If the Internet doesn’t deliver on authentic connection, what keeps us coming back? Are we lured by the possibility of true connection, or have we become content to substitute participation and opportunities for self-expression? Perhaps we’re afraid of being left out or missing out on something we should know.

It did not include questions about our mental and emotional health, and what’s good for our souls.

It did not include questions about our mental and emotional health, and what’s good for our souls.

This is an excellent article--thanks for sharing your thoughts. Most of my current friendships began on the Internet. I have a difficult time making friends 'in-person', as I am introverted by nature; I have probably three close friendships. And two of them began online. Most of my online friends live far away--either across the country, or overseas. During a nearly-three week trip to the UK and Western Europe in 2010, I was able to meet several of my online friends in person, and spend enjoyable time with them. I don't expect a lot from my online friends; I know they have busy personal and professional lives, and will only contact them if invited. Sometimes, it makes for a pretty solitary life. But I'm used to it.

Thanks Amy for your thought provoking article and title. Thanks to Rachel for the idea to close down my blog for 6 months - it needed to happen. I closed it down today and don't plan to write another blog til March! I imagine I'll have a whole different view of it by that time. Thank God for what He does through the body of Christ. He is indeed good!

The internet is an incredible God uses daily, probably every nanosecond. But it is also so powerful that the enemy also uses i. Amy's post is an important one to discuss. Some comments sound pretty defensive, and that might mean the ones who got defensive should examine their own internet use. We need to use the internet for God's glory and not let the internet use us. Whenever we deal with any kind of media we need to keep focused on Christ and remember to ask ourselves why we are using whatever platform we are using. If you can use Facebook for God's glory, if you are salt and light then go for it. If Facebook is getting in the way of your day-to-day relationships than time on it should be very limited. If you can use Twitter for God's glory, to further His kingdom, than go for it! It is there for God to be lifted up. But if by using it you are just trying to get tons of followers just for the numbers than examine yourselves. All platforms should be looked at in this way. If any of your internet use is doing negative things to the relationships that matter in your life than it is better to just cut it out. Remember what Jesus said -- it is better to enter the kingdom of God without sight if your sight causes you to stumble (OK, that is really really a big paraphrase). And then it is better to enter the kingdom of totally internet-free than to not enter it at all! Think about it. What we each can do on the internet is different from person to person. You know your limits. God knows your limits. Seek Him. He'll give you the answers. He is who you answer to.

Ha! I totally lost my phone for a few days last year (literally lost it somewhere between my car and my house; it had to be replaced). I have my blog post about the inadvertent technology "detox" I had to go through on my name link. I don't even LIKE the phone and I don't have a smart phone, and yet I felt immediately and completely depressed. It was so strange, and also scary. Now, I have some guards against being too connected. One was shutting down my blog for six months to reconnect with the "outside" world (it's back up - now I've got a healthier balance of life/blog life). Another is BANNING technology from our vacations. The most we MIGHT do is watch a movie once. This, we've found, to be very helpful. We also know some people who have "No Screen Sundays," which is exactly as it sounds. We haven't implemented this because sometimes we like to write stories on our computers on the Sabbath. Another thing is just to get into other things that I am EXCITED about -- like having a book I can't put down or having a house project/personal writing project I really want to finish. It actually DOES take effort, but it's worth it in the long run. :)

Thanks for this thought-provoking article about something most of us unquestioningly accept, or, at least, find it difficult to limit. A few months ago, The Atlantic published a similarly-themed article about our Facebook use. The article theorizes that narcissistic self-promotion is at the root of our problem. Pride and vanity are not godly virtues, and we do well to beware of them when we log on.

Interesting. I wonder if simillar things were said when the printing press was first introduced?

Thank-you so much for this thought-provoking article. It touched on and developed so many different aspects of thoughts I have had lately about the internet and our relationships, our time, and how to balance the good and the bad. There is so much that feeds me emotionally, intellectually, and relationally online; but the balance is very tricky - when it gets out of whack, I look around at my "real' life and find myself feeling more isolated, alone, and empty, in comparison. This is the kind of meaningful discussion I love to read here on Her.meneutics - not just trying to be controversial and stir the pot, but to meaningfully examine our lives and our spirits through the lens of His. Thank-you again!