What Christians in Conflict should look like (Conclusion)

From the Bible passages I’ve been looking at this week, it seems there is a clear model for what Christians in conflict should look like. Although it could be argued that these teachings were written thousands of years before the internet, many Christians believe the Bible to be God’s word to Christians even in the present day, and that they should therefore interpret its teachings to relate them to life today. Consequently, Christians who wish to use the internet to its full potential, must consider these teachings, and find a way to apply to them to his/her interactions on the internet.

It seems to me that the examples of Christians in conflict on the internet that I’ve been looking at throughout this blog are not consistent with these Christians teachings. For example, in the Todd Bentley and Steve Chalke case studies, Christians were acting in a rude, aggressive manner, hardly reflective of these teachings to be kind and sensitive, and to end conflicts quickly. Moreover, the passage I looked at from 2 Timothy taught that Christians should avoid unnecessary arguments - and I wouldn’t describe the bitter disagreements on youtube as central to Christian interaction…

Furthermore, on the topic of identity, the Bible clearly teaches honesty, encouraging believers to be open with each other, and not to lie. I think this is important when a Christian comes to construct their identity on the internet. The Bible states that Christians should not be ashamed of their identity in Christ, and in light of these teachings it seems Christians should be willing to acknowledge their Christian commitment in their online identities.

Lastly, even for Christians who spend more time on the internet than reading the Bible, there are clear summaries of the Bible teachings on conflict available on the Internet. Perhaps some of these Christians have disconnected from their real-life identities; perhaps others are choosing to ignore these teachings, favouring anonymity and flexibility of morals available on the internet.