Some Links

I'm technically still on break, but here's some links to articles I found interesting.

• Banning Laptops in the Classroom by Douglas Groothuis
• No Cellphone? No Internet? So much less stress by several authors in the Chronicle of Higher Education

I get interested in these things since I work specifically in educational technology.

On Break

The semester is over and I'm going to take some down time from the blog (among other things). My apologies, but do check back in a few weeks.

Bin Laden Dead - Within Walking Distance from a Catholic Church

As news comes out about the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden, we learn a bit about the compound where he was staying. Apparently, it was designed with huge, thick walls and a maze-like entrance. One thing that flagged the mansion (once identified) was that it had no phone or internet connections. Given the expense of the place, that seemed odd.

Still, while technology played a role, it was old-fashioned intelligence that ultimately located him.

Some other miscellaneous things:

• It's been pinpointed on Google Maps
• A local live-tweeted the raid without knowing what it was
• If you look at the map from Google, There's a Catholic church about 200 feet from the place

That last one strikes me. Here's a church within easy walking distance from him. I know nothing about St. Peter's except that it is Catholic. What significance does that have - that here is a place that should worship God and proclaim His Gospel within walking distance from the headquarters of a mastermind of terror.

What do you think?

Morality of Confiscating Technology

Deuteronomy 24:6 is part of the law code of ancient Israel. It states that one cannot require a mill or upper millstone be taken in pledge for a debt. In other words, you can't take someone's technology that they require for their livelihood as collateral.

A few things I take away from this:

• God knows the centrality of technology in how we make a living
• God himself has a high view of that technology and seeks to protect it
• We must not take away someone's means/technology to make a legitimate livelihood

Tim Challies Video on Technology

Great insights & well presented:

Tim Challies: "The Next Story" from Ligonier on Vimeo.

Tim Challies also has a new book out I just started reading: The Next Story: Life and Faith after the Digital Explosion

The Technology You Meant for Evil...

With Good Friday and Easter this week, I've reflected on that event and all it entailed. Keeping with the theme of this blog, I thought about the technology involved in the events of those days. Mainly on how evil they were, yet how God used even these for good.