BYU professors and students are joining the ongoing conversation about Latter-day Saint beliefs through blogging and other social networks.

“The Internet has become the new way of communication,” said Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, a BYU religious educa-tion professor.

This semester, Holzapfel decided to change his written scripture log assignment to an online blog where students can write about their feelings and experiences regarding the scriptures.

Holzapfel said his main motivation in the blog assignment was to get students thinking and writing about the scriptures, but that he has seen a lot of unintended consequences.

“You become involved in an international dialogue that’s going on,” he said.

Camilla Dollahite, a nursing major from Orem, is in Holzapfel’s class and said blogging is a way for members to step up and combat online negativity about the church.

“It’s a good way to share all the positive things about the church to a potentially worldwide audience,” she said.

Ryan Howard, from State College, Pa., said he was hesitant about the assignment at first but learned blogging is a way to have his voice heard.

“After we discussed it a little in class, I realized that blogging can actually be a pretty effective way to get ideas and opinions out there, and in the context of this assignment, increase the amount of pro-Mormon material on the Web,” he said.

Holzapfel said he urges students to make their blogs authentic and said they must include “real things about real life.”

“If the blogs are preachy, no one will read them,” he said.

Much of the involvement with social media stems from an article by Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve, in the July 2008 Ensign, called “Sharing the Gospel through Using the Internet.”

Elder Ballard wrote “The emergence of new media is facilitating a worldwide conversation on almost every sub-ject, including religion, and nearly everyone can participate.”

Elder Ballard advised members to start a blog to begin sharing what they know to be true.

“There are conversations going on about the church constantly,” he said. “Those conversations will continue whether or not we choose to participate in them. But we cannot stand on the sidelines while others, including our critics, attempt to define what the church teaches.”

Larry Richman, “ldsWebguy,” joined with additional authors last June to create the blog ldsmediatalk.com.

The blog is not affiliated with the LDS Church; however, according to the site, its purpose is to “share ideas with LDS parents and youth who are interested in learning how to use technology to strengthen families and build The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

The blog serves to provide tips on using social networks and the Internet in productive ways. Users can even be directed to other blogs posted by church members.

Holzapfel said using the Internet is just one way students and professors can fulfill the two mottos displayed at the entrance to campus, “Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve” and “The World is Our Campus.”

“The Internet is our world now,” he said. “If we don’t reach out, then the campus becomes our world and that’s not good.”

Copyright Brigham Young University 18 Nov 2008