Are Computers Evil?

by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2014, all rights reserved.

Chapter 1

I met a man recently who said he thought that computers are evil.  He said it used to be that young people could be given a math problem, and they could just go ahead and solve it.

But now, he says they can’t solve the math problems without the aid of electronic devices.

He’s wrong.  I am one of those who in my youth could solve the math problems, and that was before electronic calculators and personal computers.

Now that we have the electronic devices, I use them.  But I can still do the math problems without the electronic devices.

I tried to explain to the man that a computer is just a tool, like a hammer.  You can use the tool for evil, or you can use it for good.

Murders have been committed by hammers.  Well, not exactly by hammers, but by the people wielding the hammer as a weapon.

But hammers have also been used to build many homes and apartment buildings.

Four hundred years ago, King James of England decided that there should be a translation of the Bible available in the English language.

So King James put together a group of scholars to get the job done.  I would guess there must have been fifty scholars or more, who probably spent years on the project.  The King James Version was published in 1611.

More recently, I felt the Lord wanted me to do a translation of the Bible in plain American English.  Working part-time, because I had full-time jobs, I was able, with the help of computers, to publish the Holy Bible, Hoehn Version, copyright 2011.

How many scholars on my team?  Just me and my computers.  You see, the computers amplified my abilities.

Now I agree, you can use computers for evil.  You can send hate email and hurt people.  One young person apparently committed suicide because of such persecution.

You can get on the Internet with a computer and look at filthy things that God doesn’t want you looking at, and that will do you damage by doing so.

Or, you can go on the Internet and do the research for a book that will help a lot of people.

Jesus said, “He that looks at a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in her heart.”  Jesus is against pornography.

Please see my book, “Pornography Kills…”

I lived at a place that had a community kitchen.  I was speaking with a young man there, and I said, “Pornography kills people.”

He said, “I don’t see how pornography kills people.”

I said, People who use pornography, are allowing demons to get into them.  Those demons aren’t there to do you any good, but “to steal, to kill, and to destroy,” like Jesus said in John 10:10.

Computers are tools that ought to be used for good.

The fact that some are using them wrong is not a good reason to never use computers again.  Just make sure that when you use them, you use them for good.

There was a step before the electronic calculators came along.  Engineering students used a device called a slide rule.  I was one of those engineering students who used slide rules.  Had several of them, straight slide rules, and a circular slide rule.

Scientist Enrico Fermi, working on the Manhattan Project that developed the Atomic Bomb, used a slide rule, and even did some manual calculations with a pencil on the back of his slide rule.

As Fermi worked on the atomic pile, he would calculate the level of atomic activity expected as rods were removed that restrained the process.

His calculations were very good, and the United States was first to have the A Bomb.

Chapter 2

The scientists at Los Alamos also used one or more IBM computers on the Manhattan Project.

Some might say the A Bomb was evil.  No, I think it was a good thing, and saved probably a million American soldier’s lives by significantly shortening World War 2.

We dropped the uranium bomb, called “Little Boy”, on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.  Three days later, we dropped the plutonium bomb, called “Fat Man” on Nagasaki, and the Japanese Emperor surrendered.

And if we hadn’t developed the A Bomb, the concern was that Adolph Hitler might get it first, that demon-possessed servant of Satan.

But when electronic calculators came along, they pretty much replaced the slide rule, since they are so much more powerful, and will provide answers accurate to many more decimal places.

The computer industry has also provided employment for many engineers, technicians, secretaries, truck drivers, sales people.

The United States needs computers to help us compete in the global marketplace.

Businesses use computers with “spreadsheet” software to help them make good business decisions.

The Bible says, “Much increase is by the strength of the ox.”

If you’re a farmer, what are you going to do, get out there and do all your plowing manually?  You, and your sons?

O.K., you probably won’t starve.  But you’d be a lot more productive if you’d hitch your plow to an ox, and let the ox do the heavy pulling.

And more productive means more profits.  Got anything against being prosperous?

A modern-day ox is a tractor, or an automobile, or a truck, or a computer.  Much can be accomplished in less time if you know how to use the equipment.

But if you happen to be Amish, maybe you say, “Oh, no, we don’t use that newfangled stuff.”

