Technology and religion at play

Afternoon to you All

Pastor Felix Ndlovu

Science and technology has consumed, influenced, and manipulated humankind like never before. Smart phones are a constant companion whether in the bedroom, watching television, or a short trip to the corner store.Therefore, I can safely say that individuals have made technology an extension of their person.Technology has become a “need” in our lives.It can empower, but also dehumanize and emotionally disconnect people renewing the purpose and relevance of spirituality often enhanced through religion. This is why religion is so important today. In my case, Christianity is the religion I chose to embrace and acquire protection and life guidelines from the Almighty God.

Is there any bad/wrong religion in the world? Up to date, this question strongly boggles my mind despite the fact that I am a Christian.

Pastor Felix Ndlovu of Christ Assemblies Fellowship Church who is also a holder of diploma in theology said: “The believers and non-believers can be lost in a transcendental moment. Mysticism is a connection to a transformative experience in the moment or potentially for a lifetime. Religion can help as an entry into mysticism.”

This means that any religion is good in shaping one’s mentality and it also helps one to shape the future by referring to the past. The fundamental wisdom contained in Christianity and other world religions, flowing from a common source, offer timeless and universal values and lessons. The challenge for spiritual leaders and pastors is to re-create a modern means to communicate the wisdom to the notebook and smart phone generation (generation of technology).

Pastor Ndlovu added that technology generation must re-create the ancient lessons making religious metaphors relevant to them even though too many spiritual leaders hostile to science have made religious metaphors into facts and thus superstitions.

Therefore, religions act as our safeguard to maintain our humanity. Consequently, let’s utilise the technology in sharing our religious beliefs in an ever- changing world.

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Is it possible for Zim to have its own online Christian University?

Afternoon to you All

With God, nothing is impossible.

The Church

Today, I would like to air my deepest feeling on how we can use the new technologies in improving our relationship with God. The new technologies are widely used in the world to enhance education in the fields of science, commerce, arts, etc.. Therefore, in my own opinion, I think the multiplicity of online Christian universities in the world will help Christians in understanding Christianity as a whole. Online platforms promote interactivity and sharing of ideas, thus, providing constructive criticism regarding Christianity.

power of e-christian varsities

I understand that there are Christian colleges in Zimbabwe and I hope that they do utilise e-learning.

Simon Makombese (26), a student at Lupane State University, said that Zimbabwe can open an online Christian University after 100 years from now due to poor internet services in the country. He added that as Lupane State University students, they are facing challenges with internet connectivity. The student called for the government to improve technology in the country.

Tony- Mark Simbi (20), Information Technology specialist at Main Protective Clothes Company said that  Zimbabwe has to improve its relations with the Western Countries since technology is their brainchild. However, he said that we can make it as Zimbabweans in opening an online Christian University.

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“Online dating complimenting God’s will”

Hie, to you All

love birds

dating online

I thought “online dating," is for the losers only who cannot come face to face when proposing love to another person. However, I got to realise that online dating is actually the most effective and easy way of getting the right partner. The main reason why such a stance is that the use of online tools when proposing love widens one’s market as compared to physically meet the person and start proposing love.

The fact is that more and more of today's romantic relationships start online. A 2009 Stanford University and the City College of New York survey found that:

“With the meteoric rise of the Internet as a way couples meet in the past few years, and the concomitant recent decline in the central role of friends, it is possible that in the next several years the Internet could eclipse friends as the most influential way Americans meet their romantic partners, displacing friends out of the top position for the first time since the early 1940s.”
Single Christians have gone to an extent of opening websites for “online dating”.

Evangelical couples are no exception. The dating site Christian Mingle saw three million new members in 2012 popping up like mushrooms.

Online dating is a process—creating a profile, uploading pictures, searching for potential matches and/or being matched using an algorithm, and communicating via computer before meeting face-to-face— fundamentally change anything about how we relate to each other? Is it amoral?

More Choices, Better Matches!!!

Pastor Collen Sibanda said: " Online dating increases an individual's range of potential partners and, secondly, to match people who are uniquely suited to each other." How have the doctrines of grace changed or affected your life? It's a fellowship environment, where romance might happen.

