Prohibiting The 'Net to Save One Life
I received the following e-mail as part of a response to my 'Poster Watch IX' post:
"let me ask you a very simple question if all the posters stops one person from using the internet who has no business on the internet because of his or her particular situation of their personal life doesn't this nullify all the mindless aspect of it all"
Ignoring the sentence structure, the writer makes an important point. Do we ignore or do battle with new technology because of the inevitability of some people succombing to temptations that they weren't exposed to before?
The positive answer (advocated by the writer above) would be due to even one neshama being as important as the entire world. A true Jewish hashkafa.
The negative answer is, if we never do anything which would endanger anyone, (a) how do we walk out in the morning, drive a car, etc [physical danger], or (b) how do we take the subway, walk on the street in a non Jewish neighborhood, or converse with different types of people [spiritual danger]?
Obviously we weigh cost and benefit, both physical and spiritual and make our best effort to be safe. How is the 'net different?
posted by Leapa at 1/10/2006 10:30:00 AM
4 Comments:
walking outside cannot be equated with being on the net. all the examples cited were situations where a person has very little choice in the matter. being on the net is a matter of choice. the issue of internet use is a question of halacha not common sense. lets not confuse the two.
Walking outside can and should be equated, with todays' warm weather 'modesty'. And not every walk outside is necessary. The same halacha that would cover the internet would cover any exposure to immodesty.
Now, cite me a halacha, please.
common sense is in the fifth chelek of shulchan aruch. i guess common sense these days is not so common.
Do you have a darcha acharina?
What is it?
Does it lead, perhaps, to chilul Hashem, for which there is no teshuva?
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