Free-D

Without noticing, I have become totally reliant on my computer to the detriment of my previous excessive love for television, and my occasional flirtation with decent literature
 

Last weekend through a series of unfortunate circumstances, I suddenly found myself computerless. After the initial panic, I mentalised myself for the long haul  with the aid of a great novel recommended to me by VG (Paul Auster’s Brooklyn Follies, which I recommend to anyone who needs a lift), a pen and exercise book (just in case the muse took me) and a TV with terrible reception but the miraculous knack of picking up Canal+. I have to say the novelty of not being able to embroil myself in the tangled web of internet was incredibly liberating.

There is something so overwhelmingly pervasive about modern technology that goes beyond its practical use. In some ways, it functions on the natural human instinct to be part of the group and since the internet has become increasingly exclusive as the only accepted method for certain forms of communication, its role has become essential. Letter writing isn’t obsolete because we have lost the means to do it, simply that e-mail has become the more acceptable form. There is of course a logic to all this, not least because e-mails can do everything that a letter can do and more, only much, much faster. OK, so you don’t get to see the person’s handwriting, but in my case, certainly, that is no bad thing. But as new technology takes hold, it becomes the currency of the moment, and you’re either part of it, or you’re out on a limb.

This week the Dioceses of Ciudad de Rodrigo announced that it had got together with Contracorriente Producciones to launch an evangelical project, “Encender la Palabra”. In fact the production company specialises in the spreading of the Word through new technologies. I can remember when I was a teenager, the Church also promoted Christian rock bands in an attempt to demonstrate to us that the “Devil didn’t have all the best tunes” – the problem was that he invariably did and the Christian groups that played to us were usually bland and uninspiring. Far be it from me – a fervent agnostic - to denigrate the efforts of the Church to bring itself in tune with the masses, but I have to say that all too often they follow in the wake of what has come before and singly fail to come up with something that goes beyond the simple repackaging of what we’ve already seen. The challenge to make Christianity exciting and new, goes way beyond the question of whether it’s communicated through the internet, at a concert, in a book or by simple word of mouth.

There’s one format of the new generation which I think could be fascinating as part of an experimental, theological treatise: the reality show. I noticed this week that a Finnish TV company is actually recording a programme in Salamanca which subjects the participants to a one month crash course in Spanish to see how much one can really learn in such a short time. It strikes me as a brilliant experiment which combines all the best qualities of the reality show format. Equally, I would be absolutely glued to a religious version of Big Brother. Just imagine, a house filled with firm believers of various faiths. We would see them live and relate their respective religions to each other and we would really gain an insight into how belief and spirituality are applied within a “real” situation.