroll thing on your mouse or on the sidebar. Just roll past it and smirk.

2) You could message them and say, “Hey Uncle Crazyguy, I saw you posted that link about Paul Ryan having his devil tail secretly amputated. Did you know that was a satire from the Onion? Yeah, hahaha, I almost fell for that too. Try Snopes.com, they debunk hard stuff like that.”

3) Find a normal family member to be friends with and message them when your family posts something nuts. Be like, “Did you see what Joe posted today? LOL!” You can laugh together. Facebook can make happy families at the expense of other family members. It is a beautiful thing. Unless that family member thinks “LOL” means “lots of love.”

4) If they post something about how Monsanto is the devil and they are killing the honeybees and all of us with their genetically modified foods . . . like that post because that junk is true.

5) Finally, insist that they favorite Christ and Pop Culture and come here to read stuff everyday. We can help them.

We’re here for you. We understand. Hang in there, friends!

For more, see Racists Pig Racing?: Why Christians are Obligated to be Discerning on the Internet.

Of the Moment

Technology

Previous Post

July 12, 2013

CaPC Magazine, Issue #7: When Good Christians Make Bad Art

Next Post

July 12, 2013 Going Beyond ‘Yay! It’s a Christ-Figure’

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Asides Elsewhere Featured Film Games General Culture Headline Literature Music Of the Moment Podcast Politics RetroPost Sports Technology Television Uncategorized Viral

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz