Information vs. Faith
(via Imgur)
Hemant Mehta recently wrote an interesting article for the Washington Post titled: How the Web is Killing Faith. It’s a brief article with some provocative ideas. The main premise is that statements made by preachers/pastors/priests/rabbis/imams/etc. are not exempt from immediate scrutiny in the technology age. Declarations that went unopposed years ago due to perceived authority can now be challenged directly from the pew by anyone with a smart phone.
Whether or not the internet is actually killing faith is up for debate, but it certainly poses a legitimate challenge. In addition to information being more readily available than at any previous time in human history, people also have the ability to connect with other human beings from all over the world through social media. Many people who struggle with (or secretly abandon) religion still feel attached to the social structure that church provides. The fear of ostracism is a powerful motivator to keep quiet and toe the line. Social media affords these people the ability to find other like-minded people as well as the affirmation that perhaps they aren’t as isolated and alone as they feel.
I’m jealous that my seven-year old daughter has never known a world without Google, Wikipedia, computers, and smart phones. Instant information is now literally at the fingertips of an entire up-and-coming generation. It will be interesting to see how they utilize it.
While I agree with the premise of Mehta’s article, my perspective of the internet as an open forum for debate and discussion is one that hones real faith, it only threatens those who base their faith on ignorance. Church signs like the one in your post sadden me because “reason is the greatest enemy that faith has” implies one must reject knowledge to be faithful, it’s quite insulting to me but should be even more-so to this religious establishment’s congregation! I prefer C.S. Lewis’s take on knowledge: “Reason is the organ of truth, but imagination is the organ of meaning.” Both are vitally important to real faith and by this philosophy I seek truth then express my resulting faith through art.
Mehta is correct; “the Internet is blind faith’s worst nightmare.” Blind faith accepts the accuracy of all information on the internet as quickly as what they hear from a pulpit. Older generations cope with discrepancies by rejecting truth, younger generations reject faith. Religious leaders should hold a healthy fear of the internet, it holds them accountable to presenting accurate information!