REHABILITATE JESUS IN THE AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

 

Jesus was crucified. He died, but he rose to a new life. This is the foundation of Christian faith. If the historical evidences prove that He rose, and if we accept it to be true and believe it, then we need to rehabilitate Him in our midst, in the modern times. He needs to be ‘re-installed’ in the new updated ‘version’ of humanity today. The Christ in Jesus evolves, and this process continues. So, too the ‘processor’ that has to process him, has to be upgraded with new programming and coding. New wine must be put into new wineskin.

The present world process is full of violence, divisions, injustices, inequality, injustice and hypocritical. Within the religious circle, a large section of people does recognize the spiritual and religious importance of Jesus, but his teachings are little known. Often believers of other faith  perceive the Christians as "hypocritical" (50%), "judgmental" (49%) or "arrogant" (32%), according to a  Ipsos survey (2022). In an era dominated by the rapid dissemination of information through social media platforms, where information spreads like wildfire and opinions clash incessantly, the figure of Jesus Christ remains a subject of both reverence and controversy, misconceptions and misinterpretations. While some uphold his teachings of love, compassion, and forgiveness, others manipulate his image for personal or political gain, leading to division and conflict. However, amidst the chaos of the digital age, there is a pressing need to rehabilitate the essence of Jesus's message of compassion and understanding, and revive the pursuit of peace through justice and human Rights; and within the existing noise of digital discourse, it is an opportunity to rehabilitate Jesus and propagate his message.

As the present generation is engaged in communicating through the social media in a  digital world, it must be engaged with religious world as well for human spiritual progress. The AI-aided social media needs to be used to ‘rehabilitate’ Jesus in the post-post-modern world, to make Jesus’ presence and his teachings felt.  In an age of swift communication, people  – believers, atheists, skeptics,– all over the world are very much aware of the Church conflicts and confusion over abortion, homosexual couple’s blessings, clergy sex abuse scandals, etc.  Christian fundamentalists, liberals, modernists and especially the hierarchy, have tarnished the People of God (Church) and, “obscured the image of Jesus Christ”.

In the present reality of political polarization, gender equality, poverty, immigration, ecological crisis, war, terrorism,  following the initiative taken by the campaign "He Gets Us" (2022) – the Church as a whole, needs to be relevant by trying to address different aspects of  Jesus’  life  and his teachings through digital efforts. People must come to know that the experience of Jesus’ living presence is relevant to the present society infested with loneliness, anxiety, mental health issues, etc. All Christians especially the young believers will have to engage social media, design and organize them to evangelize the culture with Christ. Through these means they need to connect with the Church and its teachings;  clear doubts and disputes through dialogue and debates; inter into inter-faith dialogues and discourse on religious freedom; bring the Christian families together;   be aware of the divisive and diverse Christian denominations which draw their identity from the single Christ and work towards reconciliation and unity.  A rehabilitated Jesus within the present reality would embody the value of love, compassion, justice and peace.

The AI-aided social media has revolutionized the way information spreads, enabling instant communication on a global scale. Yet it is often fraught with polarization, misinformation, and sensationalism. In such an environment, the image of Jesus is frequently distorted through misinterpretation of his teachings, seeking to promote their own agendas. True, the social media platforms have made Jesus more accessible to people. His teachings, once confined to sacred texts and religious institutions, are now shared, discussed, and dissected across the digital landscape. But this accessibility allows both for widespread dissemination of his message, and also opens the door to distortion.

One of the primary challenges in rehabilitating Jesus, therefore, is navigating the myriad interpretations and agendas employed for personal or political gain. The religious fundamentalists and the atheists often deride him as a mythical figure. Jesus is frequently reduced to a symbol that serves their interests. Yet, at the heart of Jesus's message lies a call for love, understanding, and reconciliation. His teachings emphasize empathy, kindness, and the pursuit of justice. He championed the cause of the marginalized, healed the sick and forgave even those who persecuted him. It is this message of hope and redemption that needs to be reclaimed in the age of social media.

 It is imperative, therefore, to emphasize the core principles that underpin Jesus’ message. At the heart of his teachings lies a profound call to love one another, to show compassion to the marginalized, and to seek peace even in the face of adversity. Through discernment a concerted effort is to be made to counteract the spread of misinformation and hatred. It is essential to embrace the entirety of his message which transcends narrow political or ideological boundaries. Instead of engaging in divisive debates or using Jesus as a weapon to bolster one's own beliefs, individuals can use their platforms to  foster a culture of dialogue, bridge divides and promote understanding, empathy and reconciliation. It can connect individuals from diverse backgrounds and foster meaningful conversations. By engaging in respectful discourse and listening with an open mind, we can promote empathy and compassion. It certainly offers unique opportunities for innovative forms of outreach and community-building inspired by Jesus' example. Online forums, virtual gatherings, and social media campaigns can serve as spaces for people of diverse backgrounds and beliefs to come together in dialogue and mutual respect.

To truly rehabilitate Jesus in the age of social media, it is imperative to embody his teachings in our everyday lives. This means actively working towards peace, justice, and reconciliation in our communities and beyond. Whether through acts of kindness, advocacy for the marginalized, or efforts to promote social justice, each of us has the power to make a positive difference. However, the task of rehabilitating Jesus in the age of social media extends beyond mere online interactions. It therefore, necessitates embodying his teachings through daily witness– to be agents of justice and peace in a world plagued by division and strife.

