As I write this blogpost and avail myself of the wonders of technology, I am becoming more and more aware of the not-so-good side of technology. I'm not just talking about things like ease of access to pornography, or internet dating. It seems to get much more subtle than that. More and more is coming across my 'desk' in relation to the issue of technology and social networking. Once upon a time this might have been something that a missionary in Africa wouldn't have to be worried about, but believe it or not, technology is permeating Africa at a phenomenal rate.
While cell phones and smart phones are popular in the West, they are also very very popular in Africa, not least in Botswana. In fact statistics recently released reveal that Botswana has one of the highest cellphone usage rates around. Smart phones and iPads have even brought the internet to those who skipped ever owning a computer. I am continually amazed at the inroads of technology here, including social networking media. Here are some examples:
uI went to a craft market fair at a local school a few months back and was talking to an artist who was displaying some of his paintings. When I asked for his contact details, he couldn't give me a business card, but instead pulled out his iPad and sent me an email. When I got home and checked my emails on my laptop at home, I learnt that if I wanted to view his artwork I had to do so on FaceBook.
uif I want to post a comment on the local Botswana newspaper website I must have a Facebook account to do so
uno longer is it just my friends in Australia who ask if we are on Facebook, but I am also getting asked it by local folk here
u I have been sent more 'invitations to join' Facebook, Linkdin and the like, by Africans than by Australians
But I'm actually not jumping up and down with excitement that Botswana is 'up with the rest of the world' on this.
You see also on the flip-side......
uthe whole Facebook and Twitter issue came up during the Olympics with the concern that athletes were so busy updating their status and 'twittering' that they weren't getting enough sleep and it was affecting performances. One Australian coach even stated he would like to confiscate all the smart phones of his athletes!
uwhere once we had seen instances of relatives getting angry here with each other because certain ones had not come to visit as often as expected, now friends are getting angry with each other when their other friends don't update their Facebook page enough, or respond to their friends on Facebook enough. Students are getting harassed by their friends for social networking 'tardiness' when they are trying to prepare for exams. Yes even here in Africa!
ubecause the Western World introduced it, Africa thinks its a sign of showing they are 'up with the best' if they are using technology like the West
uthe West is starting to get concerned over the massive use of Facebook and I've read that even some celebrities are choosing to stay away from social media for a variety of reasons including the fact that saying too much, too quickly on Facebook and Twitter might come back to bite you. Potential employers are now going to people's Facebook pages to get a picture of the character of a person over time. Psychologists are also getting concerned - the likes of Facebook and Twitter are now falling into the category of activities that can become obsessive and addictive. They are also revealing to us just how self-focused and self-obsessed we are. In other words our sinful hearts are not immune from the 'traps' of social networking whether we realise it or not. Maybe the quicker we realise it the better, and guard our hearts from yet another tactic of the Evil One who prowls around like a roaring lion seeing who he might devour. click here to read more on this.
uA Neuroscience Professor at Oxford University is very concerned about the effect of Social Networking on children's brains and the dangerous patterns it sets for their life - there are lots of reasons to be concerned.
Now, I'm not saying that computers, cell phones, smart phones, iPads, Facebook or Twitter, or webpages or blogposts for that matter are inherently evil - no way. But I am getting more and more concerned that even we as Christians may be getting further into a 'sticky web' or the 'lure' of technology's offerings without thinking carefully about what we are doing and its effects. We can be caught by the very trap that it isn't inherently evil, deceiving us into unconsciously equating that to it having no capacity to do anything evil (non-God-glorifying) in my life.
I found a comment on the link above (on what the Psychologists are now saying) also expressed an interesting insight :
it "appears" that a lot of people are lonely and they're searching for relationships that they have a hard time finding outside of the world of technology. The irony is that technologically enables us to reach people around the world – we're more connected than ever before, but in the end, face-to-face relationships decline and loneliness entails.
