Friday, September 14, 2007

Shift Happens

I watched this presentation in one of my classes this week and it literally blew my mind. I mean, the information presented really isn't that surprising. We can see everyday how communication technology and its users are growing almost exponentially. The world is changing very rapidly, and despite all the naysayers, I think people are catching on and are able to adapt to the changes. In short, when a lot of Christians are saying we're in some kind of end times, I think things are looking up.

Some people see the growth of technology and see something inherently evil. I never have. I mean, I understand the story of the Tower of Babel and all that, but I've always seen mankind's pursuit of knowledge and connection as something that is God-given. We have a mind, and He wants us to use it. We could not match Him even remotely no matter how hard we tried, and I think the important thing is not to try--to realize that we are merely low humans and cannot compete with the Master of Universe.

That being said, God gave us an amazing thing. When you sit back and look at what the human mind has accomplished, you realize just what an amazing aspect of Creation it is. To me, the sight of a skyscraper, an airplane, or a computer has always just filled me with a just little more awe than a tree, an ocean, or a mountain. The latter are things that God has created. We can't compete with them. The former, however, are things that we've created, using the mind that God gave us.

If we can build our own artificial habitats, soar above the clouds, land on the moon, and create systems that can interact with billions of people at once, just think of what God can do? Human creation, I think, is one of the biggest mirrors of what God's creation can be like. After all, we were made in His image.

That's why I don't understand people who look at videos like the one above and are full of fear. Change happens and will always happen. Somehow stifling our God-given creativity in an effort to return to "simpler times" is not the answer. Using our creativity to connect with other humans and build each other up in the Lord, however, is.

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