Yesterday Hawkesville Mennonite Church took a huge leap into the 21st Century, hosting me for a live video-chat as a special 'announcement' during their worship time. It was actually a great experience, though it was hard not to feel the disconnect, beings that I was talking to Hawkesville while sitting at my kitchen table in Cape Town. But I took around five minutes to give a bit of a snapshot of my ministry down here and what it's like to be in Africa. It gave me a small taste of what it will be like to get back home and try and give an account of what this time has been for me. Speaking with my family yesterday evening (also by skype) they indicated that the conversation at church had gone well, and that people had gotten something meaningful out of it, so I am glad of that.
It did get me thinking though. I am a self-professed 'Luddite' (if you want to know what a 'Luddite' is, check this wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luddite ) but here I am comfortably referencing wikipedia articles and promoting skype conversations. I think the key component to being some one who questions the value of technology for the sake of technology is asking what role the particular invention is playing. If it is something that is promoting individualization, advocating materialism, harming the environment or is just an unnecessary luxury, then it is worth questioning. Simply demonizing technology on the principle of 'all technology is evil' seems to me unwise, but I believe it is appropriate to question the extent to which we rely on technology to make our lives easier.
Take a look at this article on technology and fear to get another perspective on the discussion of a faithful approach to technology (it's also where I stole my idea about the true nature of a Luddite)
http://iamrevolting.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/confessions-of-an-irrational-fear-mongerer/
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
As a member of the congregation on this side of the video chat, it was a really cool experience to see you up there on the projector. I heard a number of people say that it's something we'll have to try again.
On a side note, it's interesting you call yourself a Luddite, as before I came across your blog post I found this article that was posted today.
I also find your self proclamation of luddite interesting... I have been thinking about technology a lot recently because it appears as if Luke and I are going to be much more teched-out in Sudan than we are here. Parents have bought us an e-reader, are discussing an ipod, and we'll have 2 laptops thanks to MCC... the thought is to connect us to home, to books and music we might miss, and I am so thankful of that - and I desire that (at this point), but the questionable part is how much should we be connected to home? How does all the technology now inhibit our ability to truly immerse ourselves into the culture and the place? I know that with each new age new questions arise, and I guess these are some of ours to wrestle with.
p.s. it was amazing to see you in church. made me tear up.
My first comment was simply inadequate, it had to be removed.
I tried to make my stance on technology clear in the post there, perhaps I was a bit fuzzy, but it's true, I don't really match up to the original Luddite movement.
Kaitlyn, I hear you on the questioning of having all the high-tech stuff in such a setting. The general impression I've gotten is that technology enhances rather than a detriment to the whole missions experience, but it really is a question worth asking for your own personal experience. The reality is that now some one could go on an international term with MCC and just spend the whole time on skype or facebook and pretend they're still at home. Obviously you have to decide how much is appropriate, not just with communication, but with other technology as well.
Post a Comment