I am a computer illiterate. Not because I cannot read, but because I rarely read the manuals which come with the operating programs. (This is because the manuals are most often written by people who assume you already know all about your computer and that you don’t need the manual. For this reason, virtually no problem which arises can be looked up in the index because you don’t know the technical name by which the problem is called. Even then…oh well.)<\/p>\n
Furthermore, I hate my computer, but could not now live without it. Although I readily acknowledge that my work putting this journal together is made immeasurably easier because I have a computer, I will not easily acknowledge that the “brains” behind it is in the Pentium chip but in the mind of the man doing the actual work of laying it out. I tell you these things, not because I am proud, but to help you understand why I hesitated so long in getting onto the Internet. Even now, had it not been for the input of a dear friend, I would not have gotten “on line.” Now that I am using my modem, I must confess that there are some advantages to it.<\/p>\n
Being on one of the “Lists” managed by brethren gives me an opportunity to share quickly in studies that saints many miles away are conducting. While I happily read the “posts” made by others, I have not yet contributed any, nor do I plan to do so in the near future. (I am told that Sentry may be put on the Internet someday. While this may cut down on the number of subscribers, I will let you know if this comes to fruition.)<\/p>\n
However, there is a downside to the Internet which I think needs to be considered. Let me share a few thoughts with you at this time.<\/p>\n
The first thing I generally do each day is plug into the electronic mailbox to see what has been posted. Much of it, and sometimes nearly all of it, is a waste of time. Nevertheless, I have to “call up” the post before I can make that judgment. It would be much better if some “posts” were simply not made at all.<\/p>\n
However, what to some may be a waste of time may be to others quite useful. In fact, some ‘time wasters” are judged so by me because I long ago settled the question being discussed, but others have not. To the young preacher, the question of the “bread” for the Lord’s supper may be an issue. For me, no.<\/p>\n
While I do not seek to be judgmental, much time seemed to be wasted in an exchange concerning the color of the grape juice served at the Lord’s table. Where in scripture is there even a hint that such needs to be resolved? At least there is a reason to raise the question concerning unleavened bread, although the issue cannot be resolved with any appeal to specific scripture. But the color of the “cup”? I was amazed.<\/p>\n
Another study (?) ran on for days concerning the propriety of “gimmicks” in the preaching of the gospel.<\/p>\n
Why, the most superficial study of God’s word shows that God used “gimmicks” continually in His teaching. (Gimmicks are little more than visual aids.) The bottom line appeared to be this: certain preachers who seem to know little about how to communicate the gospel were concerned about those who do. This “study” could have stayed off the Internet.<\/p>\n
I would be the last to ask the “owners” of the lists to exercise editorial control of the content. However, it is because of this benefit that some things go “online” that would be better off sifted out. Now, this is really no problem if the brethren recognize that the services are for the sake of free-form study and that one may say something “off the record” that he would be hesitant to make public. This, however, may be a thing of the past because of the unscrupulous actions of some who feel that if it is on the Internet, it is in the “public domain.” That is a shame. In any case, I will continue to tune in and hope that more able students will also.<\/p>\n
As speech served no better purpose for Elihu than belching, so through speaking some seem to be “refreshed” (Job 32:19-20). There are times when it is the point of wisdom to refrain from words and accept the instruction of others (Job 6:24). Thus, some would be wise to refrain from “posting” and leave the exchanges up to others. I may be one of those.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Floyd Chappelear via\u00a0Sentry Magazine, Vol. 21 No. 4, December 1995 I am a computer illiterate. Not because I cannot read, but because I rarely read the manuals which come with the operating programs. (This is because the manuals are most often written by people who assume you already know all about your computer and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[975],"class_list":["post-96870","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-internet"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":31874,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-you-support-conscientious-objection\/","url_meta":{"origin":96870,"position":0},"title":"Do you support conscientious objection?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 19, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Do you or your church support selective conscientious objection and conscientious objection? Answer: Registering for the draft is a government law that does not violate any teaching of God. \"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1296,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-are-boy-girl-relationships-not-advisable-at-a-young-age\/","url_meta":{"origin":96870,"position":1},"title":"Why are boy-girl relationships not advisable at a young age?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 3, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Why are boy-girl relationships not advisable at a young age Answer: Youth is a time of impatient desires. They want the things available to adults, but adulthood seems so far away. The typical teenage boy enters puberty around the age of 11. The typical teenage girl enters puberty around\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":37138,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/we-lost-the-surprise-somewhere\/","url_meta":{"origin":96870,"position":2},"title":"We Lost the Surprise Somewhere","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 10, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I remember watching Mayberry RFD and related shows most of my childhood. Poor ignorant Gomer Pyle who worked as an auto mechanic was a notable character. But I can still recall my shock when I found out that Jim Nabors, who played Gomer, could sing --\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Gomer.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":32196,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-a-sin-to-take-out-insurance\/","url_meta":{"origin":96870,"position":3},"title":"Is it a sin to take out insurance?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 20, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Is it a sin to take out medical insurance or legal insurance? Are we rather expected to put our faith in the Lord to take care of those things? 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Hamilton Text: Job 19:23-27 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Each week the paper publishes its list of top selling books \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Sometimes the books are biographies, fictional stories, or fiction placed in historical settings. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0They hope that others will also purchase the books, if for no other reason than curiosity. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Many author\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6988,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-there-passages-that-refer-to-the-lords-supper\/","url_meta":{"origin":96870,"position":5},"title":"Are there passages that refer to THE Lord’s Supper?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 2, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: We have been studying the Lord's supper issues and one of our main concerns is about a second offering in which only a few partake, for the reasons you listed in your article (not doing it together). 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