Facebook criticised by Archbishop

**MIG-31** · Aug 3, 2009, 06:11 PM

Social networking websites, texting and e-mails are undermining community life, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has warned. Archbishop Vincent Nichols said MySpace and Facebook led young people to seek "transient" friendships, with quantity becoming more important than quality.

Source: BBC News

procupine14 · Aug 3, 2009, 09:27 PM

pft.....they are really running out of things to bitch about. Next thing you know it will be just as much a "sin" as eating meat during lent.

IvanV · Aug 4, 2009, 04:07 AM

Some of the points he makes are valid, at least partially. Still, as a whole, it's too much like Amish rhetoric.

But if you think this is bad... Over the past month or two, I stumbled upon a certain link several times. It leads to a page on a church website of a local community edited by some middle to higher ranking clergymen and containing "The Confession Handbook for Women" which they compiled. It's medieval in the most derogatory meaning of the term. Not misogynistic, I'd say, as most of the sins it mentions don't seem gender specific, but so backward that I'm a bit ashamed that something like that was written in my country. Here's just one example: "966. I criticized the politicians instead of praying for them."

Cow_160483 · Aug 4, 2009, 01:52 PM

They are just looking to blame someone for the low turnout at Sunday church .

Senor_Mota · Aug 5, 2009, 01:09 AM

Without even being a christian or supporting their ideology, I can agree with the sentiment that technology has had a significant sway on our cerebral development over the past twenty years, as well as somewhat "de-evolving" the human race by obfuscating our common motor-skills and sensory perception. In short, they simply drown us with moot information and implore you to believe that your existence can be some sort of "super-important-celebrity-person-or-other"; hence the fat kid on YouTube eating the Pizza Rolls (look where he is now). Let's face it - American media, as a whole, is implying that being a celebrity is far more important than being a doctor, a lawyer, a nurse, an architect, etc., along with instilling the ideals of laziness, self-loathing and narcisscism.

But I digress. Most of the statements made in this article seem rather closed-minded (most Christians are about EVERYTHING), and there's one in particular that really didn't settle well:

Quote:

"It's an all-or-nothing syndrome that you have to have in an attempt to shore up an identity; a collection of friends about whom you can talk and even boast."

To be honest with you, I use MySpace to get with loose girls and to stay in touch with my buddies on IM who are out-of-state, since that's what they use. So, if even one of my CLOSEST FRIENDS stopped talking to me on MySpace, I would probably think, "Wow. They finally realized how retarded this is". I don't think I would ever be friends with anyone who would kill themsleves because another user took them off of their "Top Friends"... and I sure as hell don't go around bragging to my REAL friends about how many people I've acquainted myself with in a somewhat distant and emotionally devoid manner in an electronic social medium.

This instance is just like the Columbine shootings, only less tragic - but the moral incrimination is the same. We blame the problems we have as human beings, along with the natural course of entropy, on intangible emotional concepts and inanimate, artificially created objects.

It's just like a human being to avoid admitting they're human.

Falstaff · Aug 5, 2009, 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senor_Mota

Without even being a christian or supporting their ideology, I can agree with the sentiment that technology has had a significant sway on our cerebral development over the past twenty years, as well as somewhat "de-evolving" the human race by obfuscating our common motor-skills and sensory perception. In short, they simply drown us with moot information and implore you to believe that your existence can be some sort of "super-important-celebrity-person-or-other"; hence the fat kid on YouTube eating the Pizza Rolls (look where he is now). Let's face it - American media, as a whole, is implying that being a celebrity is far more important than being a doctor, a lawyer, a nurse, an architect, etc., along with instilling the ideals of laziness, self-loathing and narcisscism.

But I digress. Most of the statements made in this article seem rather closed-minded (most Christians are about EVERYTHING), and there's one in particular that really didn't settle well:

To be honest with you, I use MySpace to get with loose girls and to stay in touch with my buddies on IM who are out-of-state, since that's what they use. So, if even one of my CLOSEST FRIENDS stopped talking to me on MySpace, I would probably think, "Wow. They finally realized how retarded this is". I don't think I would ever be friends with anyone who would kill themsleves because another user took them off of their "Top Friends"... and I sure as hell don't go around bragging to my REAL friends about how many people I've acquainted myself with in a somewhat distant and emotionally devoid manner in an electronic social medium.

