The Christian Church has been too silent on the role of technology in the darkening of society. Thank you, Darren, for showing strong leadership in this critical space. May more priests and pastors begin speaking aggressively about this issue and teach their families #delayistheway.
Mourn our half million Anti Vaxx dead with the JOMO on anxiety pills... replaced with the White House recommended inoculation: "Do one thing every day that scares you."--Eleanor Roosevelt😁😁😁😁
Thank you for sharing. Agreed there needs to be awareness and tradition in this area! As a pastor of a small church in Maine I am always looking for ways to address this topic in a biblical, practical and applicable way.Thank you Jon & Darren for leading the charge.
It has long been my hope & prayer that the Christian church would lead the way on this, especially when it comes to kids/teens & tech use. It is okay to say no to the wider culture and seek something better and more eternal. May the Lord bless you & your church. Thank you for your leadership.
This is beautiful and inspiring to me. However, I would realistically suggest that a fifth “D” should be added : Deal with the Discomfort and Discouragement as the boredom, the anxiety, the intrusive thoughts that the devices were salving — crucial but not always welcome parts of one’s complex real life and self — come to the surface. As on any spiritual journey, it’s not a straight line to Delight.
The issue I never see addressed from calls for a “digital fast,” especially from Christian church leaders, is whether the digital device use is the cause of loneliness and social fragmentation OR the response to it. If the latter, then we may be calling to remove the only lifeline some people may have, even if it’s an inherently less than ideal one.
Our problem with social alienation predates social media and digital communication devices, and while we can provide alternatives to the able-bodied and the near, we have few options for the elderly, infirm, and remote. I would also include “the harried busy” in that group, people who are always on the go and who collapse at the end of the day, escaping into social media at 10:20 at night because that’s all they’ve got left open to them by the time their active day is over. Single parents, young adults overworking to build a career quickly, parents with multiple active young teenagers and tweens, and people who just don’t function as efficiently or as swiftly as they once did may fall into that group.
These folks may not easily fit into a 7 p.m. Thursday Bible study group or an early morning prayer gathering. Some digital connection may be the only one they have, something they use during a lunch break or while commuting.
Yes, it is less than ideal. But it may be the solution that works, albeit imperfectly. The problem is when people who DO have the ability to take advantage of better options choose the digital pathway instead.
I will also add that the American Church has largely stopped addressing the underlying factors of our modern society and its frenzied lifestyle and has stopped being a voice on the wider stage that provides real ways to scale back that frenzy and counter the push from secular sources to crank up the demands another notch. Sadly, the American Church instead often abets the lifestyle that has been forced upon us rather than speaking against it. We’ve made the Protestant Work Ethic into a monstrous idol it was never intended to be and let it take us to places we were never intended to go. Fix that, and maybe some of these social dilemmas become easier to address.
Hear hear! But similar to Jon Garfunkel, I can't reflect at all on the American Church or the protestant work ethic: I am European and Roman Catholic. Our 40 days of fasting between Ash Wednesday and Easter is, however, resulting in many young people giving up use of their smartphone for this period. This is great, and should be encouraged! During these 40 days, hopefully they will rediscover the joys of normal face-to-face communication and awareness of their environment (and thereby the JOMO!)
I hear quite a few people of all ages saying that they would dearly like to break out of their smartphone addiction, but alas, this excellent resolve goes up in smoke as soon as the thing goes ping. Simplest solution would be to turn off all sound; that would do to start off with.
Agreed with the spirit of this comment (being Jewish, I can't reflect much on the American Church" specifically). Digital technology is many things: sometimes harmful, often a time-waster, and at other times, clearly positive (like reading and responding to essays like this).
In my very non-scientific observation of suburban commuters on NYC's Metro North trains... there are a prodigious amount of people who are absorbed in mindless entertainment on their phones (TV shows, Instagram, games). Maybe those not watching screens are... listening to more salutary podcasts? Me, I would be... reading and responding to commentary like this. :-)
Seems like we first need to understand the social media diets first (i.e., is it the cause of loneliness or a remedy to it)
And, I would add, the "Sabbath" break approach, popular from the Jewish prospective, has its value to set the balance.
