FaithBook (No I don’t have a lisp!)

Posted by Christian St John in Faithblogs | 0 comments

I am amazed at how much time some people spend on social networking sites such as FaceBook, MySpace, Twitter, and so on. I, myself, spend a fair bit of time touting my website via the social sites, but nowhere near the time spent as some of my buddies. In fact, I’m sure some of my friends would welcome such developments as the interactive neural interface adapter I read some company is currently developing (I think this is a Matrix type device that plugs directly into the brain?!?) so that they don’t have to have any downtime… they could even surf and chat while asleep. Scary stuff!

What’s interesting is that researchers have found that the average Internet user spends 3 hours per day online, almost double the 1.7 hours the average person spends watching television… and they say TV is the problem!?! There is even a trend now, where people are watching TV shows and movies via the Internet. Sites like YouTube, SurfTheChannel, and MegaVideo are making it possible for people, anywhere in the world, to catch up on the latest offerings of their favorite shows. This makes for more time spent online. Then there’s the online stores, books, chat sites, fansites, clubs, and even churches. This, together with the fact that more and more people are socially networking solely online, means that some people are spending copious amounts of time online in their free time, more if they have a job that allows them to access the Internet from their place of work.

To be sure, we live in fascinating times, where we are seeing the stuff of yesteryear’s Sci-Fi coming true. And you can be sure that I will personally use whatever I need to make this website a safe place for believer and non-believer alike, including some of the latest technology if needed. To be honest, I love the Internet. It helps me find information and is a great platform for this ministry. I read online books and blogs, use certain sermon illustration database sites when writing sermons, I listen to online music while doing stuff in my office, and I spend some time socially interacting with people. However, I am cautious as not to overdo it – sometimes I do, so I have to be extra vigilant not to spend too much time online. Why? Well, because I have a family in the real world. I have friends in the real world. I live in the real world. And these are some of the things we may be forsaking when we begin to live less in the real world, and more in the virtual world.

Another thing I find I cannot really get online is time spent alone with the Word. Sure, there are some excellent resources and tools out there that can help with personal Bible study and spiritual growth – sites that have every translation, every commentary, every Bible dictionary, and so on. But after a while it all feels a little phony to me, compared to the real thing. In my mind you can’t beat sitting alone with a “real,” tangible, paper and ink Bible in hand, reading and pondering the very heart and mind of God. Many times I’ll put down the virtual in favor of the tangible.

I think sites like FaceBook are remarkable tools, in that they help us catch up on old friends. I love to see what my old friends and colleagues have been doing with their lives, how may kids, married or divorced, what job, etc. But maybe with all the time spent on seeking out and catching up with old friends, we’re forsaking the one true Friend we so desperately need. With this in mind then, maybe we need to spend less time on FaceBook and more time in The FaithBook.

Christian St John M.Div, BChM, ACS
April, 2009

Picture by Steve Woods and
Billy Alexander