Is technology evil or good?

The Answer: Neither.

Do you know the lyrics to the songs your family is listening to? Do you watch what they are watching on TV? Do you know what Kazaa, Shareaza, LimeWire and Morpheus are? Do you know how to set restrictions in Windows XP? Mac?

In a perfect world, everyone in your family would listen to only Christian or Classical music everyday and only watch EWTN on TV. On the computer, they would only visit sites recommended by PetersNet.

Ah, but this is not a perfect world.

But as I said, technology is neither good nor evil. Technology is controlled by human beings who intend to use it for good or evil. Concerned Catholics like myself would not be able to reach around the world without the internet, yet it is also often used for selfish, even evil intentions.

 What If I Do Not Know This Stuff?

Get your computers and TV's out of the bedrooms, and into public areas of your home. Activity is monitored more easily in public areas, where you can hear and see what is going on. What about privacy? My Mom always said, "You can have privacy when you're 18." She is a forward thinker.

Do some research. Learn more about the finer points of software parental controls.
Kazaa, Gnutella. LimeWire and Morpheus are internet file sharing services, called "peer to peer" because nothing is stored on the servers. File sharing of copywrighted materials is not legal.  Most people use these services to share music to load onto their minidisc and/or mp3 players. However, any type of data can be shared, including pornography, computer viruses, etc.

Listen to the lyrics of the songs your kids pipe into their headphones - know how a minidisc or MP3 player works.

TV is the most permeated of electronic technologies. The best bet on this one is to limit hours per day, and watch TV together.

Find the Good Stuff. There is some great Christian music out there, so listen to your local Catholic radio station, (or even general Christian radio.) I listen to both Catholic composers and other Christian composers. There is some blend, and there are only a few songs in Christian music that are contrary to Catholic teaching. The good internet stuff is found on Petersnet, as I said earlier.

Most of All, Keep Your Family Involved in the Faith! The best defense, in this case, is a good offense! Weeky participation at Mass and daily prayer are a must. Reconciliation once per year is required, but once per month is recommended. Participate in other Church activities, matching your interests.

Technology is neither good nor evil. It's up to us to determine how ourselves and our families use technological resources. Who knows, maybe technology can even be used to spread the gospel! 

(special Thanks to Mother Angelica for giving us all the idea!)