View attachment 41060So, I've been coming to Christian Chat now since November (thank you for the warm welcome), and decided to start publishing some thoughts on this ever-so-lovely service. CC has been a great community for me to be a part of, and I hope it continues that way.
Anyway, my virtual journey began like most people on formats like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, as well as platforms like AudioBoo and YouTube (I actually developed a previous romantic relationship on MySpace, after meeting her in person).
As a former local politician, I always hit home the need for people to engage with new methods of connecting people. And then, in 2012, I decided to dip into the world of virtual gaming experiences. It was there I found Second Life; a place which to this day, has its highs and lows, and eventually CC, which is also a challenging experience, with many viewpoints and backgrounds thrown into the mix together.
I guess the issue for those of us who meet online is that the majority of us are hurting in some way. For me, CC and Second Life are an outlet for me to make friends etc., but I often hear stories of broken marriages, illness or other hurts which cause people to move toward a virtual experience where they can be themselves or hide away from reality; embracing a false reality. It is not to say that virtual communities are any less valid than so-called real ones, but the danger is that we only show one side of our character; the side we choose. Yes, VC's are empowering for many, but how does living on a computer impact our immediate family etc? To quote a friend of mine on Second Life:
"We can't smell each other, touch each
other, or really get to learn what our real personalities are. Sure a
little bit comes out but it is so easy to be someone you are not. It is like an
endless ecstasy that is always there for you."
These are not criticisms of individuals who are house-bound etc. I guess what makes me so mad, is that places like these have to exist at all. What is the local church doing about broken people who are without families or friends in the "real world". Why are few coming to look for these hurting people online, helping them to rehabilitate, and enter into a loving community where they live? Does the mainstream church care at all?
Any thoughts?
Anyway, my virtual journey began like most people on formats like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, as well as platforms like AudioBoo and YouTube (I actually developed a previous romantic relationship on MySpace, after meeting her in person).
As a former local politician, I always hit home the need for people to engage with new methods of connecting people. And then, in 2012, I decided to dip into the world of virtual gaming experiences. It was there I found Second Life; a place which to this day, has its highs and lows, and eventually CC, which is also a challenging experience, with many viewpoints and backgrounds thrown into the mix together.
I guess the issue for those of us who meet online is that the majority of us are hurting in some way. For me, CC and Second Life are an outlet for me to make friends etc., but I often hear stories of broken marriages, illness or other hurts which cause people to move toward a virtual experience where they can be themselves or hide away from reality; embracing a false reality. It is not to say that virtual communities are any less valid than so-called real ones, but the danger is that we only show one side of our character; the side we choose. Yes, VC's are empowering for many, but how does living on a computer impact our immediate family etc? To quote a friend of mine on Second Life:
"We can't smell each other, touch each
other, or really get to learn what our real personalities are. Sure a
little bit comes out but it is so easy to be someone you are not. It is like an
endless ecstasy that is always there for you."
These are not criticisms of individuals who are house-bound etc. I guess what makes me so mad, is that places like these have to exist at all. What is the local church doing about broken people who are without families or friends in the "real world". Why are few coming to look for these hurting people online, helping them to rehabilitate, and enter into a loving community where they live? Does the mainstream church care at all?
Any thoughts?
