Monday, April 03, 2006

Succumbing to myspace

I'd stopped by myspace before Gavin posted about it last month. As our conference youth coordinator, it would be almost impossible to at least not know what myspace was. 95% of my CCYM is on myspace. In fact, they created their own myspace group for our CCYM that I had nothing to do with and knew nothing about for a while, and that has far more members in it than our official message board has ever had. But I wasn't really interested in it.

After Gavin posted about it, I checked it out some more, took the plunge and posted my own profile, and - thrill - I got a friend request who wasn't also a family member! Within three weeks or so of signing up, I've now reconnected with several friends from high school that I literally have not seen/talked to in years, maybe 5 or more years. And I can't deny it - the thrill of logging on and finding a new-friend-request is great. I can only imagine the thrill for users younger than me.

Many have wondered about the role of the church and church leaders in myspace. Can we use it? Is it a tool for the church? An opportunity? I like what Gavin says: "i feel the presence there is important and even if we don't get off the charts commenting it is okay, because we are there." Sometimes I think we underestimate the power and importance of presence and participation.

I also took note of a myspace bulletin posted by 'Tom', the myspace creator/first friend of all - pointing out this NPR story about myspcace being used by student activists to protest proposed immigration legislation.

I have no idea how myspace might impact the church or vise versa or anything, really, at this point. I know my older brother hates it already, but other than thinking that people in their 20s and 30s are too old for myspace, I haven't heard good reasons from him yet. (Perhaps he'll reply with a blog post with reasons...) I guess we can just be here and wait and see for now.

So, make my day, and add me as your friend. Or tell me why you hate myspace. Or how you might use myspace. Or something.

posted by Elizabeth at 9:38 PM  

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8 Comments:

Ashley said...

I have to say I was suprised to see that my pastor wanted to be a friend on myspace. I didnt get a myspace until after i was in college. And I found I could stay in touch w/ more people that way. It's also a great way to chat.

12:29 AM  
gavin richardson said...

welcome to the club... or maybe i should leave you a comment!

10:13 AM  
jockeystreet said...

Reasons, reasons, reasons.

I just don't like it.

I don't like new things. I don't like change. Everybody should just stop.

8:36 PM  
John said...

I'm not interested in getting a myspace or livejournal account because I am not a 14-year old girl interested in gabbing about the cute guys at school.

8:14 AM  
Pastor Laura said...

Its a great way to keep connected with folks. And, yes, I believe that it is one way to help keep connected to the youth in both our conference and the youth in our congregations. My brother, a high school teacher, has a ton of "friends" who are current and old students.

10:58 AM  
Anonymous said...

I find it interesting that a pastor of a church is advocating the use of a website that allows children access to adult content such as this.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=35106275

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=49817052

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=58214451

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=51620937

or that allows children to post profiles like this:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=13152199

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=49036635

If you believe teens are using MySpace just to socialize with their friends, you are woefully naive.

1:24 PM  
Elizabeth said...

Anonymous- Anything can be used in an abusive and harmful way. That doesn't mean that no one should use it or try to use it in a positive way. The internet as a whole, for example - you could make the exact same argument. As I've said, my youth are using it to create a community online in a way that seems positive. Just because some use it in other ways, I don't think it is logical to wash our hands of it altogether.

1:53 PM  
gavin richardson said...

for john, you don't have to talk about cute guys.. how bout some rabbit talk?
Bunny's are Awesome
Rabbits Incorporated

to anonymous, like tv, the internet as a whole, driving down the street (if you are in a metropolitan area) reading through teenage magazines is a whole lot different. but if it helps you out, i was talking with a programmer just the other day who is developing a 'church/family friendly' myspace type community site. i doubt it will get the pub, positive alternatives rarely do, ut who knows

3:41 PM  

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