I was listening to a podcast called Freestyle Christianity the other day. This is a Swedish podcast that sometimes is in English so I can listen and enjoy. I'm sure that is for my benefit alone because that's how American Exceptionalism works, right? Anyway, Alexander Bard was the guest on the show. He is a philosopher who is doing some work with theology, although maybe not Christian Theology. His theological work is focused on thinking within our internet age. It seems like he has done some great work, none of which have I read. I've only heard this one podcast with him.
Anyway, one of things Bard talked about doing was creating a sacred space for the internet generation. He said this generation has always had the internet/smartphones, yet they seem to find sacredness within moments when smartphones are not present. He and I both agree that the internet is a great tool and smartphones are not evil, but sometimes we struggle to be present to deeper realities when on our phones are around.
I'm sure that was an awful summary, so go listen for yourself. It was a great interview. This interview and a recent TED Radio hour on NPR got me thinking about our relationship to the divine while under the influence of screens, which in turn made me think of camp.
The kids in my current youth group love going to camp. I have always been a big fan of camping because it gets you away from the mundane of everyday life. But these kids really love it. At my last ministry setting the same thing was true. There was this group of kids that adored camp. I have a new theory on why.
Camps are notorious for having awful cell coverage. If you are lucky and the wind is blowing just right you can get a text message sent, otherwise, it's radio silence all week. I think that is the key. Camp is one spot where phones are no longer a distraction. Not just because you are not supposed to have them, because let's face it, I get texts from kids who are in class all the time. But because they actually can't do anything worthwhile on the phone.
Being unplugged then allows these students to be present in the moment. They are present to the people around them. They are present to nature. They are present to their own inner monologue. The main thing that gets in the way of being present is always looking down at your phone being present to twitter. (at least that's the way it is for me)
These students are in nature, phoneless, ready to be present to the divine within nature. There is definitely something about nature that reflects that image of God back to us. There is something sacred about being present to the world around you. Once you are truly present to your surroundings, you'll start to feel that sacred that Bard mentioned, and these kids feel at camp. The divine is most present to you when you are present in the moment.
What can you do to be truly present more often?
P.S. Don't think I'm against phones or the internet or technology. These things are amazing and can help us be present to each other in some form from far away. These are great tools that allow humans to continue to become more aware of the world around them, but sometimes we need to have a fast from screens for a little while to connect with the physical world. Then, you'll be better at connecting in the realities of the internet.
