What Are You Creating?

In this article, I am going to examine multiple inventions throughout history and challenge you (the reader) to examine your own choices about what you have chosen to create and what you will choose to create. Believe it or not, but you create life or death by everything you say and do.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
(Genesis 1:1) -NKJV

“Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.”
(Genesis 1:31) -NKJV

GOD created everything and declared that everything GOD created was good. GOD’s desire for our very lives is for us to be good just as He intended us to be. So, if you ever find that your situation isn’t good, GOD didn’t create that situation. GOD created us to be good and to do good things. GOD will allow us to go through bad situations, but GOD doesn’t want us to stay there. GOD wants what is best and what is right for us. Fortunately for us, GOD gave us a good thing called free will – the ability to make our own choices and decisions. Unfortunately, the human race has persisted in sinning since Adam and Eve. And the sin continued with Adam and Eve’s two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain murdered his own brother, Abel. And the sins continued to separate people from GOD as time went on, creating bad situations after bad situations. Humans create the bad that put other humans in bad situations.

(Read my other article, “What About Evil?“)

“But they have acted corruptly toward him; when they act so perversely, are they really his children? They are a deceitful and twisted generation. Is this the way you repay the Lord, you foolish and senseless people? Isn’t he your Father who created you? Has he not made you and established you?”
(Deuteronomy 32: 5-6) -NLT

“Did you create men and women for nothing but this?”
(Psalm 89: 47) -MSG

In Ethan’s prayer, he asked GOD a simple question. The author was asking if they were all created for nothing but war, sadness, etc…. It was a valid question. To him, it seemed like the only thing going on around him was war and sadness. Ethan submitted that question to GOD, but I submit the same question to you. Were you created for suffering? Were you created for sadness? Were you created to have your head hang low in shame? There’s a simple answer to the simple question that was posed – the answer is no. GOD created what was good; GOD created you; therefore, you can be good and do good.

“When you give them your breath, life is created, and you renew the face of the earth.”
(Psalm 104:30) -NLT

“You created me and put me together. Make me wise enough to learn what you have commanded.”
(Psalm 119:73) -CEV

So, why were you created then? For a purpose. GOD did not create us for war, bitterness, sadness, etc. If you’re not doing good things with your life, it’s not because you were created without a purpose, it’s because you’re either not doing the right things or others persist in doing wrong things to you while you’re doing the right things. We are a vessel to be used for either good or evil. In that same sense, humans have created things; those things can be used for either good or evil. GOD gives us the ability to create in the hope that we will use our creativity for good and not evil. There have been many inventions that we’ve created that have been used for evil rather than good. Examine the invention of the knife. A knife is a useful tool that can be used for good; however, if a knife is not used in the right manner, it could become a tool of evil that aids people in an act of murder.

To answer the question of Ethan’s prayer, we must examine GOD’s Word, but we must also examine the actions that we take and the things that we create. GOD’s Word states that we were created for love and fellowship. But what do our actions declare? First, let’s take a look at some evil inventions that humans created.

The atomic bomb was created and used on August 6, 1945 and again on August 9, 1945 when the United States dropped the bombs on the two cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki of Japan. The creation and decision to use the atomic bomb killed an average estimate of around 200,000 people. The nuclear fallout of the blasts led to radiation poisoning and leukemia in many of the survivors.

Sarin gas is a chemical weapon. Sarin is not found naturally in the environment; it is a man-made toxin. The first symptoms of sarin poisoning include a runny nose, blurred vision, sweating, and muscle twitches. Longer exposures result in tightness of the chest, headache, cramps, nausea, vomiting, involuntary defecation and urination, convulsions, coma, and respiratory arrest. Sarin causes the body to lose control and it is unable to function.

The Rack is just one of hundreds of torture devices that have been created by evil through the hands of humans. Designed to dislocate every joint of the victim’s body, it is believed to have been the most painful form of medieval torture. This torture device was made out of a wooden frame with two ropes fixed to the bottom and the other two tied into the handle on top. Once the victim was bound and placed on top of the rack, the torturer would proceed to turn the handle. Eventually, the victim would be stretched until his/her limbs where dislocated. The torturers, however, usually continued to turn the wheel until the limbs where completely torn off the victim’s body.

