Electronic Communication

I get frustrated when I get a text form some one asking me how I am. I cannot convey how I feel in a text. I just assume that when people ask the question that way, they sort of care, but are to busy listen to the real answer.

I sense that facebook, twitter, and texting are forms of communication that appeal to people who do not expect any better form of communication. These tools are fine for transferring information, organising a meeting, or tracking down lost acquaintances, but they are less useful for helping me to know anther person.

When God spoke to Moses, he spoke to him face-to face, not by facebook, twitter or sending a text. Well that is not quite what it says,

When a prophet of the LORD is among you,
I reveal myself to him in visions,
I speak to him in dreams.
But this is not true of my servant Moses;
he is faithful in all my house.
With him I speak face to face (Num 12:6-8).

The interesting thing is that visions and dreams are really good methods of communication. God has often given me some information that I need through a dream. Because I do not have control of the process, God can really cut through and get something to me that I did not want to receive.

Dream and visions can convey information, but they lack one thing. You cannot get to know God through dreams and visions. Moses had become God’s friend. He knew God, because he had spoken to him face to face.

The same applies to our relationships with other people. Electronic communication goes so far. It is good for organising meetings, spreading information, or telling the latest news, but to really get to know someone, we have to meet and talk face to face. We need to see their emotional response and read their body language. I can learn from facebook that a friend has climbed a mountain, or had a cup of coffer, but I cannot get to know them.

Moses knew God:

He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel (Ps 103:7).

Israel was acquainted with everything that God had been up to. They could have learned that from facebook. Moses understood the ways of God, because he had met God face-to-face and knew his character and personality.

Facebook friends know my acts and deeds.
Face-to-face friends know my character.

Facebook has downgraded friendship. Acquaintances are now called friends.

Communication has to be two way. I can follow Brad Pitt on Twitter. I may feel that I am part of his life, but that is an illusion. He is not sharing in my life, and I do not really know him.

I suspect that many twits on twitter and status reports on facebook are from a lonely generation searching for people with who they could have face-to-face contact. They are not happy with just being acquaintance. Most people are still looking for friends and wanting to be known better.