Twitter Less
In case any of you are breathlessly wondering, I don't favor Twittering in church. This blog provides some cursory explanations for why Twittering in church ought to be accepted and even encouraged:
But I don't buy them. For these respective reasons:
- What is the purpose of worship? Is worship an opportunity to extend the reach of the worship experience? By the logic used here, we ought to also encourage people to be creating their own audio/video clips to post to YouTube or other media sites, to extend the benefits of the music to a larger population. However, many churches do this in a very organized way. How much more important is it that the meaning of a sermon be captured accurately to be conveyed to a larger audience? Aside from a pithy quote here or there, how much meaning are you going to capture in 140 characters, out of a sermon that runs anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour or more, depending on your tradition? And if you manage to convey a 140-character thought accurately, how helpful is it taken out of the larger context of the whole message? And what about you in the meantime? You who are actually present in worship, how well are you listening to the rest of the message if you're busy texting one little tidbit that you particularly liked?
- Same as above. This may be a very true thing - but does it have to occur during the worship itself? You are transforming worship form a receptive and responsive event into a delivery and proactive event. You are no longer receiving God's grace in Word and (hopefully) Sacrament, but rather you are moving on already to the next step. You are curtailing your feeding in hopes of feeding others.
- Agreed completely. It's not an either/or dichotomy, though. One can engage the Internet world and the Twittersphere, but it's a matter of the time that this should happen. Is your worship service so powerful and enlightening that you want to spread the impact to as many people as possible? Praise God! Bring a digital recorder into the service to capture the sentiments more precisely so that you can Tweet them later. Better yet, find out if your church is already capturing the service digitally, or if your pastor has his sermon in .pdf format. Find out if your church is already Tweeting and otherwise engaging the Internet world with the specifics of each service. Then refer your followers to those feeds, rather than duplicating and possibly confusing the issue by trying to do it on your own. If your church isn't doing these things already, approach your pastor about volunteering your services in this regard. Do something that truly benefits your church and the vital message being proclaimed there, rather than approaching it in a piecemeal fashion that ultimately may be tempting as a means to build followers.
- Great idea. A digital recorder - or the Pastor's sermons in digital or hard copy - will do this exact same thing a LOT more accurately. Then make your notes in the margins, or attach digital notes with the original .pdf file. By all means build a library and take notes - but do it in an appropriate way.
- Or, here's a crazy idea - how about training your mind so that you don't wander during the sermons? Most sermons I've heard (and given) have some points that are a little less riveting than others. But don't assume that these are less important, and don't assume that a wandering mind is inevitable.
Additionally, here are some other thoughts:
- You don't exist in a vacuum. While you're busily thumbing your keypad, others are being distracted by your actions. The glow of the screen, the creaking of the device or the keys as you work away - all of these are distractions to those around you who may not have reached the conclusion that this is a good place in the sermon to find other ways to occupy their minds.
- In addition to distracting or irritating your elders who may not be so Twitter-enamored, you're setting an example for the younger and more impressionable minds around you. This may just be younger siblings - or it may be the youth group kids who look up to you.
- Worship is experiential. If you are focused elsewhere, you aren't experiencing the worship any longer. Don't pull yourself out of context to do something else. I'd argue that it's better that you doodle on the back of the bulletin, because your brain is less engaged with this sort of activity than with the complexities of spelling, textspeak translation, etc. that are required by texting. What this means is there's a better chance with doodling that you're still hearing something of what is being said than if you're texting.
- The idea that "individuals should Twitter in church" contains in itself the underlying assumption about the issue here - individuality and personal liberty. I ought to be able to Twitter in church if I want to, is sort of the destination of this logic. However, the act of worship is one that should be downplaying individual autonomy and emphasizing our oneness in the Body of Christ. You are not your own - you were bought with a price. It isn't just about you and what you feel like you ought to be able to do - regardless of how helpful or pious your reasoning might be!
- Technology is not the issue here - purpose is. Don't pretend that folks against Twittering in worship are Luddites. That's a simplistic way of dismissing those who disagree with you without having to examine their rationale - and your own. It's a matter of what the purpose of worship is.
Thoughts?
I agree 100% with you and then some! I think it is hard at times to sit in church and listen without having my mind wander, BUT what I do to stay focused on what is being said it to repeat what the Pastor is saying in my head, that way I stay in tune to what he is saying....like voices in my head sort of...LOL anyways, I think you can twitter, blog, facebook and use the computer when you are not in church. You in church to listen to the word of God, right?
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Bingo!
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Mel, You are so right and all those years I "forced" you to go to church and Sunday School have paid off. Just kidding. Love, Mom
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Always happy to foster these "family moments" via the Internet!
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