3 /5 CC Zuleyka (Zuly): Warning of Social Media Toxic Behaviour.
The "family" can be welcoming if you avoid sharing sincere reviews or opinions online about classes offered at this church. After attending and helping there for a few years, I recently shared an honest review of a class I attended at the church in a page dedicated to the church. I approached my feedback professionally and noted some gaps I perceived in the material. I posted on one of the church-dedicated pages to encourage people to take notes from the class while also seeking guidance from the Lord, as He is the truth. I referenced the Bible, explaining that evil can sometimes appear charismatic. In response, some individuals reacted very negatively to my post, which was meant to review the class taught by the MCC pastor. I genuinely appreciate and respect many attendees of this church. However, I now understand why many Gen Z and Millennials choose to distance themselves from it. I feel compelled to warn others about the toxic responses one can face from certain attendees when not praising everything the pastor does. I certainly do not hold any animosity toward the LGBTQ community. Its unfortunate that honest individuals who take the time to attend a church that promotes inclusivity can be subjected to harassment for providing a sincere review—especially when it is not aimed at inciting hatred against any person or community. Its sad that many in the LGBTQ community work hard to foster awareness and acceptance, yet some members of a church with a long-standing presence in Tampa allow toxic behavior online to flourish against those who wish to offer constructive feedback regarding a class that may not be entirely beneficial, especially for individuals who may be more vulnerable. Instead of addressing the situation as a leader and asking congregants to be respectful, the pastor responded by making excuses. In any field, feedback and reports are necessary for improvement. For instance, we wouldn’t expect educators to be attacked for grading assignments, patients for sharing their patient experiences, or customers for sharing their experiences at a store.
I have gone to different churches, in my life and have been blessed to have been educated by many professionals including theologians and this is the first time that I have experienced a toxic response to a review of a class.
From my end, peace and love!
