 |
| London-Daily Mail |
Text Conversation Versus Skype Video
In the previous post I mentioned...
'Ecclesiastes 7:27-28, verse 28 specifically, was stated to me by a friend and single Pastor from Europe in a three hour video Skype this morning, in regard to relationships with women....
He also reasons I should seek ministry work as a Revered, which I am completely unconvinced of, and always have been since it was under a consideration, although I would be very interested in teaching theology in a church, certainly.'
As we were setting up the Skype meeting I asked by text whether the Pastor wanted to text only or to chat through video.
The Pastor suggested that it would be better for us to meet on Skype to meet face to face so to speak in order to better understand each other, facial expressions, vocal tones (paraphrased) etc...
I agreed with this idea.
Prior to meeting this European Pastor online, my impression of him on Facebook was that he was reasonably well-educated and very committed to the gospel message.
However, a difficulty with his ministry as an evangelical preaching type ministry is that like many, including mine, although mine is more theological and philosophical, than preaching, is that it can read as somewhat cold, academic, controversial and divisive in today's very secular world.
The warm nature of the actual person presenting cannot really be experienced by reading his or her textual preaching and teaching, or by having a text conversation.
Through Skype it was further confirmed the Pastor was significantly educated and is committed to the gospel message.
We are both Reformed.
I found the Pastor far more warm and caring in person via Skype than through text conversation on Facebook.
My view of him definitely changed. It was positive before, but is now more so.
The Pastor stated he viewed me as an erudite scholar, but now could see how much we related, but this was only after we had met face to face, so to speak.
I can reason that I too, would seem perhaps more warm and caring in person through Skype video to people as compared to my Facebook and Blogger writing.
And as well I would seem more warm and caring than in comparison to my audio lectures which are not conversational.
For the Pastor and myself, the warmness never occurred by reading each other on Facebook and by the occasional online, Facebook discussion.
People can know each other better through face to face dialogue as opposed to text conversation or by reading text or listening to an audio presentation.
Another lesson for me in how effective human interaction works.
End
A Facebook friend posted this from British actor and comedian, Russell Brand. I am not by posting this recommending Mr. Brand as a philosopher, intellectual and celebrity as much as stating that from a secular perspective he does make some reasonable critical points in regard to pornography.
