By Elizabeth Prata
I started a series in 2016 called #MemeHeresies. The name came from a sister named Jess Pickowicz who used it on Twitter (Now called X), she said I could use the name. I wrote three essays about memes that are passed around but actually contain heresies. I’ll link to those below.
Then in 2023 I changed the name to “Correct-A-Meme.” These are memes, that may not be actually heretical but do perpetuate false notions and false concepts twisted from the Bible. I’ll link to that one as well.
False doctrine does not come into a church and then to a congregant’s heart and mind solely by the pulpit. In fact, many pastors guard the pulpit vigilantly. It also comes in through the church library. Through Sunday School curricula. Through women’s studies (and men’s studies). And outside the church it comes in via social media, invitations to parachurch events, conferences…and memes.
Memes are not neutral. They are pithy statements of spiritual concepts passed around to audiences that number in the thousands. They may be correct. They may be correct but misquoted its source. Or, more normally, memes contain false doctrine. Picture milkweed seeds. Dandelions are weeds. Their seeds fly aloft in abundance and land indiscriminately to sprout more pesty weeds.
That said, there is a meme going around social media that I’d like to address. It contains several statements that I see often. They are usually misunderstood.
Here is the meme I am taking the time to correct. I’ll go through it line by line.
Line 1: “This year I want to be more like Jesus”.
This appears to be the thesis statement for the meme.
That is a great resolution. Our sanctification does move us from our innate depravity toward Christ-likeness. The Holy Spirit does that, along with our own individual efforts to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling”. We pray, read His word, engage in holy living, and be obedient. These (and other efforts) will make us like Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:13).
The meme then goes on to add specific ways to achieve the thesis:
Line 2: “Hang out with sinners”.
No. First of all, I’m offended by the language. Jesus didn’t ‘hang out’. He came to do specific work, which He began purposefully and completed purposefully. (Luke 2:49; John 19:30). Yes, Jesus engaged with sinners. He did so in order to call them to repentance. I wonder how many people who ‘hang out with sinners’ are telling them to repent for they are under wrath,…or are hanging out simply as a cover to continue their sinful ways…
Secondly, everyone is a sinner. At that time, almost all people were sinners. Only a few were called righteous or favored) (Simeon, Joseph of Arimathea, Mary…). It was the Pharisees who’d separated the demographic into righteous and sinner, calling tax collectors and prostitutes sinners but not themselves. Everyone is a sinner though. (Romans 3:10)
And remember, Jesus was perfectly holy. We are not. Many verses remind us of the dangers of partnering with sinners for any length of time. It is a snare that more likely brings us down rather than them, up. When you drop a glove in the mud, the mud doesn’t get glovey.
Psalm 1:1-2, Proverbs 13:20, Proverbs 22: 24–25 warns not to stay with sinners… In some cases we are told to move on if they reject, (Matthew 10:14) and in other cases warned to we are warned to avoid them completely, 2 Timothy 3: 2–5.
Line 3: “Upset religious people”.
No. This is called divisiveness. It’s bad to be divisive. Religious people are the brethren, blood-bought and part of our spiritual family. Why would you resolve to purposely upset your family? Titus 3:10 says “Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning“
Proverbs 6:19 says the LORD hates those who sow discord among brothers. If what is meant in Line 3 is to upset pastors, that’s worse. They are worthy of double honor. We are to submit to them, not upset them.
If it means upset the unsaved or the hypocrites who aren’t really saved but act as if they are, the Gospel will upset them naturally. They will be offended by truth, which to them is the aroma of death to death. (2 Corinthians 2:16). Don’t be purposefully divisive. It’s unbiblical.
Line 4: “Tell stories that make people think”
We’re not Jesus telling parables. Jesus’ parables often confused people, even the disciples. They asked him in Matthew 13:10, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” Those who heard His parables (“stories”) often went away perplexed. That is because He was TRYING to confuse them. Even the disciples often had to ask what they meant.
If the meme means to tell “stories” that are anecdotes from your own experience, that’s not the word of God. The BEST thing to make people think is to share truth plainly, and then to pray the Holy Spirit applies it to their mind.
Speak the word from the Bible. Share verses and concepts plainly so as to give grace to the hearers. The word of God makes people think enough, as the Holy Spirit applies either conviction or transformation to the hearer.
Line 5: “Choose unpopular friends”
If they mean unpopular because they are unbelieving rampant sinners, then, as I said before, many verses advise against that. (2 Corinthians 6:14, 1 Corinthians 15:33, 1 John 2:15).
We are supposed to love everyone. (1 John 4:7). If the meme means to choose unpopular people because they are unpopular, then this is favoritism in reverse. Jesus frowns on partiality. (James 2:1).
This is good advice from the Old Testament:
‘You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you shall judge your neighbor in righteousness. (Leviticus 19:15).
Line 6: Be kind, loving, merciful
This is what the Bible tells us to do. Over and over. It’s a good resolution, but it needs a Bible verse attached:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23).
Line 7: “Take naps on boats”
If you have access to a boat, then by all means nap away! However, the thesis at the top was to be more like Jesus. Napping on boats…unsure how that gets me to be more Christlike.
I parsed this meme hard because I wanted to highlight the absurdity of it. I also wanted to make the reader remember that when we absorb ANYTHING: movie, book, tv, meme, verses (often out of context on social media), we aren’t engaging in something neutral. I ask you all to THINK about what you are consuming. THINK about what you’re ;passing on. The nature of social media is fast superficial bytes without a lot of deep thought. Resist that.
Is napping on a boat really going to advance your sanctification? Will hanging out with sinners help your holiness? Is it good to purposely upset people?
Memes aren’t neutral. Think before you pass one of them on.
Further Reading
Justin Peters Inigo Montoya Series (That verse doesn’t mean what you think it means).
Correct-A-Meme
MemeHeresies on Facebook and how to refute them
MemeHeresy: Christine Caine’s nudges & whispers from God
MemeHeresy: Don’t be a Pineapple
the-end-time.org 