Comments on: What Does It Mean to “Religiously Self-identify” Online?

By: Involuntary Identities: A Brief Response to John Dyer | Mere Orthodoxy

Involuntary Identities: A Brief Response to John Dyer | Mere Orthodoxy — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:36:31 +0000

[...] to John Dyer Posted by Matthew Lee Anderson @ 4:55 pm | Categories: Technology | 1 Comment` John Dyer’s latest post on the differences in how we identify ourselves in online and offline … is fascinating [...]

By: Ed Gentry

Ed Gentry — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:26:40 +0000

So how do we tag ourselves on the internet?

Because the extreme political polarity in the US in general and in US Christianity in particular, I’ve removed any political statement in Facebook. I may just adopt Josiah’s.

For my religious views I’ve been using “Post-conservative evangelical Christian” which communicates more to insiders than outsiders. I’m not sure what to change it to.

When Facebook was only church, friends, and my students from the university there was no problem. But now my professional colleges are starting to find me on Facebook. It is not clear how to tag my self so that others get an accurate idea of where I am. Sadly there is much in Christendom that I do not want to be associated with; much that makes me ashamed of the label “Christian.”

By: John Dyer

John Dyer — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 17:08:34 +0000

Wow. I love the contrast of “Christian” for religion and “Atheist” for politics. And I’m a sucker for good Ellul quotes.

By: John Dyer

John Dyer — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 17:07:26 +0000

Thanks Josiah!

By: John Dyer

John Dyer — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 17:06:44 +0000

Bill, yes I agree that usually these issues come up conversationally, not in the overt and direct way that profiles ask them.

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 07:34:50 +0000

You’re spot on the difference between online and offline self-definition.

And I like your juxtaposition of politics and religion. When I was on Facebook I listed my religious views as “Christian,” but my political views as “Atheist,” thinking of Ellul’s comment in The New Demons:

“Everything is political. Politics is the only serious activity. The fate of humanity depends upon politics, and classical philosophical or religious truth takes on meaning only as it is incarnated in political action. Christians are typical in this connection. They rush to the defense of political religion, and assert that Christianity is meaningful only in terms of political commitment. In truth, it is their religious mentality which plays this trick on them. As Christianity collapses as a religion, they look about them in bewilderment, unconsciously of course, hoping to discover where the religious is to be incarnated in their time. Since they are religious, they are drawn automatically into the political sphere like iron fillings to a magnet. …

Everything which carries the political message, everything expressed in terms of political commitment, is now justified and legitimized.

That is the new soteriology.”

By: Bill Buchanan

Bill Buchanan — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 23:48:33 +0000

Political Views: Well, I do have them occasionally
Religious Views: Isn’t it less about how I view religion and more about how I live in spite of religion?

Mine is pretty much the same across the board. The only significant difference might be the level to which I elaborate given the space or the time constraints.

I don’t recall often being asked what my “views” on politics or religion might be. The question is usually framed in a more conversational manner when “offline”.

By: Josiah Ritchie

Josiah Ritchie — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 22:45:54 +0000

I changed mine about the same time you did I think. They were vague before, but I stepped away from saying anything and towards encouraging others to engage me. As you mentioned, this is the sort of information that needs both context and I don’t want to come across hard-nosed in declaring something. I want others to know I respect them before they dismiss me for my perspective on life.

So here’s my answers on Facebook:

Political Views: I prefer to talk issues, not affiliations. They don’t really get me anything.

Religious Views: Definitions seem to cloud the truth. I’ll gladly share if you really care.