The Lausanne Global Conversation is on the World Wide Open Network
作者: Andrew Sears
日期: 22.09.2010
Category: 媒体/技术, 和好, 城市宣教
It was decades before the Web when Martin Luther King Jr. made his famous quote that “Eleven o’clock Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in America.” MLK’s point was that the church sets a poor example in its own segregation of congregations. The effects of ongoing segregation were recently detailed in the book Divided by Faith. The basic point of the book is that the segregation of the church results in a separation of “social capital” between communities which perpetuates injustice. For example, a church member in a very resourced church who is looking for a job, may get 10 referrals from friends in the church, whereas a church member in a church where 50% of the attendees are unemployed might not get any referrals.
As society and Christian communities are increasingly online, could the same statement be applied to online Christian communities? If it is true, then what would be the effects?
I used to develop models to answer questions like this as a researcher at MIT. While at MIT, I co-founded the Internet and Telecoms Consortium, which was a multidisciplinary research group that examined the social implications of the Internet. Since then, for the past 10 years I’ve been working in low-income communities to try to address the digital divide, which is the gap between those who have access and training with technology and those without.
Now I am seeing another social divide appearing that could shine light on segregation and injustice in a way not seen since the civil-rights movement. Historians say that television made much of the civil-rights movement possible because it enabled the average American to see on television the injustices that had existed for many years. Before television, these injustices where essentially invisible to the average American, but when they saw it, they could not stand the hypocrisy of allowing it to continue.
Now, I believe that we are on the cusp of another such movement of God that will be enabled by technology—this time through online technologies. Before the advent of online social networks, individual social networks were essentially invisible. Researchers may know a few of their friends, and their friends’ friends, but beyond that, researchers have very little means of assessing social networks on a mass scale. But now with social networking sites like LinkedIn, I can be connected to over 2 million individuals by 3 degrees of separation (friends, friend of friends, and their friends). This makes social networks visible in ways that were not possible before. In going through profiles on social networking sites, I was shocked at seeing how racially segregated most people’s lists of friends are.
My belief is that online social networks will reveal how injustice is perpetuated by segregation. They will show segregated social networks keep the under resourced from accessing resources. This will enable us to quantify and prove the effects of this segregation in a way not possible before. My hope is that when faced with that reality, Americans will again not be able to stand the hypocrisy.
My thought is that rather than trying to point the finger at everyone else, the church should first start by examining its own record in online segregation. My own interest in online segregation in the Church comes from my role as Executive Director of a Christian nonprofit organization called TechMission, which uses technology and online services to help serve under-resourced communities. I started to see the effects of this segregation when we launched our website ChristianVolunteering.org to match volunteers with volunteer opportunities, similar to how Monster.com helps people find jobs but for Christian volunteers. I found that the past 10 years of living in the ‘hood changed my social network and I quickly saw the results of that. Within a few months our organization had secured partnerships with most major national Christian organizations serving under-resourced communities—not surprising since our staff and I all had strong relationships with people in those organizations.
We did a similar push for partnerships with organizations with ties into more resourced communities and urban churches. Same amount of effort, but with almost zero results. Then I got to thinking about it. The longer I’ve been in the ‘hood the fewer ties I have with resourced people, and the same is true for most of my friends. Then I thought, “Well if you won’t partner with us, at least give us a link on your website.” We could not even get that.
I started doing a little research, and I found that the market value of the time given by faith-based volunteers in the USA is $51.8 billion. I found that the combined budgets of USA churches is $285 billion. This is an enormous amount of capital and social capital ($336.8 billion), and is almost as large as the entire non-military discretionary budget of the US government ($350 billion). The problem everyone agrees exists is that the Church is often to focused inward on itself, a fact that research reports that show that only 7-15% of these volunteers serve the larger community beyond the walls of the church. The end result is that if each church keeps the majority of its resources to itself, and individual churches themselves are segregated, then the church could be unintentionally perpetuating injustice by hording resources in the wealthy churches.
