The Millenium Matrix

The book "Millennium Matrix" has an online site with a timeline of changes in communications:

• Oral
• Print
• Broadcast
• Digital

The Oral timeline page states, "Jesus lived and spoke in an era so profoundly different than ours that we can miss the full meaning of his teachings. ... His world was not our world."

Though the book is primarily about communications and culture by the futurist author, it includes references to religion. That's normal for a person who graduated with a degree in theology and communication and has been a lay preacher. He also mentions God on the Broadcast page for example.

But perhaps tellingly, on the Digital communications page, when I searched for "God" or "Jesus", I got "Not found".

The book does seem like it might be fertile ground for religious group discussion, Sunday School classes included.

Wireless devices may affect church sound system

Oh, great -- one step forward, two back. The FCC plans to open up frequencies now in the analog TV range to any wireless device once all TV stations have to transmit digital signals in 2009.

The problem is that devices such as church wireless microphones now use the frequencies "in between" the analog TV ones. These are called the "White Spaces". Once the whole frequency range is open to all wireless devices, cell phones, Blackberries, and more could wreck havoc during church services. The Shure Pro Audio site linked above has more information on the matter.

Some in Congress want to speed up opening these white spaces; others want testing on interference done and protection in place before opening up the frequencies. For example, Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL), an ordained Baptist minister, introduced a bill, "Interference Protection for Existing Television Band Devices Act of 2007".

Read more about The Dark Side of White Spaces and decide if you need to contact your members of Congress.