About Me
Hi, I’m John Charles Dickey Dyer. My day job is the director of web development at Dallas Theological Seminary. I also had the priviledge of studying theology there and earned my Master of Theology (Th.M.) degree in 2008. I also make some websites like www.bestcommentaries.com and www.biblewebapp.com.
I live in the Dallas area with my amazing wife who is a university professor of literature and philosophy and my beautiful little boy Benjamin.
About this Site
After working in the field of technology and studying theology for several years, I have begun to think that technology may not be all it is seems. On the one hand it expresses the power and beauty of our God-given creativity, but on the other hand it showcases the corruption and decay of our Adam-given sin. Neil Postman, Marshall McLuhan, Murray Jardine, Jaques Ellul, Martin Heidegger, and others have heavily influenced my thinking and I hope to simplify their long, complex thoughts into short digestible blog posts that might be helpful to the community of faith.
The title Don’t Eat the Fruit is meant to be a play on “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid” from the Jim Jones cult, a certain amazing computer company, and the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. In the garden and Jones’ cult, the consumers thought that what they were consuming was harmless, and they didn’t know the full effects of what they were doing. Today, we are told by our screens that everything new, fast, and shiny will make our lives better. I suggest that we need to think more deeply about the tools we use. In other words, “Don’t eat the fruit.”
you are the man.
John, as your mother and a great resistor of the constant barrage of new technologies and my love hate relationship with the computer I am just blown away especially having been a reader of Marshall McLuhan and having received a degree in RadioTVFilm and ahve been a photographer who has had to go through digital depression as I gave up my beloved film, a tangible beautiful piece of celluloid that I could hold and feel with my hands. Now I could not think of going back to film but I still feel nostalgic at just hearing the word. I am so grateful to God to have borne a son who is grappling with all the ramifications of technology as it relates to relationships starting with God across the spectrum to our next door neighbor who now is in Africa. Thank you John for your heart your passion to use your gifts this way. I love you son, Mom
I ran across Proverbs 1:31. I thought maybe it inspired the name of your blog, but I find it didn’t. Maybe it should.
“Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.”
I like the KJV for the play on words with “devices.” Reminds me of your coffee making post.
I find your website very interesting. I look forward to exploring it some more in the near future.
Hi John, I like your blog. My job is with Wycliffe Bible Translators and I found your site because of the review of the new NIV. I am into technology to speed Bible translation!
Since your wife is a professor of literature, I hereby nominate her to edit your website. She should be the one to inform you that privilege does not have a d. Also, she ought to give your mom a quick refresher course on run-on sentences.
Good luck.
Sad to see that some people have enough time to be hateful and miss the point (the blog police). John the site is awesome and I look forward to it being the blessing in my life you intented it to be.
Found your website through Tim Challies mentioning your “twitter”-article. You ended up with one inspired follower on twitter. God bless you and keep you safe in His service.