He added that online dating has got a risk as Christians might end up dating Satanists online out of ignorance. Sibanda emphasised on the need for young Christians who love online dating to be vigilant in whatever they are doing online as Satan uses the social media to garner more souls as possible.

Charles Masiyiwa (20) said that online dating is a sign of laziness and lack of seriousness on people and in a nutshell it is wholly satanic.

He said: “Online dating is for fun and not for a serious couple. If it happens that online dating becomes successful, it is Satan-driven so as to brainwash the world.”

Contrary to the above, Brenda Ndlovu (17) said that it is a human right to make the choices at one’s disposal and no one should manage one’s life.

She said: “Technology was invented by God for a purpose. People should utilise such a blessing in whatever manner they want. It is all about personality as individuals make their own decisions on how to manage life. I support Online dating 100% and it’s a matter of how to handle it."

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"Church Pastors hunt for more customers on facebook, twitter"

The church

Afternoon to you All

Zimbabweans are undergoing a severe liquidity crunch and there is a room for improvement if people can work together

Below are some of the comments I got from the interviewees:

Mthandazo Nyoni, a business reporter at the Southern Eye( Bulawayo newspaper) said any economy is shaped by the effectiveness/ ineffectiveness of the government and unity amongst people of a nation. 

Acccording to Felistas Mpofu, a form six student at St. Columbas High school, said that many churches nowadays are draining people’s monies indirectly by dwelling much on scriptures of giving yet pastors know that the congregants are financially struggling. She said that it is shocking that church elders and pastors are driving desert cars yet church buildings are collapsing. Are they using church or personal money?

She narrated even the story of Uebert Angel, the leader of the Spirit Embassy church, who is on the run for “fraudulently” possessing a Bentley Continental vehicle worth $300 000.

Nicholas Chari, one of the interviewees said that pastors have gone to an extent of using facebook and twitter to get more " customers" as possible.

Let’s work together regardless of our religious beliefs and fight poverty.

A Good living with Technology

Afternoon to you All

Mrs Virginia  Moyo

Hopefully, you are all well. Today, the author would like to discuss technology in relation to how female adults view it in our community. In most cases, women concentrate more on their valuables like cellphones as compared to men and I had to seize an opportunity to interview my home neighbour along those lines.

Just master what the young-looking old lady had to say;

  

Mrs Virginia Moyo, is one of saints at a local church in Bulawayo. She is 56 years old. Mrs Moyo dedicated her precious time this morning in sharing her views in regards to techno-Christianity.

She said that technology is advancing at an undefined pace and whosoever tries to challenge technology or seem to be ignoring new information and communication technologies is wasting his/her time. Mrs Moyo views technology as the only key to her success.

The woman said she completed her diploma in teaching in 2010 at the Hillside College in Bulawayo and all her studies were enhanced by the use of face-book, emails and phone calls. Questioned on whether these new information and communication technologies like whats-app has had ever landed her in trouble before in her marriage, she only responded by saying “no” and said that, my young son, it’s a matter of having a right partner who fears God.

Asked on how Christianity has been affected by the advent of technology, the woman confidently responded by saying that it is God who is behind it and the world now uses technology for satanic acts.

Mrs Moyo said: “I think as long as the Holy Spirit is on you, no matter how the devil may use technology to spread his ideologies, he won’t succeed. Never make Godly prayers online if your heart is impure or if it's not yet ready to receive Jesus Christ.”

She also emphasised on the power of devil in technology that Satan has got power and uses these technologies to confuse and mislead the world. However, she concluded by saying that there is nothing wrong about the technology and it’s a matter of God-oriented faith so as for one to overcome the threats posed by technology.

This means that older people in our society do embrace technology and they are awre that it has got negative effects. This is a good masterful living. Hopefully, the young generation is paying maximum attention too.

“Immoral youths” take advantage of sports: Church elders blame new technology.

Afternoon to you All

Women ready for sports( Source:https://www.nakedsportsgear.com/)

In yesterday’s post, the author looked at how the youths in churches are being affected by the doctrines regarding sports. Therefore, today, I take this opportunity to air the views from the church elders who are the members of the Apostolic Faith Mission based in Bulawayo.

Taking the comments I received from the yesterday’s post into consideration, I thought it is wise for me to conduct some interviews on why some churches put restrictions on how the congregants should dress like.

