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Goodbye Jesus

Getting Rid Of Old Social Circles On Facebook


Prometheus

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Is this a mean, or unacceptable thing to do?

I've already blocked my family, and many of my Christian friends from childhood (almost as much because everything they post is silly and sounds ridiculous to me, as much as I just don't want to see their faces or hear their names anymore).

 

The problem is, there is one ex-Christian from that social group that was my old roommate and we're pretty good friends, and he is still friends with all of them.  He frequently tags me in posts, and then I see certain people replying to those posts that I just don't want to see.  If I reply to his posts, then those people will see me and might try to add me as friends.

 

Anyone else found yourself in a similar situation?

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I went through a transition period last year and I just got rid of Facebook completely. It was like cutting a toxin out of my life and much easier than trying to figure out who to block. The people who really want to be part of my life know my number.

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I went through a transition period last year and I just got rid of Facebook completely. It was like cutting a toxin out of my life and much easier than trying to figure out who to block. The people who really want to be part of my life know my number.

 

I left FB about 2 years ago now and seriously, life is 100% better without it.  It's like quitting smoking and being able to breathe better.  You didn't realize just what it was doing to you until you quit it.  Now I read all these posts about people unfriending or posting this or that, and it seems so middle school.

 

And no one who wants to be in my life has had trouble keeping in touch, and I have had no issues with keeping in touch with them.  Thats the common reason I hear people stay with FB "Its easy to keep in touch with friends and family".  Yea, its called email and telephone and texting.

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I deactivated over two yrs ago and it's refreshing to live without it.I don't need it.it might be easier than blocking individuals and it's not permanent so u could always go back if you wanted to.if you keep it are there not settings so u can keep ur friend but just not allow ur self to be tagged anymore?

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I went through a transition period last year and I just got rid of Facebook completely. It was like cutting a toxin out of my life and much easier than trying to figure out who to block. The people who really want to be part of my life know my number.

Same here, I gave up Facebook completely. It became impossible to try and limit access to some family members without all the others finding out about it. My brother’s family is Mormon, and the rest of us are secular. Surprisingly it was politics and not religion that caused 95% of the friction. It was hard a first to keep my Facebook account closed. It was the third time about two years ago when I finally broke the cord for good. After a few weeks you began to wonder what was so interesting about Facebook. I still keep in touch with all my family members and the discussions are now civil.

 

I work for a huge corporation and I fairly certain they monitor their employee’s internet activity. After Facebook, I have cancelled my Linkedin, and YouTube accounts too. So far the transition has been painless.

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I went through a transition period last year and I just got rid of Facebook completely. It was like cutting a toxin out of my life and much easier than trying to figure out who to block. The people who really want to be part of my life know my number.

Same here, I gave up Facebook completely. It became impossible to try and limit access to some family members without all the others finding out about it. My brother’s family is Mormon, and the rest of us are secular. Surprisingly it was politics and not religion that caused 95% of the friction. It was hard a first to keep my Facebook account closed. It was the third time about two years ago when I finally broke the cord for good. After a few weeks you began to wonder what was so interesting about Facebook. I still keep in touch with all my family members and the discussions are now civil.

 

I work for a huge corporation and I fairly certain they monitor their employee’s internet activity. After Facebook, I have cancelled my Linkedin, and YouTube accounts too. So far the transition has been painless.

 

 

i got rid of my Linkedin too after i noticed someone from my work had had a quick look at my profile- got rid of it straight away.

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I went through a transition period last year and I just got rid of Facebook completely. It was like cutting a toxin out of my life and much easier than trying to figure out who to block. The people who really want to be part of my life know my number.

Same here, I gave up Facebook completely. It became impossible to try and limit access to some family members without all the others finding out about it. My brother’s family is Mormon, and the rest of us are secular. Surprisingly it was politics and not religion that caused 95% of the friction. It was hard a first to keep my Facebook account closed. It was the third time about two years ago when I finally broke the cord for good. After a few weeks you began to wonder what was so interesting about Facebook. I still keep in touch with all my family members and the discussions are now civil.

 

I work for a huge corporation and I fairly certain they monitor their employee’s internet activity. After Facebook, I have cancelled my Linkedin, and YouTube accounts too. So far the transition has been painless.

 

 

i got rid of my Linkedin too after i noticed someone from my work had had a quick look at my profile- got rid of it straight away.

