May-June 1999

Y2K High-Tech Apocalypse?

Christians need to be pointed and directed to Christ, not to food and firewood or to guns and generators. We are to overcome the world, not to be overcome by it. We are called to give of ourselves rather than to survive at all costs. The fact that Jesus saves is still a profound part of the gospel, even with the apocalyptic-like threats of Y2K.

A Spiritual Bug?

by Greg Albrecht

Imagine waking up on January 1, 2000, with no running water, no electricity and no phones. Your computer won't work (even with that emergency gasoline-powered generator you bought for just such an emergency). Your radio (battery powered) reports news of airplanes falling out of the sky and reports that banks, and maybe even the stock market, will not open the next business day. Meanwhile, near riots occur only a few blocks from your home as grocery store shelves are stripped by those who were foolish enough not to prepare.

Not Just for Boy Scouts

Prepare? It's not just the Boy Scouts that should be prepared, say many ministry leaders and church officials. According to reports, some Christian leaders themselves have already purchased a "vacation" home in an unpopulated area far from the urban center where they live and plan to be there for the chaos they believe will happen. They, along with others, will be in their own "place of safety" with their own well as a water source, an abundant supply of firewood, canned, dried and freeze-dried food, as well as a gasoline-powered generator. Not to mention a gun or two for "hunting."

Christianity Today reports that Jerry Falwell, in a sermon broadcast on his Old Time Gospel Hour, spoke of God's wrath being poured out on January 1, 2000. "He may be preparing to confound our language, to jam our communications, scatter our efforts and judge us for our sin and rebellion against his Lordship. We are hearing from many sources that January 1, 2000, will be a fateful day in the history of the world."

Falwell's comments are typical of those who seem to believe that it is necessary to forewarn others of the worst case scenario. One can not help but wonder about the Y2K industry that includes selling books, food mills, raw grains and a variety of "survival" supplies. It's big business, and it appears fear is invading and overcoming faith.

Overwhelmed

Several months ago, historian John M. Staudenmaier presented a PBS documentary remembering "the way it was" when the calendar turned from 1899 to 1900. He spoke of Americans who were dazzled and overwhelmed by the crush of technology, with light bulbs, electric fans, telephones and phonographs. Public frustration was high, as mature adults felt small, insignificant and powerless in the face of innovations and inventions that transcended their intelligence.

Y2K (shorthand for the year 2000) is working on our insecurities and fears in much the same way. What is the crisis all about? Since the 1950's computer software designers simply allowed two spaces for the last two numbers of the calendar year. Computers read 1998 as "98" and 1999 as "99." The millennial bug, another term used for the Y2K problem, is the fact that when we arrive at January 1, 2000, the numbers in all of these computer programs will be read as 00, which is also the designation for 1900.

Supermarket tabloids are capitalizing on the public's growing concern. One recent headline screamed, "Computer Virus now Infecting Humans! Brain-Eating Bug could be Worse than AIDS, Doctors Fear." The Plain Truth has received reports from China that government officials have a practical solution for airlines expecting a Y2K glitch. In order to motivate airline executives to fix the problem in time, one source reports all airline executives have been ordered to take a flight on January 1, 2000.

Problem Addressed

Make no mistake, Y2K is a real problem. Hundreds of millions of computer chips that were designed with this flaw are everywhere. They are found in almost every corner of our modern lives, from tractors to the social security system, from banks and the stock markets to hospitals, from your grocery store to your kitchen.

Private industry and governments have been working on this difficulty for some time, spending billions of dollars to correct this technological bug. But some Y2K buffs seem to want to dismiss any progress at all. They continue to present their case using out of date facts and figures and inadequately researched data.