Most people, while shocked at this issue, just give up and say, “Well what can you do?” That is the question to consider. It is an important question in the age of the Internet, because it will soon be possible for researchers to quantify how the segregation of our own social networks could unintentionally perpetuate injustice. It is fine to have the television cameras pointing to those racist people somewhere else, but the Internet could make this personal.
Here is just one example. While it might take years to quantify the value of individual Christian and church social networks and how strongly they are segregated, a much easier assessment is to measure how different Christian websites link to each other. If churches and ministries are segregated, then it is likely that links from one ministry to another would also be segregated. After all, most people link to who they know, and most people know people of a similar racial and socioeconomic background to themselves.
Based on my past research experience, I decided to build a basic model to estimate the “cost” of this online segregation of links. While this is a very rough model, I am making it available in a Wiki format where others can contribute to improve it (http://www.urbanministry.org/wiki/online-segregation-model).
The result of this model is that in the USA alone, the cost of this online segregation to ministries serving under-resourced communities is about $432 million per year. In other words, by perpetuating segregation online, resourced ministries are getting a net benefit of $432 million each year, while ministries serving under resourced communities are losing the same amount.
Keep in mind that while this article focuses on the cost of online segregation in the church, the effects of online segregation on the entire web Web are much larger (given that the Christian web traffic is a small portion of overall web traffic). My quick guess is that that online segregation in across the web probably costs the poor of billions of dollars. This is assuming that you counted the value of non-commercial links.
Here’s how it works. If everyone links to people they know, the result is that a disproportionate number of resourced individuals and ministries will link to each other because that is who they know, while ministries serving underresourced communities are stuck in a virtual ghetto with few people linking to them.
The net result is that for ministries trying to tap into the $51.8 billion worth of faith-based volunteers for resources, it is difficult to get the word out because of online segregation. With the Salvation Army, TechMission, Rescue Missions, Black and Latino churches are all linking to each other to recruit volunteers. The problem is that without connection to the rest of the Body of Christ it is kind of like having a job fair with all unemployed people, but almost no one offering jobs.
So what do we do about this? It’s actually very simple compared to segregation in the physical world. While it might be more difficult to move your family to the ‘hood for the sake of justice, it is very easy to put links on your MySpace profile, blog or website to ministries like the Salvation Army, ChristianVolunteering.org, UrbanMinistry.org and Rescue Missions. Each of those links not only refers people to those sites, but it also boosts their popularity in search engines. That is worth big money—probably close to $211 million per year. Because these organizations are experienced in leveraging funds, it is likely that $211 million in online traffic could be turned into much more. An increase of 10% in the number of faith-based volunteers serving out in the community would represent an increase in $5.2 billion in resources going toward under-resourced communities. That is worth putting a few links on your website.
It is likely that over half of the traffic driven by Christian links on the web is driven by non-commercial links that are essentially free and could easily be directed toward ministries serving under-resourced communities. Think of it as the online equivalent of giving your spare change to the bell-ringers during Christmas. It may not seem like much, but it quickly adds up.
Commercial sites could contribute too. Even the most competitive companies like Wal-Mart allow Salvation Army bell-ringers outside their doors during the holidays because it costs them nothing and they benefit from the PR. Similarly, the amount of advertizing that can be fit on a webpage is not limited, so those selling Christian advertizing could easily give away some and have a net gain in PR. Even Google gives away valuable advertising space to nonprofits through its Google Grants program. Online ministries following Biblical values should at least do the same.
From my experience at TechMission, this is not yet happening in the Christian community. In fact, secular commercial companies like MySpace have driven much more traffic to our websites than Christian sites have, because these companies realize the value of corporate philanthropy.
