About Digital Media Technology and Your Spiritual Life: An Uneasy Alliance
| Authors | Dovich, Laurel |
|---|---|
| Date | 2017 |
| Proceedings | Proceedings of the 2017 Christian Engineering Conference |
| URL | https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/christian_engineering_conference/2017/technological_development/2 |
Type: Conference Paper
Tags: Christian Engineering
Abstract
Digital media technology has become a part of our everyday lives, filling a substantial portion of the constructive minutes and hours of our days. This technology was created by engineers, and is being further perfected by engineers with each successive generation. As engineers, should we not be at the forefront of learning how this technology is changing our culture and be leaders in teaching responsible use? Science has documented that technology use is changing how our brain functions. Its use creates new neural pathways and causes cognitive overload in the area of our brain that controls decision-making, impulse control, attention, focus and short-term memory – reducing those functions. Our digital media technology use encourages bad habits that affect our focus, productivity, busyness, reading skills and our personal interactions. These changes in our brain processing also affect our spiritual life. Their distracting nature affects spiritual meditation, prayer and contemplation. The changes in our reading habits affect our study of Scripture, and storing God’s word in our hearts. Changes in how we interact with each other affect worship and fellowship, as well as how we relate to God. Most people have wandered into using digital media technology without a conscious realization of how it is changing their lives and the function of their brain. As engineers, creators of technology, let’s lead the charge in educating ourselves to build protective walls around our spiritual lives, and educating others to do the same.