While not part of any organized church-wide fast, I can personally testify that after eliminating Facebook from my phone, I'm both less distracted and a lot less stressed.
Research and clinical practice supports this month long period to re-regulate and reset the brain reward pathways. Read the book: Reset Your Child's Brain: reversing the negative effects of screen time
https://drdunckley.com/reset-your-childs-brain/ as well as Dr Lembke's book Dopamine Nation. Child psychiatrist Dr Dunckley's book is specific to the how to prepare and support a child & teen through the screen withdraw- period of reregulation. Dr Dunckley provides detail such as planning, preparing the environment for success (home/school/neighbourhood)and making a safety plan as well. ScreenStrong.org also has a guide for parents on how to do this.
Research and clinical practice supports this month long period to re-regulate and reset the brain reward pathways. Read the book: Reset Your Child's Brain: reversing the negative effects of screen time
https://drdunckley.com/reset-your-childs-brain/ as well as Dr Lembke's book Dopamine Nation. Child psychiatrist Dr Dunckley's book is specific to the how to prepare and support a child & teen through the screen withdraw- period of reregulation. She goes into detail such as planning, preparing the environment and making a safety plan as well.
I was raised in a cult and had an unconventional and traumatic childhood that continued into adulthood. It was a mix of Woodstock, Baywatch, and Jesus Freaks, with some experiences similar to The Exorcist and Piercing the Darkness!
I've spent decades struggling with the consequences of those experiences while searching for truth and meaning, resulting in me being firmly agnostic, sovereign, insatiably curious, critical thinking, and truly free.
That said, I likely share your values, acknowledge the Judeo-Christian values of America's founding, and genuinely support your efforts to counter the detrimental effects of technology, especially smartphones and social media, which are incompatible with human nature, healthy relationships, and childhood development.
On a similar theme to this article I would love to see you guys interview Justin Whitmel Early about his Hangten Movement, a Christian movement similar to Wait Until 8th. https://www.hangtenmovement.com/
We have teenagers and there's immense pressure to allow them on devices the older they get, specifically on social media and in WhatsApp group threads. This is not because they want to join, but because all their friends are connecting that way and they feel left out. The message chats, with sometimes 100s of messages a day, are full of idle talk and are hugely distracting. There are also youth group chats with leaders who insist on using these WhatsApp to communicate key information to their teens, but along with it comes a steady stream of chatter all day and evening from dozens of kids per thread. We have stood out ground and asked for email and text communication, but sometimes they forget to include them. Most of the other parents don't like it either, including the church leaders, but just accept that's how it is. And they like the convenience of communicating like this. We are holding our ground and not letting them have social media (they are younger teens), but our kids miss out on connection opportunities. It's an uphill battle to go against the grain.
I really appreciate your article. It's given me a lot to chew on. Yet, I do have a question I'd love to ask. I hate social media. But I still use it for several reasons and I'm not sure how they could be replaced. 1) I write a blog and have only done so for about a year. Sharing it via Facebook and Instagram is the only way I know to reach people. 2) I run a business within a Facebook group where I share sales etc. 3) I belong to the music team at church, and we rely on Slack to communicate. We have different channels for different things, such as song lists, practice and swap info, a channel for pianists, etc. Very difficult to find another way to communicate with 20+ people. And 4) our small group uses WhatsApp to communicate change of dates, of ideas, of general conversation between our weekly meetings. Finally 5) Messenger is the quickest way to message people, because apparently most people don't check email any more. 🙄.
The Christian Church has been too silent on the role of technology in the darkening of society. Thank you, Darren, for showing strong leadership in this critical space. May more priests and pastors begin speaking aggressively about this issue and teach their families #delayistheway.