TechMission is making this appeal because in many ways we are a global leader in technology and online services in the Christian social services sector. Our partners across our websites include the Salvation Army, World Vision, the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions, Christian Community Development Association, Urban Youth Workers Institute, YouthPartnersNet (formerly Compassion USA), UrbNet and Here’s Life Inner City (Campus Crusade). Together they serve over 35 million individuals from low-income communities each year.
The Internet represents a unique opportunity in history to address injustice and segregation, but just like any tool, it can also perpetuate injustice unless we are intentional in how we use it. God has called us to be stewards of this opportunity, and so far we have not done that very well. But this can be easily changed. All we have to do is to be intentional and give what we can. In doing this, I believe that there is a historic opportunity to address injustice in this generation.
关键词: segregation, technology, online, techmission, urbanministry.org, christianvolunteering.org
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评论: 6
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肯尼亚
HI Andrew. In response to your response!
Under number 1 you say ‘that is not a Biblical response’. So then on that basis, it seems that we might ought to follow the Bible even if we are doing ‘more harm than good’? I struggle a bit there. Are we so legalistically oriented as to follow the Scriptures even if that hurts someone? I mean this is a silly example – but the Bible does say kiss, and that’s what Judas did to Jesus. The Old T. often talks about killing one’s enemies. We are told to give to ceasar – but nowadays we have prime ministers and presidents. …
Bear in mind also, that the context is not as in Jesus’ time. As people say of gender issues I guess. Now we have a context where there is a megga machine called capitalism that perpetuates advantage on one side. Does that mean that one side must always be dominant? Also – that no-one (?) operated in the Bible as ‘donors’ do today. …
Would it not be true to say that if you are ‘productively sharing resources so as to build the kingdom’ then the chances are the kingdom is being built on resources – otherwise known as the prosperity gospel?
If technology is consistently the way to support ‘real relationship’, then how can one again know that the relationship is real?
The internet could bring people together. Yes. Over the airways. But not necessarily in reality, in mutual understanding etc. etc.
Imagine being in a ‘poor’ community. You are there as a believer. But, it has been decided that the ‘poor’ need the internet. They, of course, do not know how to set up internet, but you do. There are 1000 poor needing a computer each. You will have no time for any task other than raising funds for, installing and maintaining computers … it seems to me. Is that the kind of ‘relationship building’ a missionary ought to be engaged in?
Another instance. Someone is ‘poor’ but content. Do we want to make them discontented by connecting them with wealthy people who have churches that have more rooms in them than the poor person’s whole village … Godliness with contentment is great gain …
I don’t think the issues with resources are used as an excuse not to give. But, the availability of a surplus of resources to give is used as an excuse ‘not to go’.
27.09.2010
美国
Thank you for your comments. I believe that they add a lot to the conversation. Here are some of my thoughts in response.
Anyway, thanks again for your comments.
27.09.2010
肯尼亚
Unfortunately ... the West’s pre-occupying itself with making sure their technology gets everywhere ... is self-empowering (as they then control the agenda) and as a result de-powering for others. It is also taking the agenda away from spiritual / scriptural issues, and towards financial and technical ones -where they also happen to be the strongest. Reaching the end of this process is like trying to find the end point in a circle. It will never end. Is it time to break out of this ’trap’?
26.09.2010
阿尔巴尼亚
[English. Për Shqip, shikoni poshtë] Thank you, Andrew, for drawing our attention to the disparity in access to online resources. I appreciate your intelligent and resourceful work in developing a model to quantify this great divide. I also appreciate your commitment to making the expertise of your highly connected and experienced ministry available globally, to help all of us come up to speed.
Is it possible that this approach fails to take into consideration non-tangibles that are even more important, especially outside of the quantification grid of the west? The highly relational approach inherent in the east suggests additional factors, which might even be relevant in the west.
Here in Albania, there is more of a concern for establishing and nurturing real relationships through mediated communication, rather than how much a link or set of links might mean monetarily. Your concept of social capital as a monetary figure jumps out as foreign to the real social capital (might I add, spiritual capital) of those who pray and partner because they know us and identify with our challenges to reach the world.
