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Christianity and the Internet?
- Christianity and the Internet?
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Christianity and the Internet?
praise_yeshua > 06-14-2016, 03:10 PM
I was reading through a church facebook page and read these words....
Social media is not the forum God has in mind when He directs us to practice the "one another's" in His word
The first thing I thought was....
How ironic. You're using social media to send a message about social media!!! If its NOT what we should be using then why did YOU use it? Why do you even have a facebook page?
This brings me to my question....
Why do SO many treat the internet as if its "make believe"? Its not. Its just as real as anything else that exists. Some of our former members think they can act anyway they want to act and its okay.... because its just the internet. Its not real. It doesn't matter!!!
Let's discuss this mentality that seems to becoming more and more prevalent in Christianity....
1. Why can't the internet be viable medium to connect to others?
2. Why can't the ministry of the Church of God take place on the internet?
3. Why can't someone find true meaning in internet relationships?
Now, I will admit. There are limitations. Yet, there are limitations to most anything. What makes the "internet" a bad place for so many?
I know one answer, many people don't like the internet because they can't hide themselves behind their fallible beliefs. I've said this before. Most people don't really want to know the truth. They don't. They'd rather just find someone that agrees with them. They prefer living in an illusion.
If our beliefs can't stand up to the "fire". Then we shouldn't have them!!!
What do you think? -
RE: Christianity and the Internet?
The Rogue Tomato > 06-14-2016, 06:27 PM
The Internet is a viable means to connect to others. It's not all that different than writing letters, which was how people once communicated across distances. The main differences include:
1. It's all public, and almost everything lives on the Internet forever.
2. People can rely on anonymity to protect themselves, but also to be abusive.
Here's what I, personally, dislike: Most Christian meme posts on social networks like Facebook. There's something that really bothers me about "like and share if you love Jesus" styles of posts, especially if they include the typical sappy representation of Jesus with the long hair, etc.
Also, I have a good friend whom I love as a brother in Christ who posts at least a dozen Christian memes a day if not two dozen on Facebook and Google+. What bothers me is that it's like he's spamming these memes, and I don't get his motive. I suspect he thinks he's doing this for a good purpose, perhaps even to spread the Gospel. But it just strikes me as spam. And many of the memes contain popular notions that contradict or misrepresent what the Bible says, like the common "God will never give you more than you can handle". -
RE: Christianity and the Internet?
praise_yeshua > 06-14-2016, 07:07 PM
(06-14-2016, 06:27 PM)The Rogue Tomato Wrote: The Internet is a viable means to connect to others. It's not all that different than writing letters, which was how people once communicated across distances. The main differences include:
1. It's all public, and almost everything lives on the Internet forever.
2. People can rely on anonymity to protect themselves, but also to be abusive.
Here's what I, personally, dislike: Most Christian meme posts on social networks like Facebook. There's something that really bothers me about "like and share if you love Jesus" styles of posts, especially if they include the typical sappy representation of Jesus with the long hair, etc.
Also, I have a good friend whom I love as a brother in Christ who posts at least a dozen Christian memes a day if not two dozen on Facebook and Google+. What bothers me is that it's like he's spamming these memes, and I don't get his motive. I suspect he thinks he's doing this for a good purpose, perhaps even to spread the Gospel. But it just strikes me as spam. And many of the memes contain popular notions that contradict or misrepresent what the Bible says, like the common "God will never give you more than you can handle".
I've deleted a few "friends" over what you mention above. I don't like it at all. Get tired of seeing it.....
Its like most anything else. Turn the channel.... Reading your bible during a poor sermon..... Ignoring your friend while they're picking their nose or scratching their bottom when they think no one will notice.....
I don't get the need to pretend its any different than much anything else. You're right in your two points. Though it may not live forever on the Internet. Cache clears. Pages die. People ignore things like they do anywhere else.
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RE: Christianity and the Internet?
aleshanee > 06-15-2016, 10:32 PM
i don;t think the internet and social media is the best method of practicing christianity or carrying out a ministry. ..... but it is still nevertheless an available method ... and i believe an acceptable one...... ..in fact i think going online in good faith to spread the gospel and fellowship with like minded christians that you can;t contact any other way is actually a good thing..... and far better usage of the internet than how certain perversely minded preachers apparently use it by going online anonymously to harass and provoke people or play mind games. .... .... it;s pretty obvious to the rest of us they are simply out to entertain themselves through cyberspace in a way they could never get away with in person, or in their real lives...... when i see them doing that it makes me wonder what other ways they entertain themselves anonymously through the internet......