I pray all devotees of the "Orange Jesus" practice "The Joy of Missing Out" on November5th!😁💓😳🙄🤔😱🍄
Mourn our half million Anti Vaxx dead with the JOMO on anxiety pills... replaced with the White House recommended inoculation: "Do one thing every day that scares you."--Eleanor Roosevelt😁😁😁😁
aka FLOTUS NOT FOMO😁😁😁😁
Thank you for sharing. Agreed there needs to be awareness and tradition in this area! As a pastor of a small church in Maine I am always looking for ways to address this topic in a biblical, practical and applicable way.Thank you Jon & Darren for leading the charge.
It has long been my hope & prayer that the Christian church would lead the way on this, especially when it comes to kids/teens & tech use. It is okay to say no to the wider culture and seek something better and more eternal. May the Lord bless you & your church. Thank you for your leadership.
This is beautiful and inspiring to me. However, I would realistically suggest that a fifth “D” should be added : Deal with the Discomfort and Discouragement as the boredom, the anxiety, the intrusive thoughts that the devices were salving — crucial but not always welcome parts of one’s complex real life and self — come to the surface. As on any spiritual journey, it’s not a straight line to Delight.
Thank you, I’m inspired by this essay.
The issue I never see addressed from calls for a “digital fast,” especially from Christian church leaders, is whether the digital device use is the cause of loneliness and social fragmentation OR the response to it. If the latter, then we may be calling to remove the only lifeline some people may have, even if it’s an inherently less than ideal one.
Our problem with social alienation predates social media and digital communication devices, and while we can provide alternatives to the able-bodied and the near, we have few options for the elderly, infirm, and remote. I would also include “the harried busy” in that group, people who are always on the go and who collapse at the end of the day, escaping into social media at 10:20 at night because that’s all they’ve got left open to them by the time their active day is over. Single parents, young adults overworking to build a career quickly, parents with multiple active young teenagers and tweens, and people who just don’t function as efficiently or as swiftly as they once did may fall into that group.
These folks may not easily fit into a 7 p.m. Thursday Bible study group or an early morning prayer gathering. Some digital connection may be the only one they have, something they use during a lunch break or while commuting.
Yes, it is less than ideal. But it may be the solution that works, albeit imperfectly. The problem is when people who DO have the ability to take advantage of better options choose the digital pathway instead.
I will also add that the American Church has largely stopped addressing the underlying factors of our modern society and its frenzied lifestyle and has stopped being a voice on the wider stage that provides real ways to scale back that frenzy and counter the push from secular sources to crank up the demands another notch. Sadly, the American Church instead often abets the lifestyle that has been forced upon us rather than speaking against it. We’ve made the Protestant Work Ethic into a monstrous idol it was never intended to be and let it take us to places we were never intended to go. Fix that, and maybe some of these social dilemmas become easier to address.
Hear hear! But similar to Jon Garfunkel, I can't reflect at all on the American Church or the protestant work ethic: I am European and Roman Catholic. Our 40 days of fasting between Ash Wednesday and Easter is, however, resulting in many young people giving up use of their smartphone for this period. This is great, and should be encouraged! During these 40 days, hopefully they will rediscover the joys of normal face-to-face communication and awareness of their environment (and thereby the JOMO!)
I hear quite a few people of all ages saying that they would dearly like to break out of their smartphone addiction, but alas, this excellent resolve goes up in smoke as soon as the thing goes ping. Simplest solution would be to turn off all sound; that would do to start off with.
Agreed with the spirit of this comment (being Jewish, I can't reflect much on the American Church" specifically). Digital technology is many things: sometimes harmful, often a time-waster, and at other times, clearly positive (like reading and responding to essays like this).
