That bastion of immorality, the Internet

Yesterday one of our featured bloggers, Questing Parson, highlighted some ways the Internet has changed his life for the better. His post was a response to someone who holds the opinion that the Internet will be "the downfall of our moral system."

Wednesday, as part of the UMR Editors' Conference, I led a workshop on connecting through blogging. For me and for many, using the Internet has become valuable because of the relationships we build through it.  Sure, there are people who go online to live a darker side of life, but the Web itself is neutral. It's a tool -- like money, for example. There are people who use their money to harm themselves or others, intentionally or not. And there are those who use their money for acts of philanthropy and faith.

I admit I'm suspicious of anyone with a low opinion of all Web-based activity. I wonder whether that person has actually spent any time online. My online contacts have resulted in many real-life relationships that I treasure. And the vast majority of those relationships are with brothers and sisters in Christ.

Of all the things that could be (or have been?) the downfall of our moral system, I'm just not seeing the Internet as the leading contender. I, for one, encounter the Holy Spirit online, with regularity.

Comments

[Russell Martin]

It seems that we want to blame any external system or tool that we can for the downfall of our moral system or the downfall of society. Why don't we look at ourselves, our actions and the things that we sit by and let happen and the choices that we make? Just as money is not the root of evil, but the love of money, anything we put in front of our relationship with God hinders that relationship and affects our morality, and our values. The internet is not the downfall but when I choose to spend more time online than in prayer or devotional or even with my family.. that is when the downfall happens.

[Spencer]

Dear Amy,

Nice note.

My sunday school class is reading our way through Isaiah 40-66 (what some scholars call "second Isaiah"). All through the 40s, God keeps talking about how useless idols are.

If I understood Russell's point in his followup, and rewind it about 2500 years, there's nothing wrong with wood, and nothing wrong with word-carving. The problem is what we did with the wood that we carved, if we cook our dinner over wood from the same tree and then bow to what we carved out of the rest of the same tree, saying "protect me! You are my God!" (Is 44:12-20)

If we spend more time online dorking around than we spend in all of the works of piety AND all the works of mercy combined, how can we be surprised that this does not turn out well?

Christ lives in you,

Spencer