Christians and Media Technology: Technology continues to revolutionizeour Christian...

Christians and Media Technology: Technology continues to revolutionizeour Christian...: Technology continues to revolutionize our Christian outreach and culture. McLuhan in Understanding Media speaks about a “global village”...

Technology continues to revolutionize our Christian outreach and culture. McLuhan in Understanding Media speaks about a “global village” that has internationalized our environment. This reality has far reaching implications for all – Christians and the secular alike. Many institutions and Christian households use media regularly to cope with the rise of this new consciousness. Bill Gates (b. 1955), an American business magnate, philanthropist, and co-founder of Microsoft with Paul Allen – the world's largest PC software company wrote that “the Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow.” From all appearances the Internet has achieved this goal with millions and millions of interactive exchanges between various groups and persons worldwide. Today Christians and non Christians alike are blessed with an abundance of media to convey their messages. These interconnections include:

Communications satellites

Computers with software, workstations, databases, e-games, e-newspapers, e-magazines, e- graphics, power point, streaming audio and video

Cable channels – news, sports, history, inspirational, and discovery

Cell phones with Internet, pictures, video, and email capabilities

Minicams for making home movies, with surveillance features, recording, and playback

High Definition Television (HDTV) with crisp and well-defined pictures

CD ROM with computer discs for encyclopedias and other data storage

Teleconferencing with interactive features for communication to and from far away places

These are all part of the diversity which this century communication age offers.

Christian, Secular and Technological Diversity

Max De Pree (b. 1924), an American businessman and writer felt that “we need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we can both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion.” That's why with all the advancements in technology that communicate news, information, entertainment, and sports have ushered in millions and millions of Christians and non-Christians to be active participants in our global market place. Persons have opportunities to be themselves and make their feelings, hopes, and desires known to whomsoever they wish.

These virtual participants are persons who are representative of our worldwide societies and include linguists, doctors, nurses, teachers, scientists, businessmen and women, construction workers, electricians, plumbers, the unemployed, poor and homeless. All that is required for them is to gain access to computers and the Internet. That's why citizens don't necessarily have to be high school or college graduates, but all it takes is the basic knowledge to surf the worldwide web. Christians and the secular world are able to gain access from their personal devices which are inexpensive or go to business places, and, or public libraries to use a computer.

Patience and Perseverance in the Technological World

John Quincy Adams (1767 – 1848), an American statesman who was the sixth President of the United States from 1825 to 1829 believed that “patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.” Christians have been encouraged in the Bible and at churches to be steadfast in the face of obstacles and tragedies (Job 1-42 KJV). Again in the New Testament they are urged to seek and they will find, knock and the door will be opened (Matthew 7:7 KJV). Much of a Christian's achievement depends on how faithful he or she is prepared to accomplishing these divine goals. Another imperative is how will they use their treasures and talents to be of help to others?

With such technological diversification it's for them to persevere in promoting a Christian way like those spelled out in The Catechism of the Catholic Church namely:

A belief in Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection

Being a baptized Christian

The importance of the sacraments

Living a life of regular penance

Making prayer a part of their daily life

In every household it's for Christians to bring these myriads of opportunities to light in this technological age in our global village.