(regarding the online Hadith) Acorrding to the USC archivists, it is 'merely a tool, and not a substitute for learning, much less scholarship in Islam.' (page 21)
'[users can] use the texts in unintended, sometimes theologically dangerous ways.' (page 21)
Though not being a follower of Islam, I can absolutely relate to what it is like to see your theology, a beautiful, singular, historical work of art, cautiously displayed to the public, get peed on by a loud, drunk teenager. This gets my goat so much: some Christian Facebook friend of mine posts something mildly controversial/Christian and some other user (in the 'religion' section of the About Me page they have Linkin Park lyrics) copy/pastes a random Bible verse (99% of the time OT) with some quip along the lines of 'see, you Christians are idiots and hypocrites and religion is so stupid, etc. etc.'
You aren't a scholar. You got that quote by googling 'contradictory Bible verses', picking the juiciest one, and scrolling through all of the actual information and context. And, clearly, you have precious little experience in trying to find out what the Bible even says or has in it; I, one of those 'idiot Christians', can tell the different between Torah, law, and gospel, and know which one Christian doctrine favors. I know what Christian doctrine even is (online, I got into this with someone who, after ascribing so much Pharisee-esque nonsense to what I was saying, ended up not knowing Judaism thought differently than Christianity. This person was trying to convince me that I didn't have a consistent theology. And no, they never actually asked what my theology was. I think I posted a CS Lewis quote).
I could go on all day. A Wikipedia degree is no degree at all, my friends. And unfortunately, the internet is a very level playing field; we all look like idiots when we try to debate there.
'A quick read of the prayers posted on GodTube in 2009 revealed that some prayers are invitations to other readers to pray "with" the poster, and others are addressed directly to God, as if God must "read" the prayer... such a feature implies that the real point of the [Prayer Wall] app is not a prayer to God, but rather the satisfaction that comes through socializing prayer and the sense of "acceptance" that can be achieved digitally through another person's selection of your prayer.' (page 25)
My response to this loveliness is Biblical: "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:5-6)
The verse doesn't say don't pray with your friends. It simply says there will always be people who think it's sexy to constantly 'bare their soul' before others, so learn to know who's just hungry for attention so you don't do that crap. The source of your bared soul ought be your first addressee. The internet dilutes this.
I got angry just reading this! Hehe just kidding. It's really interesting that the idea of prayer is debated by people who aren't accepting of the way that others pray. I've always had a problem with people who judge the way that others practice faith. Although it is easy for us to judge others by the things they believe in it just seems like a strange way to spend our days.
ReplyDeleteYou mention that reading Wikipedia doesn't make one a scholar and I can relate this to the virtual lives many people lead. Here I am relating religion to a "real life". Many people fulfil their social interactions by messaging each other on Facebook or by tweeting but does this really count? I mean are you really communicating with a person? Or are you communicating with the person they'd like you to think they are? The lack of body language can be more deceiving than we think. When people bash on the religion of others online they feel like they are figuring out what they believe in. By discounting religions one by one they feel like they are eliminating the least favorable religion (to them). In all honesty I think that these people are just unsure of their own belief system or lack of system. Unfortunately a virtual life and a real life are not the same just as religion and "understanding" of religion are also different.
Just so I am understanding you correctly - was my last response one that sounded like a devaluing of prayer practice? I did not mean it that way. I, guided by scripture, cannot discern who is genuine and who is self-seeking when it comes to prayer. It is not my job. The verse calls Christians to beware: not of others, but of the habits of others. Since I can't know or judge the authenticity of another's prayer, I mustn't try to emulate them; I can only make sure that mine are prayed in secret and only to God to avoid the pitfalls of hypocrisy and 'praying from a stage'. At every Chris Tomlin concert, Chris prays in front of an audience of thousands, and it is as likely as not that he is praying faithfully. That doesn't mean I can go and do the same thing with the same transparency. Relating this to online, mass-distributed prayer, it's hard to see it as something other than posting a 'status' and waiting for attention and 'likes' (using the logic of God not needing to get online and read it...so what's the real reason for it?). It's impossible to say it is absolutely one thing or another, I am only making sense of my gut feelings. Does that clear up what I was saying a little?
Delete"I mean are you really communicating with a person? Or are you communicating with the person they'd like you to think they are?" I love this!
DeleteI really just wanted to tell you that, but I definitely understand what you are saying. I was thinking the same thing while I was reading this part. I might be saying this poorly, but "back when I believed," I remember being hyper-critical of myself in regards to praying and my actions. I was always worrying about whether I was doing good works to do good, or because I was trying to impress God or something. It put me in a weird place I think. Looking back, I think maybe the fact that I had those worries was a good thing in some way.
It is those that do works or go through the motions to be seen doing and going through them that this passage is saying is troubling. Like you said though, I am not even religious, I am just someone on the internet at this point--who am I judge?