"Billy Graham: On Technology and Faith" Summary/Response Catherine Holmes

 

Summary

In "Billy Graham: On Technology and Faith", Billy Graham reminds his audience that although technology has made incredible advances, there are still deeply-rooted issues in society that technology has not and cannot solve; problems such as 

human evil:

                                          

human suffering:

and death:

Graham introduces his first point using the story of a man from the Bible: David, the king of Israel. During David’s reign, the discovery of iron transformed the ways that people did things. However, David noticed that there were three issues which iron was not fixing. One of these was human evil, which advancements in science and technology have not solved even today. Graham concludes that the reason humans cannot escape violence, destruction, and hatred is because the problem is within us. Mankind is separated from its creator and needs to be restored. 

Another troubling phenomenon that torments society despite modern medicine is human suffering.The most progressive nation in the world still has poverty, where people are faced with immovable obstacles, and there is not a single soul that does not have to worry. Graham argues that science has made advancements in fields such as medicine which can decrease some pain, but the deeper causes remain unresolved. Like human suffering, there is one last obstacle that science has not overcome which all people come to face eventually; death. Graham affirms that most people live as if they are never going to die, partly because of the convincing facade that technology presents society with. People look as alive on screens as they did in real life, which is why death is often not thought about until the last moments of one’s life. Graham then goes on to illuminate how King David reacted to these three unresolved issues: he wholeheartedly trusted and submitted himself to God. Billy Graham concludes his presentation with a hopeful message, that with Jesus Christ, one does not have to despair when confronted with human evil, suffering, or death, because the savior of mankind will conquer all.

Response

"Billy Graham: On Technology and Faith" reinforces my belief that although scientific advancements and technology can make life less painful, the deep problems that exist within society can only be solved with God. Graham, a brilliant and wonderful man, gave realistic arguments of why technology has not solved the problems within humankind. However, some of his points may not have had full effect on the audience due to the first impression he made. Understandably, Graham had trouble establishing himself on stage as a result of old age. One comment he made in particular likely caused some people to feel slightly uncomfortable. His first story, a humorous one, told of the disappointment a man was met with when he saw Graham in person after hearing of his accomplishments. Graham then said to the audience, “I hope you all aren't disappointed with me” (“Billy”). Although very sweet and obviously intelligent, the way that he delivered that comment increased any awkward tension in the room. Nonetheless, his logic was indisputable. Yes, current technology and the tasks it can perform are truly amazing. 

It would take 95 years for a human to do what a computer can in one second (“One”). One second. Artificial limbs have been invented which allow those who are missing arms or legs to run and jump and dance. Medicine has come so far that diseases such as pneumonia which killed thousands of people in the 20th century can be cured with simple antibiotics. And yet, despite these incredible victories from science, 15% of America lives at or below the poverty line (“America’s”). In the most prosperous nation in the world, 1 in 10 adults are depressed (“An”). Violence has increased tremendously, partly because of technological advancements. School shootings, murder, bombings, and wars still plague society. Why? Because we need Jesus. As Graham so accurately declared, “Our problem is that we’re separated from our creator, which we call God, and we need to have our souls restored” (“Billy”). Some would argue that if an all powerful, perfect God exists, then he would not allow evil in the world. However, the Bible explains that God did not create evil, it entered the world through the fallenness of man. God could have made robots of people who were perfect, but instead He desired to have a meaningful and real relationship with us because He loves us.

According to Josh.org, “Genuine love cannot exist unless freely given through free choice and will, and thus man was given the choice to accept God’s love or to reject it” (“Why”). The only way that human suffering, evil, and death could be defeated is if Christ removes it and enters into the hearts of all people. That is why Christians can have hope. Revelation 21:4 states, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." One day Christ will come back and reestablish his Kingdom here on Earth, ridding the world of all evil. Billy Graham says that for many youth today, “death doesn’t even cross their minds” (“Billy”). If we rarely think of the possibility of ourselves dying, we must never wonder, “What if Christ came back right now?”

People must start thinking, they must start asking questions about God. If man never wonders, he will never discover the truth for himself. Schools need to start educating children to look deep into the things that matter, to question what is thrown at them as fact, because it may not be true. Only God can rid the world of evil. If people do not question the existence of God, then they will never come to know Him as their savior, and they will not have eternal hope.  Although it is not people who can ultimately remove evil in the world, we can start the process by educating youth to question and wonder, and then providing them with multiple answers to their questions. This means not just teaching one viewpoint in schools, but all of them. This way, students can find out the truth for themselves. Through an excellent presentation, Billy Graham shows that technological and scientific gain cannot solve the problems that lie deep within our hearts, because we are separated from God and need to be renewed so that we can have hope for the future.

 

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