Response to "True Community?"
I haven't been able to post my comments to respond to Mel's blog titled "True Community". I think the problem lies in my proxy/filter program (which gets rid of ads, pop-ups, etc. it's privoxy, plug plug.) which is quite strict with some Javascript code. Anyhow I'll include my comments here for the benefit... of the "community".
Anyways, interesting concepts of community were brought up in class. The answer, I suppose depends on one's own interpretation/expression. But the point I'd like to drive at is that true communities will exhibit love and a genuine desire to understand each other and edify each other. Of course, face-to-face is better in many aspects - it lends better to X (fill in the blanks). I wonder how we in the Church can be inspired by the good things in the blogging community and adopt those things. The process must be done thoughtfully and prayerfully, since we've absorbed many cultural things thoughtlessly over the past years - leading to the crisis of forethought/vision/etc. that Sine mentions.I look fondly at my BBS and early Internet days. I remember the flame wars and really, really good dialogue. One did not post if it was not done thoughtfully. The IQ bar was very high indeed in those days, since it was tool for academics and other types predisposed to using the Internet. But now we see *stupid* or ignorant things - I'd include (the glut of) porn, spam, hoaxes - making themselves common on the 'net.
The reminiscing of a glorious past age is not unlike what the post-apostolic writers (ie. early, early church fathers) did - recalling the age before the fall of Jerusalem and the temple.
The church - like the web - is of common things, common folk. It's easy for me to get snobby and wish for times of high quality flame wars - but that age is largely history now.
The current Church has to struggle to find its voice, like the early-adopters of the 'Net. Unfortunately, it seems that we've dropped the ball, and communications is not our forte - nor regarded as a quality to work towards.
So, Sine outlines the problems concisely - and brings around the question of "what's next?" It's time for the modern prophetic voices to speak and call people back to God. What I'm hearing in the prophetic voices of today is a call to use our imaginations and creativity to present and live out the Gospels in a vibrant, socially-conscious, whole-life integrated way. We have a large task - but in living out the mustard seed faith, God's glory will truly shine forth.
Hmm, that sounded like a lot of tired drivel :) I should be in bed and sleeping now.. but I'll see if I can post this as a comment - else it'll be a post on mine as a link/ref to your entry.
ahh.. I hope this makes sense...
dan