What is the spiritual of the virtual.

The environment that is being set in our google community is becoming more thought provoking. I for one is more open to change because of this community. I am now think of what more can we do to facilitate even more engaging and thought provoking dialoge or what can I do to help, equip myself in this dialoge of change? We have to get to a place where we do not see those lines of demarcation, remove those stumbling blocs so that we can see the horizon of can be rather than what is.  Dr Watkins said "we be must engaged in these conversations," and engaging in these type of conversations we must not be ignorant of this virtual world.  The good and the bad still exist, to use a less politically correct term sin, and I believe part of this conversation should engage the spiritual aspect of the virtual world theologically. Now what does this mean or even look like? or is there even such a thing as the spiritual side of the virtual world is it just the blurring of the lines of the real and the virtual because the virtual is real and the real encapsulate the virtual.
I think as seminary trained and Mdiv wheeling future leaders of the new virtually reformed church, We must walk with an assurance of the spiritual dimension that can be discussed and should be dicussed in our conversations in this virtaul world. Leaders let us lead in this endeavour we are not there to preach or teach but to inform and engage in the conversation. I know that one of the many things I need to do is to become intentional and purposeful in listening and discerning people and there needs because there are many voices that are being heard let our voice be one of them. The virtual is not only to help better communicate among ourselves which would limit the use of the virtual world and put us back in the four walls of the church. Instead, we have gain access to people, time, and places we were once unable to reach, and we are now open to an array of needs and hurt that can only be met by the spiritual.  

How do we communicate

Mankind have a natural affinity to communicate with each other. It is interesting to note that communication is not only about the transferring of information but also to communicate deep emotion and thought.  In communicating verbally we also have non verbal communication taking place. I have heard it said before that our eyes are like the windows to our soul. There is so much that is imparted from ones non verbal communication, as much and sometimes even more through our non verbal form of communication than our verbal communication. I am of the belief that as revolutionary as our society as become, we are becoming less communal and more Isolated.  Professor Watkins in his reading from Dresher was highlighting how isolated the physical church building can be and how much more liberating is the virtual, I am paraphrasing. I wonder?

My thought is how can that be when we are sharing our thoughts in a virtual space. This space although shared is predominantly verbal and is used as a mask, pseudo world. Our identity is masked behind a space that is undefinable. I have listened to some of the videos and I have heard comments like "I can say on social media what I am not normally able to say."  Comments like these are disturbing to me. Are we raising up a generation that is less personable? how is this not a form of isolation rather than liberation? Elizabeth Drescher wrote in her section; Seeing, Hearing and sharing the book in the community wrote, "Actually, long after the invention of the printing press, until quite late in the nineteenth century, reading was a quintessentially social medium- a communal affair with a group of hearers gathering around a reader to engage, a book, letter, newspaper, or other written work." A community is better able to thrive and are more communal in a space  of not only hearing, seeing but one that engages all of our senses, especially the sense of touch. I am not sure if I making any sense? what do you think help me? 

Time in social media

We are now living in the age of the internet.  We have at our very finger tips every kind of information that was not available some 15 years ago.  Our challenge is going to be using this information in responsible way. I love this idea being to sit in my cozy spot with my favorite beverage of choice and relax and read about anything around the world, news, sports, and entertainment. We now have a new frontier that is in full bloom and the future is the virtual world which the church and the people of God should enter this world with boldness and conviction. But me being the old fashioned person I am I am concerned on several fronts. I would love for us to talk about the amount of time that users of this form of medium spend in this world that is not real the mere fact it is called virtual. I am not trying deny the benefits such as making friends; being in constant communication with loved ones; and enlarge our scope and influence. But I cannot ignore the reality of what I see when I am even here on campus such as students being buried in there tablets or smart phone or laptop. I have been to lectures where students are paying more attention to their devices than the professor. Do we see any thing wrong with this or is it just me?http://451heat.com/2011/12/22/how-much-time-do-we-actually-spend-on-social-media/