I decided last night, on a whim, to peruse through some of the profiles of some people that I know, know of, as well as through some of my student’s profiles at My Space. And I was sort of disheartened. That is the best word that I can muster to express what I was feeling.
One, My Space will give you plenty of sermon topics for years to come, if you are looking to find topics that your congregation/my students are struggling with, talking about, etc.
Two, I was disheartened, I suppose, really at the lack of congruence between a person’s online personality, and who they are in person, and the real lack of congruence. What people decided is safe, or respectable, or appropriate to put online, whether it be in words, or photos is pretty mind-blowing. I wasn’t shocked, because I expected some of it, but I was disheartened at the lack of congruence, and the real split in lifestyles…the one that is put up front, in church especially, for everyone to see, and the one that would probably make most parent’s blush, or least turn faces red.
I decided last night, on a whim, to peruse through some of the profiles of some people that I know, know of, as well as through some of my student’s profiles at My Space. And I was sort of disheartened. That is the best word that I can muster to express what I was feeling.
One, My Space will give you plenty of sermon topics for years to come, if you are looking to find topics that your congregation/my students are struggling with, talking about, etc.
Two, I was disheartened, I suppose, really at the lack of congruence between a person’s online personality, and who they are in person, and the real lack of congruence. What people decided is safe, or respectable, or appropriate to put online, whether it be in words, or photos is pretty mind-blowing. I wasn’t shocked, because I expected some of it, but I was disheartened at the lack of congruence, and the real split in lifestyles…the one that is put up front, in church especially, for everyone to see, and the one that would probably make most parent’s blush, or least turn faces red.
As Christians I know that we struggle at many times to bring our life into a healthy, wholistic balance between what we believe and profess, and how we live. But I think I’m disheartened by the fact that we can sometimes not even try, or desire, or want to bring those two aspects together. Rather, we would just rather be the “cool Christian”, that is rebellious, and who doesn’t want to be fenced in by any type of system, rules, boundaries, etc.
I’m about to get up on my soapbox, so I think I will stop.
I guess I’m just surprised what some people are willing to be online, without realizing that they have just created a permanent record (regardless if they erase the entry or site, it will always be there, just a Google away), for everyone to see…..family, friends, future employers, present employers, etc. Maybe they don’t care, but I think most just aren’t thinking, and are a little naive.
I was told by someone pretty prominent in the business world, that we are really only a couple to a few years away from employers typing in a person’s name into a computer system, so that everything they have ever done online can be accessed (writings;, blogs; photos, etc), and based on what they pull up, the will determine whether or not to hire that person. In fact, he said it is already happening now in many places. What a person puts online says a lot about their character, personality, beliefs, etc, and many employers will determine if it matches what they want in their workplace.
Just some thoughts I am thinking about…….do you have any?
