Technology, Spirit, And Me

MON., MAR. 19, 1990, 6:36 AM
FARM, STUDY

You live in a world dominated by technology. As you look around this cluttered study you see virtually nothing that is simple. And this is not a high-tech room, by any means. Technology is one of the major “givens” in this culture, which is historically and avowedly Christian. Yet the Holy Scriptures say virtually nothing about technology. Thus, in one sense, the Scriptures are irrelevant, a statement I do not like to make. Listen, o son, as I amplify this on this cold morning with a surprising snow cover.

In Biblical eras there was a sense of time, though, as I have indicated in other Teachings, there are questions about the days of creation and about the length of years when people mentioned lived hundreds of them. There were calendars, of a sort, but no watches or clocks. There was more careful observation of the sun and of the moon, so there was a rather well developed sense of the length of a day and of a month. But there was no March 19 at 6:36 AM. That is a result of technology and the science that allowed its development.

I have told you that the earth is a realm of the apparent reality of time and space. Yet technology which has made time so precise is irrelevant to My message. You watched as teams played basketball yesterday, and saw spirit soaring incredibly in the winners and virtually absent from the actions and faces of the losers. And this difference was made by seconds of time, displayed on a digital clock. Seconds of time declared a winner and a loser. This is all irrelevant to My way.

You have noted (and on this I have commented also) that while My basic experience is timeless, I have asked you to send out four “issues” of your Ruminations each year. You decided there should be one each season, with somewhat appropriate colors, completed within each season. This means you could be chafing against a “deadline” of March 21 or June 21. Just know that these are your “inventions.” What I desire is the discipline, displayed by you, of working with these Teachings regularly enough to produce four letters a year. I am not interested in whether you have completed the task by 12 midnight on March 20. But I approve of the feeling of satisfaction you have in completing this good issue ahead of your “deadline.”

Some technology does “improve” human life here in the earth. Much of it, however, is irrelevant to spiritual development… or detrimental. And some of it is downright silly… or dangerous to human health or existence. Automobiles make travel much faster and more comfortable then in Biblical times, but the development of models like that which was in front of your place yesterday is foolish… an abomination in the use of the earth’s precious resources. Perhaps even during your lifetime you shall experience this judgment of Mine becoming dominant in your culture. But only after a lot of moaning and groaning.

Your pen is a technological device, and this paper is technologically produced. I approve of this minimal technology for these pages of Teachings. You shall always write these in this minimally technological way. I have no objection to the typewritten form, or even to eventually having these computer generated. But the original shall be handwritten, in this way.

In this climate, and in those more severe, it is important to have technology for more comfortable living. And still I say that comfort is overdone. Continue to live as you do, with sparing use of the technology available for comfort and efficiency.

I can function in electronic churches, and I am in the midst of primitive tribes in the rain forests. I disapprove of military technology, and label this all an abomination. I approve more of people who plant and harvest food with more knowledge of natural balances in all of life than of those who try to dominate all life with chemicals.