Josh Benner

Category: Facebook

  • Evangelism Training Podcast #5 Dr. David Gustafson

    Evangelism Training Podcast #5 Dr. David Gustafson

    In this episode, we talk to Dr. David Gustafson on his newest book “Gospel witness through the ages” and discuss the history of evangelism. Each generation has its own challenges of making Jesus known to the world. But as we study the history of evangelism, we see that the challenges of one generation or culture have also been the same challenges which other believers have faced in other times and places.

  • CNN host calls Parler an echo chamber. Fails to realize CNN is its own echo chamber

    I was struck by recent comments from Brian Stelter on CNN. In a conversation with Pamela Brown, they criticized the new Twitter-alternative, Parler.

    Stelter said: “People are going more and more into their own echo chambers. More and more into their own bubbles, especially Trump voters. There’s this new social media app called Parler getting a lot of attention. Because Conservatives are leaving – saying their leaving Twitter and Facebook, and going off to Parler because they believe Parler is a safer space for them. What we’re seeing is even more of a bunker mentality from right wing media, and ultimately that is not good for the country.

    Brown goes on to call that a “threat to democracy.”

    I think that’s all very rich. You have a progressive news network criticizing Conservatives for going into echo chambers. They need to look in a mirror. I love that they want to say this is “not good for the country,” when people are making an exodus for apps like Parler because of progressive liberalism, its influence on tech, and its crackdowns on free speech. So then what is good for the country? A nation where the only discourse which is acceptable is what progressives deem worthy? That’s great for a free society and for democracy.

    I’ve heard progressives justify the censorship of big tech as that simply being the free market at work. Well so are apps like Parler and Rumble. That’s the market correcting itself.

    Our society has become an echo chamber for progressive thought. They control the mainstream media. They overwhelmingly control higher education and public schools. Liberals control Hollywood (how many outspoken Conservative actors can you name). The sports industry has gone woke. And so has tech. Social media platforms who were created as platforms which once promoted free speech now have political agendas.

    Don’t get me wrong. Echo chambers are a bad thing. That’s why I regularly get my news from a diverse array of news sources such as the New York Times, Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, NPR, BBC, the Federalist, and Daily Wire. And while they’re not a good thing, all people, regardless of political belief can be susceptible of falling into echo chambers. That’s why I value having friends who have a diverse array of opinions.

    People love to attack the “right wing conspiracies,” but why does no one question the conspiracy theories of the left? We went four years hearing how Trump colluded with the Russians and how Trump stole the 2016 election. People mock the right for questioning this election, but the left was questioning the integrity of the process before the election happened. My point? Both sides can be capable of echo chambers and conspiracies.

    But creating an account on Parler does not mean you’re doomed to fall down that rabbit hole.

    Stelter and Brown can call apps who do promote free speech to be threats to democracy but what they really are is threats to the power of progressivism in controlling what people see and think.

    No, people are not going to Parler just to spread conspiracies. But not all stories which are censored on Twitter and Facebook are objectively false, and people don’t want platforms to dictate what they can post. Secondly, as these sites increased their crackdown of opposing views this election cycle, I think many people have signed up for alternative platforms as a hedge against being kicked off of Facebook and Twitter (I’m not saying I think it will come to that).

    You can follow me on Parler @Joshbenner or on Twitter @JoshBennerBlog

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  • Parler explodes in popularity. Is it a new frontier?

    Just a thought.

    Parler was the most popularly downloaded app this weekend. With increased censorship on social media platforms, many Conservatives have flocked to Parler, a microblogging site, similar to Twitter. (By the way, you can find me on Parler @Joshbenner).

    There’s nothing wrong with new social networking sites, but it’s interesting to consider the explosive growth of Parler in the fallout of the presidential election and in a time with increased censorship online.

    I think about that and I think about other industries (especially in the world of information). Social media sites that used to be free avenues of communication are cracking down on people who don’t agree with their views or face checkers. Trust in mainstream media is at an all time low. We’re seeing other companies that are catering to a Conservative base. There’s Patriot Mobile, who advertises themselves as “America’s only Conservative cell phone company.”