Those of us who have lived through a Marxist concept of a material world disconnected from an infinite creator could identify with the reasoning you presented based on the USA: "... by perpetuating segregation online, resourced ministries are getting a net benefit of $432 million each year, while ministries serving under resourced communities are losing the same amount." [emphasis added] I would suggest that the blessing that comes to those connecting with online funding does not truly mean loss for those who do not connect, because in God’s economy, He is able to bless out of proportion to the resources, and He is also able to empower volunteers and create impact out of nothing (or at least virtually nothing).
I welcome additional comments to help us wrestle with these issues from a global perspective. Blessings from Albania!
SHQIP: Falëminderit, Endru, që ti tërheq vëmendjen tonë ndaj dallimeve në marrjën e burimeve "online." Vlerësoj punën tënde inteligjente dhe të kujdesshme në zhvillim të një modeli për ta vlerësuar këtë dallim me monedha. Gjithashtu vlerësoj përkushtimin dhe gatishmërinë tënde për të mësuar gjithë pjesët e tjera të botës, të cilat mund të përfitojnë për të hyrë në shekullin 21 për sa i përket teknologjisë në shërbim të mbretërisë së Perëndisë.
Megjithatë, a është e mundshme që kjo mënyrë harron vlera të paprekshme, të cilat mund të jenë edhe më të rëndesishme, sidomos për botën që gjendet jashtë perëndimit? Marrëdhëniet e thella, siç është zakoni dhe sipas vlerave të lindjes, na tregojnë faktore të tjerë, të cilat mund të vlejnë edhe më shumë në krahasim me ato që ti përmende në artikullin tënd.
Këtu në Shqipëri, merakosemi më shumë për të nisur dhe për të ushqyer marrëdhënie reale me anë të teknologjisë, se sa të mendojmë sa na vlen një lidhje e tillë me lek apo euro. Kapitali social si një koncept me vlerë në monedhë përplaset me kuptimin e kapitalit social të vërtet (mund të shtoj edhe konceptin e kapitalit shpirtëror!), të vërtetuar me ata që mbajnë lidhje me ne në ndërmjetësim dhe lloj-lloj partneritetesh, duke u identifikuar me ne në sfidat që kemi për të arritur botën e paarritur.
Një interpretim Marksist-Leninist përputhet me një frazë nga shkrimi yt, por harron këtë fakt: ne nuk jetojmë në një botë të çlidhur nga krijuesi ynë, në të cilën fitimi i njërit është për shkak të humbjës së tjetrit! Ndërsa ti përmend: "... duke vazhduar dallime online, shërbesa me burime plot [në ShBA] përfitojnë çdo vit nga $432 milion USD, ndërsa shërbesat e cila përkushtohen për komunitete të pafavorizuara humbasin të njëjtën sasi!" Sugjeroj se bekimi financiar për ata që e fitojnë me lidhje online, nuk do të thotë humbja e së njëjtës sasie për ata që nuk e fitojnë. Pse? Sepse në ekonominë e Zotit Krijuesi i gjithçkaje, Ai është në gjendje të bekojë jashtëmase, jashtë proporcionëve të burimeve! Ai fuqizon të pafuqishmit vullnetarë, krijon dhe bekon nga asgjeja apo nga burime minimale!
Ne mirëpresim komente të tjerë për të përpunuar këto mendime edhe më shumë nga një këndvështrim mbarëbotëror. Bekime nga Shqipëria!
SHQIP: Falëminderit, Endru, që ti tërheq vëmendjen tonë ndaj dallimeve në marrjën e burimeve "online." Vlerësoj punën tënde inteligjente dhe të kujdesshme në zhvillim të një modeli për ta vlerësuar këtë dallim me monedha. Gjithashtu vlerësoj përkushtimin dhe gatishmërinë tënde për të mësuar gjithë pjesët e tjera të botës, të cilat mund të përfitojnë për të hyrë në shekullin 21 për sa i përket teknologjisë në shërbim të mbretërisë së Perëndisë.
