Technology fatigue

We all suffer from it, right?

We comment on facebook, retweet tweets, pin like crazy on Pintrest, Instaram, use our phones to receive emails, catch up even on the weather and the news. The latest gadgets are advertised and off we rush to get into the latest craze.

George Orwell's book "1984" is nothing compared to how we watch each other, we do not need a "Big Brother" to do it for us. We monitor the ones we like (and dislike at times), we seek their approvals and measure it by the amount of comments and likes on whatever status update / post / link we have put out there. Often this also comes with deep hurt if we are critisised ever so slightly for what we believe in and stand up for.

Media is all around us and unfortunately shapes our view of ourselves, in addition to shaping our view of the world, since we do not know how to think for ourselves any longer. The thinking is done for us in more ways than one. Pity, since we have been given a brain to test theories, test arguments for truth and validity, yet we hardly engage our brains.

With all this technology and fear of missing out, comes a busier and busier lifestyle than ever before. We deceive ourselves if we think that technology makes our lives easier or even gives us more time to things. The fact is rather, that every spare moment is spent catching up on the latest tweets and what our "friends" are up to. In the process we forget how to breathe and seek for peace which we so desparately ae longing for.

Needless to say, the faster technology becomes, the faster we live our lives. Thus we "live" for the weekends and holidays like these:

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In some cases we even live for the next adventure, chasing down the next adrenalin rush, thinking it relaxing - haha

So, what is the solution to all this? Well, peace cannot be found in this upsidedown world without some spiritual context. However, the only spiritual context that will bring true peace, is found in the Bible - seriously! There is no way to attain peace in meditation if you do not know WHAT to meditate on. There is no peace in nature if we cannot look at it through God's eyes. There is no peace in the fast pace of life if we don't stop for a while to think about what really matters.

God created us for peace - to live in it and to show it to others. Let's find peace in this crazy world by praising Him and worshipping Him and in the process extending soem of that peace to others.

On: selling out to corporate sponsorship

This post is a bit of a venting (sorry it also contains a lot of links)

On Saturday I had the priviledge of seeing Switchfoot live in Cape Town!!

(sorry, pic stolen off their website)

What an experience. I LOVE the band, LOVE the songs, LOVED the performance, even LOVE the (now not so) new album. There is, however just one thing that really bothers me, and here it is:

As a Christian band, selling out to corporate sponsoship (they are sponsored by Hurley - see this link and scroll down to "donate" or even go to the tab "bro-am") will have an effect on what you can and cannot say at concerts, in your music etc. Lyrics like "Restless" clearly show that there is a tension between what they can say and what they want to say. Because the "you" they sing about could really be anyone, not necessarily God or Jesus. Compare this to one of their earlier songs "I turn everything over" or even "Something More (Augustine Confession)" where thier faith is expressed a lot stronger. Even on their album before this, for which they won the Best Rock Gospel Album Grammy, there is already that sense creeping in, except perhaps in a song like "Hello Hurricane".

The other thing was that I was missing at the concert was a true sense that it was a Christian band. The opening act was more explicit. They at least sang about Jesus and they were pretty good too. Pity they did not have back-up singers or second voices.

I am not saying that every song should contain words like Jesus, Christ, being saved and the like, but I want to know that faith and Christian living has not been compromised. I do read whom the bands thank (always) and I expect there to be something about God in there, because cleary they have not done this on their own or achieved any of it by their own strength.

I'm also not saying that I will stop listening to them, because I really like thier style and can interpret their songs from a  Christian perspective.

It is just sad to see that money is drawing us away from what we believe and the more we sell out to it the more peole will notice. I am so grateful to other bands like Reliant K and artists like TobyMac who, although they are doing well have not compromised on the Gospel message. In every song, in every interview you will hear it. I appreciate that more than compromising and being more subtle in lyrics. We need to ge the message out there that there is ONE Lord and there is only ONE way to Him. That way cannot be found in corporate sponsorship and money.