Normally, I don’t give up things for Lent mainly because I’ve learned the hard way that I’m going to go for the caffeine, chocolate or whatever crud I said I’d forsake for 40 days. Instead, I focus on something positive, such as reading a book like N.T. Wright’s (Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church) that really helped get me ready for Easter last year.

But this year, I decided to go on a Facebook Fast (this also includes Facebook Mobile for Blackberry.) As some of my email addresses are posted on my Facebook profile, people can reach me if it’s a legit work related emergency.

This hit me today when I was recovering from a very unfortunate unfriending that could have been avoided had we hashed things out over beers. The anonymity of the Internet coupled with the ease of social networking tools can easily create an environment where well intentioned Christians can engage in some unholy hijacks that can make blog battles pale by comparison. Also, all too often a simple friendly exchange between a dude and a dudette can veer off into that gray area where let’s say commandments might not be broken but boundaries definitely get crossed. I know I’ve caught myself deleting a few notes I left on someone’s wall when it hit me that publishers and others in a position to hire might not take kindly to my late night ramblings

Even after I adjusted the settings, some days my news feed still overflowed with drunk dialing icons, pictures of antics that were borderline funny in high school, and other moves that seem more sophomoric than spiritual. This Whiskeypalian is all for having a good time but it seems some folks don’t get that by and large people aren’t going to hire you for a gig if you look like you’re groping some groupie, high on something ‘sides Christ or issuing status updates that would do the boys from South Park proud. Unlike Vegas, what gets posted on sites like MySpace and Facebook doesn’t exactly stay private.

Also, in a virtual world like Facebook, select self-appointed Progressive Power ® or Emergent Church™ authors/speakers strut their spiritual stuff as though they are the ultimate faith fashionistas. Hence, one can easily get the false impression that these missional mavericks have a far greater sphere of influence than they do the actual world.

This begs the question, if Jesus came back today, how the Internet would influence his ministry? What would he think of the concept of generative friends who connect in cyberspace without ever meeting face-to-face? How would he deal with the anonymity of the Internet where a reasonable religious discussion can morph into a biblical brawl and spread like a plague of locusts? On a lighter note, who would be his MySpace “top friends?” What would Jesus say in his Facebook status updates? Would the disciples decide to videotape some of Jesus’ more “human” moments and then post them on You Tube? (I can just imagine all the Jesus on the John jokes.)

Even though I suspect Jesus’ and his crew would take full advantage of the global outreach possibilities offered by the Internet, I sense he would insist that we sit down for some real face time. No matter how plugged in we get, we can’t do a virtual Eucharist. After all, communion entails that we feed each other actual bread and wine (or grape juice if you’re a Baptist boy). Despite the televangelists’ claim that they can cure for cash if one touched the TV, all throughout his ministry Jesus healed people one touch at a time. (See Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:33-42, and Luke 8:41-56).

So, its time for me to unplug myself a bit and take some time wandering in the real life wilderness. Now that I think about it, I better take a Lenten break from commenting on blogs as well, except for my supportive buds at The Ongoing Adventures of ASBO Jesus, not to mention giving props to a few faithful folks that walk the walk. No point in throwing the baby out with the bathwater. After all, through tools such as Facebook and blogs, I have connected with an ever expanding global spiritual network that would have been virtually impossible to do otherwise.

After Lent, I think I’ll rely more on Facebook mobile for Blackberry, a feature that allows me to do status updates, check messages, add friends, and RSVP for events. That way I can stay connected without stepping into too much Christian crud.

Author Bio: Becky Garrison (www.beckygarrison.com) is a religious satirist currently living in New York City.

About Becky Garrison

Becky Garrison is featured in the documentaries Nailin’ it to the Church (http://www.nailinittothechurch.com) and The Ordinary Radicals (http://www.theordinaryradicals.com).