Has the Internet Changed Christianity?

[eddy]

I haven't found a new church since I moved to a new city for work. I stillfeel the need to talk to other Christians hear their views, and just generally congregate.

I have been checking out many Christian forums, and I must say I amperplexed?

There seems to be a rampant uncivil tone in every single one. Grantedanonymous forums are known to have some of these problems regardless of thetopic, but I must say I don't know what to say about what I am reading onChristian forums. Minor theological disagreements or misunderstanding turn intomud slinging silliness thread after thread. The same topics rehashed over andover only to reopen old fights for the purpose of fighting it seems.

My question would be why?

People don't conduct themselves like this in any church I have ever been to.Why on a message board that is supposed to represent what it means to be aChristian? I find this very disturbingas it is much easier for a non believer to log on to a message board to seekguidance than to walk into a building full of strangers.

I am afraid that the internet and internet forums are turning the message ofChrist into a indecipherable joke where no one can tell what is the truth, andthe only thing a non-believer walks away with is that Christians love fightingand telling others they are going to burn in hell for not having the truth.

This is not an attack on this forum. It seems to be rampant on every singleChristian forum.

Is it the anonymity?

Is it the mixing of different denominations fighting it out?

Can it be fixed?

 

[Pizzaguy]

There seems to be a rampant uncivil tone in every single one. Granted anonymous forums are known to have some of these problems regardless of the topic, but I must say I don't know what to say about what I am reading on Christian forums. Minor theological disagreements or misunderstanding turn intomud slinging silliness thread after thread. The same topics rehashed over andover only to reopen old fights for the purpose of fighting it seems.

My question would be why?

That is my question too.

People don't conduct themselves like this in any church I have ever been to.Why on a message board that is supposed to represent what it means to be aChristian? I find this very disturbingas it is much easier for a non believer to log on to a message board to seekguidance than to walk into a building full of strangers.

Well stated.

I am afraid that the internet and internet forums are turning the message ofChrist into a indecipherable joke where no one can tell what is the truth, andthe only thing a non-believer walks away with is that Christians love fightingand telling others they are going to burn in hell for not having the truth.

Preach on!

This is not an attack on this forum. It seems to be rampant on every singleChristian forum.

That is news to me, I am not a member of any other Christian forums.

Is it the anonymity?

For the most part, yes, that IS the problem.

Is it the mixing of different denominations fighting it out?

Only because of the anonymity.

Can it be fixed?

Yes, it can. Strict moderation like what we generally apply on TheSpacePort (outside of the special political forum) would work wonders. That is to say, adopting a zero tolerance policy for uncivil, disrespectful or rude posts would fix this.

Of course, it makes more work for mods - especially at first.

 

[eddy]

I do think the main problem with uncivil behavior is largely do to anonymity

A friend of mine once ran an internet forum, and performed an experiment. He set up a part of the forum where all posts were completely anonymous. No username could even be seen. The rampant psychopathology that revealed its self was very disturbing.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

Is it the anonymity?

Sure it is -

People on the internet are FREE to say (And DO SAY) what they REALLY think, instead of what they WOULD say in the physical presence of another person.

I'll never know YOU (probably), and you'll never really know me either. I SAY that I'm a 69 year old Banjo picker with a heart condition - BUT I COULD BE a 14 year old lesbian transvestite who "Gets off" messing with religious folks. You might be one too.

But for the record, I SAY honestly what's on my mind, and I sign my REAL name to it.

I'm free to say things here, and be brutally honest about stuff that I would hesitate to share in my home church (since I'm not "defined by" the Assembly of God that I'm a Deacon in).

And I WOULD NEVER "Seek Guidance" intellectually from some anonymous source on the 'web - BUT do know that the Holy Spirit CAN sometimes use something that is said to "Drive Home" a truth that HE wants to establish. He can speak to us through some stranger on the street who's not even Christian, as easily as He can speak through a Pastor, or an Evangelist.

Can it be Fixed?

NO!!! It CAN be "Suppressed", of course (many forums do just that, and create a phony "unity"), but that's only putting a "First field dressing" on the wound, but leaving the bullet inside. The Holy Spirit could "fix it" anytime He chooses to, but He's interested in "Open expression and honest communication" I think.

To my way of thinking, the "Forums" are MUCH MORE HONEST that anything that one is likely to run into at their church, and so have a certain value in terms of developing communication skills - AND understanding the REALITY behind the smiling face that seems to "agree" with you.

 

[eddy]

Re: Is it the anonymity?

Sure it is -

People on the internet are FREE to say (And DO SAY) what they REALLY think, instead of what they WOULD say in the physical presence of another person.

