Good intentions...but opens the door.
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| devnet Dec 14, 2005 8:38 AM EDT |
I think that you might be opening the door to the greater evil. By helping users to "reach out" on the web, you might be unpurposely encouraging your members to "reach out" toward someone or something that isn't desirable according to the morals and ethics that any minister would preach about. For example, imagine that 15 year old Jenny (hypothetical of course) is present during a local tech faith group meeting where she is taught how to contact other "church members" (who may or may not be a member of a church...but is known by only his/her screen name). During this time, the "church member" encourages Jenny to create a blog on Myspace.com. Soon she's a regular contributor on myspace and is exposed to other members of myspace that encourage her to rebel against her good intentions. Could it happen? yes. Does it? Yes...every day. I'm not saying myspace.com is inherently evil...just that many of those that blog on there aren't on the cover of their church newsletter are they? ;) If you truly want to help your members out...you'd educate adults in the dangers that are out there and you'd empower them to do it themselves...for themselves and if applicable, their children. The internet and technology isn't all wonderful bells and whistles...it's chock full of evils (from the perspective of a Christian) that can devastate a Christians moral integrity. Before you go talking about how users can protect their PCs, how about how they can protect themselves? A PC can be saved or a new one bought. While a person can be saved, one can't go to Wal-Mart and purchase a new person can they? I'd say look a bit before leaping on this one... Devnet |
| dinotrac Dec 14, 2005 9:09 AM EDT |
The door is already open, as well it should be. Christians are already using the net in many ways, as well we should be. The last thing we need is to be isolated from the world. If Jesus could walk with sinners, I dare say we can surf with them. They are, after all, us. I don't know that Christians are any more vulnerable to this crap than anybody else -- I've seen a lot of stupid chain letters and ALERTS forwarded by decidedly non-Christian folk. I suppose the desire to help others may make us more vulnerable, but I've seen no evidence that we are unique in that regard, either. Nope -- just like anybody else...spread the word, beware and be wise. |
| dcparris Dec 14, 2005 9:30 AM EDT |
Gee, and my part of my point was to educate people of faith regarding the dangers of the Internet! Devnet, I think you need to go back and re-read the first paragraph. It was intended as an example. Dino: You may be right. It may have something to do with the crowd I get e-mails from. Most of the folks I know on listservs don't forward chain letters, although there have been one or two. Mostly, it's my own family or in-laws, church members and other close friends. |
| dinotrac Dec 14, 2005 10:49 AM EDT |
Don -- I agree with you about the education part. And...it wouldn't surprise me to learn that my Christian friends have been more susceptible. I pretty much got the folks I correspond with trained a long time ago, so I don't get too much dubious crap from them. |
| dcparris Dec 14, 2005 1:07 PM EDT |
Most of my contacts are trained as well. This recent e-mail was totally unexpected, but came from someone that I know *fairly* well. |
| cjcox Dec 14, 2005 5:15 PM EDT |
I think a lot of people here need to read their Bibles. These posts were funny.. but in a very sad way. |
| dinotrac Dec 14, 2005 6:40 PM EDT |
CJ - Care to explain? |
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