The previous post I quoted and reacted to Jeremy’s piece, specifically about the “disembodiment” part; and I wanted to add that yes, there certainly IS the danger, and it is somewhat inherent in the “geek world” as well, that we put too much stock in the online world to the exclusion of the face-to-face. It is a good thing when online activity (a lot of it, anyway) has begun to supplant TV watching. It is NOT a good thing when online activity drives us to prefer online to ftf; but I can also understand easily how that happens. I seem to be in that predicament right now, and really, it’s been growing for the past 10 years. I think it has to do with how disconnected we’ve become in our “Church life”, moving away from an emphasis on and a focus on the call to “Life Together” and substituting an easy fix, one-way, “good to see you, see you later” , kind of experience. It seems that online, even though it is “easier” and “more convenient” for people to have a chance to find one another through common concerns and interests (and thus less of a “sacrifice” than the time it would take to get around to the same kinds of revelations in face to face settings — sometimes such chance conversations can take weeks , months, or years) , it nevertheless is one way for this opportunity to actually happen; so that we actually sense that we are being heard. I believe this is extremely important for the Church to learn. We MUST become a “Third Place” to which people gravitate. They “gravitate” becuase they are pulled there by the force of belonging; of the pull that “the opportunity to know and to be known” makes them desire to be there; to “go out of their way to be there” (or, it’s not really “out of their way” because to be there IS their way).

It’s been a long time since I felt that way about a Church. I know that it’s possible, and it’s out there, but right now, this online community is all I have, and a few isolated opportunities with people face to face; but they are not people with whom I am bound together by covenant.

So the online world, and in the past 2 years, the blogosphere, and in particular those of the Progressive Christian Blogger types (or for those who for whatever reason don’t like that designation but feel akin to the concerns expressed) —- these have been my motivation and encouragement to keep on looking, and watching, and listening. Maybe, like the ones who “meet their significant other” online, I might be hoooked up with a community where some of these accountabilities are expected; who know no other way to be church than to actually BE Church and truly watch wait , as at Pentecost, “all together in one place”.

Then the online tools can help us fill some of that “in between time” when we wish we were still engaged in that conversation we found it so difficult to leave until next time; like some sleepless night at 3am when we can’t call someone but are as pumped as if we had just had a shot of adrenaline, and want to talk , so we write, knowing that people will listen, soon, or later, and shoot back comments and encouragements. So there, the online stuff is less of a “disembodied” experience, because we are still carrying with us, and drawing from, the fellowship of the spirit that has already begun.