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| Photo by James Cridland, via Wylio |
So, this is a subject I am researching for a #VicarSchool essay – arguing for the Christian Practice of internet use, and I would love to get others thoughts on this. What’s the point in quoting loads of academics?! (well there isn’t that much written about it so it wouldn’t be loads anyway…!) But… instead of quoting them I would like to be able to quote normal Christians using the internet on a daily basis.
So if you feel so inclined and would be up for answering some questions, how about any, or all, of these:
: How does your faith inform your use of the internet (if at all?)
: If a Christian Practice is something that enables God to be made known to us, or to be experienced by us, how is God apparent to you through being online?
: Do you feel that your faith/spirituality has been affected by using the internet, and if so in what ways?
Feel free to comment below or drop me a message here or via Twitter @redjules
Any thoughts and comments would be very gratefully received, Thank you 🙂
3 Comments
Fiona Cameron
April 28, 2015 at 4:32 amMy faith informs my Internet behaviour the same way it informs all my behaviour. My faith is an integral part of who I am, and what you see in person is what you get online from me. I have a 30/70 split of Christian to Non-Christian friends on social media and I post funny cat videos and personal statuses as well as serious blog posts and videos about Jesus. I don’t want to bombard my friends with spiritual things but I won’t shy away from my faith either.
With regard to how the net has affected my faith, three things come to mind. I have grown spiritually through reading blogs and hearing sermons by pastors I would never had otherwise had the chance to hear. I have become a little more evangelistic in my daily life, as I have easy access to more people I care about than I do offline. On the downside, the fallen state of humanity and the state of the world in general has become far more apparent and real to me, as I see posts daily about animal cruelty, missing children, Christians being persecuted, terrorists getting exposure online etc etc. plus the horrid way ordinary people treat one another online in their comments; judging, condemning, abusing and bullying others so maliciously and so unnecessarily. It makes me feel the urgency of sharing the gospel since Christ’s return surely must come soon.
Hazel
April 28, 2015 at 9:38 amJules, I'm up to my eyes with work at the moment but this research looks to be very useful so I will try to give considered answers to your questions at the weekend.
In the meantime do you want the questions shared with my circle of friends?
Jules
April 28, 2015 at 4:56 pmHi Fiona, that's great thanks so much for your response. Can I ask, would you say that through the things you mention that you 'personally experience' God online as well as growing spiritually, or would you say they are linked maybe?
Hazel, yes please, the more the merrier! Thank you 🙂