Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Pope Francis Calls the Internet 'Gift From God'


PHOTO: Antonio Di Lucia, right, is pictured taking a "selfie" with Pope Francis, left, at St. Peters Square on Jan. 22, 2014 at the Vatican.







Even Pope Francis believes the Internet is a godsend, though probably not for the same reasons other people do. In a statement released earlier today, the pope said the Internet helped to better connect people to one another.
"The walls which divide us can be broken down only if we are prepared to listen and learn from one another," he said. "The Internet, in particular, offers immense possibilities for encounter and solidarity. This is something truly good, a gift from God."
The pope is no stranger to technology. @Pontifex, his official Twitter account, regularly tweets spiritual blessings and has received an additional 2 million followers since Pope Benedict XVI resigned. Pope Francis has also appeared in a selfie or two.
Pope Francis Makes Cold Calls to the People
But that doesn't mean the pope thinks the Internet is without flaws. Despite its vastness, he said it encouraged people to look only for things that "confirm their own wishes and ideas, or political and economic interests." He added that it could also physically isolate people from one another, and leave behind those who may not have access to social media.
"It is not enough to be passersby on the digital highways, simply 'connected," he said. "The digital world can be an environment rich in humanity, a network not of wires but of people."

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