Friday, November 28, 2008
Are We Slipping Into Another Dark Age?
Although it was a non-fiction movie I watched over thirty years ago, one scene is still fresh in my mind. It is the shocked expression of a man whose abdomen has just been pierced through by a piece of wood, launched by a table saw which had no anti-kickback safety device. I watched the movie during the first week of my high school shop class. Our teachers were attempting to get us to slow down and pay attention.
Carelessness and distraction can have similar effects on our “real life”. It seems that we are all in a hurry to get somewhere. Where are we going so fast? What is life really about? With all our time-saving machines and increased mobility have our lives improved? Is the average person more disciplined, better balanced, kinder and more productive than in years past? Is your life improving? How’s your focus?
In her book Distracted, Maggie Jackson makes this interesting observation: “The seduction of alternative universes, the addictive allure of multitasking people and things, our near-religious allegiance to a constant state of motion: these are markers of a land of distraction, in which our old conceptions of space, time and place have been shattered. This is why we are less and less able to see, hear and comprehend what’s relevant and permanent, why so many of us feel that we can barely keep our heads above water, and our days are marked by perpetual loose ends. What’s more, the waning of our powers of attention is occurring at such a rate and in so many areas of life, that the erosion is reaching critical mass. We are on the verge of losing our capacity as a society for deep, sustained focus. In short, we are slipping toward a new dark age.”
St. Paul foretold a time when mankind would be in a very distressed state. See if you can see any parallels to our society in what he says: “You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!” (II Timothy 3:1-5 NLT)
A few verses later he describes these people as “… ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (II Timothy 3:7 KJV) Could he be talking about our generation? We live in a print-rich, fact-rich, entertainment-rich world. Ironically, it appears to be a world where people are reading less, remembering less and enjoying less.
I have a suggestion as to how we all might slow down, pay attention and turn the light back on in a dark age. My suggestion is a profoundly simple, time-proven, God-given remedy -- communion with the Creator. Nothing gives focus like old fashioned prayer and Bible reading. Prayer is our chance to talk with God and Bible reading is our chance to hear Him talk back. Try it for a few days; see if any lights come on.
If you are interested in going back to a basic relationship with God, let me recommend a great online Bible at www. Bible Gateway.com, and a great online, self-guided Bible study that explains how to be saved at www.actsii.org/files/OneLordOneFaithOneBaptism.pdf.
Carelessness and distraction can have similar effects on our “real life”. It seems that we are all in a hurry to get somewhere. Where are we going so fast? What is life really about? With all our time-saving machines and increased mobility have our lives improved? Is the average person more disciplined, better balanced, kinder and more productive than in years past? Is your life improving? How’s your focus?
In her book Distracted, Maggie Jackson makes this interesting observation: “The seduction of alternative universes, the addictive allure of multitasking people and things, our near-religious allegiance to a constant state of motion: these are markers of a land of distraction, in which our old conceptions of space, time and place have been shattered. This is why we are less and less able to see, hear and comprehend what’s relevant and permanent, why so many of us feel that we can barely keep our heads above water, and our days are marked by perpetual loose ends. What’s more, the waning of our powers of attention is occurring at such a rate and in so many areas of life, that the erosion is reaching critical mass. We are on the verge of losing our capacity as a society for deep, sustained focus. In short, we are slipping toward a new dark age.”
St. Paul foretold a time when mankind would be in a very distressed state. See if you can see any parallels to our society in what he says: “You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!” (II Timothy 3:1-5 NLT)
A few verses later he describes these people as “… ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (II Timothy 3:7 KJV) Could he be talking about our generation? We live in a print-rich, fact-rich, entertainment-rich world. Ironically, it appears to be a world where people are reading less, remembering less and enjoying less.
I have a suggestion as to how we all might slow down, pay attention and turn the light back on in a dark age. My suggestion is a profoundly simple, time-proven, God-given remedy -- communion with the Creator. Nothing gives focus like old fashioned prayer and Bible reading. Prayer is our chance to talk with God and Bible reading is our chance to hear Him talk back. Try it for a few days; see if any lights come on.
If you are interested in going back to a basic relationship with God, let me recommend a great online Bible at www. Bible Gateway.com, and a great online, self-guided Bible study that explains how to be saved at www.actsii.org/files/OneLordOneFaithOneBaptism.pdf.
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