I am not an enthusiast of competitive sports for women in relation to the feminist spirit.It is often understood that the violent nature of many sports is incompatible with the feminine spirit. The immodest sports dress, e.g. the swimsuit, acrobatics outfits, gym suits, etc., put on by girls to a certain extent destroys their humanity as culture is being compromised. To make matters worse, the advent of technology has promoted other cultures (western cultures- as they have means of production) at the expense of other cultures.

Never Mvundura (67), a member of the Apostolic Faith Mission said: My church doesn’t discourage girls to participate in sports; actually, we have sports in our church programmes. In my own opinion, it’s a matter of how the youths dress as some end up leaving their bodies extremely half naked. Such dress codes are unacceptable in our church.”

Gogo MaDlodlo said that the advent of new technology has greatly influenced the youths in general to copy the European style of dressing that end up leaving their bodies naked emulating the European style of dressing that end up leaving their bodies naked.
 

MaDlodlo said: “Children nowadays spend most of their time viewing half naked pictures on social media and at the end of the day, they emulate such dress codes. Technology is for the whites not us Africans.” Interestingly, Gogo MaDlodlo, was holding her cell-phone.

The truth of the matter is that the style of living differs from generation to generation and the world has to accept the change but taking into deep consideration, one can note that indeed what is said above is true and it’s living.

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Sports Attire in Christian life- Technology rescue youths in churches

Afternoon to you All

Women in sports( Source:https://plus.google.com)

Today, I would like to air the views on how sports defect women in Christian circles. I have read many great articles by Christian men and women regarding the participation of women in the workforce, politics, and in the military. However, I feel there is one other major activity these writers have not addressed. For some reason, they've overlooked women’s participation in sports versus their Christian beliefs.

This is what Florence Mugova (18), a member of Apostolic Faith Mission said: “For quite a long time, women resisted the feminist call to play sports, since some church values are against the idea of tight sports wear. In 2011, we had a youth camp at Shalom and we faced great criticism from the church elders regarding our sports attire. They said it did not comply with the church doctrines. We were then forced not to participate in church activities regarding sports.”

She said that as youths, sports promoted unity and friendship and it played an edutainment role amongst the people of her age. She highlighted that female youths at her church no longer like sports and spend most of their time chatting on facebook and on whatsapp as a form of entertainment.  

Therefore, church beliefs are seen as an act of insanity of which some people may end up disputing sports activities in regards to the attire. Some people can be discouraged to engage in sports because of the conditions set by the church. I think this should give us strong reason to pause and consider the question, “Should women participate in sports?”
   

Since most Christian parents send their children to the public schools, it doesn’t surprise many of us that Christians are influenced more by the secular school culture than by the culture of the Church. Worse, the Church itself is being more heavily influenced by the culture instead of the other way around. One of the trends in schools is the participation in sports by women; therefore, it shouldn’t surprise us that so many Christian daughters today participate in sports. But is this really all that bad?

For those of us who believe we should train females according to Titus 2, Peter 3, and other Biblical passages, my answer is “Yes, it is not good.” I propose that sports greatly hinder the development of Godly, Biblical, feminine character. Does women behaviour depend on individuals and are there any health benefits for women to participate in sports? Are sports empowering women?

Parents today use extraordinary amounts of time and energy taking their daughters from one sports event to another, week after week, even to the point where it exhausts the family and family resources. The fruits we see are that today’s Christian women are often ill-prepared to be Biblically obedient wives and mothers. This brings to mind a couple of questions: “Why do we spend so much time preparing women to play sports?" and "What does it prepare them for in the future?” My answer is that sports prepare women to be more like men. Instead of spending all that time preparing young females as the Bible directs, we are training them to be like men so they can better compete with men in traditionally masculine roles - i.e., compete with them in the workforce, in politics, in the military, and in sports.

Given that sports may very well foster humanistic attitudes, I urge parents to think deeply about this issue and about whether or not any members of their families should participate in organized sports programs. I hope you will agree with me that we should keep women away from competitive sports and spend our time training them how to be Biblically feminine women, wives and mothers.

Women in wrestling (Source::https://plus.google.com)

What’s your say????????