March 1, 2015
Many young Europeans are increasingly using social networks in their everyday life. When young people are separated by distance and borders, the Internet is the quickest and the most effective means of communication. Nevertheless, for many people social networks have become real nets that take their users captive. The virtual world is also very dangerous because a young person stuck in the networks loses the habit of the offline communication.
These were the main issues discussed during the lecture of a Polish archpriest and the head of Polish Orthodox Christian radio program “Ortodoxia” Jan Koylo. The lecture took place during the celebrations of the World Day of Orthodox Christian Youth.
“Facebook czy faceBóg” (“Facebook or faceGod”) was the title of the lecture by Fr. Jan. He is sure that Orthodox Christian young people have much to say to their friends who are social network addicted: “What is important is the contact, the personal meeting with God. This is what cannot at all be offered and shown to us by any social network. Social networks are a kind of attempt to escape into the other world, an alternative one. This is a world where we can be whoever we want to be, and this is not necessarily an advantage. As a matter of fact, the networks are not a bad invention if we do not cross certain borders; if their purpose is to transfer information and not to express emotions.”
Orthodox Christian young people can show to their atheist friends many examples of successful communication such as interactive games, dances, forums, and of course, common prayer during divine services. All this can help free young people from Internet addiction and teach them to live again in the real world.
Edited by OrthoChristian.com
