I believe that technology is a two-sided sword; one side is a boon to humanity, giving us better ways to help mankind, and the other side is destroying the nuclear family and our ability to express ourselves.
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When I grew up in the 50’s, we were all concerned about “the Bomb”, but what really destroyed us was that nasty old “boob tube” which replaced discussion at dinner time.
Today, it isn’t just the streaming services on TV but the ones you can hold in your hand which have interfered with people’s ability to actually communicate.
Let me ask you: how many times have you found yourself texting back-and-forth with someone on your phone? I can remember when using the phone meant actually talking with someone else!
So, what does this rant have to do with heaven?
Okay, first of all, we all know that no one really goes to heaven after the Acharit haYamim (End Days), but rather that we are on the earth- the new earth- with the new Jerusalem, with Yeshua as king and living in God’s presence, forever.
But the one thing about being forever in God’s presence, according to all the references I’ve read in the Bible, is that we will be back in an agrarian society.
According to Micah 4:4, we will be enjoying life sitting under our own fig trees, and enjoying the wine from our own vines.
And this agricultural lifestyle is confirmed in Isaiah 65:21-22 where he says we will plant and enjoy the things we grow without anyone else taking them from us.
Technology is designed to do one thing, and one thing only- take work away from us.
Whether it be medical (robotic surgery), to make driving safer (automatic braking or warning us when another car is in our blind spot), communicating (texting) researching (the Internet) or entertainment (streaming TV): it is making us do less and less on our own by having more and more things being done for us.
Many may say that is great, but I say it is destroying our ability to communicate with each other personally, as well as reducing our physical skill-sets.
Kids today cannot spell, they cannot write, and they cannot express themselves with any level of artistry. They are addicted to their phones; instead of being mature and responsible, they are lazy and entitled.
Read some of the letters written by our founding fathers or the works of the masters, such as Shakespear, Keats, Frost or Dickenson and tell me you see that when your son or daughter text or have to write a report for school.
And don’t even get me started on Ai!
You may be thinking I am raging over a pet-peeve of my own, and you wouldn’t be too far off. Yes, I really believe technology is taking over, but there is still a spiritual lesson here- if we cannot communicate ideas and ideologies effectively in person, how can we ever hope to be a light? When we are using technology, we can be turned off, but in person we have a better chance of using human interactions to our advantage.
You can’t smile in a text (emoji’s don’t count); you can’t see how someone is reacting to your message if you can’t see their face, and you cannot have eye contact even with a video call (most of the video calls I have made are with me looking up someone’s nose).
I look forward to being in God’s presence forever because that will be heaven on earth (literally and figuratively), and I am just hopeful that what I believe the afterlife will be like will be proven true.
So, why shouldn’t we start off getting used to that way of life today?
Next time you are thinking of someone, write them a letter; next time you are actively texting with someone, close the message app and give them a call.
Trust me- you will feel so much better and so much more connected with that person.
It will be heavenly.
Thank you for being here and please remember to comment and share these messages with everyone you know, even non-believers. Hey, after all, you never know how fertile the soil is until you plant a seed in it.
That’s it for today, so l’hitraot and Baruch HaShem!