I don’t know if you know this or not, but the world is shrinking.  In fact, at a rate that only seems to be accelerating, the world as we know it has been shrinking since the beginning of human civilization.

Ok, I’ll drop the charade, of course the world isn’t shrinking, not literally anyway, but the accelerating pace of technological innovation, and especially communication technology, makes the world feel smaller, and smaller.  We are part of a global community like we never have been before.

And because of this, trends, and movements, and yes even crazes can touch and affect people across the globe just as much as they can impact us here on the Central Coast.  So it is, with social issues of equality and justice, and so it is with a bunch of people running around with their faces glued to their phones trying to catch little virtual ‘pocket-monsters’.

Yes, that’s right our very own San Luis Obispo and surrounding community is swept up in the sensation that is sweeping the nation, that is the release of the phone based, ‘augmented reality’ game called ‘Pokemon Go’.

Rather than try to offer what would probably be a less than sufficient explanation of the ins and outs of the game, I’ll just suggest that you go to your favorite search engine and type in “What is pokemon go”, if you need some help understanding what this whole crazy business is about.

Whether you understand it or not, and whether you participate or not, this game is a great example of how much people from all over the world can participate in the same trend, and a demonstration of the reality that in this internet age, culture can be ubiquitous in way that it never could before.  It also represents the potential for these kinds of socially geared technologies to be used to build community in a way that bypasses divisions based on all the distinctions we so often draw among ourselves.

In light of so much tragedy and darkness and chaos around us, seemingly everyday, it is these kinds of things, the potential for silly little games like Pokemon Go to draw people together from across all the dividing lines we draw between ourselves, that allows me to have hope in the face of it.  If a game like this can bring me to smile and wave at group of high school boys walking along the street as I ride my bike past (And yes they did wave back), or to strike up a conversation with a family while I’m out on a run, all because it is obvious that we are all out hunting for Pokemon, then maybe there is reason to have real hope for community to be built and for love of neighbor to triumph over hate and fear.

May it be that we all find ourselves drawn into community in these times of fear, whether it is the community of our church family, the community of our neighborhood, or the community of our chosen Pokemon Go team.

And if you were wondering, Mt. Carmel is an official Pokestop (If you don’t know what that means it’s probably best to Google: ‘what is a pokestop’, because I’m not sure I understand it either), so if you’re around the building and see people congregating outside with their phones up, and possibly making odd swiping gestures, don’t be afraid to offer them some water and maybe a bathroom break.  All that Pokemon hunting can be awfully hard work.

PEACE

Pr. Dan (Team Mystic)

P.S. Yes, people have made even more blatant connections between Pokemon Go  and the Bible than I just did.