Rebuilding Babel

From Genesis 11 we receive the story of the tower of Babel, in which the citizens of that city sought to build a tower for two reasons:

1. For their own renown: "Let us make a name for ourselves. . . " (v4)
   
2. To establish their security: " . . . lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth." (v4)
   

At that time they had a common language, and when the LORD stooped low to look at their plan, He said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them" (v6). In order to restrict their power to achieve their ends, He said, "Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech" (v7).

Since that time, there have been a multitude of languages in the earth. Now, through the internet, there emerges the prospect again of a common language: html. Through it other languages can be parsed such that the many peoples share a common language. The ambitions that I observe in web businesses are not often far from those of the citizens of Babel: they seek a name for themselves (which we call 'branding') and their own security - in a multitude of ways. Our common language facilitates what was revealed to Daniel: "Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase." In the increase of knowledge, we see our own security - apart from Christ. We seek to conquer disease, to anticipate calamities, to destroy ignorance. But do we unwittingly rebuild Babel?

As one who is involved in an internet startup, I'm keenly aware of the temptation to rebuild Babel, and am constantly thinking about how to think and act in a way that is faithful to Christ and His gospel. How do we use this common language to challenge the assumptions of our fellow citizens about how health, peace and prosperity will come? How do we participate in this sphere without accepting its assumptions, but rather exposing them?

I don't claim to have the answers, but these are the questions with which I wrestle daily as I work on Tumblon.