My thesis paper

I like the way you focus the issue in a way that contrasts Christ and idolatry. As you say, idolatry is the problem, not the technology in itself.

Something that is implicit in your paper is that the meaning of our words is clarified by our actions in the real world. Our actions clarify the meaning of our words, and these together clarify our motives. When communication is consistently reduced to written words–and usually very few of them– meaning is also distorted.

Of course, attempts at drawing attention away from the real connection among our words and actions and motives is not new. That’s what the Pharisees tried to do. In Matthew 22 Jesus told his disciples to do what they say, but not what they do, because they don’t practice what they preach. And this disconnect between words and actions was designed to hide their selfish motives and to project a certain image. Social networking sites heighten one’s ability to do what the Pharisees did.

I do have a Facebook account, but I rarely use it, and I don’t really like it. I originally got an account in order to see the pictures that a friend wanted me to see on a Facebook account. Then people found me there and requested access to my account. It has been useful for people in Chile to find me and make contact again, and in some cases that has had a beneficial result. And it was especially useful during the recent earthquake in Chile. It was through Facebook that I found out what was happening.

But it wouldn’t take much for me to close the account. One of my regrets about this account is that I’ve allowed people I don’t know very well to “be my friend.” These are people, mostly in Chile, who have in some way been affected by our ministry there. Some of them I know quite well, but others feel they know me better than I feel I know them. They have fond memories of us and want to be in touch. However, very often they are not people I would consider close friends, and in many cases people I would not choose to do associate with closely. As a result I’m finding that much of the communication is superficial and not edifying, as you have described.

One of the good things about internet technology is the ability to keep in touch with friends–people with whom you already have a close relationship– but who are not geographically near. Before the internet, people would send letters. I consider this blog, for example, to be like a family post office that allows the instant sending and receiving of letters.

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