In my very non-scientific observation of suburban commuters on NYC's Metro North trains... there are a prodigious amount of people who are absorbed in mindless entertainment on their phones (TV shows, Instagram, games). Maybe those not watching screens are... listening to more salutary podcasts? Me, I would be... reading and responding to commentary like this. :-)
Seems like we first need to understand the social media diets first (i.e., is it the cause of loneliness or a remedy to it)
And, I would add, the "Sabbath" break approach, popular from the Jewish prospective, has its value to set the balance.
While not part of any organized church-wide fast, I can personally testify that after eliminating Facebook from my phone, I'm both less distracted and a lot less stressed.
Research and clinical practice supports this month long period to re-regulate and reset the brain reward pathways. Read the book: Reset Your Child's Brain: reversing the negative effects of screen time
https://drdunckley.com/reset-your-childs-brain/ as well as Dr Lembke's book Dopamine Nation. Child psychiatrist Dr Dunckley's book is specific to the how to prepare and support a child & teen through the screen withdraw- period of reregulation. Dr Dunckley provides detail such as planning, preparing the environment for success (home/school/neighbourhood)and making a safety plan as well. ScreenStrong.org also has a guide for parents on how to do this.
Research and clinical practice supports this month long period to re-regulate and reset the brain reward pathways. Read the book: Reset Your Child's Brain: reversing the negative effects of screen time
https://drdunckley.com/reset-your-childs-brain/ as well as Dr Lembke's book Dopamine Nation. Child psychiatrist Dr Dunckley's book is specific to the how to prepare and support a child & teen through the screen withdraw- period of reregulation. She goes into detail such as planning, preparing the environment and making a safety plan as well.
I was raised in a cult and had an unconventional and traumatic childhood that continued into adulthood. It was a mix of Woodstock, Baywatch, and Jesus Freaks, with some experiences similar to The Exorcist and Piercing the Darkness!
I've spent decades struggling with the consequences of those experiences while searching for truth and meaning, resulting in me being firmly agnostic, sovereign, insatiably curious, critical thinking, and truly free.
That said, I likely share your values, acknowledge the Judeo-Christian values of America's founding, and genuinely support your efforts to counter the detrimental effects of technology, especially smartphones and social media, which are incompatible with human nature, healthy relationships, and childhood development.
Love it!!
Just released a book on this topic. Might be interested: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FK77G8Y2
On a similar theme to this article I would love to see you guys interview Justin Whitmel Early about his Hangten Movement, a Christian movement similar to Wait Until 8th. https://www.hangtenmovement.com/
We have teenagers and there's immense pressure to allow them on devices the older they get, specifically on social media and in WhatsApp group threads. This is not because they want to join, but because all their friends are connecting that way and they feel left out. The message chats, with sometimes 100s of messages a day, are full of idle talk and are hugely distracting. There are also youth group chats with leaders who insist on using these WhatsApp to communicate key information to their teens, but along with it comes a steady stream of chatter all day and evening from dozens of kids per thread. We have stood out ground and asked for email and text communication, but sometimes they forget to include them. Most of the other parents don't like it either, including the church leaders, but just accept that's how it is. And they like the convenience of communicating like this. We are holding our ground and not letting them have social media (they are younger teens), but our kids miss out on connection opportunities. It's an uphill battle to go against the grain.
I really appreciate your article. It's given me a lot to chew on. Yet, I do have a question I'd love to ask. I hate social media. But I still use it for several reasons and I'm not sure how they could be replaced. 1) I write a blog and have only done so for about a year. Sharing it via Facebook and Instagram is the only way I know to reach people. 2) I run a business within a Facebook group where I share sales etc. 3) I belong to the music team at church, and we rely on Slack to communicate. We have different channels for different things, such as song lists, practice and swap info, a channel for pianists, etc. Very difficult to find another way to communicate with 20+ people. And 4) our small group uses WhatsApp to communicate change of dates, of ideas, of general conversation between our weekly meetings. Finally 5) Messenger is the quickest way to message people, because apparently most people don't check email any more. 🙄.
What would your advice or suggestions be?
Aqui do Brasil, te agradeço por isso.