Day 11. Ology

 You need to give this 50 second video clip a watch and see if it takes you down memory lane   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK5-2fPyCjA

Im not quite sure where Im going with this one, but for the past year or so Ive been collecting 'technologies'.  Ive been increasingly amused/annoyed by advertisements trying to tell me that items are indispensable to my general wellbeing because they employ a ' technology' of some sort.  So here is a little game.  I'll give you the 'ology' and you try to guess the product its describing

cycle-sync technology  

motion sense technology

octospring technology

hair wrap technology 

proplex  fortifying  technology  

odour removal technology 

aerospace approved technology 

moisture lock technology 

heel pillow technology 

spin-scrub technology 

Clean sense IQ 

auto-curl technology 

peptide technology 

triple moisturising technology 

precision foam technology 

vibration technology (nope, its not what you are thinking 😁)

anti-fade technology

cushioning technology

As you read that list Im sure you are aware that hardly any of them make any sense at all. They are all made up terms to describe things like 'washing' or ' moving'.  But advertisers know that if they can make their simple product sound scientific and researched and 'clever' we might be more tempted to buy it.  Why?  Its not a new phenomenon. Think back to the adverts of the 1950s for twin tub washing machines.  Or to the 1900s for the motor car.  There is something about human beings which is seduced by the novel and the newly discovered and the fancy.  Maybe its a comparison/competition thing. We all like to be one step ahead of the Jones's.  Maybe we all get far too quickly bored with the things we have.

The gospel is not new, or fancy.  We cant sell it to people on the basis of it being a new 'ology'.  

My eldest and youngest sons have both recently joined a Presbyterian church where the focus is very much on a traditional preaching of the gospel. The boys are jettisoning much of the charismatic flavours of the churches they went to as children. They are singularly turned off by style over substance. They can spot hypocrisy a mile off  (especially in their parents 😕)  I find myself having to defend what I believe in the face of some fairly impressive Bible knowledge and its made me realise that Ive probably bought into some of the 'ologies' the new churches have been promoting over the years.  We are all a bit partial to a bandwagon every now and again aren't we?

I remember a few years ago when everyone was suddenly reading 'The Purpose Driven Life/Church' feeling distinctly uncomfortable about it.  I didn't doubt that God had given Rick Joyner a vision for how to go about building his church in his American setting.  But I just didn't see why that would be what God wanted to do in my church in my setting. I can understand that sometimes there are helpful principles or strategies which can be shared across the body of Christ. But I also believe that God has a unique plan for me and for my church which isn't a cookie cutter replica of what He has done elsewhere.  Thats the brilliant thing about the church. We are a family of families and we are all different even though we share the same DNA.  My Presbyterian children are becoming deeply rooted in the Word whereas Im passionate about listening to The Spirit.  The Church is both. And more.  

Sam (eldest) said something interesting the other day as we were debating this stuff. He said that he was happy to listen to my point of view because he knows I really believe it and I practise what I preach.  Its my conviction which allows him to listen and disagree and argue the point and debate until the wee small hours. With respect. And openness.  And equally I see his passion for getting back to gospel basics and questioning an 'experience-dependent' faith. Its hard watching your kids go in a different direction from the one you are going in. But if they were just clones of me the church would get stuck where Im at. And that would be woeful indeed.   At the end of the day we all love Jesus. Who is either not an 'ology' at all, or perhaps the greatest 'ology' of all time 😁

Answers

cycle-sync technology  (dishwasher tablets)

motion sense technology ( deodorant)

octospring technology (mattress)

hair wrap technology (hoover)

proplex  fortifying  technology  (shampoo)

odour removal technology (dishwasher tablets)

aerospace approved technology (mattress)

moisture lock technology  ( body wash)

heel pillow technology (slip on shoes)

spin-scrub technology (carpet shampooer)

Clean sense IQ ( hoover)

auto-curl technology (hair curlers)

peptide technology (face cream)

triple moisturising technology (antiperspirant)

precision foam technology (toothpaste)

vibration technology (breathing device)

anti-fade technology (air freshener)

cushioning technology (face cream)