24 January 2014, 05:01 PM IST
Self-professed internet "evangelists" can safely hang up their boots. They now have among them an evangelist they can't possibly compete with – the Pope himself. In a message from the Vatican on Thursday, Pope Francis gave the Internet and social media the papal approval. Talking about how communication and dialogue can unite humanity, he said, "The internet, in particular, offers immense possibilities for encounter and solidarity. This is something truly good, a gift from God."
And it did not just end with a vanilla endorsement. The 76-year-old Argentine had some pious tips for digital communication as well. "Those who communicate, in effect, become neighbours. The Good Samaritan not only draws nearer to the man he finds half dead on the side of the road; he takes responsibility for him. Jesus shifts our understanding: it is not just about seeing the other as someone like myself, but of the ability to make myself like the other. Communication is really about realizing that we are all human beings, children of God. I like seeing this power of communication as 'neighbourliness'," he said, while also advocating the need to step back once in a while from the speed of modern digital communication, and reflect on one's actions.
It should come as little surprise that the Pope should talk about the internet so. Already being lauded for his engagement with the youth and a modern worldview, Pope Francis is no stranger to viral fame. His selfie from August last year - the "first ever Papal selfie" as it was called - made international headlines. More recently, a picture of him embracing and blessing a man afflicted with leprosy went viral. His statement on homosexuality ( "Who am I to judge?" ) has been widely shared online as an image macro. A video of a child walking up to the Pope mid-speech, and then proceeding to park himself on his chair after hugging him, has received the less than three rating that really means a ten -- internet love in the form of a "<3".
This isn't a recent phenomenon. His appointment itself was followed keenly on social media channels such as Twitter. An account called @PapalConclave kept its followers posted of the developments with its cheeky, irreverent and humorous updates. In this age of Twitter resignations, the Pope announced his arrival with a tweet from his official account @pontifex - an all caps, "HABEMUS PAPAM FRANCISCUM". Yesterday's statement on online behaviours perfectly befits him and cements his place among his followers – on Twitter or otherwise.
The weight of a hipster vote (contrary to popular belief, it doesn't weigh an Instagram) goes a long way. Just a few years ago, on fora such as Reddit, pedophilia jokes dominated any conversation about the church or the papal office. Atheism was touted as the more desirable option. After having charmed and captured a young audience, his consistent positive and progressive messages of social good have shifted the conversation completely. There is now an AMA (Ask Me Anything) request for the Pope on Reddit with other threads comparing his performance (more than favourably) to his predecessor, Pope Benedict.
Whatever the terms of engagement, it's clear from his statement that the Pope has not lost sight of his goal. He hopes to use the communications revolution "to share with others the beauty of God."
#Amen.
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