Flood the Earth Response

I tend to respond poorly to video presentations that seem to rely heavily on music to augment the mood. To me it is not only distracting to the point of the presentation but also suggests a lack of confidence in the weight of the message itself, or its ability to appeal to the audience. That aside, I think the idea itself is compelling enough. As a participating member of the church I subscribe to the belief that spreading the message of the gospel to as many as will listen is a worthy activity. The biggest obstacle I face in fulfilling the counsel given in the video is my avoidance of any social media outlets. I do not actively engage in many debates because I don't see much productivity in it, at least in the more contentious discussions. Communication over the internet is, of course, an incredible modern miracle that has promoted much good in the world, but I find that the general tone of discourse in most public forums is not very conducive to personal improvement or effective persuasion. With the anonymity inherent in these sorts of exchanges, standard social norms tend to break down and mutually beneficial conduct ceases to serve the self-interests of the various parties involved. With these considerations, I still think using social media to spread the gospel can be productive, but I feel it is a matter of choosing the right audience and applying the right tools to accomplish the task.

Ultimately, I think using these resources to encourage personal interaction, such as referring missionaries or inviting people to church meetings and activities is probably the most effective use of social media.