what’s worse than internet porn?

13.Apr.07 | culture |

Quote from Michael Goheen:

“The danger of the internet isn’t necessarily the porn, but the continued wasting of time to find the next great thing.”

(ht: drew goodnmanson)

wow… i stand convicted.

i can easily say that i spend more time on the internet than watching television, and wasn’t television the great satan of culture past? maybe the internet will become the great satan of culture future…
9 responses

  1. Eric |

    13.Apr.07 @ 11:06 am

    without the Internet, i would never have learned that you emergent types weren’t trying to take jesus out of the church, but put the real one back in.

    without the Internet, i would never get to listen to sermons from talented speakers from all over the world

    without the Internet, I would never get to provide micro-loans to third-world participants on kiva.org and receive updates of their progress

    without the Internet, I would not be learning from those whose mindset is different from mine on a daily basis

    without the Internet, people trapped in communist countries will never know what the possibilities of a free society are like

    without the Internet, my sinful heart would still be the same. I just would not be able to give in as easily

  2. monts |

    13.Apr.07 @ 11:50 am

    but can’t too much of a good thing be bad?

    i think that’s the point of the statement… and not just that, but if you were to take your statements and replace ‘internet’ with ‘tv’ they’d still ring true… but isn’t television considered a “great satan” by many in the church community? i think that’s what might happen with the internet in the near future. there are already groupings of people that are “internet free” meaning they’ve chosen to live their lives without the internet. (i couldn’t even imagine!)

  3. Eric |

    13.Apr.07 @ 12:01 pm

    yes, but too much sex, food and drink can be bad too.

    but, by classifying them as devil’s tools because of this possibility, we mislabel a good gift as bad when it’s the misuse that’s bad, not the gift.

  4. monts |

    13.Apr.07 @ 12:04 pm

    i agree… and i don’t mean to classify the internet as the devil’s tool… my wonderings are if there will be some within the church that will lean this way in the future with the internet as they did in the past with tv.

  5. monts |

    13.Apr.07 @ 12:07 pm

    and the conviction that i spoke of comes from the fact that i spend way to much time surfing the net for the “next great thing”… which is funny because i don’t often times find it!

  6. Mr. Bassriff |

    13.Apr.07 @ 12:44 pm

    Yo, totally off the subject, but my dad is reading this book called “Misquoting Jesus” that explores what actually took place with the transcription of the New Testament. I read the intro, and it seems very interesting - probably even a little controversal, but it’s pretty legit.

    So, since I don’t read much, and you do, you should at it to your list and put up a review sometime. Peace.

  7. monts |

    13.Apr.07 @ 12:58 pm

    i’ve heard of the book but never really looked into it much… however, i did find a terrific review by the much esteemed professor/theologian ben witherington… witherington’s review.

    he has an interesting take as well as a few great quotes regarding the scholarship of the book… but this one is spectacular:

    As I remember Bruce Metzger saying once (who trained both Bart [the author of 'Misquoting Jesus'] and myself in these matters) over 90% of the NT is rather well established in regard to its original text, and none of the remaining 10% provides us with data that could lead to any shocking revisions of the Christian credo or doctrine. It is at the very least disingenuous to suggest it does, if not deliberately provocative to say otherwise.

    and then his conclusion:

    I am glad we have a book like ‘Misquoting Jesus’ to tease our minds into active thought, though ironically very little of the book as anything to do with the actual sayings or teachings of Jesus himself. The title like the book is more of a tease, than really providing substantial evidence for ‘the orthodox concotion of the Christian faith’. I would simply say to the reader– caveat emptor. This author has a strong ax to grind, and the fact that he grinds it well in fluid prose makes it all the more beguiling. As my granny used to say– Don’t be so open minded that your brains fall out!

    i’ll add it to the list… but it’ll be a while before i’m able to read it! :)

  8. Adam |

    13.Apr.07 @ 2:02 pm

    The Internet has done much more good that bad for my life. I’d hate to go back to life without it.

  9. monts |

    15.Apr.07 @ 10:30 am

    i agree… i just hope (for myself) that it doesn’t spiral downward into an obsessive addiction that consumes my every minute!