    All of these make me wonder if there could be increased political proliferation in the open market. Lots of companies support and pander to a progressive base. Just look at all of the rainbow logos during pride month. Look at the companies

    With social media, big tech has all but pushed people to find alternatives in a way that other industries haven’t. If left unchecked, we could be at the beginning of that trend. But as people look to alternative media sources, to alternative social networks, will consumers seek this out in other industries as well?

    I don’t have a crystal ball. But I see the incredible political division in our country right now, and think two things: it could. happen. And I sadly think it would only continue to further the political divide in our nation.

    Pride Month Logos

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  • Best of 2018. #3 Cell phones and the cost of reliving the moment

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    As 2018 comes to a close, I am sharing some of my top posts from this year. 

    Sometimes we get so caught up in trying to relive the moment that we don’t really live it the first time. (more…)

  • Cell phones and the cost of reliving the moment

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    Sometimes we get so caught up in trying to relive the moment that we don’t really live it the first time.

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    I was watching Evel Live Sunday night, when daredevil Travis Pastrana was breaking some of Evel Knievel’s records. The culmination of the event was Pastrana taking a ramp and jumping the fountains at Ceasar’s Palace, something Knievel was seriously injured attempting in 1967.

    Look at this picture.

    It’s like a Where’s Waldo for anyone who’s actually watching without looking at this stunt through a screen.

    We miss out on so much because we get so focused on trying to capture moments that I worry we don’t really live them at the time. I’m not saying this to judge. I can be terrible with this.

    I love photography and capturing pictures. And obviously there’s nothing wrong with pictures. But I feel like our culture (especially my generation and the younger generation), if we don’t have some sort of video or photo of commemorating an event, it’s almost not worth doing. And thats’ a sad thing.

    For the people who were at Evel Live, how much time will they really spend rewatching their video? I’m sure they’ll share it on Facebook and Instagram. I’m sure it’ll get likes. But then more things will get shared, and people will forget. And you’ll forget.

    There are some great moments where a photo or video will just never do it justice. There are some things that will always be better preserved as a memory. I remember one time when I was in seminary. There was a lockdown on campus (someone had robbed a nearby hotel and there was concern he had come onto campus). I was in class at the time and so the professor had us exit and wait for the all clear in a teacher’s lounge. So what do a bunch of people in seminary do during a lockdown?

    We sang hymns. There were a bunch of hymnals in the teachers lounge and we sang various songs. But the one that I remember from that night is “It is well,” one of the most popular Christian hymns in the English language. I don’t have a video of it. I don’t have the audio of it. But to me, the best rendition I’ve ever heard of that song will always be with my class that night.

    Was it really that great? Probably not. But in my memory, it sounded almost like an angelic chorus.

    Sometimes things are better as memories.

    I watched a TED talk a couple weeks ago called “Hello my name is Alecia and I’m a recovering photoholic.” I think she hits the nail on the head when she says that a big part of our obsession with photos isn’t always about capturing a moment for ourselves, but that it’s taking a photo to share on social media just to show people we were there.

    Smart phones are an incredible tool that would have been the pride of virtually all of human history. It’s like something out of the future that we have constant connection to the world, news, information, and entertainment in a device that fits in our pocket.

    There are rising rates of depression, loneliness, and suicidal thoughts in teenagers and some researchers believe that smart phones are part of the reason in this spike. Smart phones should bring freedom but they often bring self imposed tyranny into our lives. Constantly needing to broadcast ourselves, our thoughts, our pictures and videos. The likes we receive giving us small hits of dopamine, and we get addicted and need more and more.

    But it’s not helping us, it’s hurting us.

    My point isn’t that we shouldn’t have photos or videos of anything. But do we need them of everything? I see friends who have portraits taking of their kids for a first birthday. Obviously that makes sense. Little kids grow up fast and commemorating moments. For me, I can’t imagine not having photos of my wedding day.

    But are the photos we take usually of monumental events?

    I’m also not saying that photos are only worth taking on a special occasion. Nor am I judging because I’m terrible with how much time I spend on my phone. It’s something where I see that I need to personally do better. I’ve been trying to do better in the evening at putting my phone away. I’ve deleted certain apps from my phone where I’m prone to spend a lot of time.

    I think we need to evaluate the roles that cell phones and technology are playing in our daily lives. I think a good starting place is for us to take more time living in the moment.

    Josh Benner is the associate pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He enjoys writing about faith and culture. He lives with his wife Kari in Minnesota.

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