#1 has a narrow view of what the internet is. Most people don’t log on to consumer web sites, but I would expand “the internet” to include things like mobile phones (even voice calls use the greater internet now), shipping/logistics systems that delivered the food you’re eating, the scheduling system that set up their dentist appointment, etc. Even if people aren’t using the internet directly, they are somehow dependent on its existence in their daily lives, just like you can contribute to oil dependency without owning a car.

Replace “the internet” with “the consumer web” and the point totally holds though.

I think #2 depends on personalities and preferences. For me, the internet makes me much more social. I’d be social in any case, but the ready availability of communication tools makes it easy to do things with people as often as I like.

The internet, specifically the social parts, do change change our social groups from being location-based to being affinity-based. I’m closer with certain people around the world than I am with my neighbors. In some cases I like this because I can pick the people I interact with. In other cases it keeps me from meeting people nearby. For lots of people this is literally a life saver. Gay kids in small towns, deaf people who can’t have a face-to-face conversation but can thrive on IM, etc. But for a lot of people it does end up being ultimately isolating.

There’s a huge gap between online interaction and physical human interaction. After spending 15 years on the internet I’ve been trying hard to replace the former with the latter as much as possible.

#3 is a good one to keep in mind, but I think this also applies to the more frivolous parts of the consumer web. People who are actually starving care about nothing besides getting some food, but as soon as they rise above that level they start wanting things that the internet can really help out with, like freedom from dictators and communication with their family.

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The whole “internet industry” is certainly still in the early stages, and nobody knows what it will end up looking like. I hope that we’re in the tool-building phase right now, and the high prices associated with that are the main reason why big companies (and companies that intend to become big) are dominating. I hope that prices will continue to drop and people will keep taking on more responsibility for their own online experiences.

I hope the internet ends up a little like New York City, which is both the home of the largest corporations and the home of small, independent businesses. It’s also a place where you can meet up with any affinity group you could ever think of, and also make a good living playing a trumpet in a subway station

I call myself an “atheist” but I define this term in a way that other people would call “agnostic.” That is to say, I take a stance that’s similar to the one science takes regarding extraterrestrial life or shamanic healing. The jury is out. Some people make a distinction between “negative” and “positive” atheism. So-called “negative” atheists would say the existence of god is uncertain because it has yet to be proven, whereas “positive” atheists feel certain that there is no god. In this sense, I am a “negative” atheist, but some people prefer “agnostic” because it’s a less loaded label.

Anna: I agree that one of the nicest things about the New Church (or at least Swedenborg’s teachings) is the acknowledgement that a person’s “religion” is not the same as their “church” – that religion really only exists inside us. This makes the New Church more tolerant and respectful toward other beliefs than many faiths seem to be. I’m guessing it’s also the reason the New Church doesn’t work as hard as other churches to spread itself. There’s a belief that divine providence is guiding everything, which means our own power is limited and our understanding of things is incomplete and possibly wrong.

Jesse: There’s a lot in your comment. I can really relate to the complicated nature of your feelings about Bryn Athyn. I didn’t focus on this very much in my post, and I honestly don’t think about Bryn Athyn very much. But then it isn’t “closed” to me to the extent I imagine it feels for you. I don’t miss the church, or the community at all. Bryn Athyn – as you point out – is especially adept at rationalizing its own prejudices. I don’t even miss my friends. The only thing I really miss is the safety and… I don’t know… coziness of it. As a child I could roam anywhere around there. Everyone knew everyone, so it was like I had a lot of guardian angels. I spent every day of every summer at the swim club, or deep in the woods. I didn’t see my parents at all between breakfast and dinner time, and they didn’t necessarily know where I was. But they knew the community had their back.

Thank you for sharing your journey with me. I liked reading it and find the progression of thought and experience interesting. I have struggled with some of the same issues and haven’t blogged about it and think what a great idea to share with the world. I imagine so many people can relate to the leaving small town behind and opening your eyes to what is really out there.

I have come to believe that what I took away from my religion classes and my upbringing is mostly good with some funky things that don’t serve me now and I still love the church and consider myself a Swedenborgan and so much of it has shaped my life.

My favorite teaching is that the Lord flows through me and listening to His voice is what I strive for.

I believe each person has a god in their life no matter who they are. Whoever they worship and we all worship someone or something. I worship an understanding God who brings compassion integrity and respect to life and loves all creation. A God who wants me to love myself follow my heart, because I am part of his creation.

There is a big shift happening in the church right now and they have a new service that I love, http://www.NewChurchLive.com with Rev. Chuck Blair, whom I love as a minister. It is about bringing your church and your God to your life everyday by serving the neighbor. It is about sparking the passions within to make the change without. It is usually always an inspiring service for me. They have an awesome band that plays awesome music. Do you remember the Edwin Herder band. It is very much like that. Wow does the service move me.
The church is opening it’s doors to the great population. No more closed society and I love this for many reasons. When I was growing up we were so closed like the bubble you talk about.

Great to share my thoughts on your blog, brings clarity to my life.

BTW Congradulations on your marriage.