This instance is just like the Columbine shootings, only less tragic - but the moral incrimination is the same. We blame the problems we have as human beings, along with the natural course of entropy, on intangible emotional concepts and inanimate, artificially created objects.

It's just like a human being to avoid admitting they're human.

christians are close minded?
I have said this before, but I prefer "my face" rather than Myspace or Facebook
Professionally I can understand why these sites might be useful, as a sophisticated business card, but I cannot believe all the furor about it.
I dont use it, and if a narcisist wants to then fine, he paint his bloody name all over a bus stop and suffer the consuequence, I dont care.
in time, we all will be in the great database...
welcome my son to the machine.

Senor_Mota · Aug 6, 2009, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falstaff

christians are close minded?
I have said this before, but I prefer "my face" rather than Myspace or Facebook
Professionally I can understand why these sites might be useful, as a sophisticated business card, but I cannot believe all the furor about it.
I dont use it, and if a narcisist wants to then fine, he paint his bloody name all over a bus stop and suffer the consuequence, I dont care.
in time, we all will be in the great database...
welcome my son to the machine.

I think you may have missed my point.

Falstaff · Aug 6, 2009, 11:00 PM

oh I got your point, but I chafe at the statement for whatever reason that Christians are close minded. I think people in general can be close minded so no idealogical spin is necessary I suppose. People are strange.

Senor_Mota · Aug 7, 2009, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falstaff

oh I got your point, but I chafe at the statement for whatever reason that Christians are close minded. I think people in general can be close minded so no ideological spin is necessary I suppose. People are strange.

You chafe? I scoff.

It wasn't meant to shoehorn Christians, I do know good people who claim that denomination. I'm just saying that not ALL Christians are closed-minded and intolerant hypocrites; more so, that the people they choose to represent them are. Tie this in with being behind the times ideologically and fundamentally, then mix it up with a little paranoia to create the simplest, yet most subversive and manipulative form of mental slavery known to man - RELIGION.

Falstaff, you're a very smart fella. I believe that you know better than I do that it's not about how you believe, but what you believe in that defines who you are. The only reason that anyone nay-says your ideology is because it's outside of what they believe to be real and true, no matter how far-fetched...or logical...it may be.

I believe in God, but I'm not a "Christian". I enbibe Marijuana, but I'm far from a "pothead". I like black metal music, but I'm not what you'd call a "head-banger". I just live, breathe, love and die.

I think George Carlin said it best -

Quote:

Source
"No matter how you care to define it, I do not identify with the local group. Planets, Species, Race, Religion, Nation, State, Party, Union, Club, Association, Neighborhood Improvement Committee; I have no interest in any of it. I love and treasure individuals as I meet them, I loathe and despise the groups they identify with and belong to".

Sorry for stepping on any toes...

Falstaff · Aug 7, 2009, 09:04 PM

I think anyone that speaks or believes in absolutes is dangerous. regardless.
If you indulge in Mother Nature thats your business, I hope its therapuetic, but I have to have reality twentyfour hours a day to know which planet I am on.
I honestly hope that people refuse to leave the human race and remain in the corporeal bubble and avoid the abstract interpretation of life as the one and only way to see things.
I have changed so much in as many years, and the only thing I know is we have very little control over the world and even those around us. Better we just exercise what self control we can and remain focused on balance in our lives. I see Facebook and other tools to publish or broadcast ones self as more than narcism, I see it as a drug like twitter

skylineaddict · Aug 8, 2009, 08:50 AM

Okay, I wasn't going to comment, but I can't exactly keep quiet about something this mundane. This issue doesn't have anything to do with religion as many people, not just Christians, feel this way about the evils of Facebook and Myspace. It just has to do with powerful people having too much time on their hands. Instead of them doing anything constructive with this time, they decide to bitch about matters like this. Opening a bottle of wine and sitting back is a much better option than stating what is so obvious to anyone with half a brain (That basically discounts the majority of teenagers).

Falstaff · Aug 9, 2009, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skylineaddict

Okay, I wasn't going to comment, but I can't exactly keep quiet about something this mundane. This issue doesn't have anything to do with religion as many people, not just Christians, feel this way about the evils of Facebook and Myspace. It just has to do with powerful people having too much time on their hands. Instead of them doing anything constructive with this time, they decide to bitch about matters like this. Opening a bottle of wine and sitting back is a much better option than stating what is so obvious to anyone with half a brain (That basically discounts the majority of teenagers).

skylineaddict · Aug 9, 2009, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falstaff

I take it you aren't reacting to seeing a nude woman?

