It doesn’t take long when you connect to the Internet to bump into curious cultural artifacts we call “memes.” Memes are things—images, videos, dances, ect.—that are imitated throughout the world wide web and often convey symbolic meaning inherent in the thing itself. Defining a meme is a really difficult task—you just kind of “know it” when you see it.
Because the category of “memes” is so broad, you might find memes that are silly, thoughtful, or down right insane. Occasionally, as this post argues, you might find that memes can help us better connect with God. Yes, memes can be a form of spiritual formation! Just as memes hijack, imitate, and adapt other things, so Christians can hijack, imitate, adapt, and even redeem the memes.
“Spiritual formation” refers to any activity that directs someone in becoming more like Jesus, a process facilitated by the Spirit. In the journey of spiritual formation, a person imitates Christ by establishing Christ-centered thinking, behavior, and feelings. While memes are not shown as examples of spiritual formation in Scripture, they can and do provide ways to oriented us to Christ-centered virtues. Here are just a few.
Memes can point out bad behavior. Using sarcasm and whit characteristic of so many memes, these images can offer a reminder that sometimes what we claim to believe and what we actually do are different things. They can correct behaviors and point out hypocrisy The image below shows Jesus talking to a crowd, and the crowd asks an “exception” to Jesus’ teachings. Jesus reaffirms the absoluteness of the above statements by asking the rhetorical question, “Did I stutter?” The meme is oversimplified—there’s no doubt about that—but it can function as a good reminder of the life Jesus is calling us to live.
Memes can remind of us important information we might miss. A good meme can point us to some information we previously missed. Memes can actually be good educational tools, especially if you fall down the rabbit hole of Christian memes by Biblical scholars or theologians. Take the image below as an example. This is a screenshot of Matthew 7, but everything but the words “Judge not” are scribbled out in the text. The caption above it says, “How people in our word ‘read’ the Bible Today.” It’s actually a good reminder about context. Context matters!
Memes can prompt correct feelings. Believe it or not, not all memes are made by angry people on the internet. Sometimes, memes are meant to produce positive feelings. I know, hard to believe! Memes can make us laugh, smile, or sigh because of their relatability. Sometimes, they can even correct the way we feel. In the meme below, “Dwight” critiques the cultural narrative of “follow your own heart” but reminds us that as Christians, we aren’t supposed to think completely positively our innermost desires. Instead, our deepest longings should be focused on Jesus rather than ourselves.
Of course, not all memes are created equal. The fact that anyone can create memes is its greatest feature but worst flaw. While something like an opera takes dedication, talent, and skill, creating a meme requires two minutes on an app of your choice. Anyone can produce a meme—a fact that means many memes are created out of ignorance, bigotry, anger, or fear. What we need to remember is to practice discernment. Let us “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1) of memes through contemplation, prayer, and good Bible reading. Memes are great at offering simple spiritual messages, but they are not a substitute for more meaty spiritual disciplines.
However, when used with discernment you might just be able to learn a thing or two from the latest meme being passed around the Christian side of the internet. Alternatively, maybe you have a message and the best way to get it out there is use a meme!
Jake Doberenz is a writer, teacher, minister, and creative thinker from Oklahoma City, OK. He is the Founder and President of Theophany Media. Additionally, he ministers at the Mayfair Church of Christ and teaches middle school debate at The Academy of Classical Christian Studies in Oklahoma City. Jake is almost done with his Master of Theological Studies at Oklahoma Christian University, the same place he recieved an undergraduate degree in Biblical Studies with a minor in Communication Studies.