Elder Ballard on Joining the New Media Conversation

It was hard to miss.

I received three different e-mails, including one from More Good Foundation, telling me about Elder Ballard's talk titled Using New Media to Support the Work of the Church. Quoting from his talk:

"There are conversations going on about the Church constantly. Those conversations will continue whether or not we choose to participate in them. But we cannot stand on the sidelines while others, including our critics, attempt to define what the Church teaches. While some conversations have audiences in the thousands or even millions, most are much, much smaller. But all conversations have an impact on those who participate in them. Perceptions of the Church are established one conversation at a time."

In the context of Know Your Neighbor, there's a paragraph that I earnestly hope will not go unnoticed. It reads:

"As you participate in this conversation and utilize the tools of New Media, remember who you are--Latter-day Saints.

Remember as the Proverb states that “a soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). And remember that “contention is of the devil."

There is no need to argue or contend with others regarding our beliefs. There is no need to become defensive or belligerent..

We simply need to have a conversation, as friends in the same room would have."

What are your thoughts?

Can we have a conversation?

Comments

[Richard K Miller]

Elder Ballard's vision is fantastic. I think there's so much good that can be done on the Internet without being contentious.

Some "conversations" on the Internet are asynchronous; we blog our expressions or faith, or record our testimony on YouTube. and then later it answers someone's question. We may not know the "conversation" happened, but it did. And then hopefully those move to more authentic conversations, including face to face.