Y'all Gon Make Me Loose My Mind

Ah, Facebook. Most days, I love it. It brings me endless hours of joy, especially on those days that my newsfeed is filled with pictures of my friends' and family's kids or grandkids, hilarious internet memes, friends' funny anecdotes, and cat videos. Mercy, there's nothing like a good video montage of cats being their spastic, silly selves to cheer me up when I'm feeling down. I love connecting with people I haven't seen in years, exchanging sarcastic comments, sharing feel-good stories and videos about our fellow man. When Facebook is good, it's really good.

But then there are days like today that make me want to tear my hair out. Those days when I see story after story of all that's wrong with the world today, how quickly we are going to Hell in a handbasket, how right I am and how VERY wrong you are. Those days when anything you say can and will be misinterpreted (because, dang it, sarcasm just doesn't read in text sometimes). Those days filled with posts about all the horrible things that can happen to you or your kids if you do things like share pictures or vacation plans on Facebook ( some stranger might plot to kidnap that cute kid of yours after seeing their picture, or might plot a break-in if they know you're out of town), try to help some stranger in a parking lot (they could spray you with "perfume" that makes you pass out so they can abduct you), send your kid to a sleepover (what if there are pedophiles in the house?!). Those days when the jokes are both racist (usually taking shots at our President) and sexist. 

Facebook has broken my heart, mind, and soul more times than I can count, and I have left it before, swearing I am DONE and never coming back. But I always return, optimistic that I can avoid the negativity and drama by only following those I know won't let me down. But today, I'm revisiting the prospect of ditching this place for good. What has me ready to jump ship right now? I don't think a lot of you really want to hear it. But, I'm going there anyway. 

I have identified as a republican for most of my life. Most of my friends and family are republicans. But the older I've gotten, the more I've begun to swing to the middle. In fact, I've been feeling more and more like a democrat lately. Not completely, but I do know that I no longer want to be associated with the behavior of a lot of conservatives. I say all that to preface my thinking here. Unless you live under a rock, you know that Bruce Jenner had a sex change operation, and she now identifies as Caitlyn. Furthermore, Caitlyn will be given the Arther Ashe award at the ESPYS.  I don't watch the news, I don't read celebrity magazines. I only know about it because my friends on Facebook are LOOSING THEIR MINDS over this. Y'all, I honestly don't care that Caitlyn was once a man. And I'm not upset that she will be given an award for her courage. Because to endure all of the crap she's endured over the course of her life takes more courage than I could muster, let me tell ya. And by the way, she did not beat out Noah Galloway for the award, so kindly refrain from circulating that rumor, please. What she does with her own body is none of my business and doesn't affect me in the least.

One of the biggest things that has me scratching my head is the way I've seen Facebook friends react to this story as opposed to the scandal about the Duggar family a couple weeks ago. I actually saw stories being posted and shared that basically said, "Yeah, that was a bad thing that Josh Duggar did, but look at how that sweet Christian family is being persecuted by the liberal media!" This week, the same FB friends that shared that Matt Walsh story making excuses for Josh Duggar are sharing stories about what an "abomination" Caitlyn Jenner is. You know, I just don't think I want to live in a world that defends pedophiles because they're Christians but lambasts a law abiding citizen because of their decision to change their sexual identity. Am I the only one that sees this as wacky?! As I've said before, the world doesn't want or need to hear us Christians telling everyone how right we are and how wrong everyone else is. Go ahead and disapprove of the decision Caitlyn Jenner made. QUIETLY, in your own home. Pray for her soul (pray for mine too, while you're at it; I am a sinner, after all.) But in public, can we be decent human beings? Can we stop sharing stories by Matt Walsh, who seems to think he's more righteous than just about anyone he ever writes about (except for the Duggars)?

I understand you, friends, REALLY, I do. I was once just like you. I thought it was my mission in life to inform everyone of their wrongs, telling the world how right us Christians are. Playing into the fear-mongering by telling people all the things that could go wrong in any given scenario. But you know what's more effective that yelling at people that we are the light of Christ? Actually BEING the light of Christ. Just sharing the love and beauty within us. Life is short, y'all. And I can't bear this burden of being holier-than-thou. With all the crap in this world, I'm just gonna share my heart, my garden pictures, my witty sarcasm (at least it's witty in MY head), and, of course, funny cat videos. I realize I'm going to lose a few FB friends after this. Some of y'all might want to engage in a political debate over this post. I'm telling you now that I won't bite. This is the end of my commentary. I don't care to discuss it further in comments. I'll leave you with this. I thought about Tyler Perry last night. His best known character is Madea, achieved by dressing in drag. Christians LOVE his movies and just eat Madea up! After their reaction to the Bruce Jenner story, I wonder how most Christians would react if Tyler announced tomorrow that he wants to become Madea permanently with a sex change operation. It's all good if we're just pretending, but don't go changing anything permanently, right? Hmmm...