The three inventions I just listed were created by humans with intentions to harm and not heal. These were creations of  destruction and death. Look at yet another example from history: While a lieutenant in the British Royal Artillery, England’s Henry Shrapnel spent years of his time and a portion of his fortune trying to invent an even deadlier weapon of war. The artillery officer’s self-funded experiments in the 1780’s resulted in the development of a hollowed cannonball filled with lead shot and a small charge that could explode in mid-air over enemy lines to rain down a deadly burst of bullets. Shrapnel named his invention “spherical case shot,” but the exploding cannonballs — those “bombs bursting in air” enshrined in “The Star-Spangled Banner” — quickly came to bear his name. In the early 1800’s, the British Army developed a cylindrical version of a shrapnel shell, and eventually the projectiles inside became unnecessary as the splintering shell casings proved even more lethal. Even after the development of high-explosive ammunition rendered shrapnel shells obsolete, the word “shrapnel” endures to describe any fragmenting artillery shards. GOD did not create us and make us good so that we can use our free will to create the evil of destruction and death.

“My brothers and sisters, you were chosen to be free. But don’t use your freedom as an excuse to live under the power of sin. Instead, serve one another in love.”
(Galatians 5:13) -NIRV

Let us examine some other inventions that humans have created. Cell phones have been quite popular since the early 1990’s, but they only continue to grow in popularity as technology continues to enhance their features and increase quantity of production. Unlike time prior to the early ’90’s, cell phones are now vast in numbers and are relatively inexpensive to own. The days of lovers being forced to reenact Romeo and Juliet are over. No longer do we need to say goodbye all night until the morning comes due to our love’s inability to allow us to part ways. With the technology of cell phones, we are now free to leave the presence of others and still feel close to them; indeed, we are now able to hear our loved ones’ voices without having to be near them. Although some might argue that cell phones prevent them from being able to place healthy distance between themselves and their husband/wives, I disagree. If one were to absolutely need some time alone, it isn’t that hard to turn the cell phone off. And if one doesn’t know how to turn his/her cell phone off, that amazing invention comes with a manual which explains how one could do that. I believe that the phone is an example of a good creation.

If being able to speak to one another without even being in the same vicinity seems exciting, the technology of webcams is bound to be even more exciting than cell phones. Webcams, also being easily accessible, not only allows us to hear our loved ones, but it allows us to see them as well. Between cell phones and webcams, distance is hardly a threat to romance anymore. To merely hear the laughter of a loved one from a long distance away is a blessing, but to be able to witness the smile being produced on his/her face via webcam is priceless. With applications such as FaceTime or Skype, technology helps romance survive even over long distances. Thanks to recent technology, even our soldiers stationed in war zones across seas can keep the flame of passion burning between loved ones despite the distance between them. Of course, people could also use webcams to destroy relationships as well. True, it is just as easy to end relationships with others via webcam as it is to tell them how much you love them, but I believe that this particular creation benefits romantic relationships more often than it harms them.

Unlike webcams, the next topic of interest doesn’t allow others to see the people with whom they are communicating with, yet the anonymity seems to be the attractive force that gathers large groups to converse with each other in the first place. The internet, a fast-paced environment that is suited to provide people with information and help others converse with each other, is affecting romantic relationships unlike any other time in history. Through internet, we are now able to communicate with people who we would otherwise never have met. I have met two of the most beautiful GOD-loving women from using the internet. I did not search for them, but GOD led them to me and now they are two of my best friends whom I can confide in if I need to do so. There are countless numbers of chat rooms that enable people to speak freely about any topic of conversation.

There are many chat rooms that are designated for people who are unhappy with their current relationship status. Some people spend hours online talking to strangers about how unhappy they are with their relationships. I once read a conversation in which a man told others how chat rooms ‘saved’ him from staying in a relationship with the woman who had been his wife for 10 years. This man spent days upon days talking to strangers and sharing everything he didn’t like about the woman until he finally decided to end his marriage. In the chat room, this man thanked all of the strangers who ‘helped’ him end his marriage. Although this man claimed that the chat room ‘helped’ him, some would argue that it actually destroyed a beautiful thing – marriage. One could say that the amount of time that was spent complaining about ‘problems’ could have been used to search for solutions instead. If the man would have used that amount of time to talk to his wife about the issues he was so upset about, the marriage could have been restored. (Read my other article, “Defending Marriage“)

However, for as many people who use chat rooms for negative reasons, there are just as many who use chat rooms for positive things, such as asking others for ideas on how to improve relationships, or to get project ideas or even delicious recipes. And for those not interested in chat rooms, Pinterest is a wonderful app/website to use if you want to discover recipes, home ideas, style inspiration and other ideas to try.