Christian Computing magazine reports that there are several reasons why some who are telling us that the sky is falling refuse to listen to reports that the problem is being addressed. "First, some think that we have made a god of technology, and they love the thought of it failing. Second, some think that Y2K is a punishment from God, and America and the world is in moral decay and therefore we NEED Y2K. Third, others feel that even if Y2K is a non-event, they did a good thing by scaring Christians into storing up food and water for other potential disasters. Fourth, some actually refuse to believe the good reports because they hold to a conspiracy theory that the government is going to use Y2K to declare martial law and do away with elections. And, finally, there are some that believe Y2K is a 'sign of the time' and believe that somehow Y2K will bring about the second coming of Christ."

Spiritual Bug

Is it possible that the real millennium bug is a spiritual bug, not a technological bug? It could be that the real problem is that the voice of reason and sanity is being overwhelmed by fear and paranoia. People are being urged to buy gasoline generators, to stockpile food and medical supplies and to have a large supply of cash as well as precious metals on hand.

This rumor-rich environment is a marketing dream for those who wish to make a quick buck. Some companies that specialize in survival report that they are several months behind orders, and demand has exceeded supply.

The Plain Truth urges restraint, faith, reason and logic. It would seem that our greatest peril is a society-wide "run on the bank" caused by the exploitation of fears and insecurities. It could well be that any problems North America experiences will be the direct result of faithless and fearful reactions of many who will unwittingly create the very chaos they have been led to fear from Y2K.

Christ-centered Teaching

Our special report follows, giving you a variety of viewpoints and resources to consider. Perhaps you will conclude that it might be prudent to plan for widespread cultural hysteria. Perhaps you will decide that the better part of wisdom is to have some cash on hand, your car filled with gas and some extra food available. And many of us probably will.

But, we urge restraint and caution as hysteria grows. We should direct our concerns and worries to Christ, rather than toward pursuits that will direct us inward, toward our own interests and concerns. The "save your own neck" mentality of survivalists may help some turn a quick buck, but such activities do not focus on Christ-centered teaching. Remember the words of our Lord and Savior, "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39).

Christians need to be pointed and directed to Christ, not to food and firewood or to guns and generators. We are to overcome the world, not to be overcome by it. We are called to give of ourselves rather than to survive at all costs. The fact that Jesus saves is still a profound part of the gospel, even with the apocalyptic-like threats of Y2K. 

Y2K In Review

by Keith Stump

Editor's note: Book review of Shaunti Feldhahn's Y2K: The Millennium Bug, published by Multnomah Publishers.

ISBN: 1-57673-470-6.

By now almost everyone has heard about a "worst case" scenario of the infamous "Year 2000 Computer Problem" -- also known as "Y2K" or the "millennium bug."

Because of a "bug" in many systems, uncorrected computers will go berserk or shut down completely when the chronological odometer rolls around to January 1, 2000. This includes billions of embedded computer chips found in much of our modern technology -- everything from automobiles to digital watches to X-ray machines to microwave ovens.

Why? Because until relatively recently, many computers were wired for date "shortcuts." Programmers used a two-digit date system to maximize use of memory space. For example, the year 1988 was listed as 88.

When the year 2000 arrives, many computers will assume that the two-digit date code "00" means the year 1900, not 2000. The resulting errors could cause the computers to stop functioning normally or "crash" completely.

Unfortunately, there's no "magic bullet" to find and convert the data at the touch of a button. Banks, corporations, businesses and utilities are racing to get their software upgraded to a four-digit format before the millennial clock strikes midnight. But it's a complicated, expensive and painfully slow task.

And time is running out.

Great Tribulation?

Doomsday extremists are predicting panic, chaos and unparalleled disaster as a result of Y2K computer glitches, possibly even triggering the feared "Great Tribulation" of Scripture.

Is such talk alarmist reaction, or are we indeed facing an unprecedented threat? What problems might we reasonably expect as our computers confront the year 2000?

Amid the plethora of sensational books on the subject are a few that take a calm, reasoned approach. One of them is Y2K: The Millennium Bug by Shaunti Feldhahn, published by Multnomah.

Unlike many who have written on the subject, Feldhahn possesses legitimate credentials. A former financial analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York, she provides up-to-date factual information about Y2K based on the concrete evidence currently available.

