The New Evangelicalism

One of the interesting developments of the digital world is the propensity to sit in front of our screen, surf the net, develop our websites or type out our blogs, often completely devoid of physical reality. Are we mad at politicians? Then don't bother with the time consuming tradition of joining a local party riding association, just express our anger in a blog. It won't change anything, of course, but at least we've had our say. Do we think we have the answer to what to do about our involvement in Afghanistan? Well, express it online and that way you don't have to worry about actually changing policy through numerous venues that actually involve debating our position with others. Upset that a certain newspaper doesn't hold to our opinion? Then just avoid the more traditional manners of debate and launch our theory out into the cyberworld.The problem with such actions is that they are devoid of human connection in the traditional sense. We become impatient with the real world because we can't manipulate it into our way of thinking, so we withdraw, make an imaginary world of our own making, but still have the ability to blog about it. Trouble is, I'm not sitting in a room with other individuals or groups and forced into reassessing my arguments in real time. I can post my view on the Net, go out to a movie, and then return to the screen to see what others might comment on my views. Devoid of emotional attachment to the airing of opinions in a human gathering, I can instead post it and pick it up later when I'm in the mood.The real world puts limitations on us. In past eras we couldn't escape that world and we often had to learn discipline to work our way through it. But today I just blow past those restraints because what I am putting out on the Internet is only words, after all. I can spout out opinions and never have to worry about repercussions. I have become isolated, self-enclosed, and quickly running out of those human graces that once made working out social problems the necessity to building a healthy public life.In other words, I am no longer really human. The Internet has offered me a new kind of salvation, but one devoid of the self-discipline of faith or the necessity of putting others before myself. As limitations surround me at every turn, I develop in my head, perhaps on my blog, a new heaven and a new earth because the one that exists is too hard for me. I needed salvation so I got it by acquiring a domain name. An evangelical must work out their faith by serving others, but in this new world I can actually withdraw and build a world of words around myself. Heaven is when I can't stop looking at my own comments online. And the political process that demands human time, discipline, forgiveness, effort? Screw it! I've found my own Eden.Even as I pen these words, I get a sense of deep worry. If trends continue in this direction, will politics actually be about people anymore?