Oh, you don’t?  Why not?  Don’t you know that much increase is by the strength of the ox?

Amish people don’t want to use cars, but they ride the Greyhound Bus, and the Amtrak Trains.

When the busses pull into Omaha, NE, they generally take a half hour break.  I talked with an Amish man there at a convenience store near the bus station.

I asked him if it was wrong to ride in a car, how was it O.K. to use the bus?  He said it was O.K. to use the bus, as long as he wasn’t the driver.

Oh, so it’s not a sin to ride the bus, but it would be a sin to drive the bus?

There’s a series of programs on the Animal Planet Channel on Direct TV where this guy Pete, and his crew go around building tree houses.  One day they were short-handed, and they were able to get three Amish guys to come and do some work.

The Amish guys could use the power equipment, as long as they didn’t own it.

Why do we have pneumatic nailers?  Because they nail a lot faster than a guy with a hammer.  Why do we have electric staplers?  Because they’re a lot more productive than a guy who is stapling manually.

Why do we have electric screwdrivers?  Because they are a lot more productive, and more powerful, and you can set a certain torque at which the screwdriver will automatically stop screwing at the point at which you’ve determined the screw will be tight enough.

But those power devices cost money.  Why do people spend money on those power devices?  So that they’ll be more productive, and stay up with the competition, and earn higher wages.

I’m not against the Amish.  I expect to share heaven with some of them.  It’s good that they don’t want to be swallowed up by worldly things.  I don’t either.

But the Bible says, “Every prudent man deals with knowledge.”  I can watch the evening news on TV and find out what’s going on in the world, and learn things about construction watching, “Ask This Old House.”

But if the news program starts getting into foolishness, I know how to use the channel change button, and the mute button on my remote control.  And also the “On/Off” button.

There’s a scripture something about, “He that observes the clouds won’t plow.”  I don’t remember verbatim.  The weather influences activities of farmers.

And many Amish are farmers.  If you’ll turn on the TV to the Weather Channel, you’ll get a pretty good summary of what is expected to happen with the weather in the next several days.  Is it evil to do so?  Not to me.

But there’s a scripture that says, “Whatever is not of faith is sin.”  So, if you think it’s sin to watch the Weather Channel, then don’t watch it.

I was not an early adopter of cell phones.  Perhaps five years went by before I got one.  But now, I find that my cell phone is very useful, and yes, I use the calculator function on the cell phone.

I expect I’ll have cell phones for the rest of my life.  Why?  Because much increase is by the strength of the ox, and the cell phone is a modern-day ox.

___James chapter 1

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings.

2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations,

3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience.

4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.

7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted,

10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away.

11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man,

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death.

16 Do not err, my beloved brothers.

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.

18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,

20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God.

21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror,

24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing.

27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

___James chapter 2

1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also,

3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool,"

4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?

6 But you have despised the poor.  Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats?

7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called?

8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well,

9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners.

10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill."  Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law.

12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty.

13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment.

14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works?  Can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food,

16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that?

17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works."

19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?

22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God."

24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

___James chapter 3

1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation.

2 For in many things we offend all.  If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies.

4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants.

5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things.  See how great a matter a little fire kindles!

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell.

7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind,

8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God.

10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.  My brothers, these things ought not to be.

11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter?

12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries?  Or a vine, figs?  So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.

13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you?  Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom.

14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth.

15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace.

___James chapter 4

1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from?  Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members?

2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask.

3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts.

4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God?  Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God.

5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?"

6 But he gives more grace.  So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you.

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up.

11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers.  He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge.

12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else?

13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit,"

14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.

15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that."

16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil.

17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin.

___James chapter 5

1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you.

2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten.

3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire.  You've heaped treasure together for the last days.

4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath.

5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter.

6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you.

7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.  See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain.

8 You also be patient.  Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near.

9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door.

10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

11 See, we count them happy that endure.  You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation.

13 Is anyone among you afflicted?  Let him pray.  Is anyone merry?  Let him sing psalms.

14 Is anyone sick among you?  Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven.

16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed.  The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good.

17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months.

18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him,

20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.