Feldhahn acknowledges that the task of resolving the Y2K problem is enormous and that we're not going to get all the systems fixed in time. Reconfiguring computers is a complicated and time-intensive process, and there are simply not enough qualified programmers to go around.

There will be problems, she concludes, ranging from minor inconveniences to potentially serious long-term disruptions. No one knows for sure the full extent of the ramifications, nor how long they will last.

Planning and preparation are therefore imperative. "We must neither be panic-stricken nor complacent; we must be ready," Feldhahn maintains.

Spiritual Preparation

While Feldhahn does not neglect a discussion of material preparedness, her book has a larger objective: to focus on what our response as Christians ought to be -- in other words, our spiritual preparation.

Subtitled "A Balanced Christian Response," Feldhahn's distinctly Christian book addresses the issue from a biblical standpoint. Her objective is to spark awareness and reflection in the Christian community and to call believers to Year 2000 leadership in their communities, businesses and industries.

If society is disrupted by Y2K, Christians ought to be in the forefront of the rescue effort. God is calling Christians to preparation and leadership on Y2K, Feldhahn believes. "It is critical that we as a Christian community are prepared to meet the challenge of Y2K; not just for ourselves, but for others."

Instead of taking a selfish "survivalist" approach and retreating to bunkers in remote locations, Christians must be lights in the darkness -- extensions of Jesus Christ to the world, exhibiting the Christian ethic of love and self-sacrifice. Feldhahn urges that Christians "stay put" in order to bless their communities if and when Y2K disruptions occur.

Feldhahn outlines specific strategies for preparing for Y2K, both individually (for our own families) and corporately (for our businesses, churches and communities), employing the biblical "Joseph" model of preparation for lean times.

Feldhahn's book includes interviews with numerous Christian leaders, including Larry Burket, Pat Robertson, Henry Blackaby and Ron Blue. To help illustrate the potential problems for the non-technical layperson, she intercuts informational chapters with fictional vignettes of everyday people encountering and coping with Y2K disruptions.

Minor Glitch or Global Chaos?

Will Y2K turn out to have been overblown? Only God knows exactly what's going to happen when the clock strikes midnight on the new millennium.

Whatever takes place, Y2K: The Millennium Bug will both educate and challenge you to consider and prepare for the possible disruptions -- now fewer than 250 days away as you read these words. 

Freelance writer Keith Stump has worked in media ministry for 25 years. He and his family live in Southern California.

Shaunti Feldhahn

''A Message from the Lord?''

by Phyllis Duke

Plain Truth: There are many books and articles that have been written about the Y2K problem. Explain how the Christian approach differs from some of the other solutions that have been offered.

Shaunti Feldhahn: There are several ways the Christian approach differs from the secular realm:

1. If you are a Christian, you have a mandate from Christ to 1) love God with all your might, and 2) love your neighbor as yourself. Y2K ties us into both of those things. If we have stopped trusting in the Lord for our daily bread and started trusting in the stock market, in the economy, etc., then God may be telling us it's time to put our trust back in God.

2. Our preparation for Y2K must always, of necessity, include loving our neighbor as ourselves. There have been many cases throughout history when nonbelievers felt they had to protect themselves at all costs. But God has called us as Christians to help others and to love others in a time of turmoil.

At this point no one really knows what is going to happen. The technical problems will undoubtedly cause some problems, but the economic problems as a result are what we should really be concerned with. But if there is a time of crisis, the church has to be on the front line. Perhaps one way to say it is "those without the Lord in their lives are advocating grabbing the shotgun and heading for the hills." We have to ask, "Is that what Jesus would do?" No, he would be in the middle of everything, helping others, caring for others, loving others.

Q. Most people see the Y2K problem as simply a "technical" one, not a spiritual one. Why is a Christian response so important?

A. The potential Y2K problem is spiritual and not just technical because it will impact people's lives. Once you stop looking at Y2K as simply a technical problem and start looking at it as a ministry opportunity, your whole perspective changes. The opportunity to serve others and witness about the Lord becomes something to anticipate rather than something to fear.

