This phrase was quite popular beginning in the mid 60’s. But it still is an apt mental picture. In computer-ese, this means that regardless of how accurate a program’s logic is, the results will be incorrect if the input is invalid. Stated slightly different… a computer will unquestioningly process unintended, even nonsensical, input (garbage in) and produce undesired, often nonsensical, output (garbage out). Interesting or amusing, this phrase began in 1963 when the IRS began to computerize their operations (and if there’s a correlation here I’m not going to pursue it).
The point is… can we apply this concept to ourselves? Do we put garbage into our minds by what we are looking at? It also applies to what we listen to as much as what we look at. And if it is garbage – why are we wasting our time looking at or listening to it? This applies as much to TV as to books as to movies… as well as the words of others. My belief is that just like every other part of our body, our spirit needs feeding too. What are you feeding it?
Another dilemma in this garbage in/garbage out situation is do we, unquestioningly, also process what we see and hear (the answer is – yes)? More important is what we do with, how we apply this gi/go in our lives, in our standards. What kinds of ‘stimuli’ do you import into your consciousness? Do you see it influencing you? Simple example: not so many years ago we didn’t have as much violence, swearing, innuendos, scantily attired actors on TV and in movies. However now it has gradually invaded and become pervasive to the point that we’ve become immuned to it. Question: do you see how it has impacted the children? How many times have you said that your parents would never have allowed you to behave in that way?
We can take a slightly bemused or laissez-faire or dismissive view of this but it is very serious. It has far reaching implication. It is … ‘no little thing’. The more the dumb-ing down or the pervasiveness of garbage in our lives the more our spirit will be injured. What are you doing to replace the garbage with spirit enhancing words? Do you pray? Do you read scripture? And do you do those activities as often as you allow the garbage that seems to be ever increasing? Garbage in will only create…. garbage out. Listen to yourself – how you speak does speak volumes.
