1. What are we coming to as a society when a cell phone can facilitate an 'efficient wedding'?
2. I was struck by the following statements: a. 'the illusion of real contact[is] provided by the cell phone', and b. 'the electronic age is essentially a tribe of individuals'.
3. In chapter 11, 'The Internet has a natural bias toward exhibitionism and thus the erosion of real intimacy.' With this, how can we maintain the intimacy of God's message through the medium of the internet?
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I'll just say I agree with you on the first two questions/ statements. :)
ReplyDeleteI do think that the Word of God generates an intimacy because of its power to relate in mysterious ways.This is known as special revelation and its power cannot be changed by any media. That is one of the reasons that I disagree with the idea that "the media becomes the message." I think the Word can be experienced through the media.
That cell phone wedding would sure cut down on the lines in Vegas. This is going to sound weird, but have you ever been talking to a loved one on the phone and tried to kiss it goodbye? We are most definitely not disembodied spirits!
ReplyDeleteOOO, OOO, OOO! I hated that "efficient wedding" story! I know it was a commercial, but don't you know somebody will (or has already) mimicked that???! No covenant language there. No covenant, no marriage.
ReplyDeleteCell phones: have one, used for emergencies, to have my nightly check-in with my husband while I'm here on campus, and for the occasional contact with somebody when I'm not home and can use the land-line. Yet they are everywhere, in the grocery store, in restaurants, even in the bathroom (ooo, gross!). I don't think we can really know each other by use of cell (or other) phones. Nothing speaks like body language or the look in somebody's eye, and you can't "speak" that over a cell phone.
Erosion of real intimacy: I thought this was an excellent point. This morning I got on FB and discovered that a friend (who in high school had been my "best" friend) had finally (after weeks) responded to my request to "be friends". What took so long? Maybe FB will help us to forge ahead with our friendship, but really I'd rather get together for coffee and look her in the eye as we talk.
Good morning, Karin. I'm pondering your last question. How can we maintain the intimacy of God's message through the medium of the internet?
ReplyDeleteGod's word is incredibly intimate. I wonder about the word 'maintain.' How about How can we express/reveal/ the intimacy of God's message?
I think it comes down to the work of the Holy Spirit and the transparency of the messenger. Teens are asked today what they want in a preacher, and they want the preacher to be real. Okay. How can we be real over the internet as we interpret a passage. Tell how we struggle, how we've been up and down, and how God has seen us through. Intimate realness by the messenger, (not exposure - there's a difference), is used by the Holy Spirit to touch others. Even if it starts on a small screen.
1. So I have to admit that the first question that came to my mind with the "efficient wedding" was, "Which one of my friends will try to pull this off?" Being surrounded by weddings lately, it is a topic very near to me. Going back to that question, the answers that popped into my mind were those of acquaintances who had no true stake in a convenantal union with God as a major player in that covenant; those who would get married to avoid stigma in society or with family.
ReplyDelete2. I would agree and disagree with the statement that the illusion of real contact is provided by the cell phone. For me, who has pretty much grown up with a cell phone around and as one who uses a cell phone as her primary phone, I feel like intimacy can be achieved through that method. For example, one of my closest girlfriends has been going through quite a rough week. Last night I could have sent her a message on facebook or a text message, but instead I took out my cell phone and called her. There is no way that I can truly be physically present with her, but my voice can stand in as a pretty good substitute. My voice is certainly better than just some plain text on a screen right? However, when the person is within a reasonable distance to go and visit, that should be the first priority. I know I can't stand it when I am in my apartment, and one of my friends texts me or chats with me via instant messenger when they could simply walk downstairs or down the hall and have a real conversation with me. Yes, it can be acceptable for quick questions, but don't ask me how I am doing over the internet when you can come and ask me in person.
3. I sort of answered this in question two. But, I would certainly agree that internet has a tendency towards exhibitionism. While on facebook, I have found the most interesting information on my friends that I never would have known otherwise. Think about it, we tend to place intimate thoughts and feelings in our facebook status updates. I believe that we can continue the intimacy of God's message through the internet by simply using the internet as a supplement. It can fill in the gaps where other mediums fall short, but it can't sustain that message. Think of it like a multi-vitamin. The vitamin provides the extra nutrients we need, but it cannot sustain us in everyday life.