Q. The media has the potential to cause major problems through fear and panic by over-reacting to Y2K. How do we combat this?

A. As 1999 progresses, I personally anticipate the attention to Y2K will escalate. Christians have to stand ready as a voice of calm and reason amidst panic. They must prepare as much as possible to prevent problems and to respond to problems in a rational manner. This will help prevent fear and panic because people will be ready to handle whatever happens.

Q. Some religious leaders are using the potential of year 2000 crises as proof of the "end of the world." How can this mentality be dealt with while at the same time establishing the need for preparedness?

A. Every Christian has their own opinion about the "end time." Scripture is very clear that no one knows the "day or hour" of Christ's return. We cannot predict the future. Christ said in Luke that we should be "servants whose master finds them ready" when he returns. There will be a lot of dialogue going on within the Christian community, but whether people personally believe it is the "end time" is not the issue. We have a biblical mandate to be

prepared for whatever comes and to encourage people -- believers and non-believers, to do so.

Q. You quote some "experts" in your book as saying that God may be using this to "judge the world." Isn't this a little bit extreme?

A. According to some of the Christian leaders I've talked with, it's more important to recognize that if there is a judgment coming from God, it's probably a message for the believer just as much as for the non-believer. The Lord disciplines his children. If we have gotten our focus away from trusting God for everything, begun trusting in the stock market, the economy and the works of our hands. the Lord may be trying to shake us up a bit. If that is the message from the Lord, then we should take this seriously and "get it." It's entirely possible that it's getting "darker" because the "light" (the Christian community) is no longer dispensing light as we should.

Q. Some economists say that stockpiling food, generators, etc. may boost the economy in 1999, but that it may have adverse effects on the economy in 2000. Should this be a concern?

A. This is obviously a concern if a huge inventory is built up in 1999 and goods are not purchased in 2000. We should be balanced in trying to do what God wants us to do. We should deal in good faith with banks, be balanced in what we stockpile and be careful not to create problems. But God may be telling us to have food so we can help others.

Q. The prediction is that the U.S. is way ahead of other countries in preparing for 2000. By contrast, more than 30 countries, including Russia and China will have major problems. Is there anything we can do to prepare for these potential problems?

A. Part of the problem with other countries is that we really have no way of knowing what kind of problems they will be facing. If we (churches) are prepared with food and medical supplies, and our community doesn't have a need, those supplies can be sent to other countries where help is needed. Many countries need help now, and we shouldn't necessarily wait until Y2K to help others. But if we prepare diligently for Y2K and our area is not particularly affected, we can reach out and help other countries.

Q. A lot of people are annoyed by the "extremist hype" around Y2K. What is your perspective on how much of an impact we can expect, and how worried should we really be?

A. I am just as annoyed by the "extremist hype" as anybody. Unfortunately, people may be so fed up with all the "hype" that they don't want to listen to what may be the real issue. We, as the church, need to focus on being prepared for anything -- economic depression, Y2K, hurricanes, tornados, terrorist bombs, etc.

The church needs to present a balanced approach to keep people from tuning it out.

Q. Why don't they just fix it?

A. They are fixing it -- working night and day, 7 days a week, but there's so much that needs to be done, it will be impossible to have everything completed by the year 2000. The question is: What will happen as a result of what hasn't been done?

Q. What should individuals do to prepare?

A. l. Pray. Prayer is the most important thing we can do. Pray for God's guidance about what we should do.

2. Have all the essential things on hand you might need if services are disrupted in your city, i.e. food, water, medical supplies, etc.

3. No man is an island -- families need to work together in their neighborhoods. Plan ways to work together to prevent problems in your neighborhood and how to reach out to others.