Some years ago a friend of mine in Australia made a comment to me that she is having a ministry a 'tea and talks' or 'coffee and chats' - simply times of meeting with people and talking over a cup of tea or coffee for building face to face relationships. She has been amazed at how many people have expressed how much they value those times. She has found that many people are desperate to actually build a meaningful relationship with someone that is face to face, who will take the time to listen to the issues that weigh on their hearts and to do it in a confidential way with someone that cares and shows love and compassion. In one way we are more 'connected' to people than ever before because of technology. But I have to ask myself whether we are getting too comfortable with connecting and forgetting what it is to have rich deep relationships that build each other up, that give and receive love toward one another and that can reveal, comfort and heal matters deep in our hearts that really direct and affect our lives? Are we becoming more connected socially at the expense of becoming disconnected relationally?
Much of our ministry is to young adults who in a culture that says it values relationships but these relationships are meant to function in a culturally approved way that requires honour given to the elder at all times and asking questions is mostly not allowed. It is a culture where age-mates are the ones who share with each other the most because then the issue of 'eldership' isn't a problem. This means that people don't learn from the elders as much as they could, but it does mean that Facebook is very attractive because it keeps age-mates in contact even when geographically far apart. But it also often ends up a substitute for taking the time to actually meet up with people. And as Christians we need to be aware that while the world might think that its a good thing that Facebook is helping young people learn from their peers rather than adults, that is not what God desires for how His church is to function. In a right and good (not just cultural) way, the older generation is supposed to be teaching and training up the younger, and kids are meant to be honouring the authority of the parents above their peers. In fact the MacArthur Foundation in defence of Teens using social networking said:
Young people are motivated to learn from their peers online.
To me this is actually a support for the dangers of Social networking rather than support for its benefits, especially in the light of Scripture.
It is also very popular in a culture that has an intensive like for gossip - "We Africans like to gossip" I was told. Everyone likes to know about everyone else. But underneath there is a desperate cry for meaningful relationships where each person can be honest with each other, be encouraged and challenged by each other, be built up by each other, be spurred on to Godliness by each other, be heard and understood by each other, learn from each other, rejoice together and cry together in such a way that we hear each other's laughter and feel the warm embrace of a hug when there are tears.
I ask myself if the increase in superficial social networking relationships will also only increase sexual relationships outside of marriage? More and more people are actually depriving themselves and others of meaningful relationships that involve a physical presence and so they then go looking for that physical presence relationship of 'belonging' and 'one-another' love in the wrong places. Is Social Networking Media fuelling this problem?
So...
.... am I saying that Christians shouldn't be on Facebook or Twitter? - NO. There are great positives including keeping up to date with friends and family overseas.
Am I saying that as I read the research, observe Australia and also Botswana in relation to Social Media that I believe we need to be far more cautious than we are? - YES
Am I saying that we need to examine the role that Social Media plays in our lives? - YES
Am I saying that we cannot underestimate the need to guard our hearts and examine the motives for why we use or access Social Media? - YES
Am I saying that we need to be very, very careful not to neglect, and in fact pro-actively cultivate personal, face-to-face, heart-to-heart meaningful relationships where we can fulfill our biblical mandate to bear one another's burdens, weep with those who weep, rejoice with those who rejoice and actually 'sit' physically with those we are called to love even if it means uttering no words (like Job's friends did at first - but cannot be done via FaceBook)? - YES......
.....and Am I saying that the church needs members willing to do this as we relate to each other? - YES....
.....and Am I saying that the older men and women in the church need to be doing more to develop meaningful relationships with younger men and women so as to teach by word and example what it means to be men and women who love and honour God?- YES
.....and Am I saying that as the church we need to be coming alongside our neighbours, whoever they may be and letting them see that 'relationship' as God desires it and gives it, is far more than the world can ever give? - YES
Superficial FaceBook connections are not God's idea of what we were created to be to each other and ultimately to enjoy with our Creator.
As the body of Christ - His hands, feet, etc .... on this earth, we have been called to live each day we are given to His glory.....
We have a message to share and to live,
love and care to demonstrate and give,
to those around us.
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