Pope
Francis has proclaimed the internet a “gift from God,” lauding its ability to
connect disparate groups and foster communication across religious, economic,
and political divides. The comments were part of his message for World
Communications Day.
“A culture
of encounter demands that we be ready not only to give, but also to receive,”
read the pontiff’s statement.
He outlined
ways in which the world we are living in is “growing smaller” and edging
towards the “unity of the human family.” He added that the digital world is not
“a network of wires,” but rather “a network of people.”
“Media can
help us greatly in this, especially nowadays, when the networks of human
communication have made unprecedented advances. The internet, in particular,
offers immense possibilities for encounter and solidarity. This is something
truly good, a gift from God,” he stated.
Pope
Francis has bolstered his progressive, modern image since assuming his role – a
photo of him posing with young fans in a “selfie” went viral last year. He has
also received praise for leading a more humble lifestyle than his predecessors.
However, his statements on atheism and homosexuality have roused more
conservative Catholics.
He also
incited controversy after calling abortion “horrific” and part of a “throwaway
culture” in his State of the World address in mid-January.
Pope
Francis equally noted some downsides to the information age on Thursday,
despite declaring that the information age was a godsend. “The speed with which
information is communicated exceeds our capacity for reflection and judgment,
and this does not make for more balanced and proper forms of self-expression,”
he noted.
His
comments seem to fall in sharp contrast to his predecessor, Cardinal Joseph
Ratzinger - later Pope Benedict CXVI - who instructed the young in 2011 that
they should beware of the virtual world. He claimed that teenagers were “in
danger of alienation and detachment from reality by excessive use of digital
media.”
While
Benedict himself has also made calls for further interreligious dialogue in the
past, the issue of whether the Catholic Church alone holds the “fullness of the
means of salvation” continues to hang over the Vatican.
“To [have
a] dialogue means to believe that the 'other' has something worthwhile to say,
and to entertain his or her point of view and perspective,” Francis wrote.
“Engaging in dialogue does not mean renouncing our own ideas and traditions,
but the pretence that they alone are valid and absolute.”
Related Article:
" ... Now I give you something that few think about: What do you think the Internet is all about, historically? Citizens of all the countries on Earth can talk to one another without electronic borders. The young people of those nations can all see each other, talk to each other, and express opinions. No matter what the country does to suppress it, they're doing it anyway. They are putting together a network of consciousness, of oneness, a multicultural consciousness. It's here to stay. It's part of the new energy. The young people know it and are leading the way.... "
" ... I gave you a prophecy more than 10 years ago. I told you there would come a day when everyone could talk to everyone and, therefore, there could be no conspiracy. For conspiracy depends on separation and secrecy - something hiding in the dark that only a few know about. Seen the news lately? What is happening? Could it be that there is a new paradigm happening that seems to go against history?... " Read More …. "The End of History"- Nov 20,2010 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll)
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