Falstaff · Aug 9, 2009, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skylineaddict

I take it you aren't reacting to seeing a nude woman?

no...LOL
its making a strong statement. I get in trouble when I make them, folks here tell me to go back to playing checkers outside the store and not to bother the
customers.

skylineaddict · Aug 9, 2009, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falstaff

no...LOL
its making a strong statement. I get in trouble when I make them, folks here tell me to go back to playing checkers outside the store and not to bother the
customers.

It takes two to play a game of checkers. I'll bring some booze and we can hang out. I win every time though.

Falstaff · Aug 9, 2009, 11:23 AM

Cool
Just dont horn in my action.
younger women like to hug me now and then and
let me eat their cookies. LOL

skylineaddict · Aug 9, 2009, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falstaff

Cool
Just dont horn in my action.
younger women like to hug me now and then and
let me eat their cookies. LOL

Any woman younger than me will be illegal for me.. I hate being 18. Couldn't I just be creepy and old like you :P.

I have a feeling we're getting slightly off topic here.. I sense the ban-kick-in-the-ass coming.

Falstaff · Aug 10, 2009, 07:34 AM

No...not at all, as I made an argument about Twitter not to long ago or anything else. Posting on DH we can remain anonymous or reveal things about ourselves and remain beyond the pale of criticism from the Clergy. I think you can still make value enriched decisions, post comments, network and exchange ideas and information without being too personal. I dont use Facebook and MySpace or Twitter or a myriad of other sites because it isnt my thing.
But I can come here and wander the forums, comment or contribute and enjoy myself, which I might add, I dont think I can do with the aforementioned products / sites.
Like I told someone recently, no Facebook or Myspace for me, I prefer to use "My Face" to do any real personal exchange of information or ideas, and keep it at that.
I do understand why the Christians that I know do not like it and I wont go into it, suffice to say, for them religion and fellowship is a very personal thing and the community of believers feel that websites take that fellowship away, and that is about all I will say.
I can still believe in a higher power and enjoy the internet, I just do it responsibly.
I wont stray too far from the flock and I wont be a hypocrate and say I dont take advantage of everything the WWW has to offer, good or bad.

Senor_Mota · Aug 11, 2009, 07:17 PM

This is what I was talking about...

Falstaff · Aug 11, 2009, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senor_Mota

This is what I was talking about...

thats funny, someone there has a sense of humor after all.

Aug 3, 2009, 06:11 PM	#1
MIG-31 HardwareHeaven News Mod Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Nottingham,UK Posts: 55,779 Rep Power: 444 System Specs	Facebook criticised by Archbishop Social networking websites, texting and e-mails are undermining community life, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has warned. Archbishop Vincent Nichols said MySpace and Facebook led young people to seek "transient" friendships, with quantity becoming more important than quality. Source: BBC News __________________ Please Post Your News Submissions Here

Aug 3, 2009, 09:27 PM	#2
procupine14 Why is it Beeping!?!?! Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: USA, Missouri Posts: 1,400 Rep Power: 56 System Specs	Re: Facebook criticised by Archbishop pft.....they are really running out of things to bitch about. Next thing you know it will be just as much a "sin" as eating meat during lent. __________________ HTPC/file server: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit - AMD Phenom x4 9850 - 4GB OCZ DDR2 800 (2x2GB) - 1TB WD Black - 4 x 1TB Hitachi DeskStar in RAID 5 - ATi TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner - HIS Raedon 4850 512MB - ASRock N68C-S UCC mobo - OCZ ModExtreme Pro 500W PSU GF's Gaming PC: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit - AMD Phenom 9850 - 4GB OCZ DDR2 1066 - 500GB Western Digital GP - HIS Raedon 5770 1GB - ASUS M3A78-EM - Zalman 650W PSU Media Streamer: Win 7 Pro 64-bit - AMD Athlon x2 3200+ - 4GB SuperTalent DDR2 800 - 250GB SeaGate Barracuda - MSI K9N6PGM2-V2 - ASUS Raedon 5450 SILENT - FSP group 250W PSU

