11/19/10
The Rev. Cedric Miller of Living Word Christian Fellowship Church in New Jersey is encouraging his congregation to delete their Facebook accounts because of the overwhelming temptation to connect with old flames.
SRNNews.com reports that Rev. Miller is also ordering about 50 married church officials to delete their social networking accounts or resign from their positions.
At Living Word Christian Fellowship Church, Rev. Miller has seen 20 couples among the 1,100 members who have experienced marital stress over the last six months due to Facebook relationships. “I’ve been in extended counseling with couples with marital problems because of Facebook for the last year and a half,” he said. “What happens is someone from yesterday surfaces, it leads to conversations and there have been physical meet-ups. The temptation is just too great.”
Rev. Miller has a personal Facebook account that he uses to keep up with his family, but he says he will delete it before he speaks to the whole congregation this Sunday.
“The advice will go to the entire church,” he said. “They’ll hear what I’m asking of my church leadership. I won’t mandate it for the entire congregation, but I hope people will follow my advice,” says Rev. Miller.
Editors Note: What’s your response to this story? Is there some truth to the dangers of Facebook? Is the pastor overreacting?
