Life Matters, January 26, 2022
It was reported at the tail-end of the year, 2021, that there are now in the neighborhood of 7,000-8,000 artificial (man-made) satellites orbiting the earth in high, medium, or low orbit. Of these, about 1,800 belong to an Elon Musk founded company called Starlink or Space X.
I was raised without radio, television, or movie theaters. I was captivated, though, by the Western movies at Haas Hat Store. And by the movies on TV at the farmhouse, where brother John and I stayed with the family Dad had bought a farm from, the summer I turned thirteen. Television in those days was in black and white. At age sixteen, I saw my first full-color movie at the Ritz Theater in New Holland, PA. It was love at first sight. The only downside I knew of was the letdown feeling when coming back to everyday life in the real world. Partly due to my Amish roots, I had no time for movies that were not at least based on real life. I scoffed at “Star Wars” and walked out. I despised anything that could only exist in fantasy, including “meaningless” cartoons. But I had a special hatred for those fictitious wars in the cosmos.
Times change, do they not?! War in the cosmos no longer seems so far-fetched. More on that next time.
Even though we have never had a TV or even a radio in our home, we now have two computers. The stationary and even moving pictures are much higher definition than even the movie theaters of my youth. With WiFi connection comes merchandise being offered that brings Revelation 18:11 to mind, where in prophetic utterance it all comes crashing down. “And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise anymore.” I encourage anyone who hasn’t done so to read the entire chapter of Revelation 18, or rather, all of the book of Revelation, in light of many of the prophetic judgements being fulfilled by the advancing technology of our day. Keeping in mind that God could suddenly bring it all to a halt and a crashing down by simply tweaking the air waves that this technology depends on to beam these seemingly endless streams of digital data out to all who use it. Digital data that I’m still looking for the best way to filter, stay accountable with, and not waste time on. Digital data that keeps on expanding until the very bloat of information becomes difficult to navigate, much less discern and retain the dependable parts of it that are useful for a present application.
It seems our needs have expanded. I marvel when I think of how hardy the pioneers, (many of whom have descendants here still) must have been when they migrated to these brutal plains, without the luxuries that are now considered necessities in the short span of time since then. Less than 200 years, a few generations ago, the horse was still the fastest mode of transportation, ships were still powered by the wind and news traveled no faster than a man or horse could run. The natives who first mastered these plains did so with few tools, but agile bodies and quick wits. They, and the pioneers who came after them, must have been a hardy lot. Those who survived, that is. Many did not survive, especially babies. It seems the fittest survived. “Survival of the fittest.” Haven’t I heard that somewhere before? But the variables in that statement as a belief is enough to give anyone mental vertigo who attempts to unravel and dissect them.
The laws of logic applied to the “survival of the fittest” rule logically conclude if the fittest survive then it follows that fitness is proven by survival. Which has obvious problems as we consider that more often than not it is the fittest of young men who fall on the battlefield. The fittest of men and women often lose their lives in all manner of ways, as do the not-so-fit. The fittest may survive COVID and still die in a car crash. Or any other of a myriad of accidents. The exceptions to the rule are endless. Meanwhile, science toys with the idea that maybe someday the fittest can survive by having their inner consciousness transferred to a robot and become its “artificial” intelligence. May all of us look forward rather to having our consciousness transferred to our celestial bodies and to Heaven. Because of Jesus! Life Matters! To be continued…