I really enjoy old things – I guess that’s a prerequisite for an archaeologist.
I own a group of fun, old things that could be properly categorized as “obsolete tech.” I have a Victrola record player from 1915, a Smith-Corona typewriter from the late 1940s, two Canon cameras (a 1950s model and a 1970s model), and 1999 HP Jordana 547 Pocket PC. My Mom has also promised me her 1960s-era Smith-Corona typewriter the next time I visit. I can’t wait. I am planning to use it to write poetry. I love the design, craftsmanship as well as the look and feel of these things. Using them, however, is not efficient.
I began writing this post on my old Pocket PC – the epitome of obsolete tech. There’s a reason I don’t write all my blog posts and articles on this device. What was once a great piece of technology is no longer easy to use. The device no longer syncs to my computer and it doesn’t have wifi access. No computer built after 2003 is even compatible with the Jordana, so it may be difficult to move this post to my modern pc.
When I used the Jordana regularly – back in the early 2000s to take class notes in graduate school – the external keyboard worked like a charm. The little device was fast, portable, and cost the fraction of a laptop. But now the external keyboard won’t sync with the device, so I am left to input each letter of each word with a stylus. The process is difficult and noisy. In fact, this will be the last sentence I write on the Jordana … I’m switching to my laptop.
I am so glad to be back on my laptop. It is so much easier to write and edit on this newer computer. It is just better than the Pocket PC. The Jordana is quaint, cool to look at, and nostalgic to use, but it just doesn’t work well in today’s fast-paced world. The Jordana has been eclipsed by newer technology. And that’s the whole point, technology becomes obsolete when no long functions as intended or it no longer interfaces with other technology. Something is deemed “obsolete” for very pragmatic reasons.
Some people view the Bible the same way they view old things like my Jordana – obsolete. Reading it brings up thoughts of the past – nostalgia – but they argue that its message and ethics are outdated. They turn to what they think are “shiny new” ideas and philosophies for guidance. They think the Bible “no longer works” in today’s fast-paced world. But the reality could not be further from the truth – namely because the Bible is Truth.
Yes, it is true that you cannot follow the Bible without becoming counter-cultural. If you truly apply the word of the Bible and truly follow Jesus, you probably will not be very popular. Jesus told us as much in Matthew 10:22; Matthew 24:9; Mark 13:13; and Luke 21:7. But the problem lies in culture, not in the Bible. So whatever you do, don’t treat the Bible like obsolete tech. For the Bible contains the very words of life – life abundant and eternal. The message of the Bible is timeless.
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