To conclude, Jesus Christ remains as relevant today as ever. As we navigate the complexities of the digital age, it is incumbent upon us to rehabilitate him in the world today. Christ’s followers can rehabilitate Jesus if they use the social media to bring about social change by communicating truth, hope, love, peace, light and life, which Jesus himself bore witness to. By embracing his teachings to evangelize cultures, and by fostering a culture of empathy and understanding, we can strive towards a more harmonious world for the post-digital generations to come.

SOCIAL MEDIA MENACE AND ETHICS

Huge technological changes are taking place with the promise of benefits, but at the same time with serious risks. The risks are more than the benefits, depending on the use of such technology, either for common good or for selfish motives. The digital culture and modern technology affect human understanding and relationships. The digital spaces have become the work-field for most of the IT companies. It has become the mission-field for the Church as well, with the risk of social isolation and digital divide.

 We, therefore, need to respond strongly to the radical challenges caused by the digital diffusion within the human culture. We know that science and technology are meant to be at the service of the society, for human development. This is possible by educating people in the proper use of the digital culture, while distinguishing its good and bad elements. Artificial Intelligence (AI) used by the social media platforms is reshaping human experience and its responses. It has impacted upon human rights, freedom of expression and personal data privacy. It even determines our decision-making processes. It is now a challenge as well as an opportunity for the young generation. Contrary to social justice and human rights, AI as machine learning engines, can manipulate and exploit others, especially those who are ignorant about social media and its profiteering functions.  It does so by controlling, enticing and monitoring – a lucrative job. The free access to apps on the internet is a marketing strategy to get one addicted to the site – it sells the person’s time, attention and self, more than the products it promotes. More time spent by individuals on such sites, are added profits for the app companies.

Without a proper perspective, the use of digital means has caused complex cultural, social and psychological changes on many levels. It demands digital literacy, learning to distinguish the differences of media contents. We cannot escape the influence of digital culture. It is important to cope well with such cultural transition, and engage in transforming it into a means of authentic media, and not as an end.  We will have to use these new ways of communicating, but with commitment and responsibility, making oneself understandable through this digital culture, as a ‘new normal’.

Facebook (FB), founded in 2004, having amplified human free speech by the help of artificial intelligence, its plan is programmed to stir up emotions and attention. This way it invites more views and more advertising. Strategies are adopted to help the company make more money. FB allowed its data to be used for electoral gains also. Governments too ‘weaponize’ FB and the internet. In 2020, FB’s revenue rose to 61.9 billion, with the Instagram owning 28% of it. Far from it, LinkedIn stands at 8 billion and Twitter at 3.7 billion in 2020. India has been described as Facebook’s biggest market with more than 340 million users. The ills of FB platform with two-billion plus users are many. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Maria Ressa, accused FB — the world’s largest distributor of news without facts — of spreading lies “laced with anger and hate”.  11% of Facebook accounts are duplicates and 5% are fake. A systemic societal harms is perpetuated by the trillion-dollar tech FB giant, that “chooses profits over safety” (John Tye, representing FB whistleblower Frances Haugen) Along with Google and Twitter, it does so by destroying the credibility of other genuine news.

 Data journalism that deep dives into fact-finding, has discovered   2.6 million pieces of FB as adult nudity and sexual activity; 324 thousand pieces related to hate speech. We, therefore, need to reinvent our use of social media, deploying both human and artificial intelligence, harness its effectiveness to counter-act against the ills of such platforms, and keep users safe. Against the Silicon Valley’s Scientists, counter research must be made to understand the damaging effects of AI being made used of, by the Social Media platforms.   We need to pressure on them to project their algorithms rightly. (cf. Sevanti Ninan,https://www.telegraphindia. com/opinion/ facebook-is-programmed-to-stir-up-baser-emotions/cid/1834950, 18.10.2021).

Over 1.5 billion users in 180 countries are using Whatsapp for all kinds of messages, videos, spiritual exhortations, emoz, jokes and fake news.  Some are with justified reasons and purposes, many Forwards are nuisance, other messages and videos are unwanted that require patience and time to delete. Whatsapp chat service alone has 400m users in India. (cf. MK George SJ, Use social media, but don’t be naïve, Matters India, 7^th October, 2020).

Whatsapp and Facebook can be dangerous tools. Today, Snapchat, TikTok and other platforms, have become the new “cool” apps for the young. How you use them is critical for the future. Here are some suggestions for responsible use: make responsible and creative use of them; know that they are ‘instruments’ only; spread message of love, instead hatred; more than religious and churchy  messages send  interreligious harmony messages; share  good news, not bad news;  share stories of hope, suffering, resilience and unity irrespective of castes, creed, class and gender; use them to educating towards critical consciousness; protect each other’s identity and privacy; uphold the dignity, rights and respect for the  poor, the minorities,  the marginalized  and the unemployed.

 Today, we will have to enter the world of the young, through their dynamic digital door and meet them where they are, through group experiences, digital means, internet and social media. Through the use of dynamic digital multimedia we get them engaged with videos, streaming, online webinar, audio, useful youth-friendly apps and interactive experiences, even with the use of QR codes. We need to take responsibility for the content we publish and forward; focus on truth and act as watchdog; provide with accurate news and facts from trustworthy sources; avoid sensationalism and use multimedia content discretely.