Megjithatë, a është e mundshme që kjo mënyrë harron vlera të paprekshme, të cilat mund të jenë edhe më të rëndesishme, sidomos për botën që gjendet jashtë perëndimit? Marrëdhëniet e thella, siç është zakoni dhe sipas vlerave të lindjes, na tregojnë faktore të tjerë, të cilat mund të vlejnë edhe më shumë në krahasim me ato që ti përmende në artikullin tënd.
Këtu në Shqipëri, merakosemi më shumë për të nisur dhe për të ushqyer marrëdhënie reale me anë të teknologjisë, se sa të mendojmë sa na vlen një lidhje e tillë me lek apo euro. Kapitali social si një koncept me vlerë në monedhë përplaset me kuptimin e kapitalit social të vërtet (mund të shtoj edhe konceptin e kapitalit shpirtëror!), të vërtetuar me ata që mbajnë lidhje me ne në ndërmjetësim dhe lloj-lloj partneritetesh, duke u identifikuar me ne në sfidat që kemi për të arritur botën e paarritur.
Një interpretim Marksist-Leninist përputhet me një frazë nga shkrimi yt, por harron këtë fakt: ne nuk jetojmë në një botë të çlidhur nga Krijuesi ynë, në të cilën fitimi i njërit është për shkak të humbjës së tjetrit! Ndërsa ti përmend: "... duke vazhduar dallime online, shërbesa me burime plot [në ShBA] përfitojnë çdo vit nga $432 milion USD, ndërsa shërbesat e cila përkushtohen për komunitete të pafavorizuara humbasin të njëjtën sasi!" Sugjeroj se bekimi financiar për ata që e fitojnë me lidhje online, nuk do të thotë humbja e së njëjtës sasie për ata që nuk e fitojnë. Pse? Sepse në ekonominë e Zotit Krijuesi i gjithçkaje, Ai është në gjendje të bekojë jashtëmase, jashtë proporcionëve të burimeve! Ai fuqizon të pafuqishmit vullnetarë, krijon dhe bekon nga asgjeja apo nga burime minimale!
Ne mirëpresim komente të tjerë për të përpunuar këto mendime edhe më shumë nga një këndvështrim mbarëbotëror. Bekime nga Shqipëria!
26.09.2010
南非
This is way out the box of the conversations I’ve been following, but I like it! You’ll have me thinking for days on this one...
I’ve seen that the Online segregation in my own congregation is not racial or cultural (we’re a well mixed South African congregation) but generational. The youth are almost 100% up to speed on social networking, whether on mix-it, Facebook or Twitter. Their parents (and our church leaders) and parent’s parents are lagging way behind... Any thoughts on that and the implications?
23.09.2010
肯尼亚
Hi Andrew, Thanks for this contribution.
I may not be fully grasping the direction of this interesting article. I understand however, that it is trying to ensure that communities should not be ‘omitted’ just because they are under resourced.
Can one not apply ‘dependency thinking’ to this issue? That is, under resourced people are as such for a reason. They are still developing resources. But, a rush of outside resources can swamp / kill such ‘indigenous development’.
The same applies to ‘race’ issues that you also mention. I suggest that it is important to allow different races ‘freedom’ and not always to ‘swamp’ them from the economically powerful and efficiently-operating West.
I may have got ‘the wrong end of the stick’ – in which case please forgive me! But, it seems to me that an over-enthusiasm for sharing of resources has done much damage to the resource-poor. I understand that to be the case for some native American communities. I perceive it to be the case in Africa. When it comes to race – I have tried to make such a case in this article: http://www.jim-mission.org.uk/articles/issues-of-race-in-relating-to-africa.html
Please tell me if I have misunderstood! Thanks.
22.09.2010
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