Why this?

Why did we write this document?  We are not writing to be judgemental or legalistic.  Nor do we at all claim to have “the answer” to what is right and wrong.  In fact, we would much appreciate being corrected if we state things that are not accurate, or unclear, or poorly argued.  But our motive is this: There have been many developments in media and communications technology that have completely changed the way of life in our Reformed communities.  The computer was one such device, the mobile phone a second, and the internet a third…  Twenty years ago few of us had, or needed them.  Now most of us (including our pre-teen children) fully depend and cannot imagine life without them.  These devices have become completely engrained in our lifestyles.  We need to step back, therefore, and ask ourselves some hard questions.  Not so much if we should accept these new technological developments–we already have–but to ask what uses of these technologies are acceptable and what uses are not, and how we can determine this.

 Modern Media

What do we mean with “modern media“?  If with a “medium” we understand a device and tool used to communicate with other people, or obtain information, then “old media” would include newspapers, magazines, books, and telephones.  “Modern media” then includes both physical devices such as computers, tablets, and smart phones, but more importantly those technologies that make use of these physical devices–such as the internet and the many programs that are based on the internet.

Sections to come: “Three Basic Principles”, “Some Basic Guidelines”, and “Conclusion”.