After taking a week away from most of the “media” and “technology” in my life (i.e. blog, computer, T.V.), I learned a few things:
- I’m self-centered and technology often serves to increase my self-centeredness
- I’m impatient and technology often serves to increase my impatience
- I’m relational and relationships serve to center my life on others and make me more patient
There is much more I could say here, but I won’t because a different Doug says it better:
Any area of culture that decreases godliness and enhances worldliness must come under the loving discipline of Jesus Christ–for his glory, for our good, and for the good of those we serve. Christians need to withdraw from aspects of our technological culture (which Neil Postman calls a “Technopoly”-a culture dominated by technology) in order to gain perspective on ourselves, God, and our culture. ~ Doug Groothius Ph.D. (Denver Seminary)
Have you ever taken a media fast?
3 comments:
Zach,
I don't think that I've ever gone on a *complete* media fast, but as a teen-ager, for a few years at least, I watched very little TV (other than the news). Also, for a semester in college, I didn't own a TV and therefore, rarely watched television. Ironically, in a way, both of these times were well before I became a Christian!
Since being saved by God, I have gone on "internet fasts." I should do more of them, and more fasting from media in general-- so, what am I still doing here (I kid, Zach-- well, half-kidding)?
Fasting seems to be an all-too-rarely practiced discipline, for some reason, *especially* among Reformed Christians. In a recent Sunday School class which I attended, the facilitator spoke of fasting in terms which all but assumed that few people in the class had ever done it! How sad, especially given the plethora of quotes at the back of John Piper's book on fasting, A Hunger for God (which I *highly* recommend!), which abundantly display that earlier generations of Christians saw fasting as an extremely important spiritual discipline which every Christian should practice (barring an individual Christian's possible medical issues with fasting from food-- but even then, other "fasts" are possible, such as from media).
Oh, I forgot-- also since becoming a Christian, I have gone on fasts from food. I think the longest one was for close to three days, but more often, they have been for one or two days. It has been too long since I have done this sort of fast though. I should do one again soon to help with my spiritual sluggishness.
It sounds like a really good idea and could be really helpful in reevaluating priorities...Even though I don't watch tv ever, the internet is huge for me. I will have to go on one of these fasts, but not until the semester is over. I don't think professors would buy the "Sorry my paper isn't done, I went on a technology fast."
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