Internet Identity

In thinking of Church models in Aberdeen, Stobie and I discussed the use of a community blog to virtualize a spiritual conversation and network the city more efficiently but we had reservations due to what we believe is an unhelpful facet of the Internet, basically its ability to be usurped in creaing false identities, this we percieved to be completly unhelpful when moving towards meaningful community as it dosen't create a transparent accountability with which, the problem with this is that People can be who they say they are, and not be seen in their fullness. READ MORE Also it can create a separated life virtually on the net that dosent necessarily exist in the natural, which at the end of the day is the place is where we all havwe to live and ultimatly where the rubber of our lives hit the road of our journeys with Jesus. I've grown up knowing loads of those kids who endlessly play computer games, watch movies and spend forever on the internet. The last one I was guilty of, this I believe is an outworking of escapism, where people are dying to leave their lives and become their hero in a computer game, or movie. For us to impact our wider communities we need to engage with them. Anyway I brought this up with Andrew and he came with some good thoughts: Firstly as far as blogging theology etc. blogs are actually much more accountable as it is not simply a collection someones best thoughts but you can see the process of thoughts with their sources and influences while also discovering what type of pizza they has had that night. Also the idea that all life can be lived in the physical is not necessarily conducive with city living (something Ive failed to see from living in a village for so long) Life obviously does have to happen in reality but if we use new media as a communication tool not life then it works, Andrew used the example of Pastors/church leaders could not do their job without a telephone just saying "thinking of you etc" and thats not the reality of the relationship its merely a tool to complete the end purpose. So while blogs cannot be true meaningful community they can, he said be a tool which enables them to work in a new city space. In conclusion, this was one of the smaller topics we talked about Ill be blogging other things I learned, gleaned and realised although it was a short time with Andrew, we were challenged and though we may not go in completly the way Andrew suggested it was good to get a more radical mindset to make sure we weren't settling for mediocrity. Plenty of bating each other, good banter about our geographical origins and good food, a good night!