As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
“This idea did not entirely originate in Silicon Valley. As a scholar who studies digital technology and religion, I’d argue that the motivations and benefits of dopamine fasting resemble what many religions have been teaching since ancient times.” - The Conversation
All churches employ forms of modern technology to assist them in the tasks of outreach, discipleship, community, and worship. This raises the question as to whether the Bible provides the church with any guidelines or principles for choosing and using appropriate forms of technology in carrying out her Great Commission. I believe it does. One key text in this regard actually comes from the Old Testament. I’m thinking of Ecclesiastes 10:10, where we read, “Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade.
“As people put their faith in technology–to the point of hailing post-singularity Artificial Intelligence as a god–it is little wonder that the idea has arisen of robot priests and robot pastors.” - Cranach
“The 21st century has given us great abundance and almost unlimited choices but a minimum of meaning. Again, Sacks writes: ‘Science tells us how but not why. Technology gives us power but cannot guide us as to how to use that power.’” - IFWE
“The first scam directs emails at church staff. In it, ‘the pastor’ requests the recipient to send funds or gift cards with PINs….The second scam is worse because it targets congregants. Seeming to be from “the pastor” or a trusted church leader, congregants are asked to wire funds or send gift cards with PINs.” - Church Leaders
“When I think of ministries and organizations and their technology support needs, I often question if we are supporting things we should support or supporting things we shouldn’t even be attempting. My computer can support up to 12 monitors, does that mean I should, or I should add that support load to someone else so I can have 12 monitors?” - Church Leaders
“Late Wednesday night, PayPal made filming pornography just a little more difficult by announcing it will no longer accept payments for Pornhub, one of the most-visited websites on the internet.” - Faithwire
“A large newspaper can easily control their own writers and contributors. So, too, can a cable news channel or a network. But there is no practical way that a social media platform can exercise meaningful supervision over the material that billions of people could potentially share.” - Acton
“In 2018 there were 196 documented internet shutdowns [by governments] across 25 countries, primarily in Asia and Africa, according to a report released by the Keep It On coalition.” - Cnet
“Birkerts puts his point succinctly near the end of the book: ‘My core fear is that we are, as a culture, as a species … giving up on wisdom, the struggle for which has for millennia been central to the very idea of culture.’” - TGC
Discussion