By now it should be clear that the internet and electracy are no panacea.
It was not a cure all by any means, for every problem it solved a new one was left in its place.
It can certainly be a dark place, slowly tearing away at our empathy, warping our sense of self,
connecting us in ways that can be dangerous and hollow, but is it truly an evil place?
Now that is a question that has either been answered or beyond answer.
So that leaves just one final question for us to tackle on our journey- what is the Christian response to these
matters of electracy? I think there is space for Christianity in this framework, I think it could potentially
be a positive thing for Christianity, if it is correctly handled. Of course it could very easily be a bad thing,
but I think that is just one of the many truths of life. I think the internet has the power to create spaces that
can allow Christians to grow, between providing a path to potentially reaching some people or allowing others to
grow intellectually in their faith.
However, it is vital to address some important questions before continuing further. Will this always be hostile
towards Christianity? Honestly, I think the fallen world will always be a hostile place towards Christianity.
Not necessarily in the sense of Christians being persecuted everywhere, because I feel that properly defining
persecution and using the term with respect is important (because no, I don’t feel someone leaving you a mean
comment on social media will ever come close to being martyred). However, hostility in the fact that there will
always be those who misrepresent Christ and those who feel they have been hurt by Christianity and wish to
retaliate. I think that hostility will always be found everywhere, and it is vital to be able to handle this
hostility with grace and dignity when needed. However, let’s approach this from a different angle, is the
foundation of electracy hostile to the beliefs of Christianity? I hate to take a cop out and I apologize that it
likely is one, however, I think a lot of the foundations of the world as a whole are still hostile to Christianity.
That being said, I don’t think being called to be different from the world should mean that we hide from it, but
that doesn’t mean recklessly embracing it either.
Can there be a sacred space online? This is a tricky question because what is meant exactly by sacred?
Can there be spaces online where the Lord is present? Absolutely, to try and put such a limit on God to
say otherwise feels completely foolish. To have spaces where faith can grow and people can gather in faith?
I think so, I know having access to hear about other peoples’ stories and questions has done a lot for me
over the years when I did not know of anyone else I could ask. Can there be spaceswhere something is held
in such high regard that it would never be mocked or joked about? Absolutely not. I do not believe that
there is a single thing in this world that all of humanity unanimously agrees on something being sacred and
above being mocked or joked about in any sense. If the internet has the ability to connect all of humanity,
then nothing can be sacred. However, I think in the real world you are also always going to find people that
infiltrate the sacred spaces as well. So I do not think that should be a deterrent on its own to scare us
fully away from electracy.
Is the digital world’s sense of self compatible with Christian understanding of humanity/self?
To that I genuinely have to ask, is the physical world’s sense of self compatible with Christian understanding
of humanity/self either? Genuinely, I am not sure, because I have only ever known a time with the internet
and I do not know how that has affected the world’s sense of self either. Self also seems to be a very
culturally influenced concept as well, such as how American culture sees the self as a much more independent
and separate entity as compared with a more collectivist culture. There is of course that the digital self is
more of a reflection of desire than a reflection of the physical self, but could this be more a projection
of the mind and/or spirit. Where instead of trying to present how you physically look, it is a desire to
be seen as you or at least the things you feel make you you. Of course this sense of self that is trying
to chase identity and purpose is not compatible with the Christian understanding.
The Christian knows their identity and purpose.
However, all I can think of when going about these questions, is a reminder that Christians are called to be separate
from the world and not of the world, but that does not mean we do not exist in the world or we should hide from it.
Let me be extremely clear, this is not an excuse for reckless existence. It does not mean the Christian fully embraces
the secular world. There are still boundaries to always be set to prevent things from becoming idols or pulling us away
from God. We have to be in the world in order to help both the world and others in their walks. That does not mean we do not
have our time away from the world nurturing our relationship with Christ. I think it is an extremely fine line to walk,
and if you do not think you can handle that walk without falling into electracy and making it an idol, then by all means
stay away from it. Otherwise, I think there is space for Christianity in electracy, and there’s potential for it to do some
good. I think I have seen enough good to say it’s worth it to keep trying.
The Digital Panacea
Exploring Electracy
Home
