IS GOOGLE READER MAKING YOU STUPID

IS GOOGLE AND THE NET MAKING YOU STUPID Part One

What the Internet is doing to our brains

Is Google Making Us Stupid?

I have have used Google just about six months. Its addictive, really. "Just Google it." Who needs a library anymore! Who needs to read the newspaper anymore? Who needs to read books anymore? I have being on the Internet since October 2003. Its seems to be addictive. And an addiction sometimes is not recognized by the person who is addicted.

As I was on my Google Reader subscription list, where I receive the most current post from over 120 bloggers. I read Reading, Writing and The Internet , an article about the reading books verses reading articles on the Internet.

Who read today? If you are on the Internet you read. But many like the pictures or even the video. Newspapers are having a hard time selling papers it seems. Now they are putting the Newspaper online.

I’m not so sure the Internet’s influence is a huge problem, but I think we should all be aware as to just how much our reading habits are influenced by our Internet usage

"The book publisher Random House recently announced that it will be releasing thousands more of its books in digital format over the next few months. The idea is that while the market for regular ol' words-on-paper books is struggling, electronic books have grown by leaps and bounds over the past year, thanks to Amazon's Kindle among other things. "

I have always loving reading, of course as a preacher/teacher I do a lot of reading. Reading is required. But this article is not on reading, I will do that later.

The concern about the Internet and GOOGLE was, the possibility that our brain could be going. "I've had an uncomfortable sense that someone, or something, has been tinkering with my brain, remapping the neural circuitry, reprogramming the memory. My mind isn't going so far as i can tell, but it's changing." Micholas Carr.

"What the NET seems to be doing is chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation. My mind now expects to take in information the way the NET distribuetes it: in a swiftly moving stream of particles. Once I was a scuiba diver in the sea of words,. Now I zip along the surfact like a guy on Jet Ski." Micholas Carr.

I have found over the last year, Google has successful got me to try Google Reader. Its easy and fast to read one article at a time. Then there is Feedburner which gives you one article at a time. Fast and quick. Then I can just type in "Reading on the Internet" and I get a dozen articles links. Research is at your finger tips and Google.

The first three years that I was on the Internet I was able to log on to Monergism.com. This is a reformed website and has 1000's of articles taking from 1000's of books. I could not read each article as fast as I could find them. I didn't want to just glance over the articles by Spurgeon, Edwards, Boston, Calvin, Luther, etc. so I would download the articles for future reading.

In Seminary I bought a 20 volume series of Charles Spurgeon's sermons in 1966 or about $200. Today almost all of Spurgeon sermons are on line. You can see the volumes on the top shelf. I still have them 42 years later. You now can have all Spurgeon's sermons on CD in for a low price.

So would you rather have 20 volumes of Spurgeon and I have 26 volumes of Biblical Illustrator at a cost of $400 in 1980, now you can have for less than 1/4 of that today on a CD. What was I thinking.

THE CHRISTIAN INTERNET POSTING

The Internet has exploded as a world wide easy access means of communication crossing every border, nationality, culture, race and religion.

As you know, the Internet is an impersonal library of knowledge and information. For some it is fast and easy way to send email to friends. Most people will read the e mail rather than clicking on to a web site, I must say. They don't have to remember the web site name.

Today in the Christian web you can now find live stream video of preachers preaching, and now you can find clips of other interesting talks. I have yet to do this. I still have a 98 Window for heaven sakes. I must update before the year is out. Our I might be out. I can do better on the AOL e mail.

Every group or individual who wants a platform, a soap box, a place to be heard can find an audience for the small price of a modem and a monthly connection fee via local ISP. Thank goodness at this time Blogger is free. But the AOL is still 24.95. I am still on dial up, so I need a phone line, which cost another 35.00 per month. I know. This year I need to go to that other speed. Give me time to up date my Gateway .

While I never started out to be a voice for Christian news, I am still not a voice for Christian news. But its a good place for communication of the Christian faith. This includes evangelism, apologetics, edification of Christians, comfort, prayer, teaching, encouragement and instruction. Its also a place to write about your own experiences in ministry.

Christian "ministry" on Internet can be as simple as making sermons, teaching, Bible studies, stud helps and reference material available in what are really public libraries. This requires little or no interaction with the readers and users, but it only the first step.

The Internet is a way also of letting your friends you have not died yet. Generally I have e mailed our friends that I have a blog. That might get some to view it. Then we interact by e mail over at AOL. This has been good.

Since I am having little success in preaching and teaching these days, I do most of my preaching and teaching on my blog. This has been a life savior.

A little of our own testimony about Christian ministry has been what we began this blog for in the first place. Well, its been a lot of what I started out doing, back in August of 2006.

I have written the reality of what its been like being in Christian Ministry for forty years. The truth of the matter, its not been all fun and games. Too many do not want you to know the reality of true ministry. Its hard on your wife and sons and daughter for sure.

But to make sure we started out just writting our thoughts about ministry. Then we have addressed some issues that we as Christians have. But note its the Word of God which does the work, not our fancy or even poor explanations and speech. As Hebrews 4:12-13 says, "the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are open and laid bear to the eyes of him with whom we have to do."

And I would suggest to those who read these blogs from time to time:

"Have a little kindness, overlook if you will some of the poor writing, when Charity doesn't first proof read. Note I am not trying to change anyone. "

Charles