Tuesday Conference

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Theology e-weekly

To make humanity united in worshipping God

Go to the Digital Continent

Our Heavenly Patron

Dear Father,
In our times there may not necessarily be new lands to
discover, but there is a new virtual world opening up through a
range of extraordinary technological advances. We are living
through a communication revolution. It is also a time of great
opportunity for the Church to get involved in it.
Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are virtual communities
where users can create individual public profiles, interact with real
-life friends, and meet other people based on shared interests.
The 34th issue of Tuesday Conference reaches you with
an article on Church & Social Media, Go to the Digital
Continent.

Involvement in the mass media, is not meant merely to

strengthen the preaching of the Gospel. There is a deeper

reality involved here: since the very evangelization of

modern culture depends to a great extent on the
influence of the media. JP II in Redemptoris Missio

Page - 02

Facebook is a mirror and Twitter is a megaphone for the cultural

obsession with self. Facebook provides an ideal forum for the
average narcissist.

Sigining In
The more you
get connected
to Facebook,
the stronger
you feel that
the items you
post and the
more likely
you are going
to view these

Much
has
been
written about the positive
and negative impacts of
social
media,
w ith
particular reference to
Facebook, which now has
over 1 billion users. No one
can deny its impact on us.
Research on the negative aspects of frequent Facebook use has
focused on the possible relationships with negative psychological
states and behavior such as anxiety, low self-esteem and
narcissism. Despite the name social networks, much
user activity on networking sites is self-focused.
12% of the users studied said their Facebook site made them
anxious;

as your

30% said they felt guilty about rejecting friend requests;

virtual

Many said they felt pressure to come up with inventive status

possessions.

updates;

Many did not like the different rules of online etiquette for
different friends.
In this issue we make an
appeal to go the digital continent or
virtual world analyzing the its pros
and cons. To learn the language of
the virtual world and to invest
personnel in media ministry is the
demand of the time.

Facebook isn't just a time-sucking photo album. Too much

browsing could impact how you see yourself and others.

Page - 03

Thumps Down for Social Media

1. Social media is addictive.

People use sites for myriad reasons; it usually serves: distraction and
boredom relief. Likes and comments are positive reinforcement for posting
information, making it difficult for a person to stop.

2. Makes us compare our lives with others.

Posts on social media many times present an idealized version of whats
happening, what something looks like, or how things are going. This can lead
users to constantly compare themselves to others and think less of their own
lives.

3. Makes us restless.
Studies have shown, two-thirds of the admitted are
having difficultly in relaxing when unable to use their social
media accounts.

4. Gives rise to cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying is an enormous concern, especially for
adolescents.

5. Glamorizes drug and alcohol use.

Teenagers those who use social media, in a daily basis are five times more
likely to use tobacco, three times more likely to use alcohol, and twice as likely to
use marijuana.

6. Can make us unhappy.

Studies about Facebook users found that the more avid users, were overall
more unhappy than those who used the site less.

7. Can lead to fear of missing out.

Fear of missing out is a phenomenon that occurs when you feel pressure to
be doing what everyone else is doing, attend every event, and share every life
experience. It can evoke anxiety and cause social media users to question why
everyone is having fun without them.

Page - 04

Check Your Status: SNS Addictions

relationship

From a clinical psychologists perspective, it may be plausible

to speak specifically of Facebook Addiction Disorder (more
generally Social Networking Sites Addiction Disorder) because
addiction criteria, such as

where people

neglect of personal life,

are not

mental preoccupation,

Virtual
relationship-

physically
present but
communicate
exclusively

using online,
texting, or
other
electronic

escapism, mood modifying experiences,

Tolerance and concealing the addictive behavior,
appear to be present in some people who use SNSs excessively .
There are 5 different types of internet addiction, namely
computer addiction (computer game addiction), information
overload (web surfing addiction), net compulsions (online
gambling or online shopping addiction), cybersexual addiction
(online pornography or online sex addiction) and cyberrelationship addiction.

communicati
on devise.

Not all Bad It serves a lot ...

