Wow, it's been busy times on my Facebook profile recently. Now that it is beginning to die down, I thought I'd recap some of it here.

On the 12th of September, I posted this image:

It reflects my thoughts on the forceful spreading of religion (to put it kindly, stuffing it down my throat). I have nothing against people practising religion, in private. Like the billboard says - it's fine to have one and fine to be proud of it. Just please don't whip it around.

I found the picture on Diaspora, and shared it because I thought it was very witty. In no way have I been involved in making this picture - and no, it is NOT a real picture.. I do not know the origins, though through Google I was able to find what I think is the original without the billboard and surrounding scenery. Whoever made this is a genius.

What I didn't expect was that for some reason this picture, which has surely been around for some time, started going around Facebook due to me posting it. I happened to be mostly offline at our cottage when it started spreading and was slightly shocked to arrive back home to see that it had been shared 20K times. I also had a hundred friend requests and a hundred or so private messages waiting. I don't remember doing much else during the evenings for a few days than wondering what the hell happened to my Facebook.

Since then it was really busy for a few weeks, likes, comments, messages and friend requests coming in from all corners of the globe. Mostly due to the sheer volume I just had to ignore everything, but instead I tried to use the attention to promote my favorite social network Diaspora and other open source projects. I had to switch off notifications from non-friends due to the fact that my Facebook was unusable otherwise (so if you are someone I don't know and waiting for a reply - I am sorry, don't wait too hard, though I might go through the private messages one day).

Now the situation seems to have stabilized with the following figures on the image in question:

• 63,000 shares (that's about 0.000084% of total Facebook users)
• 22,000 likes
• 3,600 comments

There would of been more likes and comments but I only realized how to enable them when the shares were around 30-40K or so. Facebook settings really is a maze.

In addition there have been thousands of shares, likes and comments on my other public pictures. Currently I have 434 pending friend requests, an unknown number of messages (hundreds at least) and 222 subscribers to my public posts (only enabled that a week ago).

The weirdest thing is, I was just about to start ramping down my Facebook usage. Just make it a place for keeping up with how friends are doing (since the buggers have not joined Diaspora yet). Due to the new following I've gathered, I guess I'll be keeping the public side up as well. Will try to find some more funny things to share - and maybe promote some other things I like like Linux and Diaspora.

Some of the feedback I've received

Some of the feedback has been, to put it kindly, interesting. Many people seem to think I took the picture, or that it is a real photo (hey, this is the internet?). I haven't followed the thousands of comments much but from the messages I've received I can say that about half of the people sending messages were offended and half were thanking me for saving their day. Some people were threatening with action/hell, and some people claiming me to be the "Hero of Facebook". Kudos to the latter ones :)

Selected private messages, with no names included (to avoid lawsuits, hopefully):

You are the star of FB now. Great find on that picture. Everyone I know is talking about it....and in a good way!!!

REally need to take the post down about religion. If we can't share, you can't share. It's like that!   [ED: who says you can't share?]

This a bit much don't you think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don,t move!   [ED: Ummm... sorry?]

Hen't like this photo. Please remove it. just because u dont believe there are others that do...why dont u find some devil pics and cast it upon yourself

Hi. I have no idea who you are, but your wall post comparing penii to religion has absolutely gone viral on FB and I want to thank you for it. I am considering making it into a T-shirt and perhaps a bumper sticker...

An Atheist is like a Penis 
It's fine with us if you don't believe in God 
It's fine with us if you are proud of it
But please don't whip it out in public and start waving it around
and please don't try to shove it down my children's throat.

Sorry to bother you but my friend liked your photo, now I cam view your photos and see your profile check ur privacy settings x

Hey, I don't like this photo. Please remove it. You must be sick.

You started a monster, huh? I know I am offending people of the right, but I dont care...truth is truth! Thanks for starting the ball rolling.

So you are proud of 18k shares discouraging parents from teaching their children about a Higher Being who cares about them and has control of an increasingly confusing and selfish culture. These same children are often scarred from blended marriages, family breakdown, exposure to individualistic
non-community values and a media which exalts promiscuity, anti-social
behaviours and a 'what's in it for me' attitude?
Congrats for reinforcing the post modern values which have transformed a previously pro-religious society into a selfish, 'me' generation.   [ED: Thanks! ]

Whoever you are, you've shared great words. 
Thank you. Best regards from Ultra-Catholic Poland

Hi bro, commenting on ur foto feed saying 'religion is like a penis'.. - du u think al d ladies in the world doesnt hav any religion!? am pathetic on this fukin dialogue who takes his own riligion as his stinking dick..!

Hi The penis sign is in an english speaking country, not US or Canada by the license plates. So if its real in UK,Ireland, NZ Australia or a few small place

Hi! We are total strangers- but kindred souls with respect to religion... I've never seen so many shares! 50k+ around the world and growing... You struck a nerve... I LIKE IT!

..so please explain how religion is like a penis   [ED: It's, like, in the image?]

Jason my I ask you are you a stupid crazy person who need help?

Hey, I don't like this photo. Please remove it and I have already reported it to Facebook. IT is lude, digusting and inappropriate to be posted on facebook. I know you don't like anything I've said since EVERYTHING I have said has been deleted. So I went the next best route. Messaging you personally and reporting such a vulgar picture to Facebook. Have a nice day!!!   [ED: I haven't deleted anything, sorry. At least I'M not paranoid like someone]

I don't like this photo. Please remove it. It's very offensive to people of essentially any religion, and it promotes intolerance. Thank you for considering my request.   [ED: Request denied]

Hey, I don't like this photo. How would you like my large penis goes to your kid's throat or your own?

I do not like this photo. Please delete it. X GOD created you to DECIDE WHICH WAY ON EARTH ELEJIS, AND GOD LOVES YOU SAY THAT MUCH, AND WANT TO ACCEPT IT IN YOUR HEART HE IS THE ONLY SAVIOR OF YOUR LIFE, TAKES THESE THINGS, THE DO NOT DESERVE THIS LACK OF RESPECT FOR YOUR PARTY. GOD LOVES YOU, TRY TO UNITE AND SAVE ALL HUMAN BEINGS THAT GOD LOVES X AS NOTHING IN THIS WORLD

did you post the pic of religion is like a penis???   [ED: No? Haha, just kidding, yes]

Just a few comments on the feedback:

• I didn't make the photo.
• It's not real.
• I wasn't the first to post it - it's an old image from what I can see on Google.
• It's only offensive if you think it's correct to stuff religion down other peoples throats.
• If I removed it, it would not magically disappear from the internet.
• I WILL remove it if I am promised that all religious photos that offend me are also removed from Facebook. Please confirm when done and I will delete the image.

Please, if you liked it and would like to see similar stuff from me, please subscribe to my public profile on Facebook!

Peace and love, Jason :)

[ religion // life // humour // social networks // facebook ]