The point of this blog is that I am a tech junkie. I stayed up late earlier this week because I was engrossed in technology. I have been engrossed in technology ever since my parents gave me a 386 that they got from someone else. I was 13. And ever since then I have been technology apologist.
Usually these sorts of Christian blogs on technology say something to the effect that technology is strait from hell and anyone who uses it is going there. I might be exaggerating a tiny bit. But I am not going to say that. I'm a tech apologist remember? But I am also not going to say that there is nothing wrong with technology in our society.
The Problem
Here the part where I actually give the anti-tech arguments fair play. For those that are tech apologists like myself, stick through this. I promise that you will appreciate what I have to say. The arguments against technology are usually that all it does is separate us from each other. People would rather be on their phones then be face to face. This is always followed up by someone talking about a Google search for cell phones on the subway. If you haven't done that I think you should. Here I make it easy for you just click here.
This really is a problem. I was at my brother-in-laws last night and at one point all of us around the fire were looking at our phones. I work with youth and sometimes it is like pulling teeth to get them to actually look me in the eyes when they talk to me.
Add to the disconnection all the other problems that come with a connected world. I am not just talking about the misuse of cell phone cameras by youth. I am also talking about the fact that Facebook is actually bad for you. I'm talking about the fact that parents use technology to solve their problem with bored kids, not their child's problem with boredom.
The Rebuttal
This is usually the point in the argument where I make the case for MORE connectivity not less. I says something like "Without Facebook I wouldn't be able to interact with my friends from college." Or "With Skype I can see my niece and nephews who live in different states." I might go on to mention that every time we have gotten a new technology people have claimed that it would end civilization. People have never trusted technology. I might mention how self-driving cars are actually better drivers than you. I would always end it with a Google search for newspapers on the subway. Again just click here.
All this is true. And all this is obfuscation. I defend technology because I like it. I want technology to be good so that I don't have to give it up. I make excuses for technology so that I don't have to change. (This is the confessions part of the blog, for those that were wondering.) Just like everyone else, I have gotten so used to technology that I don't even realize it.
Don't believe me? Answer this question. What do you wake up to in the morning? Is it an alarm clock? When I ask the youth at my church they all tell me that they need their phones because it is an alarm clock. I feel sorry for clock makers, because it seems to me that no one uses alarm clocks anymore.
Throw it All Out!
So then the solution is to get rid of all technology, right? If we just lived like the Amish then all these problems would be solved. I admit I have thought this. I don't know how many times I have had conversations with God about my technology. When I was in college it was not unusual for me to not leave my room for the whole weekend. I would emerge from my Easy Mac and Netflix stupor convinced that if I just got rid of all my technology this wouldn't be an issue. God always said no. Sometimes God laughed.
I used to be really confused by this. Even though I fought against it, I believed what everyone else told me. Technology is the problem. I might argue against it, but I couldn't argue the results. I was disconnecting from my friends. I was using it to cope with problems instead of going God. It had to be the technology. After all, the only other option is that there was something wrong with me. And that can't be the case because I'm perfect.
We are the Problem not Technology
There is a book in the bible called Ecclesiastes. You may not know much about it, but I know you have heard some of the things in it. Ecclesiastes 1:9 is were we get the phrase there is nothing new under the sun. Basically the writer is talking about how what we do on earth turns to dust. The phrase all is vanity or all is meaningless shows up a lot in this book. You might think it is a nihilistic manifesto except for the fact that the author says that what has true meaning are the things of God. Earlier in that chapter comes the passage that The Byrds made famous.
This concept isn't unique to the Old Testament. Jesus talks about this in the Sermon on the Mount when He asks why people worry about life. If God takes care of the birds (not The Byrds) then God will certainly take care of you. The key verse in this passage comes right near the end:
Jesus is telling us what really matters. He like the author of Ecclesiastes is telling us that there are greater things then what we have on earth.We need to look to God, not ourselves.
The Solution is Intentionality
Our lack of intention is what causes us to give glowing rectangles to bored children. It is intention that causes us to have family meals at the diner table. It is lack of intention that causes us to say things we don't mean. It is intention that causes us to spend mornings with God.
We forget this when we debate technology. We get so focused on what is good and what is bad that we forget the problem is really us. It's not about technology at all. It's about us. We can build up the kingdom of God with technology and we can destroy someones life with a single spoken word. (Well maybe six.) We are the problem. Not Facebook, not cell phones, not Snapchat and Instagram. We can destroy our families or grow our children into Godly men and women. The difference is intention.