 

Isn't this the point of Linkedin?

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I'm still on FB, and I find it useful for keeping in touch with several people. I blocked certain people who are still "friends" so I don't have to look at their posts, but they can see mine if they want. I don't spill my guts on my posts, and limit the kind of information I give out. I keep it all at a basic social level. Occasionally I see a Christian posting something about a health issue and all their friends post "praying for you", and the inevitable "glory to god" when the DOCTOR does something to help. But I just click on "I don't want to see this" and it goes away. I never tell FB why.

 

Others I know have opened FB accounts under a pseudonym to have a circle of friends outside of the control freaks zone. I simply pulled back on my outbursts of pagan views so that I can maintain influence on certain family members. If I ever lose that contact, then I'll resume my open views publicly.

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I've debated deactivating facebook, but I always end up staying because of friends and family who live far away. I blocked all but a few former church friends (not necessarily because I don't like them. Just makes my life better not seeing their posts about things at the old church).

 

It's frustrating though .... almost everyone we know are christians. All our family members are. They see my Facebook activity. Since we've decided not to come out to them, I can't 'like' the pages I want, or post the things I want. It's not really that important, I mean, it's just facebook. But I have to be careful. Our family finding out the truth of our deconversion would be awful for us. And simply not worth the pain and heartache.

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I don't think I have blocked or unfriended anyone, but I have unfollowed a lot of people. That way I don't have to see their status updates, but they can still see mine (if they want to) and I can pop in and check their pages out from time to time.

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I went through a transition period last year and I just got rid of Facebook completely. It was like cutting a toxin out of my life and much easier than trying to figure out who to block. The people who really want to be part of my life know my number.

 

THE ANSWER.

 

Seriously if FB is an issue in ones life this is the answer. Period. No excuses. No need for it. People had no trouble calling and writing a few years ago. And it was far less toxic and ridiculous than online socializing for the most part.

 

I don't consider forums like this social places by the way. At least nothing like FB style sites are.

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I went through a transition period last year and I just got rid of Facebook completely. It was like cutting a toxin out of my life and much easier than trying to figure out who to block. The people who really want to be part of my life know my number.

Same here, I gave up Facebook completely. It became impossible to try and limit access to some family members without all the others finding out about it. My brother’s family is Mormon, and the rest of us are secular. Surprisingly it was politics and not religion that caused 95% of the friction. It was hard a first to keep my Facebook account closed. It was the third time about two years ago when I finally broke the cord for good. After a few weeks you began to wonder what was so interesting about Facebook. I still keep in touch with all my family members and the discussions are now civil.

 

I work for a huge corporation and I fairly certain they monitor their employee’s internet activity. After Facebook, I have cancelled my Linkedin, and YouTube accounts too. So far the transition has been painless.

i got rid of my Linkedin too after i noticed someone from my work had had a quick look at my profile- got rid of it straight away.

Isn't this the point of Linkedin?

 

I got it for future work while doing my masters....believe me no one in my current work needs to be looking at my profile.

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I went through a transition period last year and I just got rid of Facebook completely. It was like cutting a toxin out of my life and much easier than trying to figure out who to block. The people who really want to be part of my life know my number.

Same here, I gave up Facebook completely. It became impossible to try and limit access to some family members without all the others finding out about it. My brother’s family is Mormon, and the rest of us are secular. Surprisingly it was politics and not religion that caused 95% of the friction. It was hard a first to keep my Facebook account closed. It was the third time about two years ago when I finally broke the cord for good. After a few weeks you began to wonder what was so interesting about Facebook. I still keep in touch with all my family members and the discussions are now civil.

 

I work for a huge corporation and I fairly certain they monitor their employee’s internet activity. After Facebook, I have cancelled my Linkedin, and YouTube accounts too. So far the transition has been painless.

i got rid of my Linkedin too after i noticed someone from my work had had a quick look at my profile- got rid of it straight away.

Isn't this the point of Linkedin?

 

I got it for future work while doing my masters....believe me no one in my current work needs to be looking at my profile.

 

That was my feeling too. I am 54 years old and plan on working for the same employeer until retirement. I see no reason to have a Linkedin account. I see only the drawbacks and no benefits of maintaining it.

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I kept all my facebook friends from church. It gives me a laugh (and makes me cringe) seeing the garbage they post. I like keeping up with what's going on on the other side of the fence. Occasionally I like to sneak in a comment or pro-atheist image (not too offensive, just enough to have an edge and hopefully get some critical thinking gears turning).

