Technology changes so quickly that we can become bewildered over what to think about all the new products, services and platforms that appear and disappear. A new technology can be hyped to the sky one moment, and fall into disuse the next month. (Case in point: who still uses Clubhouse?) But some technology has a profound ability to change our world. We wonder, how do we approach these? What should we think about them, from a Christian point of view?
Here are a few pieces we’ve published in the past that can help us with several new technologies that seem to be sticking around a bit longer. Click on the titles to go to the linked articles.
CHATGPT AND OTHER AI
Demystifying ChatGPTThe latest thing being hyped is artificial intelligence, and the most well-known example of AI is ChatGPT. What is ChatGPT and how does it work? If you feel confused, Thomas VanDrunen breaks it down in simple terms.
3 things we need to tell our kids about ChatGPT
It’s one thing to understand technology such as ChatGPT, it’s another to know what we should teach our kids about it. Here are some pointers about what kids might need to know.
Is AI just another tool, or something else?
New technologies often appear to be useful tools that make life easier, and their negative consequences can take more time to reveal themselves. Artificial intelligence is one of the latest technologies to catch attention, but we should be aware of these potential drawbacks.
CRYPTOCURRENCIES
Christians can’t “invest” in cryptocurrency
For a while, “investing” in cryptocurrencies looked like the newest and greatest way to make money. Here’s why Christians shouldn’t “invest” in these projects.
THE SOCIAL WEB
Our dangerous diet of clips, tweets, memes, and headlines
This article doesn’t even mention TikTok, but it illustrates a trend that’s gotten far worse. Our tendency to absorb information in bite-sized chunks has decreased our ability to know much about any one thing in depth, even while we might have a larger number of things we know a little bit about. When navigating the online world, it’s good to keep this in mind. What might we be missing? Where should we be more humble about our understanding of an issue?
TikTok passes 2 billion downloads
Speaking of TikTok, what is TikTok? Here’s a quick summary of this incredibly popular app.
One week in: Facebook isn’t for everyone
What is it like to give up Facebook? It can reveal a lot about our dependence on so-called “social” media.
REST OF THE ‘NET
Is our curiosity controlling us, or are we controlling it?
The answer to almost everything is a quick internet search away. Anytime we wonder about something, or have a friendly debate over a piece of trivia, we can easily settle the question. But curiosity, while often a force for good, can also become an endless search for something “new” and interesting. Our brains thirst for the next intriguing bit of information. Then we should consider whether it’s really us in control, or our curiosity.
Solomon on smartphones and the pull of pornography
Speaking of the online world, we should all be well aware by now of some of the dangers of the shadier corners of the internet. That doesn’t mean we always navigate the internet wisely, especially with devices in our pockets that offer us 24/7 temptation. In this article, Ryan DeJonge walks through the guidance that the book of Proverbs offers Christians and how it can help with the battle against pornography.
…the Internet can pervert anything
Pornography is the obvious danger when it comes to the Internet, but it’s not the only thing to watch out for. The internet can pervert anything. Emily Arend gives some examples of how innocent interests can lead down a darker path.
Wikipedia is one of the most well-known and well-used websites on the internet, and it’s been around for a long time (by tech standards). But its limitations are becoming more apparent. Sure, there’s a chance Wikipedia can be inaccurate, but a bigger issue is the potential for bias, especially in topics that venture into the realm of controversy or opinion.
SMARTPHONES
Reflections on “12 ways your phone is changing you”
We know cellphones have changed our world drastically, but they might have a bigger impact than we realize. Author Tony Reinke has written a book on exactly this, which we review here. Our phones’ always-available distraction, disconnection from face-to-face interaction, sense of privacy that encourages temptation, and one-sided algorithms can lead us away from the Christlikeness we’re called to.
There are many suggestions to increase face-to-face interactions and get off our phones, and it’s worth trying a few to figure out what works for you. Here is one simple yet practical suggestion to try with a group!
TOWARDS A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH TECH
Technology and our anxious hearts
As a pastor, Reuben Bredenhof has noticed more and more people dealing with a sense of unease, and feeling unsettled, fearful and restless. A lot of this anxiety can be traced back to our use of technology. Here he addresses some of the common anxieties that technology brings out in us, and counteracts these messages with a Christian response. God can give us peace even when it comes to technology.
Elon Musk and visions of the future
Elon Musk has a vision of the future. Christians should have a vision of the future as well, but do we know what it is? In our tech-obsessed world, we should have our eyes fixed on our ultimate hope!
CONCLUSION
The cycle of new technology will continue to turn, and we will keep being confronted by innovations, and new decisions about how to interact with these new things. But ultimately “there is nothing new under the sun” – the creations of humankind will be influenced by our sinful nature as well as our God-given creativity. It will take a lot of wisdom and prayer to navigate our changing world, but we can rest in the security that ultimately every tool is under God’s control.
