You have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer questions. Do you understand?

Anything you do say may be used against you in a court of law. Do you understand?

You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future. Do you understand?

If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish. Do you understand?

We have all heard of the police requirement to Mirandize any suspect upon arrest or when brought in for questioning by law enforcement.  The requirement was the Supreme Court’s solution to make sure citizens’ fifth-amendment rights were not being violated.  It came from a court decision (Miranda vs. Arizona, 1966).  Judges can even throw out a conviction if a person was not properly Mirandized.  Although it makes policemen have to cross one more T and dot one more I, all in all, it isn’t a bad idea.  Most Americans are clueless about the Constitution and about their rights as citizens.  It’s probably more of a failure of American education than of policing, but it is what it is.

Although I have never been read my Miranda Rights in an arrest situation (and I am thankful for that), I have decided to  Mirandize myself every time I get on the internet– particularly on social media!

Facebook, Twitter, Messaging, Email, Blogging– they are all avenues of personal expression without the safety mechanism of eye to eye contact.  When it’s face to face, we can read enough of the body language of the one we’re sparring with to tell when they’re about to knock our block off!  It helps to temper what we say and may even  keep us from looking like a fool.

But not on social media!  It’s a blind cliff, and we can easily plunge off that cliff with thoughtless, random, ignorant, nasty, negative, hurtful, cold, blatant, proud, pontificating, half-true emotional comments that are all to often void of love, truth, and common sense.

People say things online that they would never say face to face.  When I was a child and my mom would send me to my room for acting like a jerk, I would often stand in front of my mirror and watch myself “let her have it!”  I was amazed at how brilliant I was at cutting her down to size.  In the safety of my room, with the door closed, I was excellent at waging a war of words against Mom that would surely silence her, and possibly even cause her to repent at my feet in dust and ashes.  Inside my room, Perry Mason and Matlock competed to offer me a job.  In front of my own mirror, Socrates marveled at my logic, and Solomon clamored for my wisdom.

But my performances before the mirror were always done in a whisper, and my door was always shut.  If Mom heard me, I would surely be toast.  If she suddenly opened the door to check on me, I would instantly blush and become mute. Stupid is as stupid does would again define me.  My courage withered when the door was open.

We who follow Christ would do well to Mirandize ourselves whenever we sit in front of our laptops.  It would be a good idea to invite the Holy Spirit to be our attorney, and to listen to His advice each time we go online.  This is what My Friend, Miranda says to me every day:

Mark:  You have the right to remain silent.  Anything you say can and may be used against you in the court of public opinion– and maybe even eternity.

Social media is not the place for Christians to bash fellow believers, or anyone for that matter.  If what we say online cannot lift up Christ and his Church, it shouldn’t be said.  Ask yourself, “If I say this, will people be more likely, or less likely to come to Christ.”  This is my humble advice:  Keep it clean.   Keep it kind.    Keep it sane.

Proverbs 10:19-21 

“Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut. The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless. The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense.”

Matthew 12:34-37  

“For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.  A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.  But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.  For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”