The Pope may not have a Facebook account, but it’s not like he’s been living on a rock in the Vatican either.
For this year’s World Day of Social Communications, Pope Benedict delivered his views on social media in his message entitled, “Truth, proclamation and authenticity of life in the digital age."
The pope praised social media but also mentioned that while these networks present a lot of great opportunities, “virtual contact cannot and must not take the place of direct human contact with people at every level of our lives.”
Benefits of Social Media
The
NY Times reported that the Pope acknowledged the benefits of social networks stating that they can enable “dialogue exchange, solidarity and the creation of positive relations.” He furthered that “if used wisely,” social media “can contribute to the satisfaction of the desire for meaning, truth and unity.”
“Friendly” Precautions
However, the Holy Father also flipped the coin, and voiced out his concerns and precautions towards new media and social networks. In his speech, he said that “In search for sharing, for “‘friends’ there is the challenge to be authentic and faithful.”
He commented on digital communication’s “one-sidedness” and warned the public about the “risk of constructing a false image of oneself.”
Pope Benedict positively addressed the effects of the new form of communication by saying that new technologies pave the way for “potential friendships” because they allow “people to meet each other beyond the confines of space and of their own culture.”
At the same time though, he cautioned members of social networks about the risk of “being more distracted” and “absorbed in the world ‘other’ than the one we live in.”
[via
NY Times and
EWTN]
