by Tom Rowley, Executive Director, A Rocha USA
This piece started with me feeling rather smug over a major technological breakthrough at our house—namely, setting up the hand-me-down Wii that my sons got for Christmas and then, hold on to your hats, connecting that to Netflix for family movie nights. All without uttering an expletive (at least none that my dear ones heard). Before putting fingers to keyboard, however, the smugness gave way to heartburn over what we had unleashed on ourselves—yet again.
A bit of background: in our house, as in many I suspect, the dance with technology seems never ending. One step forward and two steps back, as we ask ourselves “What is good? What is frivolous? And what is downright evil?”
Luddites, we are not. We’d be hard-pressed and hungry to go without the microwave. Unemployed if it weren’t for wireless laptops and 3-, 4- or whatever-G-they’re-touting-now cell phone coverage. And flat out broke if we bought movie tickets, let alone the popcorn. In short, we are thankful for the blessings of technology.
But parents, we are. And though every generation has lamented likewise, the onslaught of games and gizmos designed to suck the very brains from our children’s heads is dizzying, draining and downright frightening.
And people of faith, we try to be. So we recognize that with all of technology’s good, there comes, too, a degree of insulation and arrogance that whittles away at our dependence on God. With life-enhancing and life-extending advances all about us, it’s sometimes difficult to remember that we are not gods. At the very least, there comes great distraction—bells and whistles and tweets—that crowd every waking moment, leaving scant space for attention to the divine. The most plugged-in era in history may well be the most disconnected from the Author of history. I can read the Bible on my iPhone, but do I take the time to ponder what it says—in between emails, text messages and ding alerts from Southwest.com? I can pull up any number of nature webcams, but do I get outside and savor God’s other revelation: the book of nature? Sadly, not enough.
This irony (“tragedy” really) took center stage in a recent discussion with colleagues about using Internet videos to teach and encourage environmental stewardship. Ed Brown at Care of Creation put his finger on it.
“Isn't there a fundamental disconnect here?” he asked. “We are working to heal creation, to put people back in touch with the glories of God's world and everything that goes along with that: I don't think it's going to happen by trying to get people to watch more pixels!”
He’s right, of course. The best way to inform and inspire people to steward the Earth (and a really good way to introduce them to its Maker) is to get them outdoors with their sleeves rolled up amidst the wonder of it all—whether ringing birds to study their migratory habits or planting streamside trees to improve water quality or tending gardens to feed those in need.
That is the best way.
Still, we first have to reach people in order to get them outside. People with eyes glued to a screen. Ironically (“sadly” really), in this age we have to use technology to counter technology. For good and for ill, it is part of life.
The question then is “how will we use it?” As with every other aspect of life, we are called to be thoughtful, full of thought, in our relationship to technology. Not daftly dancing along to the latest drumbeat, enticing as it may be. Rather, asking ourselves whether we “should”, not simply whether we “can.” Should I let my children play a video game now? Or should I accompany them on a hike? Should I watch a movie? Or ought I read or write or pray? Should I buy another gadget—knowing that its manufacture put carbon in the atmosphere and mercury in the water? Or should I say enough already? As Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians, all things may be permissible, but not everything is helpful.
Conversations on the conservation of God's world. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of A Rocha.
Questioning Technology
Ashlee Grishaber - Saturday, March 05, 2011
Have To? GET To!
Tom Rowley - Friday, December 03, 2010
Over the continuing objections of some, American Christendom seems to be getting the idea that it’s a good idea to care for the planet upon which we live. As such, the question seems no longer to be “Should Christians care?,” but rather “WHY should Christians care?”.
And to that question are many answers.
- The environment is in crisis.
- We depend upon the environment for food, water and air.
- The poor suffer disproportionately from environmental degradation.
- We want our children’s children to enjoy what we ourselves have to enjoy.
All legitimate. All insufficient--even if taken together.
For Christians, the primary reason for caring for that which God created is simply because God created it and our doing so brings Him glory (and He told us to!). At least, I would argue, that should be the reason.
