Whether we like it or not it's a powerful communications tool and we have to reckon on it. I talked to someone over the weekend who had stopped using it; she didn't like the fact that her details were out there for the world (or at least her friends) to see. Now, if you want total privacy you can have it, even to the extent of hiding the fact that you even have a Facebook page. A colleague is so hidden away, you can't find him. He keeps his friends to a select few and he has a very helpful means of communicating with people close to him, exchanging photos, information etc.

The other thing I want to share is a little more sinister: A friend who wanted to be an MP, and was in with a good chance of winning was on the wrong end of a page set up by her opponents. They dragged up an incident out of this person's past, magnified it out of all proportion, distorted it and, hey presto, a weapon to damage that persons electoral prospects. The person lost marginally (him/ her, rather not say). Secondly, I found a page set up by disaffected people who left a church because of disagreements with the leaders. So if you Facebook searched for either of these you wouldn't get their official site but a site set up by their enemies.

Now, I'm a great believer in all things working together for good. If you have a problem in church, don't go blathering it all over the internet. Hold onto your integrity. The rule I always apply is that you should only say kind things. If you can't be kind, keep quiet. Move on. Life is short. (Even shorter when you get to my age and suddenly every minute counts).

I wrote this a couple of weeks back. Last night, just by being on FB got me an amazing invite to lunch at a great restaurant. That was good. What wasn't so good was having a ringside seat at people being really very unkind to other people who simply held a different point of view. So FB can bring people together or it can damage relationships. Be kind to your friends and those who disagree with you.