I'll never know YOU (probably), and you'll never really know me either. I SAY that I'm a 69 year old Banjo picker with a heart condition - BUT I COULD BE a 14 year old lesbian transvestite who "Gets off" messing with religious folks. You might be one too.

But for the record, I SAY honestly what's on my mind, and I sign my REAL name to it.

I'm free to say things here, and be brutally honest about stuff that I would hesitate to share in my home church (since I'm not "defined by" the Assembly of God that I'm a Deacon in).

And I WOULD NEVER "Seek Guidance" intellectually from some anonymous source on the 'web - BUT do know that the Holy Spirit CAN sometimes use something that is said to "Drive Home" a truth that HE wants to establish. He can speak to us through some stranger on the street who's not even Christian, as easily as He can speak through a Pastor, or an Evangelist.

Can it be Fixed?

NO!!! It CAN be "Suppressed", of course (many forums do just that, and create a phony "unity"), but that's only putting a "First field dressing" on the wound, but leaving the bullet inside. The Holy Spirit could "fix it" anytime He chooses to, but He's interested in "Open expression and honest communication" I think.

To my way of thinking, the "Forums" are MUCH MORE HONEST that anything that one is likely to run into at their church, and so have a certain value in terms of developing communication skills - AND understanding the REALITY behind the smiling face that seems to "agree" with you.

I understand where you are comming from.

At times that is the case, but all too often it allows us to wallow in our base instincts.

Honesty is needed for real communication to take place, but what is honesty with out decency? If we allow ourelves to revel in anger and poke others with sticks out of honesty have we accomplished anything of value?

Truth is a complicated concept. Truth is we need to treat others with respect and love. Truth is we will all reap what we sow.

 

[Mike]

I think there is also this...

In our everyday lives, how often do we get into such deep discussions about our faith that drill down to specific theological points? We might have small Bible study groups, but most often these are with like-minded people from our churches or people to generally see eye-to-eye with.

Most of my day is spent at work where it isn't conducive to lasting employment to be the guy to argues theology with others. Usually it's enough for me to know someone is a Christian and puts their faith in Christ. They could have some views very different to mine, but I wouldn't know it, because we don't go that deep. Also, people don't go to where I work for the specific purpose of discussing theology. People DO come here to do it.

That's part of the issue in and of itself. The reason people join here is most often because they have an opinion, and it's in their nature to discuss their opinions with other opinionated people who desire share theirs.

In life, I think we brush against people every day who have opinions that we read here, but we'd never know it because we don't probe around them. One final point. Typing often leads to implied emotions that aren't there, and people can misinterpret how someone is delivering it. We can't see their body language or hear the tone on their voice. As a result, they amp up their responses a little, and then it takes off from there.

Anonymity is part of it, but the big reasons are the purpose we are here, the issues we discuss and the wide range of beliefs we have opposed to everyday life, IMO.

 

[jasoncran]

funny you mention this. i do debate and have debated with person on these subjects but never as heated here.


yesterday i was hearing a vegan tell other soldiers things that i know were wrong. so i corrected him on that stuff . but i also corrected another soldier for insulting that vegan. he called him gay.

i didnt say to him veganism was wrong nor unheatlhy i can tell he was really against meat and death of the animals so pointed out what the livestock or animals that have no predators and must be culled. i aslo pointed out to him about free ranging and local farms that are more healthy. i aslo informed him of the jewish kosher diet which is primarily veggitables and the more healthy meat when done with the kosher methods. i think he was suprised that i know of his ideas so quickly. of course he said some off the wall things on humans not being made to eat meat and i asked him for peer reviewed studies on that.

 

[tim-from-pa]

Is it the anonymity?

Yeah. Watch out especially for 52-year-old guys wearing sunglasses. A cultist if I ever seen one.

 

[reformed baptist]

bear in mind that local churches are usually made up of people that share a lot in common, they usually all have a similar creed, they all live in roughly the same area, and people that disagree with them strongly have either learnt to keep quiet, or they have moved on.

Now compare that to a forum where people come from all over the world, and where every view under the wide banner of biblical has it's proponents, then also note that we are all here because we like to talk and exporess our point of view. Then, and only then, add the anonominity and lack of accountability to an eldership into the mix and you will get arguements.

All the intenet does is facilitate this and make it happen more quickly and more obviously, but it has always been the case, Erasmus and luther wrote to each other in hateful tones, many of the early church councils involved bishops beeting each other up over disagreements.

All this proves just one thing, we all still have a lot of growing up to do :D