In his delightful book, Our Father’s World, my friend Ed Brown puts it this way
My biggest reason for caring for God’s creation has nothing to do with the extent or the severity of the crisis, the number of people affected or even the ultimate future of the human race. It has to do with one simple fact: I know the God who made it all. And I love him. If I can place a high price on things that have little or no intrinsic value simply because they were made by one of my children, how much more ought I to value and care for this amazing world God made, this world that is precious because he made it and that represents an excellence and beauty far beyond anything that any of us could begin to comprehend, let alone make on our own.
We care about God’s creation, because we love God and live our lives to glorify Him. It is a part of our worshipful response to Him. Yes, caring for creation helps address the crises we face. Yes, it helps protect our own wellbeing and, particularly, the wellbeing of the poor. And yes, it helps preserve the joys of nature for our grandkids. But all of those, important as they are, are secondary.
One final thought (for now) on this subject. As with all worshipful responses to the God whom we love, caring for creation is not merely a matter of doing something because we are commanded--whether praising, praying, or tithing. There is that. We are commanded to care and consequences follow when we do not—pain, poverty, discord and more. But just as surely, other consequences follow when we do—joy chief among them. So it isn’t just that we have to care for creation. We GET to care for creation. Praising God all the way.
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Comments
Thanks for your thoughts on this.
To some extent we need to embrace this technology to be relateable to our children and peers but I am fighting as best I can to go backwards. DIY Do it yourself, have a hobby where you make something, get outside, if I am talking with someone let the message go through and read it later, look into the eyes of the person you are talking to, read a paper booked bible and write in it, realize that whatever tech we think we need probably wasn't invented a year ago and did I suffer then with out it, and realize that people are way more important than how we connect with them.
God help us!
Todd
It's good to swim against the stream with some of these tech trends and come up with creative - and sometimes old-fashioned - alternatives. Greetings from VT, Jan
I'm on the road about 160 to 190 days a year and it's technology that allows me to keep in touch with individuals all over the world and at no cost.
Sure we need to control our time locked in front of a monitor. Some times I wonder if people have one implanted in the palm of their hand! But, this technology can be used to the benefit of sharing the gospel story and helpful in communicating the call to creation care.
It will be our children who use this technology in the mission of God. So, let's do both: encourage them to learn all they can about this "e-world" and teach them about God's creation and its care.
I recently heard that the current young generation is going to be the first generation that is less educated than the generation before them. People are blaming the schools. Why is no one considering the negative impact of our "wonderful" gadgets which have not only replaced reading and time outside, but also impoverished writing.
Are we surprised? All kids hear is that people are nature's enemy. We're told to stay out of nature. Spend tax dollars so professionals can preserve it, and keep it pristine and people-free. Visit a nature preserve, sure, but stay behind the ropes. Kids go to school and hear that the vehicles that brought them and the electricity in the lights over their heads are killing polar bears. They go to the zoo, as close to nature as many urban kids get, and hear that every trip to Wal-Mart destroys rain forests.
So why are we surprised when they tune nature out? They'll find other stuff to do, either to avoid harming it or to escape the constant drum-beat that it would really have been better had they not been born. At least the carbon footprint of their virtual world is smaller than their real one.
The kids most likely to spend time enjoying nature these days are Boy Scouts or dirtbike riders or hunters or fishermen or a bunch of junior high youth group kids taking a hike in the woods or singing campfire songs. When did we lose that?
I agree with Ed about the disconnect, along with chuckling with him over the irony that we're using the internet to save the planet. But I don't agree with your solution.
The problem is not preaching stewardship. What we should be preaching is that we have a God-given inheritance to be relished and enjoyed, and for which we should be thankful. We should encourage our kids to take ownership of creation (Psalm 8:3-8) more seriously. Instead, we treat our church family like Christian sharecroppers, hired hands tending to the planet rather the adopted sons and daughters of God.
I wish there was more of this in Christian ecology and theology today. Maybe we'd get more folks out from behind their gadgets if we did.
My two cents.