A Fact to Ponder:
Smartphones, tablets, or the Internet can be addictive because
their use can trigger the release of the brain chemical dopamine to alter mood
— which is exactly what drugs and alcohol do.
I wish to delve a little on this trending area of Social
network. I know I am walking on egg shells but I wish to throw some light on
its usage and effect on an individual. Social media has attracted masses
because we benefit from being connected, being informed and being inspired. As
Christians we are well aware that there are potential pitfalls with their usage
as well. Though we desire to glorify the Lord and represent Him well, the world
of social media can upset those intentions, if we are indiscreet. Smart phones are
one compact platform where at a click of a button we get innumerable
opportunities to live our life without God and Social network takes the lead.
I wish to give some statistics to give you a perspective and
for us to be enlightened on this subject:
- An average
Facebook user now has about 338 friends, (A
possible place to dwell on superficial relationship)
- An average
Indian spends minimum 2.5 hours per
day approximately on mobile
internet. (Have you wondered that’s the basic tithe in a day (24 hours)
you are robbing off.)
- The average
daily usage of social media worldwide. As of
2017, daily social media usage of global internet users
amounted to 135 minutes per day,
- The average person
will spend more than five years of their lives
on social media, according to a study by influencer marketing
agency Mediakix. (More than five long years of meaninglessness and life
without God)
Alarming stats! Wouldn’t you agree
with me? An everyday presumably harmless activity is consuming millions of
people in the name of networking and subtly disconnecting your communion with
God, which was satan’s original ploy. A UK study found that people who spend a
lot of time on social media are more likely to display negative personality
traits such as narcissism(Self-admiration). The negative effects of social
network are initiated not from outside influences but from the depths of an
individual’s character.
It gives us the leverage to
maintain a superficial relationship with our Virtual friends and this
ultimately spills over to our relationship with God without us realizing it.
Social network successfully promotes non-commitment and a hypocritical lifestyle.
It pushes us to a point where all we want is to impress ourselves, in terms of
prominence, personal significance and superiority. Do we blame the advancement
of technology that has made the world closer and smaller by reaching out
through social network or our failure to manage our emotions effectively? In
both cases the effects are not very complimenting.
Augustine and Martin Luther are
known for describing the human condition as incurvatus in se (“curved
inward on oneself”). Theology recognizes that human hearts are curved
inward, inclined to boast, and always looking for opportunities to prove their
own self-righteousness. Rather than living a life that is aligned
toward God and others, human sinfulness directs our life inward, toward
self-justification, self-gratification, and self-aggrandizement. The notion
that sin has warped, twisted, maimed and ruined human goodness is as universal
in theology as Facebook is in modern life. If you are trying to value
yourself more than you should you would fall into the sins of pride, deceit and
arrogance. Instead Jesus set an example by humbling himself, taking on human
flesh and dying on the cross. We are called to have the same attitude of
humility, which may be counter-cultural to social media.
Sean
Parker, founding president of Facebook, recently came out with some harsh
words regarding the social media platform: “God only knows what it’s doing to
our children’s brains.” Parker is not alone in this sentiment. Chamath
Palihapitiya, another former Facebook executive, has suggested that social
media is destroying how society works, and Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, has publicly
stated that he does not want his young nephew to use social networks. It would
seem that Parker’s ominous words are prophetic God only knows what Facebook
is doing to us. Facebook’s technology (for that matter any social network) is
designed to accommodate, encourage, and exploit human depravity. The “Like”
button on Facebook is not there by chance; the “Like” button was created to
satisfy our deep longing to be liked by others, lauded for our accomplishments,
and acknowledged for our righteousness.
Beware! Social network can shape you to brag about yourself and
display a false you.
Social networking site is not
going to help you in your spiritual identity because you are
forcibly constructing yourself. You are trying to maintain the impression
of yourself when it is absolutely wrong. You need a true estimate of yourself
without being prideful and impressing yourself of who you are. You need to
get and outside view of your inside situation. God gives the sense of value and
dignity. Would you be able to draw a line and ensure the priority doesn't
exceed God and you don’t fall into gross sinning?
May God help each one of us
especially our children in this strange area.
Blessings
David Raj
References:
Blessings
David
Raj
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