This rant sounds reasonable but confusing, how can someone say the only proof that something ever happened in the days of old is the Holy Book and that gadgets are not religious friendly, is this fellow confused or a technology dread? please help me out whats your take
God’s word it is, written by learned and unlearned human authors, in different places, at different times,
in different situations, but all written with the inspiration of God and not having contradiction of any sought. Though Written
by many authors but One Divine Editor, the authors not been aware of each other, not having a prior or fore knowledge of the fact that
they were writing a Holy book but
were simply responding to immediate needs. Despite different interpretations by
men and translations of the Book, it remains true and potent over the years, thus
it has never and will never lose value neither does it crave for an upgrade. It
fits into all situations, centuries and millennia. It is the only Holy book
that talks about the beginning, the present, the future and even world to come.
It also talks about the good of its characters, their bad, and their ugly.
First in scrolls it came in Hebrew language and the
scrolls were carried upon scrolls (i.e.
chapter upon chapter) to be read to the congregation and was later translated
into English by the permission of a King called James and afterwards,
translation came in other versions and languages as many as we can think of
today. I can only imagine how life was when the only means of hearing the
words/laws of God was to go into the temple during services whereby the laws of
God were
read openly
and they had to live by the explanations made by the priest. Priests must have
had a lot of people to counsel as the Scrolls were not available to the general
public to read and guide themselves through life issues. No wonder Moses over-worked himself as a leader, counselor, solicitor, prophet etc.
I can recollect vividly the era of big Bibles when we had
to carry Bibles that were almost as big as a folder bag after which the pocket Bibles came in vogue and sort-of brought relief
in portability as compared to earlier preference for the Gideon’s New Testament Bible which is sometimes
used by many due to it smallness and portability. As the days go by, things became better with the word
of God as the number of translations
increases, it also gets simpler and easier to read as compared to the Wonderful
KJV version of Thou, seest, knowest, woe, etc and this brought about the Bible
becoming friendlier to the younger generations to read. Afterwards, Bibles as
soft copies
on computers, phones, tablets and I-Products etc emerged and life became better, easier and
more beautiful all the way.
As much as I like and
appreciate the impact of technology on the Portability of God’s word as one can
always read his word anywhere, anytime and even in better understandable
interpretations, I have noticed that the Bible seems to be going into
extinction as people don’t want
to carry the Bible as a book or printed copy anymore, some are even ashamed of
carrying it even on Sundays to Church. We feel very comfortable with the word
of God in our devices. We serve a God of liberty no doubt and grace has
actually made all things new for us even to technology and I really admire the
embracement of technology in churches and Christendom generally but we need to
be watchful, lest what we are embracing takes something greater away
from us in exchange. The word of truth (Bible) is moving farther away from us
though it appears closer. The world has gone really technological, some generations
will come whereby they will
not
know what is called a “Bible” as a “book” and may see the Bible as an
Application (App) which you have the discretion to download, open, and have on
your devices or not to have. I see a generation where the word of God (Bible)
is not likely to make much meaning to men. I may be subjective in my opinion but
let our conscience be our
judge. When you use
a printed Bible; there seem to be an atom of value, respect, worth and honour you attribute to both
the Book and her writings (maybe because it is solely a Bible as compared to a
device which is numerous in usage with Bible inclusive) as compared to reading it on the
phone and other gadgets but the ease and the portability we may say comes with
reading or studying with our devices. Even in this, the fact remains that there
is no hardship or stress in its printed copy either but we the new generation
Christians “seem” to be lazy and misusing liberty at all cost and at its
slightest opportunity though my burden lies in the generation unborn.
Someone will say “does
my not reading the Bible (printed or a soft copy) a sin”, truly it’s not a sin
but it can be likened to a citizen that knows not his rights not because he is
not educated but because he has never read his country’s constitution at any
point of his life. If you don’t know anything about your country’s
constitution, that does not make you less of a citizen or a non-citizen but the
day you go against a clause of that constitution and you face the wrath of the
law having been stated therein, you will understand that having a knowledge of
your constitution is not a law or compulsion but it is an important obligation
for your good. On the other-hand, the day you read such constitution (having
not gone against any part thereof), and get an understanding of the rights you
have been denied access to by your government or the liable facilities that you
have not duly and fully utilized due to your ignorance, you will regret your
ignorance (God help you that you are not too old by then).
Described above is what
our Bible can be likened to. It is our constitution for our good, reproof,
correction and guidance. If we decide to know it, it remains for our good and
vice versa. We are not under compulsion nor a law to read or understand but it
is obligatory. We are in a scientific age where all knowledge-base is attributed
to science, we believe what we see and whatever science proves to us. Moses,
the Israelites and the Red Sea is beginning to sound like a fairy-tale in our
ears, Daniel in the Lion’s den sounds like the story of well fed Lions that are
too full for an extra meal,
the words of the Prophets sound like comic, Jesus Christ must be a joker, the
disciples must have been brain-washed and John’s vision quoted in “Revelation”
is a myth caused by excessive torture. All this are what a science world has
assumed of the Bible. We are
tending towards a faithless generation and the word of
God is
beyond Scientific Knowledge.
The only proof we have
of all this happenings is the Bible, we need to believe in it, we need to treat
it Sacred and Holy, we need to look into the generations to come what their
view of the Bible will be like, will they accord any honour or respect to the Book
or her
writings?, will it not be like an App in which they have a personal discretion to either download
or read?. Life is beautiful, technology is wonderful, the word of God remains
true but we need to think of sustaining the word and the religion for
generations ahead. God Commanded the Israelites to keep some annual feast that
their children may come to experience and know about Him. He ordered all poets
of the Bible to put it into writing that we may know how to live and come to
the knowledge of Him. The patriarchs of Old have played their good part. How is
our generation proclaiming God and His doings to the generations to come? It’s
up to you and me.
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