Religious leader slams email, texting, and Facebook
Depending on your viewpoint, it’s either a sad reflection on society or a necessary step on the path of human evolution that religion is becoming less important in our lives. But it’s a fact. And what is replacing it? Why the Internet of course.
OK, so that may be pushing it a little, but the Internet is certainly having a huge effect on every aspect of our lives, more so than religion for most people. Whether that’s right or wrong, it’s a hot topic right now. Strangely, it isn’t just those of us on the side of the Internet who have an opinion on the matter, with those directly involved in religion also feeling they need to give their opinion.
One of the leaders of the Catholic faith in the U.K., the Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols, has very forthright views on a wide variety of subjects, one of which being how the Internet is ruining society. The Christian leader think email, SMS texting on cellphones, and social networks such as MySpace and Facebook are really not good additions to our lives.
In two separate pieces in The Telegraph newspaper over the weekend, Nichols blamed many of society’s woes on these pastimes. In the first he centered on how these technologies dehumanize us and take away the sense of community, while in the second he built on that thought process by bringing social networks into the game.
There’s a worry that excessive use or an almost exclusive use of text and emails means that, as a society, we’re losing some of the social skills needed for building a community. Too much exclusive use of electronic information dehumanizes what is a very, very important part of community life and living together.
We’re losing social skills, the human interaction skills, how to read a person’s mood, to read their body language, how to be patient until the moment is right to make or press a point. Too much exclusive use of electronic information dehumanizes what is a very, very important part of community life and living together.
Facebook and MySpace might contribute towards communities, but I’m wary about it. It’s not rounded communication so it won’t build a rounded community. If we mean by community a genuine growing together and a mutual sharing in an interest that is of some significance then it needs more than Facebook.
I can certainly see what Nichols is getting at but that doesn’t mean I agree. No one exclusively uses texting and email to keep in contact with their family and friends. Unless they’re hermits of course, in which case they likely won’t have any friends, a cellphone, or access to the Internet. Instead, most of us use these technologies to enhance our social lives, setting up meetings and keeping in touch with people on a more regular basis.
And I’m guessing the Archbishop hasn’t used any social networks because the community aspects of most are hugely important. In fact, that’s what they’re there for.
And it isn’t just me who disagrees with the Archbishop. The Vatican has it’s own Web site and YouTube channel, and The Register claims that the Vatican’s head of communications recently gave a speech extolling the value of the Internet “as a force for unity, and for reaching out to the poor and marginalized as well as the wealthy world.” If the Catholic Church can’t even agree on the evilness or otherwise of the Internet then how are the rest of us meant to?
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