Throw the word ‘virtual’ out of your vocabulary

I can’t believe the word is still staying alive!

There is nothing virtual about the people on the internet. Everyone of them is real.

There is nothing virtual about the people I care and pray for whom I have met on Twitter, Facebook and my blog.

This reality needs to be embraced in order to bring the Kingdom to the community that is the internet.

Because there is nothing virtual about the Kingdom_

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15 Responses to “Throw the word ‘virtual’ out of your vocabulary”

  1. Stephen Bateman June 23, 2009 at 10:33 am #

    Word. I have to continually remember that all of the blogs I follow have real people behind them.

    Keep it up!

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  2. Manda June 23, 2009 at 12:23 pm #

    Interesting suggestion. But, what to substitue to differentiate between "physical" people/spaces/things from those you experience in the online sphere? Or, do you call for no differentiation at all?

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  3. Vince June 23, 2009 at 12:52 pm #

    @Manda // I think that a relationship is real or it is not. That's not to say that you can't give context to a relationship… e.g. – my brother or my neighbor…a Twitter friend, etc.

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  4. Manda June 23, 2009 at 1:04 pm #

    Agreed. But, I do feel differently about my relationships that exist *only* in an online space. Though we are real people, it just seems different.

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  5. Vince June 23, 2009 at 1:12 pm #

    @Manda // nothing wrong with different. My relationship with my wife is certainly different than that of my next door neighbor.

    What has change is that 'online' relationships are now 'real' too.

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  6. Manda June 23, 2009 at 1:19 pm #

    True and good. But, do you think that most people use the word "virtual" to mean "online" or "existing on the computer" instead of its "classical" meaning?

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  7. Vince June 23, 2009 at 1:36 pm #

    @Manda // It's probably just semantics. But the implication of the word virtual, is that online relationships aren't real. That's all I'm saying.

    Not unlike the phrase African American, which makes two implications that aren't necessarily true.

    1- All black people in America are from Africa

    2- Only black people come from Africa

    But the fact is that the phrase means something else in our culture so we go with it. Since the 'virtual' thing is so new…maybe we have a chance to make it right before it gets ingrained.

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  8. Manda June 23, 2009 at 1:39 pm #

    Yes! Go down in history. Coin the phrase that everyone will use to describe our "virtualities." Blog it and get famous. :-D I'm seriously into words/etymology/usage.

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  9. Vince June 23, 2009 at 1:43 pm #

    @Manda // i'll tell you what, you start a blog on words/etymology/usage and I'll guest post when I think of the word.

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  10. Manda June 23, 2009 at 1:47 pm #

    tempting….

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  11. Don June 25, 2009 at 4:13 am #

    I agree, virtual is a word used by older people and Luddites who still connect to AOL.

    Many of them see no reason to pray or spread the Gospel along these avenues :-(

    BTW, how long until we start seeing World of Warcraft and Call of Duty evangelism?

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  12. Vince June 25, 2009 at 4:54 am #

    @Don // I have talked with some WOW players about the possibility of bringing Jesus to that community. Its definitely ripe for it. I have a contact at Blizzard.

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  13. Granny ila July 8, 2009 at 4:12 pm #

    Hi

    I had to laugh about St. Augustine Grass….it is different from crab grass….I agree, St. Augustine grass is the worlds worst. We had it at a house we owned in Dana Point. Can't abuse it if you try. Ideal for a dog or on the freeway!!! We have "virtually" nothing but crab grass!

    I wanted to print AJ's picture by the bridge and when I hit print…it printed and printed and printed!!!

    In reading Chuck Colson's book, Loving God, he talks about being Holy and Holiness and quotes someone and says, "Holiness is obeying God, even if it is against our own interests. T thought that was profound. I just need to be reminded daily!

    So glad you like it there, we Pray for all of you. Oh, yes, I saw a Whipit (?) last week and it was even uglier than Titus!!! :-)

    Love you

    Granny ILa

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Trackbacks/Pingbacks:

  1. Vince Marotte - June 23, 2009

    Please throw out the word ‘virtual’ – http://is.gd/1aQUV

  2. Vince Marotte - June 23, 2009

    The conversation about ‘virtual’ just turned into a conversation about where black people come from – http://is.gd/1bmUG

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