4. Be prepared to help people with special needs, such as nursing homes, shelters, etc.

Q. What were your goals in writing this book?

A. Several goals:

1. To alert the Christian community to an important issue that has been "hyped" and to bring balance.

2. Wake the Christian community up to the incredible opportunities to serve and evangelize during this time.

3. Ask the Christian community if God is trying to send us a message about whether we have placed our trust in things and the economy rather than in him on a day-to-day basis."

Q. There are a lot of people out there talking about Y2K. What are your qualifications to write this book, and why should readers trust your statements?

A. No one should take anyone else's word on this -- do your own investigation. Pray about it. Don't just believe what you read.

I am a trained risk analyst -- not a computer programmer.

I have a graduate degree from Harvard in risk analysis. I have been trained to look at things that can affect the business arena -- what's real and what's not -- analyze them, put them in accessible terms and separate fact from fiction. I have taken this analysis and applied it to Y2K in a way that the average person can understand.

I have not put anything in the book that can't be documented. Every single scenario is based on Y2K evidence, real problems and real examples. 

Staff writer Phyllis Duke is still thinking and studying about Y2K.

A View from Above

by Margaret Brouillette

Hey Gabe, do you want to come here for a minute?" It was Michael, and he sounded worried.

"Sure Mike, what's up?" asked the ever-optimistic angel Gabriel.

"It's this technology thing. I think it could be the end of us, or at least, of them. I mean, have you heard about Y2K? The infrastructures of major cities and even countries could shut down at midnight, December 31, 1999. Databases will be erased, files will be lost, the power will go out."

"Mike, Mike. Get a grip!" said Gabe. "You know God has everything under control. Nothing is ever a surprise to him. Just because he doesn't always let us in on all his plans doesn't mean he doesn't have any. He's pulled his children through some tight ones before. I'm sure he's thought this one out too."

"It's just that everything down there works on computers now. I think I liked the good old days better. Modern life makes me nervous," answered Mike.

"What do you mean you liked the old ways better? This technology is a blast!" And Gabriel, who had been sitting, stood to talk as his memory took him back in time, and his imagination carried him away.

"What if God had written the Ten Commandments onto a CD instead of two rocks? You've got to admit, it would have been a lot easier to get down the mountain! Mike, don't you get it? Information technology has a lot of heavenly possibilities."

Gabriel continued his verbal replay of past performances. "Remember that once-in-a-lifetime choir that we put together -- the time, the rehearsals, the work? And then we staged our only performance for a couple of poor shepherds and a few dozen sheep on some forgotten hillside. Now just imagine digital engineering and satellites and television. That show could be heard live around the world today.

"I hope Jesus plans to use this stuff for his re-entry. You know, the call of the trumpet in surround sound and some sort of global positioning system to locate the exact spot where Jesus will stand on the Mount of Olives. If we could only program Armageddon.

"Let me show you something I was working on just the other day here on my little laptop computer. I have this chart with all the biblical predictions about the Master's return to earth, and every time another one is fulfilled, it lights up in red and the date and time are noted. There's a lot of red on this file now. And I have graphs and statistics about the increase in earthquakes and famines and wars, as well as a tally of all the tribes and nations who have heard the good news of the Master's plan. I used to try to keep track of sparrows falling and the number of hairs on people's heads and all that, but some of those humans lose it faster than the click of a mouse. Now I've decided to leave that detail to God, and I'm concentrating on the other stuff."

"You're not worried about Y2K? What if you lose all your statistics and charts? What if your technological re-entry plans get foiled? What if God goes off-line?" fretted Michael, horrified at the possibility of men and women losing their link with heaven.

Michael added cautiously, "Gabriel, just one more thing. About this Y2K bug shutting down computer systems and erasing files -- well, it could be rather disastrous. Just in case, could we, I mean have you thought iffy know, sometime during the year."

Gabriel was becoming rather exasperated, albeit angelically so. "So say it, Mike. Just spit it out," he entreated his friend.

So Michael finally blurted it out: "It's about the Lamb's Book of Life. I do hope God still has his written copy." 

Canadian Margaret Brouillette is a part-time teacher.

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