The internet is home to many of technological advancements – all under one cyber roof. One such invention is called an online dating site. Websites such as eHarmony, Match.com, or Christian Mingle attempts to play the role of match-maker by linking lonely individuals together in order to pair them with their potential soul mates. As the testimonials on its website will reveal to you, it has helped many find ‘true love’ just before they gave up hope. eHarmony’s website states, “Why spend hours browsing through personal ads and searching the Internet when you don’t have to?”

However, some might argue, “Why search online at all?” For some, online dating acts as quicksand and keeps them confined in a cyber world, never finding love, because their soul mate is not online. After all, people do tend to spend a lot of their time out and about in the real tangible world, drinking coffee at Starbucks, reading a book in the food court of a mall, walking or jogging on trails, or even watching a movie at the theaters. But then again, you might not ever have  chance to meet that person and the internet might be the only way to begin a conversation with someone.

In contrast to other dating sites which may offer healthy outlets to meet other single people, a website called “Ashley Madison” was created and the sole purpose of its design is found on the website’s slogan: “Life is short. Have an affair.” This entire website was created in order to promote and condone adultery, as it proclaims on its website: “Ashley Madison is the most famous name in infidelity and married dating…. Ashley Madison is the most recognized and reputable married dating company. Our Married Dating Services for Married individuals Work. Ashley Madison is the most successful website for finding an affair and cheating partners. Have an Affair today on Ashley Madison. Thousands of cheating wives and cheating husbands sign up everyday looking for an affair. We are the most famous website for discreet encounters between married individuals. Married Dating has never been easier. With Our affair guarantee package we guarantee you will find the perfect affair partner. Sign up for Free today.” And then in August 2015, the website suffered an attack from hackers and many lives were damaged due to the information leak. But the damage had already been done — the leak only exposed the truth.

In an article, “Not a Pretty Picture,” by Sydney H. Schanberg, he writes on the importance of accuracy and truth when sharing the news by stating that “getting it right means not omitting anything important out of timidity or squeamishness.” In order to analyze what humans have created and how they affect humans, I feel I must take his advice and not omit anything from my findings, no matter how squeamish some people may feel about the topics at hand.

With that said, another creation that shares a home under the cyber roof of the internet is pornography. The topic of porn sites has been discussed on television shows such as The Tyra Banks Show, Dr. Phil, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. The consensus from these shows points out that pornography use increases sexual dysfunction, lowers self-esteem a considerable amount, changes what men and women expect from each other, creates dissociation from reality, and often ruins relationships.

In the book, Writing Arguments, it states, “The hypertext design of Web pages, along with its complex mix of text and image, has changed the way many writers think of argument.” Porn sites state their own argument simply by posting their images for others to see. The argument declares that the images we see are normal, healthy, and acceptable. However, there is strong evidence to counter that statement. Not only does evidence counter that argument, but common sense does as well.

Also found in Writing Arguments, is an important sentence that states, “Anyone with a cause and a rudimentary knowledge of Web page design can create a Web site.” The word, “anyone” should throw up a red flag of warning, along with the word, “cause.” When viewing websites, one should ask, “Who created this website and for what purpose? What is the creator’s motive?” Well, logic declares that porn sites create a selfish mindset which delegates a need to please only one. Unlike the previous technologies mentioned, porn sites do not serve to be useful or helpful for romantic relationships, only harmful. Besides, porn sites take away time and energy that could otherwise be spent on growing and nurturing relationships, family, or personal goals. Time is the only currency humans spend that can never be replenished. Time spent on porn sites is time wasted. I wrote a sermon called “Pervasive Plague” and it is a persuasive argument as to why pornography should be excluded from our lives. In that sermon, I also discussed sins that branch off from pornography.

