Has technology changed your religious experience?

[HTacianas]

Twenty years ago I could quote the bible by word and give chapter and verse. Technology has changed that. Now, I can quote word for word but I have to do a word search online to find chapters and verses. And my word search has to be the wording of the KJV.

The last two times the Jehovah's Witnesses came to my house (I always have long polite discussions with them) I found that we both did the same thing.

Anyone else find themselves doing the same thing, or something similar?

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I tend to use an electronic bible myself, it's helpful to have the strongs numbers and context definitions at hand.

 

[Kenny'sID]

I never learned to quote the bible, not much anyway, and I always had a terrible time finding what I was able to recall...technology fixed that nicely. Not to mention how easy is is to gather ourselves together now, as well as reach others.

I need to get one, but I don't even have a hard copy of the bible.

 

[thecolorsblend]

There’s a strong argument that I wouldn’t have joined the Catholic Church without modern technology.

Something else, during Mass I will usually follow along with the readings using the Laudate app. It’s not a major change but it’s still a change. Sometimes Baby Boomers will shoot me dirty looks when they see me using the app because they usually don’t keep up with technology and don’t understand what they’re even looking at when they see people using apps in Mass.

 

[Dave L]

Twenty years ago I could quote the bible by word and give chapter and verse. Technology has changed that. Now, I can quote word for word but I have to do a word search online to find chapters and verses. And my word search has to be the wording of the KJV.

The last two times the Jehovah's Witnesses came to my house (I always have long polite discussions with them) I found that we both did the same thing.

Anyone else find themselves doing the same thing, or something similar?

I read the bible every day but do not try to memorize scripture or its location. I just do a word search contained in the passage which is faster than digging it out by it's reference.

 

[Anthony2019]

Here are five ways in which technology has helped me with my faith:-
1. Internet forums have helped me to get to know Christians around the world in ways which would otherwise not have been possible.
2. Using the internet, I was able to get in touch with a Franciscan Community and have been on retreats which have helped me in my journey of faith.
3. I am able to use Google to instantly pick up a scripture reading without having to flick through pages searching for it.
4. I have found resources online such as books/music which would have been difficult to find in shops.
5. I have been able to listen to music and watch programmes which are not limited to what is broadcast on the radio or TV or which are only available in shops.

 

[FireDragon76]

Our former vicar, before he got his call to his own church, used to preach holding one of those tablets with his notes.

 

[eleos1954]

Twenty years ago I could quote the bible by word and give chapter and verse. Technology has changed that. Now, I can quote word for word but I have to do a word search online to find chapters and verses. And my word search has to be the wording of the KJV.

The last two times the Jehovah's Witnesses came to my house (I always have long polite discussions with them) I found that we both did the same thing.

Anyone else find themselves doing the same thing, or something similar?

The internet has provided people with the ability to search out many marvelous things in regard to Gods Word and biblical related things and so quickly!

Ability to run searches across the entire bible.
Ability to compare various translations.
Ability to access the greek and hebrew.
Ability to search/research history.
Ability to search/research archeology.
Ability to search/research various cultures.

It is an amazing tool the Lord gave us to use.

There is also much diabolical things out there to avoid of course, but just like anything, it's a tool and if used to pursue the knowledge and understanding of the Lord it's amazing and am thankful for it. Have learned much, and have much to learn.

God Bless.

 

[david shelby]

So you're saying like it harmed your memory because you don't have to remember the locations of verses because you can always just search them? Me personally, I just began to realize that form of proof texting is useless and stopped remembering chapter and verse so much as general location, i.e. what book its in, and the context of what is said around it. That's more useful to proper interpretation anyway, than remember chapter and verse numbers. So I don't see it as a problem that I might have to do a search to find the numbers. As far as the wording of the search having to be the KJV, that's probably just because its the most unique wording, so the search will be more quickly recognized.

 

[FIRESTORM314]

Beware of Geeks bringing free Software

 

[Anthony2019]

Beware of Geeks bringing free Software

I agree not all of it is great, but some of it is extremely good.
My PC runs Kubuntu, a Linux based operating system. I use LibreOffice for all my wordprocessing and presentations, Audacity for audio editing, Kdenlive for video production, Krita for photo and image editing. The operating system and software are free and open source. I do have a couple of commercial apps which I've paid for - Pianoteq and Bitwig Studio, as I've found the open source alternatives do not match the features or quality of these apps.

 

[ripple the car]

The internet has been great!

When leaving Islam, this website helped me to get to re-know Christ;

JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR

CF has been a blessing. It's literally the only social media I'm on right now.

I can browse to find the nearest Catholic church, Mass times, and the nearest Latin Mass, too.

I can access the daily readings through EWTN's website, and get to spend time with Christ, quietly, using Adore Cast on You Tube, which is also awesome.

Like Anthony said, You Tube has a huge amount of Christian music from all over.

Want to know more about Reformed theology, the Great Schism, Saint Seraphim of Sarov, the Mennonites, or figure out who Charles Finney was? There's a website for that!

So, yeah, the internet has been great!

 

[BNR32FAN]

Twenty years ago I could quote the bible by word and give chapter and verse. Technology has changed that. Now, I can quote word for word but I have to do a word search online to find chapters and verses. And my word search has to be the wording of the KJV.

The last two times the Jehovah's Witnesses came to my house (I always have long polite discussions with them) I found that we both did the same thing.

Anyone else find themselves doing the same thing, or something similar?

Personally I think technology has helped me learn a lot about the scriptures. For example if it weren’t for the internet I probably would’ve never found out about Strong’s concordance which has greatly helped me to better understand the Greek definitions of the words used in the Bible. There’s been quite a few cases where it has really shed some light on what the author was trying to convey. Not to mention having apps with many different bible translations to compare has been helpful.

 

[FIRESTORM314]

I agree not all of it is great, but some of it is extremely good.
My PC runs Kubuntu, a Linux based operating system. I use LibreOffice for all my wordprocessing and presentations, Audacity for audio editing, Kdenlive for video production, Krita for photo and image editing. The operating system and software are free and open source. I do have a couple of commercial apps which I've paid for - Pianoteq and Bitwig Studio, as I've found the open source alternatives do not match the features or quality of these apps.

I use Linux myself - I like the choice.
This PC is running Linux Mint 19.

I think my statement suggests you don't get a free meal without paying some cost.
A lot of people are concerned about privacy but another large iceberg is something called influence.

Me thinks that combination is not a good one. Fortunately we have the guys in the security industry protecting our rights and freedom of speech.

 

[usexpat97]

Electric guitars and Midi keyboards, with programmable patches. Electric drum trap sets where the drummer doesn't have to use balsa wood sticks, lest he overpower the rest of the team. Wireless mikes. Integrated puff guards on the microphone diaphragms. DSP's filter out feedback.

Video. Free Camtasia video mixers. Cell phone cameras that can snap video worthy of showing in a church service (if you're good at it).

The pastor delivers his sermon off a tablet.

I never forget my Bible anymore. It's my cell phone.

We can use Hue lighting on stage for much cheaper, instead of having to resort to more expensive DMX.

Everyone in my Bible study group texts on cell.


On the negative side:
Flash cell phone cameras.

You can surf Facebook during the sermon. Before, if I lost attention, at least I was reading on in the Bible I took off the pew.

Online giving exposes your entire church website to hackers.

The media and IT ministry is always seriously understaffed and requires skilled volunteers.

Mass church shootings immediately splash all over social media.