Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Pope Says Technology Causes Confusion Between Reality and Fiction

Posted by samzenpus on from the where's-the-reset-button dept.

Pope Benedict XVI has warned that people are in danger of being unable to discern reality from fiction because of new technologies, and not old books. "New technologies and the progress they bring can make it impossible to distinguish truth from illusion and can lead to confusion between reality and virtual reality. The image can also become independent from reality, it can give birth to a virtual world, with various consequences -- above all the risk of indifference towards real life," he said.

7 of 779 comments (clear)

  1. If you see the pope ... by 6031769 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... tell him he owes me a new irony meter.

    --
    Burns: We're building a casino!
    McAllister: Arrr. Give me 5 minutes.
  2. This is just red meat for the /. crowd by nysus · · Score: 5, Insightful

    OK, when you're done ripping on the pope, stop and consider his point of view and what he has to say. Whether you agree or disagree, his point deserves some honest thought and debate.

    --

    ---Technology will liberate us if it doesn't enslave us first.

    1. Re:This is just red meat for the /. crowd by Mongoose+Disciple · · Score: 5, Insightful

      With respect to the specific issue of being able to tell fantasy from reality?

      Absolutely.

    2. Re:This is just red meat for the /. crowd by MoonBuggy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That may be true, but there are plenty of very good reasons to be mistrusting of Pope Benedict, religion notwithstanding. He's a powerful leader who pushes policies which cause significant harm to people's day to day lives (discouraging the use of condoms, shielding paedophiles from the accusations of their victims, perpetuating an intolerant attitude to homosexuality, and generally attempting to interfere with people who are attempting to privately live a happy life). More or less all of his public suggestions and ideas, regardless of the stated reasoning, would have the effect of increasing the power of his organisation were they carried out or taken literally.

  3. Re:Hmm by MyLongNickName · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So if I Tivo a soccer match and replay it, then the players have no free will? Essentially that is the Christian concept of God. He exists in the past, present and future and knows how everything will turn out.

    Granted, I have a problem with free will but choose to believe in it because I was predestined to....

    --
    See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
  4. Scientist Says Religion Causes Confusion by mrvan · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Scientist (well me, in any case) Says Religion Causes Confusion Between Reality and Fiction

  5. Re:Wait... by Gorkamecha · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You're not supposed to have free time - Any time that you're not working in the fields for your King/Leader/Authority figure you should be spending in contemplation on how awful a person you are, and begging for forgiveness for that. At least that's my understanding of the situation.