(Read my other article, “Pornography: The Pervasive Plague“)

Our final stop on the sex-oriented journey comes to a screeching halt at the astonishing discovery of the ultimate slap-in-the-face creation – Real Doll. The invention that inspired the movie, Lars and the Real Girl (2007), comes from the website, http://www.realdoll.com, which creates realistic and life-size dolls that people can purchase and use for sexual relations. Because of this creation, some people now find real relationships to be obsolete. At an average price of $6,000.00, the doll will not argue with you, it won’t gain weight, and it won’t ask you to have dinner with its parents. One can pick what skin tone it comes with, what the face looks like, whether or not it has pubic hair, etc… And for those people who never want to leave La La Land and join the rest of the human population in reality, the website offers the option to create a sex-doll with pointed elf ears for your Lord-of-the-Ring enjoyment. The invention of Real Doll is not just an all-time low for romantic relationships, but it is a disgrace to life itself. And as of November 2016, the creator, Matt McMullen, stated in a Daily Star Online interview that he is working on releasing the “love robot” that is going to be “like real humans” with a “pulse” and “lifelike warm skin” and will even be able to “talk dirty” and “respond” to their human lovers. McMullen said, “I think those kind of things are going to become very commonplace…. It’s inevitable that sex robots and sex dolls and all of that will be no longer looked at as different. We just have to come to terms with each other and say, ‘Okay. That’s for you; this is for me. For some people this is what they really want and it makes them happy. And I don’t think anyone should judge them for that. If the doll makes you happy, that’s all there is.”

But there’s a major problem with McMullen’s careless comment: Happiness is an extremely dangerous path to pursue because moral relativism is absolutely untrue (Read my other article, “Moral Relativism“). Fun is subjective when properly placed into perspective. With a sex-doll and the [soon-to-be] sex robot, sex is no longer a special intimacy between committed couples; consequently, it has now become an expected and unappreciated activity that doesn’t even require the consent of another. This creation does not create relationships; in fact, the invention of the Real Doll sex-doll and sexbot prevents relationships from forming.

I want to dig deeper and explore the topic of creation even further. We may not create inventions, but every person creates life or death, good or evil, with the words that come out of his/her mouth.

“What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words.”
(Proverbs 18: 21) –GNT

“It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”
(Matthew 15: 11) –NLT

“Do not use harmful words, but only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear you. And do not make God’s Holy Spirit sad; for the Spirit is God’s mark of ownership on you, a guarantee that the Day will come when God will set you free. Get rid of all bitterness, passion, and anger. No more shouting or insults, no more hateful feelings of any sort. Instead, be kind and tender-hearted to one another, and forgive one another, as God has forgiven you through Christ.”
(Ephesians 4: 29-32) –GNT

“The words of the wicked kill; the speech of the upright saves.”
(Proverbs 12: 6) –MSG

“Be careful, however, not to let your freedom of action make those who are weak in the faith fall into sin.”
(1 Corinthians 8: 9) –GNT

“I can guarantee that on judgment day people will have to give an account of every careless word they say. By your words you will be declared innocent, or by your words you will be declared guilty.”
(Matthew 12: 36-37) –GW

In conclusion, many inventions or creations have harmed people and have created destruction and death; however, many inventions or creations have also been able to help people and have created life. Regardless of our feelings towards technology and specific inventions or creations, we must be reminded that it is not technology itself that possesses the capacity to harm or help people. Each person is blessed with specific gifts or talents. We are capable of inventing things that can either help or harm. So why invent things that can harm others? Why create things that are destructive? The effects that technologies have on us are limited by our choices. Even the very words you speak create life or death. If we choose to build, construct, or invent on a foundation of love, then the effects of future technologies will lead to many people being helped rather than harmed. However, if one were to choose a motive aligned with selfishness or evil intent, then the outcome will harm others. I implore everyone to examine the motive of the creation before releasing it to the population. I choose a life of love, and I urge others to do the same.

GOD created us to be good, to do good, to create good, and to experience good things. Don’t look toward the sky and cry while asking why, look toward GOD and tell Him you will try – proclaim to GOD that you will try to be what GOD has called you to be. Unfortunately, there will be bad in life, but I challenge you to do your part to create good. GOD did not create us for sadness, suffering, or anything else that is bad or evil; therefore, you are not meant to create bad situations or inventions that create bad situations. Create something good today, even if that means to simply create a smile for someone else to see. What are you creating in life? What are you going to create today?