In your face?
I have been thinking a lot about Facebook. I love being able to keep up with my very busy seminary friends. I miss them very much and love to know what is going on in their lives without bothering them. It helps me miss our friendships a bit less. But it is not a real relationship, and for me I am thinking the drawbacks are more obvious.
For one thing, communication is reduced to an elementary-aged emotionalism. People get mad if you post things about them (and sometimes they should? What were you thinking?) Feelings are hurt if a friend request is sent and not answered. How do you "un-befriend" someone if you have second thoughts? How can you slip online to check on your friends and yet not LOOK like you are online so that when people who are really acquaintances (How did Facebook send to people I did not check on the list?) jump into your screen wanting to chat? Some I love chatting with but I am too low tech to choose! And of course, sometimes it is just the timing and my own foibles about being rude--"Oh, you caught me. . .but I do not want to talk to ANYONE right now! So I am going to get offline and skulk away." Perhaps I am moving toward "I" on that MB scale. . .
And in some cases, people who have been a part of the past you really are trying to get beyond reach out to people you love most, ruining their day and bringing back all sorts of things you would rather not think about.
Gosh, what about the things you discern about people that you would rather NOT know! TMI, that so and so had dinner with someone else--and that it might be a train wreck waiting to happen. . . I have enough of that in my head that I DO need to know--I do not need to know what is none of my business.
I know some people who have taken down their page, saying they are tired of virtual relationships that are shallow and public, and that they long for fewer relationships of a deeper nature. I know others who feel it is intrusive and gossipy.
I agreed to do it partially because some of the college aged folks at one of my churches communicate largely in that way, and I do cherish their friendships. They email and text too, so is it worth keeping for that? Suddenly, this is the main way I am finding out that folks at another church may need pastoral care. I wish they would just call me!
And of course, although I am only on it for about ten minutes at any given time, and have ignored the many generous gifts of hatching dragons and exquisite vestments due to time constraints, it is time I could more productively spend working on the relationships with the two fellows who live with me. Let's finally finish that game of Risk!
Well, enough ranting. I will pray about it. But what if I only really communicated with God on the Holy Facebook Page? Truthfully, I think God might be relieved, but our communication would feel very superficial and unsatisfying on my end.
For one thing, communication is reduced to an elementary-aged emotionalism. People get mad if you post things about them (and sometimes they should? What were you thinking?) Feelings are hurt if a friend request is sent and not answered. How do you "un-befriend" someone if you have second thoughts? How can you slip online to check on your friends and yet not LOOK like you are online so that when people who are really acquaintances (How did Facebook send to people I did not check on the list?) jump into your screen wanting to chat? Some I love chatting with but I am too low tech to choose! And of course, sometimes it is just the timing and my own foibles about being rude--"Oh, you caught me. . .but I do not want to talk to ANYONE right now! So I am going to get offline and skulk away." Perhaps I am moving toward "I" on that MB scale. . .
And in some cases, people who have been a part of the past you really are trying to get beyond reach out to people you love most, ruining their day and bringing back all sorts of things you would rather not think about.
Gosh, what about the things you discern about people that you would rather NOT know! TMI, that so and so had dinner with someone else--and that it might be a train wreck waiting to happen. . . I have enough of that in my head that I DO need to know--I do not need to know what is none of my business.
I know some people who have taken down their page, saying they are tired of virtual relationships that are shallow and public, and that they long for fewer relationships of a deeper nature. I know others who feel it is intrusive and gossipy.
I agreed to do it partially because some of the college aged folks at one of my churches communicate largely in that way, and I do cherish their friendships. They email and text too, so is it worth keeping for that? Suddenly, this is the main way I am finding out that folks at another church may need pastoral care. I wish they would just call me!
And of course, although I am only on it for about ten minutes at any given time, and have ignored the many generous gifts of hatching dragons and exquisite vestments due to time constraints, it is time I could more productively spend working on the relationships with the two fellows who live with me. Let's finally finish that game of Risk!
Well, enough ranting. I will pray about it. But what if I only really communicated with God on the Holy Facebook Page? Truthfully, I think God might be relieved, but our communication would feel very superficial and unsatisfying on my end.
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