We recently read through the book of Isaiah as we continue through the scriptures as a church. One of the things that stands out from Isaiah is the the parts about idols: how the same material we make the idols out of we also use for other purposes. In Isaiah, the people were making idols out of wood, the same material they used to cook food, light their homes, and in some cases, even contain their 'waste'. So Isaiah simply points out the folly in worshipping something that in other places in life, we have complete dominion over. Why bow down to wood in one instance and use it as a garbage container the next?
In today’s tech world, it might seem a little harder to find a parallel, but in some regards, it’s the same idea with fancier packaging. In one sense, I have complete control over my email, my blackberry, my phone, and how I interact with the world around me. It’s a device made by human beings using technology in essence created (or discovered) by human beings. But if I go without my blackberry for a day, it instantly ascends to worship status because of how disrupted and incomplete my life feels without it. I forgot it some time ago and really 'felt' pretty dysfunctional without it. The key there is probably the word 'felt', because nothing had changed, except some time away from a tool. But if I elevate that tool to an idol, I'm in the same boat as Isiah's audience.
Do I have to get rid of my blackberry now? I do agree. I was without mine for about 4 hours and felt I was missing out. I miss the old days of no cell phones...those were the days.
ReplyDeleteYou are always leaving your blackberry Tyler. Seriously do you ever know where that thing is???
ReplyDeleteGood post B. I had no phone for about 2 weeks after I got water on mine and felt like I was missing out and cut off from the world! crazy how it becomes like an extra limb...