In Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 the Bible says, "Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. If one falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble. And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."
When I read Forster's story about the machine, this passage came to mind. There are so many times in the Bible where God calls us to be there for one another and I do not think that's what was displayed in this story. If we lived out our lives through this machine where would our sense of community be? I for one do not feel like I could gain a feeling of fellowship over this machine.
God created the church for a reason and I think it's very important for us not to change this sense of unity we gain by being a body of believers. The more believers gather together, the stronger we are as a body of Christ. This is what is important, the strength we get from being with other Christians.
I believe that to achieve this face-to-face interaction is a necessity. There is nothing like standing in Vespers worshipping with a thousand other students, I do not think I could get this sense of fellowship over any sort of communication technology like the Internet, or in Forster's story "The Machine."
Or,
In thinking about how I manage long distance relationships, I don't do very well. For me, it's "out of sight, out of mind." I much prefer a face to face setting and value proximity. It's just not the same when I keep in touch through Facebook. I'm glad for that option, but I don't find it ideal. This relates to Simmel's idea of the perception of intimacy. I perceive higher levels of intimacy through face to face interaction. I perceive less intimacy through social media such as Facebook. When face to face isn't possible, I face a dilemma. Facebook doesn't really provide the level of intimacy I prefer, but isn't it better than no communication at all? Perhaps it really comes down to how much I value each long distance relationship. If it is truly valuable I should be able to find a way to be personal. For example, I would perceive a phone call as more intimate than Facebook. The question is, am I willing to take the time to make it happen? A phone call might last an hour, a wall post on Facebook takes seconds.