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I haven't been forced to block anyone and I don't think I'll have to anytime soon. But I unfollowed a lot of the people from my ex-church.

 

I try deactivating but it's harder than it looks. I, too, have relatives far away and it's hard to connect with them as easily and quickly than with a simple Facebook message.

 

Where I feel I can be myself is tumblr, a blogging site. I don't have anybody from my personal life on there so I can be ex-christian as much as I want without any interference from my family or fear of gossip.

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Why all the Facebook hate? Unlike real life, you can avoid certain people there. I find FB to be a great help in sharing photo albums and videos with family and friends around the world. I'm also in a few private groups where only the invited can show up. I think it's great, and it's quite manageable if you bother to set your preferences. But I'm pretty old and probably not hip enough to be above social media. I also confess to watching some TV and eating meat. Is "hip" still a thing?

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Is "hip" still a thing?

 

I've got a couple...

 

I agree, it really is a matter of setting preferences and knowing that you don't have to spill your guts and fill out every bit of info they want.

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Why all the Facebook hate? Unlike real life, you can avoid certain people there. I find FB to be a great help in sharing photo albums and videos with family and friends around the world. I'm also in a few private groups where only the invited can show up. I think it's great, and it's quite manageable if you bother to set your preferences. But I'm pretty old and probably not hip enough to be above social media. I also confess to watching some TV and eating meat. Is "hip" still a thing?

 

This made me laugh. I don't have FB or a TV. I do love meat though. Nobody is ever going to take away my steak.

 

However, I don't think I'm above social media. I think I'm weak. FB can be negative when you are fighting depression. I am trying to get past a few different heartbreaks. I don't think I have the willpower to stop myself from looking up my ex-boyfriend's fiance when I'm crying into my wine at 4am. Not having an account removes the temptation. If I was desperate enough I could reactivate the account or create a new one but thankfully I haven't sunk that low. Also, I've mentioned my current situation with the man I should have married. He was separated, we finally got together, he couldn't handle his son's reaction to his divorce, he went back to her to try to "make it work for the kids." It didn't. But now he's stuck for other reasons and it might be a while until he can get out and free. In the meantime, I have no idea what is happening in facebook land. Are they still listed as married? Does she take pics of his son and tag him? Are they still playing happy family online? He told me once that one of the things that pissed him off about her was that she made it seem like they were the perfect family on facebook while simultaneously treating him like shit. I know the feeling because my ex-husband did the same thing. He'd post all this lovey dovey crap on holidays and anniversaries and it was all complete bullshit. I'd rather not know what is going on with any of those people. I don't want to have to think about it. I guess it's like a recovering alcoholic choosing to avoid bars. I mean, you can go inside one and just not drink, but why would you want to?

 

And as far as the rest of it, I guess I could hide people who went on hateful political rants or otherwise pushed my buttons, and created groups to only post certain things for certain people to see, but I never felt the need to do it. I don't particularly like drawing attention to myself so when I was on FB I rarely posted anything. I just used to read and comment. So I wasn't losing much by deactivating. I get a little bit of teasing from my family about not being on it anymore, but my sister will forward anything important to me. I figure I lived without it before. I still have texting and email for instantaneous contact, if need be. I'd much rather come to a place like this where like minded people have shared common interests and I can post my inner thoughts and opinions in semi-anonymity.

 

Also, for the record, I only know one other person who doesn't have a TV (and he happens to be my soulmate). Everyone thinks it's their personal mission to bring me back to television. So if there is some hip anti-TV movement, I'm not aware of it. unsure.png

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Why all the Facebook hate? Unlike real life, you can avoid certain people there. I find FB to be a great help in sharing photo albums and videos with family and friends around the world. I'm also in a few private groups where only the invited can show up. I think it's great, and it's quite manageable if you bother to set your preferences. But I'm pretty old and probably not hip enough to be above social media. I also confess to watching some TV and eating meat. Is "hip" still a thing?

 

Yeah, I don't get the constant updating on every aspect of one's life including moods and what someone ate for dinner, but it's quite useful in getting back in touch with old friends and keeping in touch with friends in far away places.  Plus, it can be entertaining if your newsfeed has people with a sense of humor and an eye for interesting stuff. 

 

Being contrarian for contrarian's sake seems kinda passe to me. 

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