Porgi l’altra guancia (del profilo social): le connessioni relazionali virtuali e la postura cristiana

In one of his most recent speeches, Pope Francis invited us to go through the Net as Chris- tians, with all the intentionality and will of men and women who recognize their existen- tial, educational and hermeneutic compass in the Gospel. This article discusses the possi- bility of adhering to Pope Francis’ indications in the digital contemporaneity and specif- ically in that particular segment of virtual phenomenology which are the social connec- tions (namely, the social networks), wondering if it is possible, for example, to weaken hatred on the Net by implementing the great Christian proposals that can be traced back to forgiveness, acceptance, the ability to listen and to commune with one’s neighbor and with those far away. Social networks can be educational places whenever they become a reality, albeit virtual, in which to “exercise” democratic coexistence and community understood not as a closed dimension that rejects and “bans” the foreigner and the differ- ent, but as an open and welcoming group, and then curving this posture into the non- virtual reality. In short, the metaverse is an educational place if it allows for a translation from digital to actual reality of the Christian posture, which does not change according to the surrounding circumstances, but which is always the same because it is rooted in the heart of the person. And then one can be Christian and offer the Christian educational gesture everywhere and in every place, even in the infrastructures of the Net.