Young adults who spend more time on Facebook are better at
showing "virtual empathy" to their online friends.

Social networking can provide tools for teaching in

compelling ways that engage young students.

Social media enhances our connectivity.

there is an incredible number of like-minded people who can
connect in just one click.

Social media can help with socialization.

introverted adolescents can actually gain social skills by using
social media. Shy individuals may feel safer behind a
computer screen (smartphone, or tablet).

How do our theological

assumptions, doctrines,
practices, or ways of being
and acting in the world as
people of faith hold up in
this new context?

If you are too

false in the world
of SNS, others will
pick up it
immediately and
then your
credibility takes a
hit.

Page - 05

Post and Like Gospel on the digital continent

Benedict XVI urged the members of Pontifical Council for Social
Communications to help communicate the teachings of the Church on the digital
continent of the ever-changing technological landscape.
It is not enough to use the media
simply to spread the Christian message
and the Church's authentic teaching. It is
also necessary to integrate that message
into the 'new culture' created by modern
communications.

It falls to young people, who have an

almost spontaneous affinity for the new
means of communication, to take on the
responsibility for the evangelization of this
digital continent.

New
forms
of
communication
use
new
languages; they use new
technologies and create new
psychological attitudes. Be
prepared to get along with it.

In this way the

Church exercises that
which can be defined
as a deaconate of
culture on today's
digital
continent,
using its means to
announce the Gospel,
the only Word that
can save the human
being.

Page - 06

Plan your Events.

Because so much about new media and social media is still experimental, it
is helpful to be open to the gray areas of human life. Things do not exist in
a strict duality of good and evil online.
1. Pay attention to boundaries.
They exist everywhere for the sake of healthy and faithful relationships.
They exist online as well. That which is not appropriate in face-to-face
relationships, its not appropriate online either.
2. Use social media with an eye to the personal.
Social media is called such because of its social character. People want to
hear from you, not from your organization or church. Experts advises preachers
to learn to be transparent, but not naked. Aim for that balance in what you
share in the media.
3. Consider race, gender, class dynamics when
putting social media to use.
If social media is social, then its social cues are going to
be culturally specific.
4. Embrace rather than avoid the gift of humanity on
display in social media.
Help the church to think about what we learn about
humanity through social
5. Be open to being changed by the media you use, and be sure to evaluate
that change as you go along.

With the era upon us of Hyper-connectivity and the Social Media

Revolution fast changing our world, is this a boom time for the Gospel
and its STD orientation Socially Transmitted Discipleship?

There is no question the Internet is an enormously

Page - 07

popular, convenient and gratifying way to connect

with others.

The Virtual Areopagus.

Dont try to
hide behind
social
media. You
can play
with
persona
online, but
be careful.

Media invites contemporary evangelizers to go to the

virtual Areopagus. As in Acts 17, Paul went to the Areopagus as
the place where ideas were shared and discussed. The Areopagus
was the public square where people could come and listen. The
new public square is the World Wide Web. This is the new
location for the Catholic faith to be proclaimed. This is the
Areopagus of the third millennium.

Sigining Out
Like missionaries who set off to foreign lands to proclaim
the Gospel, in our day we need young missionaries who will
devote themselves to using the new media to proclaim the
Catholic faith.

Readers Desk
Indeed
you
are
doing
a
doing conference about Dalits. Still you can commendable job and the hardwork behind
have debates and upliftment of Dalits. You can it is worth mentioning. Dalit issues cannot
continue like this and think about their be settled overnight. It needs great
development. Thanks, good bye.
commitment from our part to accept them
Fr. Baru Deepak HGN as our fellow brethren.
Toms Kumbukkal
Yes it is a good thing that you have been

Sorry. Since you are malayalee people you

are hypocrites regarding caste issues.
Fr. Christudas. M

I have been
following
your
issues. It is good

Thanks and God bless your great ministry to that you keep on
priests and religious. Please send "Tuesday

updating

Conference" to the following e-mail ids. File

yourselves.
attached.
Fr. John Vallayil, VC.

Donish Varakayil

Published from Vincentian Vidyabhavan, Aluva.