All good deeds are not good

This is an open letter to the URCSA Wellington Presbytery

25^th February 2019

Chairperson & members

Brothers and Sisters

URCSA Wellington Presbytery

Greetings in the name of my Creator and Saviour.

In life I’ve learned not all good deeds are good and that some can cause more harm than good. Allow me to from the onset state I could not care two flies what you as Presbytery do or don’t do, as my God and I have a solid healthy relationship.

I’ve received numerous messages though, from LGBTQI young people within the Presbytery.

It firstly takes courage for any person to type a message to reach out. Secondly no cry for help should just be ignored. It is with the above background that I’m directing this communique to you.

In an open letter to the church in October 2016, myself and three fellow URCSA-members, wrote: “As members of URCA we are concerned at the churches prophetic voice towards LGBTQI congregants and community.”

We further asked: “The church in love and the spirit of the Belhar Confession not to let LGBTQI-members suffer any further.”

Prior to the above I wrote in an opinion piece: “Apart from the conservative view the church will always hold, you cannot help to ask yourself why it takes the church – who preach love – to show love. The answer is that the church must act church orderly, within ecumenical rules.”

As per my social media accounts I initially thought the panel discussion the Presbytery is planning for Thursday is something good. Having viewed the poster of the panel discussion I am deeply offended, insulted and ashamed.

I take offence in the use of the term “homoseksualisme”. In no formal or informal documentation of URCSA is this term used. It also has a negative connotation, that was used some years ago as part of hate-speech. The term itself and the use thereof creates the impression that the organisers and thus the Presbytery, and one can interpret the panel (unless a correction is made by them) have a preconceived opinion that homosexuality is wrong.

I’ve previously asked the numerous (waste of time) URCSA Commissions how many of the panel members are gay/lesbian or have immediate family who is?

If none, my interpretation is that your panel will share textbook experience.

Following the tragic events at 13:30 on Saturday 8^th October 2016 at the 7th General Synod of Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa, one of the members of the first URCSA Homosexuality Task Team, made the following remark: “URCSA has no testicular fortitude in leading the church on the LGBTQ-matter and therefore finds all kind of excuses for not pronouncing on it”.

Friends in Christ allow me with due respect to have the testicular fortitude to tell you that your approach is unconsidered; disrespectful; offensive; just plain wrong.

You are proving the stories of Angelo, Theo, Carlton, Ashwin, Astrid, Belinda, Lindsey, Victor and many others will thus never be told or heard.

If you ignore everything above, take this to heart: ill-advised actions have led to suicide. It is often not what is said but what not and how not. Many of you will never grasp the pressure and depression LGBTQI-persons sit with, just viewing your ill-advised poster. As Christian my plea is let's stop homophobia and not contribute to it. 

Be bold, be brave, be leaders.

You friend in Christ

Earl September

Social Media: Internet's wild wild west

Social media is the warzone of the internet.

One post can make you part of the unemployment figure, or worse make you end up behind bars.

This is not even some sort of myth, I know of people this happened to. Look at Penny Sparrow, McIntosh Polela and Lance Witten. Some of the less known people is the 23-year old who posted something about his boss on Facebook and the 25-year old from Durban who made malicious statements.

More and more institutions also stalk your timeline when you apply for a job.

Government departments can now even ask you your social media as reference. Government is not doing this to limit your right to privacy or change your political views – it is done as part of an attempt to create a more professional public service.

I recently as part of preparation for a social media workshop sat and wondered if the 33% of the 57 million South Africans know why they on Facebook?

It is off-course no shock that so many of us are online or that social media is growing at such a fast pace in the country. More than half of the country is under the age of 35 and grown ups do joke kids are these days born with a smartphone in the hand.

I’ve drawn the conclusion many of the more than 19 million South Africans on Facebook do not grasp the consequences, when posting on social media.

Even worse is that many have not read the terms and conditions of the various social media platforms.

When someone is caught or corrected, the defence is always “it was only a joke”. Everything will never always “just be a joke”, and for any post there are consequences.

Many tend to say, “it is my Facebook” and they can write what they want.

Yes, it is your Facebook profile, but not your Facebook. It will always be the Facebook of Mark, Eduardo, Andrew, Dustin and Chris.

There are also rules and now even laws that box us.

The rules might sound unnecessary but social media – specifically Facebook – have literally and figuratively killed people. Mind you it is not your place to post when someone passed on, and the next of kin have not been informed.

It is also inhumane to post about someone who passed away and you got the information from hearsay and you not even a loved-one.

What irks me more than the boring jokes are those with more than one profile. I’ve once even asked a friend if he has a psychological problem, why else would he have another profile?

As part of my day job I manage seven social media platforms, every day, and that does not even include my own six. I kid you not it is a nightmare and an confuse the living daylight out of you. 

Why, just why, would you still clone your Facebook? For those jumping on the “I forgot my password”, there is the reset-option. Those running away from someone on the friend list, just unfriend or block the person.

Many – especially older – folks are under the impression when you say “social media”, you referring to Facebook.

Yes, the platform can filter photos like Instagram, upload videos like YouTube and make notes like Twitter. You can even use Messenger like WhatsApp or meet a potential partner like on Tinder.

Fact remains Facebook is not social media, it is only one of many platforms.

Many forget or ignore that when they upload something on Facebook there can be consequences. Many create fake Facebook groups or pages, some because it is fun.

Unfortunately for you someone may own the intellectual rights to a name, slogan and even photo or video.

You might have freedom of expression but, like on street, that goes together with a responsibility.

A huge part of this is respect and not to infringe on the rights of others. Next time you go onto any social media platform, remember the following:

Think before you post, you can be charged for what you post. To take photos or videos from other is stealing. You can be fired for what you say on your personal social media platforms and to mislead the public can land you in the hot water.

To explain social media is difficult, because the definition will differ from person to person.

For me it is – as mentioned in the introduction – the wild wild west of the internet.

It is difficult to manage, rugged but exciting. It enables you to add your ten cents to any discussion with any person, anywhere in the world. It offers some nice reading material and a different view.

Social media is to discover the truth of others.

If you like or follow me on social media, be accurate, fair and honest. Read and be informed on what you post and respect others, even if you don’t see them!

• This opinion piece initially published in Afrikaans in Paarl Post of Thursday 21 February 2019