Sermon Illustrations
Advice from Divorce Lawyers about Social Media Use
A survey by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers found that 81 percent of lawyers said they'd seen an increase in divorce cases using evidence found on social media. A group of divorce lawyers gave the following five ways social media can hurt a marriage. (All the quotes are from divorce lawyers.)
#1) Screentime got in the way of face time.
"Instead of getting into bed and discussing how each other's day was, couples opt to be on social media … [They] engaged with friends, acquaintances or even followers during times that they would otherwise be growing and improving their marital relationship … Put down your device, ask your spouse how their day was and listen."
#2) Reconnecting with old partners led to an affair.
"Your former partners bring you back to a time when life was less complicated and your greatest challenge was a term paper. Some get so caught up in the romance that they move from posts, to emails, texts, calls and then secret rendezvous. Even if things don't work out with the old fling, the temporary checking out from your marriage can cause irreparable harm."
#3) Everyone else's marriage appeared perfect in comparison.
"As you scroll your news feed and see so many seemingly perfect marriages, there is a tendency to compare your own relationship to the perceived perfection of another's. The weaknesses in your own marriage may become more obvious."
#4) Too much personal information was shared online.
"Intimate details about your relationship and marriage should never be exposed on social media. It causes distrust between partners and it can backfire if you and your partner divorce."
#5) The single life started looking more and more attractive.
"The social media posts of your single 'friends' look … so much better than your own life because many people's posts are [staged] to portray their own lives in the most positive light. There is a reason the selfie stick was one of the most popular holiday gifts last year."