Tag: technology

Technology and The Certain End of the World…Probably

Last Sunday at First Church of Christ we began a new series called Screen Time: How to Redeem the Screen. You can check it out on our YouTube channel or Facebook page or our website (www.firstchurchofchrist.org)–and, no, the irony is not lost on me. So I have decided to repost three pieces I wrote on this theme back in 2011. This one recounts something that happened (or didn’t happen) years ago when a guy wrongly predicted the return of Christ and used technology to dupe many others into following his false teaching. I hope that we have learned our lesson about spreading goofy stuff like this!

Over the past several weeks I have been absolutely dumbfounded by all the attention and media coverage given to this man, Harold Camping, who against all biblical mandates to not speculate on dates and times said that Judgment Day would occur last Saturday. It wasn’t just a prediction. He said with absolute certainty that May 21st would be it. “There is no plan B,” he expounded. I hope that I don’t need to get into all the reasons why such speculation is foolish. But, quite simply, we are told in Scripture not to do that. Furthermore, we are told not to listen to such people who claim to have special information about such things. They are wrong. Clear and simple. 

When Saturday came and went, there was silence from Camping’s broadcasting offices. I thought that finally he had learned his lesson after his failed 1994 prediction, but now this one. Yet, astonishingly, he now says that he was wrong only partially. For there was a spiritual Judgment Day which occurred last Saturday with the final, visible, real one to occur on October 21st. He is sure of it this time. October 21st is the day. There is no plan B. Most of his followers are somewhat forgiving and willing to give him another chance. But some, mostly those who quit their jobs or blew through their savings to promote the end of the world, are not so understanding. Yet, we should not feel sorry for them or anyone who so blatantly and willfully ignores the clear teaching of Scripture to follow the ramblings of one man.  

Proverbs 14:25 says “A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.” Only God knows this man’s heart. But I believe he will certainly have a lot to account for when that Day does come. He is a false prophet and the Bible has very harsh things to say about such people—especially those who would cause harm to the delicate faith of little ones. Little ones like my ten year old daughter who was terrified Friday night because she heard on the news that the world would be ending on Saturday . . . The News! So because I am so aggravated and incensed by this whole thing, this is the last thing I will say on the subject until I preach or teach on it again. 

I use this example to point out one of the most troubling aspects of our technology, internet dominated world: The devastating speed and ease with which all manner of falsehood can be spread. Suffice to say that without the capabilities of technology and the need to fill web pages, blogs, and 24 hour news channels with constant fodder this whole thing would have barely been noticed. It is just so easy for junk to spread and infiltrate our lives. As Christians, we should be the champions of truth and honesty and integrity. But, as we have seen, too often Christians are the easiest and most gullible prey.  

We have all received chain emails with some titillating story, bit of gossip, or unbelievable way to make easy money. You can usually spot them because they begin with these words: 

“I don’t usually forward emails like this but . . .”  

I always want to ask “But what?”  

  • “But, I have had a temporary malfunction in my brain . . .”  
  • “But, this is the juiciest piece of gossip I have ever heard . . .”  
  • “But, this only confirms what I already wanted to believe about how evil (insert your politician of choice) is because it’s what (Bill Maher, Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, Al Franken, etc.) says . .”  
  • “But, I have decided to neglect what the Word of God says and spread this regardless of how speculative or outrageous it really is . . .”

seriously…but what?! There are few things in the Bible as clear as the fact that we are not to try and set times and dates for His return. We are just to be ready. And to be found not staring up into the sky waiting for Him to come but with our hands to the plow living our lives in faithfulness and readiness for His sudden, unannounced appearance. 

Proverbs 18:8 says “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.” 

Brothers and sisters, let’s be careful about what we believe and what we spread lest it increasingly becomes who we are and not just what we think.

Originally posted June 2011

Technology, Part 1: 40 megabytes is all you’ll ever need.

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

It is no secret that I love gadgets and technology. We bought our first computer, a Radio Shack Tandy that had a monstrous (for the day) 40 megabyte hard drive which the salesman assured me was all the memory I would ever need. I was immediately mesmerized. Then around 1994 I bought what was called an electronic organizer, a Sharp Wizard, which had a whopping 512 kilobytes of memory. I went through several upgrades of those until around 1996 or 1997 when the Palm Pilot broke ground and really initiated the handheld computing revolution. I loved my Palm and it helped me to stay organized and was a great tool. I still think it’s superior in many ways to today’s stuff. Then came a steady progression of gadgets and the cell phone revolution and then the mp3 players culminating with the iPod. At one point my everyday gear included four gadgets—an mp3 player, a cell phone, a laptop, and a handheld device.

All of these devices (and many more) have now coalesced into just one gadget—the culmination of years of advancement, the Tower of Babel of our generation—the smart phone. Or, in my case, the iPhone. This item is the pinnacle of technology. Surely there will not be anything to render obsolete this modern wonder. This piece of hardware is an absolute marvel of design, engineering, technology, form and function. In one device which fits comfortably in my pocket I have replaced several items—music player, GPS, book reader, personal information organizer, camera, video camera, computer, calculator, compass, level, and the list goes on. Oh, yeah, it also can make phone calls (although, ironically, I think the phone part of the iPhone is its worst feature.) The ultimate Swiss Army knife (is there a knife app than anyone knows of?), the iPhone is awesome and I can honestly tell you that it has the capability of being an extremely helpful tool.

So I just want to be honest that what I am about to say comes from a guy whose admiration for all things techy goes back a long way and will probably not end. I am not an anti-technology, let’s all become Amish kind of person.

HOWEVER (you knew that was coming), I have come to the point that I am deeply, deeply concerned at the ramifications and effects which seem to be emerging from our online, gadget driven lives. These concerns come from my observation, experience and my study as I am reading a lot in preparation for a future sermon series addressing some issues and challenges unique to our day and time. I have been convicted to the point that I need to share some of my thoughts regarding the ways such technology is helpful but also harmful for us as God’s people, kids, men, women, husbands, and wives. Over the next couple of posts I will talk more about some of these.

In Genesis 11 we find a very proud and presumptuous generation who decided that they, through their prowess in bricks and building, could become real big shots and eliminate their need for God. So they set about building this tower to reach to the heavens. I love 11:5 when it says “But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the men were building.”

God came down. What they thought to be their crowning achievement in the quest for self glorification was as nothing to God. They thought it would reach God, but it was so insignificant that He had to “come down” to see it.

This is a reminder to we who live in the most technologically advanced culture in the history of the world. We’re not such big shots either. They took the good abilities and gifts God gave them and put them to use for an ungodly purpose. The Tower of Babel was built so they might become more like God. Yet it was the very thing that scattered them and separated them from God and each other. I believe that if God’s people don’t do some hard, honest evaluation of our techno-driven lives, the very thing which can bring us closer to each other and to God might be the very thing that minimizes and harms those very relationships. Not to mention eliminating our ability to think, process, create, mature, reflect, focus, and be truly productive. 

I am typing this post on a computer while listening to Pandora on my phone. I am reading a lot of material on this subject from downloaded books on my Kindle. So, again, I am not being the cranky person who hates all this stuff because he doesn’t understand it or know how to make it work (sometimes I wish I didn’t). But I am convicted that I need to sound an alarm (or a beep, or whichever ringtone you want) lest we keep building our towers brick by brick and never stop to consider what we are doing and who we are becoming in the process.