Disconnected Lives in a Hyper-Connected World
What if the church’s response to loneliness provided people with a reason to believe?
In a recent article, Dr. David Tarkington pointed out:
Loneliness is serious. As suicides, drug abuse, and mental and physical maladies increase, it is to our benefit to seek solutions for ourselves and our loved ones. This is why many nations are seemingly coming together to acknowledge the challenges evident in increased loneliness.
This issue is not to be ignored. Human connection and interaction are vital. Conversing with Alexa or Siri may be fun, but even AI enhancements cannot replace human interactions. Virtual friendships via online gaming, chats, and social media can be true friendships, but the risk of catfishing and the fact that real, in-person, face-to-face interaction is absent provides an incomplete picture. People want to belong. They want friends. Maybe this is why sitcoms featuring groups of friends living life together resonate with so many and become multimillion-dollar hits? Could it be that people somehow become enamored with the make-believe characters of Friends, Seinfeld, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, and other such shows because somehow, down deep, audiences wish they had such a friend group in real life?
So, what is the answer?
David answers by giving some practical examples of how the church can function as a community whose habits of life provide a defense of the faith.
Read the rest of David’s excellent article here: “Alone Together: Understanding Loneliness in a World Full of Connections”