Aug 4, 2009, 04:07 AM	#3
IvanV HH Assassin Guild Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 5,655 Rep Power: 280 System Specs	Re: Facebook criticised by Archbishop Some of the points he makes are valid, at least partially. Still, as a whole, it's too much like Amish rhetoric. But if you think this is bad... Over the past month or two, I stumbled upon a certain link several times. It leads to a page on a church website of a local community edited by some middle to higher ranking clergymen and containing "The Confession Handbook for Women" which they compiled. It's medieval in the most derogatory meaning of the term. Not misogynistic, I'd say, as most of the sins it mentions don't seem gender specific, but so backward that I'm a bit ashamed that something like that was written in my country. Here's just one example: "966. I criticized the politicians instead of praying for them." __________________ Our Folding@home stats:

Aug 4, 2009, 01:52 PM	#4
Cow_160483 HH's only cow moooooo... Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: BOTSWANA Posts: 6,687 Rep Power: 280 System Specs	Re: Facebook criticised by Archbishop They are just looking to blame someone for the low turnout at Sunday church . __________________ Decode! Muhahahahah!

Aug 6, 2009, 11:00 PM	#8
Falstaff Old Codger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USAFA Posts: 19,047 Rep Power: 206	Re: Facebook criticised by Archbishop oh I got your point, but I chafe at the statement for whatever reason that Christians are close minded. I think people in general can be close minded so no idealogical spin is necessary I suppose. People are strange. __________________ "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor."

Aug 7, 2009, 09:04 PM	#10
Falstaff Old Codger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USAFA Posts: 19,047 Rep Power: 206	Re: Facebook criticised by Archbishop I think anyone that speaks or believes in absolutes is dangerous. regardless. If you indulge in Mother Nature thats your business, I hope its therapuetic, but I have to have reality twentyfour hours a day to know which planet I am on. I honestly hope that people refuse to leave the human race and remain in the corporeal bubble and avoid the abstract interpretation of life as the one and only way to see things. I have changed so much in as many years, and the only thing I know is we have very little control over the world and even those around us. Better we just exercise what self control we can and remain focused on balance in our lives. I see Facebook and other tools to publish or broadcast ones self as more than narcism, I see it as a drug like twitter __________________ "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor."

Aug 8, 2009, 08:50 AM	#11
skylineaddict Sleep Deprived Ant Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 883 Rep Power: 124 System Specs	Re: Facebook criticised by Archbishop Okay, I wasn't going to comment, but I can't exactly keep quiet about something this mundane. This issue doesn't have anything to do with religion as many people, not just Christians, feel this way about the evils of Facebook and Myspace. It just has to do with powerful people having too much time on their hands. Instead of them doing anything constructive with this time, they decide to bitch about matters like this. Opening a bottle of wine and sitting back is a much better option than stating what is so obvious to anyone with half a brain (That basically discounts the majority of teenagers). __________________ Couldn't come up with anything snappy to say, so I'll just be awkward.

Aug 9, 2009, 11:23 AM	#16
Falstaff Old Codger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USAFA Posts: 19,047 Rep Power: 206	Re: Facebook criticised by Archbishop Cool Just dont horn in my action. younger women like to hug me now and then and let me eat their cookies. LOL __________________ "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor."

Aug 10, 2009, 07:34 AM	#18
Falstaff Old Codger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USAFA Posts: 19,047 Rep Power: 206	Re: Facebook criticised by Archbishop No...not at all, as I made an argument about Twitter not to long ago or anything else. Posting on DH we can remain anonymous or reveal things about ourselves and remain beyond the pale of criticism from the Clergy. I think you can still make value enriched decisions, post comments, network and exchange ideas and information without being too personal. I dont use Facebook and MySpace or Twitter or a myriad of other sites because it isnt my thing. But I can come here and wander the forums, comment or contribute and enjoy myself, which I might add, I dont think I can do with the aforementioned products / sites. Like I told someone recently, no Facebook or Myspace for me, I prefer to use "My Face" to do any real personal exchange of information or ideas, and keep it at that. I do understand why the Christians that I know do not like it and I wont go into it, suffice to say, for them religion and fellowship is a very personal thing and the community of believers feel that websites take that fellowship away, and that is about all I will say. I can still believe in a higher power and enjoy the internet, I just do it responsibly. I wont stray too far from the flock and I wont be a hypocrate and say I dont take advantage of everything the WWW has to offer, good or bad. __________________ "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor."

Aug 11, 2009, 07:17 PM	#19
Senor_Mota 悪魔の方法 Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ee-duh-ow Posts: 2,384 Rep Power: 98 System Specs	Re: Facebook criticised by Archbishop This is what I was talking about...