Pope blesses social networks: "Who is my neighbour in this new world?"

The Pope gets social networking, giving it his only slightly-hedged blessings in a new post at his blog.

In the digital world, transmitting information increasingly means making it known within a social network where knowledge is shared in the context of personal exchanges. ... this dynamic has contributed to a new appreciation of communication itself, which is seen first of all as dialogue, exchange, solidarity and the creation of positive relations. On the other hand, this is contrasted with the limits typical of digital communication: the one-sidedness of the interaction, the tendency to communicate only some parts of one's interior world, the risk of constructing a false image of oneself, which can become a form of self-indulgence. ... The new technologies allow people to meet each other beyond the confines of space and of their own culture, creating in this way an entirely new world of potential friendships.

The interweaving of religion and science in papal utterances is becoming bizarrely Dune-like: "the new technologies are contributing greatly to our preparations." Truth, Proclamation and Authenticity of Life in the Digital Age [Vatican via Reuters]

• [jlopere]

  I believe the blog would be “ex sofa” and not carry any authority…especially the ones about Snooki and the Steampunk section.

• [Tetsubo]

  The blessing from the leader of a morally bankrupt institution is just a bit dubious to my mind. I might take him more seriously if his church would stop trying to hide suspected child rapers.

• [Brainspore]

  I heard that Jesus was an early adopter of Twitter but he only had 12 followers.

• [chgoliz]

  Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

• [RainyRat]

  Are the Pope’s blog posts considered “ex cathedra”?

  • [notavegan]

    I think this would be more “deus ex machina’. but I find the whole thing incredible: the 45th World Day of Social Communications?!

    I went to a convent school and this was never mentioned. I am pretty sure that Mother Seraphim would have mentioned this in religion class on Fridays — though she was pretty obsessed with us “getting scruples” which sounded a lot like a bad skin condition. She was mostly concerned about us not getting pregnant and “doing” sins of commission.

    As a Protestant sitting in the back of the room (supposedly working on other lessons) I found that Friday class an eye opener. Women who have attended convent schools will probably know exactly what I mean. :}

  • [jeffasselin]

    In theory, they could be.

    IANACL, but I think ex cathedra communications must be made by the pope, and a copy of the document (usually an encyclical) must be sent to all the bishops with the papal seal. It would have to be in latin, as that is the official language of the Catholic Church.

    So I guess that a blog post written in latin signed with a private key (or other method to ensure the legitimacy of the document) as well as adorned with the papal seal and with notification (as well as the corresponding public key) being sent to the bishops would probably work.

    • [Robert]

      The Pontifical Council for Social Communications was started in 1964, and in the founding letter [1] appears to treat “social communications” as cinema, radio, television and printing, i.e. mass media.

      [1] Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio, Pope Paul VI, 2 Apr 1964: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/motu_proprio/documents/hf_p-vi_motu-proprio_19640402_in-fructibus-multis_it.html

    • [RainyRat]

      Ha! So, in future, one might have to kiss the Papal public key instead of the ring…

• [Anonymous]

  @RainyRat: No. He would have to explicitly invoke the dogma of infallibility. This happens very seldomly, only with regard to theological disputes.

• [Anonymous]

  Through the intercession of their patron Saint Francis de Sales, I pray that God may grant communications workers the capacity always to carry out their work conscientiously and professionally.

  Amen to that.

  Dear Vatican,

  We are greatly intrigued by this particular saint, and desire to know more about him. Does he, for example, smite with (ironic) lightning or afflict with boils those communications workers who design touch-tone menu systems, staff helldesks, or design proprietary ‘walled garden’ systems?

  What is the Blessed St Frank’s position on those who use their knowledge to empower and further the work of those obvious arms of Satanic influence in the world that are the MPAA, RIAA and copyright maximalists? Can those who work against the freedom of human interaction ever enter the Kingdom of Heaven? Or are they destined for a Boschian hell, to be tormented for all eternity by public domain demons?

  Yours faithfully
  (etc, etc.)

• [Anonymous]

  “the one-sidedness of the interaction, the tendency to communicate only some parts of one’s interior world, the risk of constructing a false image of oneself, which can become a form of self-indulgence. … ”

  This applies to the written word as well.

• [Mongrove_Moone]

  And Scotty beamed them to the Klingon ship
  Where there would be no tribble at all.

  All power to the engines.

• [carboncomp]

  In a way, religions are an ancient form of social network. Religious “technology” is a form of communication technology. So the same argument could be made:

  In the RELIGIOUS world, transmitting information increasingly means making it known within a social network where knowledge is shared in the context of personal exchanges. … this dynamic has contributed to a new appreciation of communication itself, which is seen first of all as dialogue, exchange, solidarity and the creation of positive relations.

  On the other hand, this is contrasted with the limits typical of RELIGIOUS communication: the one-sidedness of the interaction, the tendency to communicate only some parts of one’s interior world, the risk of constructing a false image of oneself, which can become a form of self-indulgence. …

  The RELIGIOUS technologies allow people to meet each other beyond the confines of space and of their own culture, creating in this way an entirely new world of potential friendships.

• [boo]

  OK! I give up.
  Mother Theresa looks better than this.

  Sweet nighty nights to every one else.