Berwick Thought for the Week: Superficiality

This Thought for the Week article has been written by Rev Kirsten Coulter – she is a retired teacher, mental health support worker and a non-stipendiary priest in the Church of England.

I have recently acquired a turbo blow heater, which is so efficient that it heats up a large room in minutes. Whilst this is very practical, convenient and saves on energy (very important in the present situation!), it does seem be very soulless compared to a cosy, real fire with its ever-changing light and colour.

Instant gratification has introduced us to a world which has moved from natural resources into artificial products that inhibit the appreciation of a range of sensual experience. Our food is often harvested at a location far from us, washed, packaged in plastic, often containing preservatives or frozen, and, sometimes, even cooked and prepared in ready meals for us just to heat and put on the table.

Some foods are even synthetic imitations of natural products, enhanced by additives and flavourings to make them palatable. But the flavour and nutrition cannot compete with natural, fresh, local, or home-grown produce.

Communication has for many become electronic and impersonal, removed from face-to-face, intimate, interaction, which depends so much on body-language, facial expression and tone of voice.

This leads to misunderstandings, temptation to anonymous abuse, and can be destructive of real friendships.

Curiosity can be instantly satisfied, know-how by a downloaded resource, but convenience has eroded our ability to be creative and innovative. Our addiction to screens has distracted our appreciation of the beauty of the natural world around us.

It can make many conform to the opinions and values of those who dominate the content. It has often destroyed lively discussion in the meetings of dissenting minds.

Virtual experience has recently been propounded as a form of entertainment that transports people from reality into an artificial, computer-created world.

We are not machines, but human! As our loving Creator formed us: Psalm 139:14 – We are “fearfully and wonderfully made”.

Rev Kirsten Coulter is a widow, living with two elderly rescue dogs. She is now supporting the leadership of Waypoint Church in Berwick. This an independent, all-age, community church.