Amen!
Footnote:
The impetus for this blog came from this podcast. I encourage you to take the hour and listen to it. I haven't read Andy Crouch's book yet, but I intend to.
This really is a problem. I was at my brother-in-laws last night and at one point all of us around the fire were looking at our phones. I work with youth and sometimes it is like pulling teeth to get them to actually look me in the eyes when they talk to me.
I defend technology because I like it. I want technology to be good so that I don't have to give it up. I make excuses for technology so that I don't have to change.
Add to the disconnection all the other problems that come with a connected world. I am not just talking about the misuse of cell phone cameras by youth. I am also talking about the fact that Facebook is actually bad for you. I'm talking about the fact that parents use technology to solve their problem with bored kids, not their child's problem with boredom.
The Rebuttal
This is usually the point in the argument where I make the case for MORE connectivity not less. I says something like "Without Facebook I wouldn't be able to interact with my friends from college." Or "With Skype I can see my niece and nephews who live in different states." I might go on to mention that every time we have gotten a new technology people have claimed that it would end civilization. People have never trusted technology. I might mention how self-driving cars are actually better drivers than you. I would always end it with a Google search for newspapers on the subway. Again just click here.
All this is true. And all this is obfuscation. I defend technology because I like it. I want technology to be good so that I don't have to give it up. I make excuses for technology so that I don't have to change. (This is the confessions part of the blog, for those that were wondering.) Just like everyone else, I have gotten so used to technology that I don't even realize it.
Technology is the problem... It had to be the technology. After all, the only other option is that there was something wrong with me.
Don't believe me? Answer this question. What do you wake up to in the morning? Is it an alarm clock? When I ask the youth at my church they all tell me that they need their phones because it is an alarm clock. I feel sorry for clock makers, because it seems to me that no one uses alarm clocks anymore.
Throw it All Out!
So then the solution is to get rid of all technology, right? If we just lived like the Amish then all these problems would be solved. I admit I have thought this. I don't know how many times I have had conversations with God about my technology. When I was in college it was not unusual for me to not leave my room for the whole weekend. I would emerge from my Easy Mac and Netflix stupor convinced that if I just got rid of all my technology this wouldn't be an issue. God always said no. Sometimes God laughed.
I used to be really confused by this. Even though I fought against it, I believed what everyone else told me. Technology is the problem. I might argue against it, but I couldn't argue the results. I was disconnecting from my friends. I was using it to cope with problems instead of going God. It had to be the technology. After all, the only other option is that there was something wrong with me. And that can't be the case because I'm perfect.
We are the Problem not Technology
There is a book in the bible called Ecclesiastes. You may not know much about it, but I know you have heard some of the things in it. Ecclesiastes 1:9 is were we get the phrase there is nothing new under the sun. Basically the writer is talking about how what we do on earth turns to dust. The phrase all is vanity or all is meaningless shows up a lot in this book. You might think it is a nihilistic manifesto except for the fact that the author says that what has true meaning are the things of God. Earlier in that chapter comes the passage that The Byrds made famous.
This concept isn't unique to the Old Testament. Jesus talks about this in the Sermon on the Mount when He asks why people worry about life. If God takes care of the birds (not The Byrds) then God will certainly take care of you. The key verse in this passage comes right near the end:
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Jesus is telling us what really matters. He like the author of Ecclesiastes is telling us that there are greater things then what we have on earth.We need to look to God, not ourselves.
The Solution is Intentionality
Our lack of intention is what causes us to give glowing rectangles to bored children. It is intention that causes us to have family meals at the diner table. It is lack of intention that causes us to say things we don't mean. It is intention that causes us to spend mornings with God.
We forget this when we debate technology. We get so focused on what is good and what is bad that we forget the problem is really us. It's not about technology at all. It's about us. We can build up the kingdom of God with technology and we can destroy someones life with a single spoken word. (Well maybe six.) We are the problem. Not Facebook, not cell phones, not Snapchat and Instagram. We can destroy our families or grow our children into Godly men and women. The difference is intention.
May you enjoy your technology. May you intentionally spend time with your God and your family. May you never forget to seek first the kingdom. And may God continue to bless you every day.
Amen!
Footnote:
The impetus for this blog came from this podcast. I encourage you to take the hour and listen to it. I haven't read Andy Crouch's book yet, but I intend to.
I just bought Crouch's book last week, of course the Kindle version :)
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