From: cms@dragon.com
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Weizenbaum, Postman, and the Bible
Date: 28 Jan 93 08:31:10 GMT
Organization: Computer Projects Unlimited

In article <Jan.26.03.24.17.1993.14011@athos.rutgers.edu>, Richter@lrz.lrz-muenchen.dbp.de (Helmut Richter) writes:
> I am preparing a lecture on the influence of computing (computing is my
> job as software engineer) on society.  It will be held in a circle
> whose purpose is the mutual assistance of Christians to live their
> faith in their professional environments. I'd like to get some input
> from the readers of this group about the Biblical background of what I
> have to say.  If it turns out that there is not much said in the Bible
> about the topic I am free to leave that away: I am not at all obliged
> to provide a spiritual decoration to my lecture - on the other hand it
> would be bad to miss the Biblical standpoint if we could have found it
> out.

 Sometimes it's a good idea to begin a lecture with a good joke.  
Here's one that made the rounds a few years ago (there are many 
different versions, you can adapt it as you see fit).

 A priest, a lawyer, a surgeon, an engineer, and a computer scientist 
were all play golf.  In discussing their professions, the question was 
raised, "What is the oldest profession in the universe?"

 The priest replied, "In the Bible, it says prostitution is the 
world's oldest profession."

 The lawyer disagreed.  "I can go back even farther in the Bible than 
that.  It says that Cain slew his brother Abel.  God then judged Cain 
and punished him.  Therefore, law is the oldest profession in the 
universe."

 The surgeon disagreed.  "I can go back even farther in the Bible than 
that.  It says that God cast a deep sleep over Adam and then 
surgically removed his rib, whereupon God made Eve.  Therefore, 
surgery is the oldest profession in the universe."

 The engineer disagreed.  "I can go back even farther in the Bible 
than that.  It says, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and 
the earth."  God engineered the universe.  Therefore, engineering is 
the oldest profession in the universe."

 The computer scientist disagreed.  "I can go back even farther in the 
Bible than that.  After all, who do you think created the chaos?"

> This has led me to the question of how this kind of problems shows up
> in the Bible as well. Where does the Bible say anything about
> - adopting (or refusing to adopt) tools or cultural techniques

 There are many stories in the Bible about people inventing things for 
the first time.  Genesis is replete with etiological stories.  
Tubal-cain (Gen 4:22) forged tools of bronze and iron and is the 
father of all who work metal.  He the son of Lamech, who isn't look 
upon too favorably, and is also a descendant of Cain.  Other 
descendants of Cain include Jubal, ancestor of those who play the lyre 
and pipe.  One would think these would be viewed disfavorably, based 
on who their ancestors are, but Lamech's wife Adah also gave birth to 
Jabal, ancestor of those who dwell in tents, and Israelites certainly 
dwelt in tents; perhaps Ishmaelites are ultimately intended here.

 In 2 Samuel 12:31, David made the Ammonites work with saws and iron 
axes (also 1 Chron. 20:3).  In Exodus 20:25, God forbids Israelites to 
use tools to cut a stone for an altar.  There are many cases where the 
Bible speaks highly of materials imported from elsewhere.  Hiram sent 
cedar for David's house; there's cedar wood from Lebanon in Ezra 3:7, 
almug wood from Ophir in 1 Kgs 10:11-12, planks of fir from Senir, 
oars of oaks of Bashan, etc.  

 One of my favorite passages is Ecclesiasticus 38:1-15, urging us to 
hold the physician in honor, since God established his profession.  
"God makes the earth yield healing herbs which the prudent man should 
not neglect."  The physician is given knowledge to use them so that 
"the doctor eases pain" from the "druggist" who has "prepared his 
medicines.  Thus God's creative work continues without cease in its 
efficacy on the surface of the earth.  My son, when you are ill, delay 
not, but pray to God who will heal you:  Flee wickedness; let your 
hands be just, cleanse your heart of every sin; offer your 
sweet-smelling oblation and petition, a rich offering according to 
your means.  Then give the doctor his place lest he leave; for you 
need him too.  There are times that give him an advantage, and he too 
beseeches God that his diagnosis may be correct and his treatment 
bring about a cure.  He who is a sinner toward his Maker will be 
defiant toward the doctor."  Good advice!  To me, this passage has 
many ramifications.  God gives us the knowledge to heal, though 
knowledge can be misused to wound or kill.  Modern medical technology, 
or any technology, can be used so that "God's creative work continues 
without cease in its efficacy on the surface of the earth," but we 
must "flee wickedness," let our hands be just, and cleanse our hearts 
of every sin.

> - judging a situation based on values that are inaccessible to
>   calculation

 I assume you mean morality and ethics, with which the Bible is 
replete.  Situation ethics has never impressed me.  There are certain 
moral absolutes.  However, I can think of numerous sticky situations 
(my religion and ethics classes have been chock full of them).  Can 
you give me some specific examples of values that cannot be quantified 
or cannot be set up such that judgments can be calculated based on 
them?  Perhaps you're thinking of Solomon and the two mothers?

> - dealing properly with a flood of information?

 I'm not quite sure what you mean by this one.  There is information 
that is so great (not necessarily voluminous) that it must be 
concealed until a later generation.  Dan 8:6 seal up the vision; Dan 
12:4 seal up the book; these words are sealed up until the end; Rev. 
10:4 seal up what the seven thunders said.  Jesus wouldn't let the 
demons reveal information on who he was.  God once thought about 
concealing information from Abraham (Gen 18:17).  "It is the glory of 
God to consider a matter" (Prov. 25:2).

 Perhaps something that comes close is the way Jesus dealt with the 
voluminous crowds.  He preached from a boat on the sea so he wouldn't 
be crushed and often went off to lonely places to pray.  That has to 
do with the flood of people receiving the same information.

 I can't think of a specific instance in the Bible in which a person 
received literally too much information and just couldn't sort it all. 
The best I can come up with is the actual Tradition of texts.  There 
were many manuscripts floating around telling about the life and death 
and resurrection of Jesus.  So many the Church didn't quite know what 
to do with them all.  Eventually, they sorted them all through, and 
selected which texts accurately reflected the teachings of the church, 
and which ones didn't.  This was done in reaction to another man named 
Marcion who established his own canon.  Our current canon is a direct 
response to his canon, which the Church considered heretical.  

> Regards, Helmut

Well, I thought I'd come up with more than that, but you're questions 
were a bit vague for me.  Morality is a broad issue, for example.  
Good luck!

In Jesus Son of Mary,

Cindy Smith
cms@dragon.com