The Mets might not be selling out Citi Field, but the Orthodox Jews did. Just a few days ago, more than 40,000 Orthodox Jewish men and boys filled the stadium for a gathering intended to consider the dangers of the Internet – dangers to their souls.
That gathering is just one indicator of the concerns many people have about the Internet. Like the Orthodox Jews at Citi Field, most evangelical Christians see real and present dangers on the Internet, ranging from pornography to a loss of authentic communication and human relatedness. Thanks to the Internet, a toxic dump of pornography is just a click away, destroying lives and souls. Even for those who resist and escape pornography, the Internet has tempted many people to substitute online relationships and conversations for the old fashioned kind – face-to-face.
The Internet offers endless chatter and distraction. It sometimes seems that the entire population is suffering from a shared case of attention deficit syndrome. On the Web, irresponsible voices are just as accessible as trustworthy voices. Often, it seems that the voices of reason and truth are drowned out by the swarm of the reckless, the vulgar, and the ridiculous.
At the same time, the Internet has been one of the greatest gifts to the church, offering unprecedented opportunities to communicate, share content, establish contact, and deliver our message.
How can the Internet be both bane and blessing? In truth, virtually every technology offers the same mix of blessing and curse. The Internet offers great gifts, but it also threatens with its dangers. The same could be said of television, radio, and the printing press.
In any event, the Internet is now a fact – one of the most significant realities of our times. Christians have learned to use the Internet to deliver content on a global scale. The Bible can now be read online, even as sermons, messages, and other Christian content is available everywhere and all the time. The Internet allows the Christian message to penetrate where it has never been heard before and to overcome political barriers – even the Great “Firewall” of China.
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SOURCE: The Washington Post
R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
BCNN1 WP 