Thread: Happy Birthday...Nikola Tesla???

I'm shocked; I really am. While the whole world is celebrating the birth of one of the greatest theologians, Google has the audacity to ignore the 500th birthday of John Calvin and instead celebrate the birth of Nikola Tesla. So what if this Tesla guy made impressive contributions to the field of electromagnetics, as well as to robotics, ballistics, nuclear and theoretical physics. Why would anyone rather celebrate the birth of the man who invented the Tesla coil than the man who wrote the Institutes of the Christian Religion?

Okay, so I am being a little tongue in cheek here. Google has no obligation to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin, and I certainly do not feel in the least bit slighted by their lack of acknowledgment of this great theologian. In fact, as a secular institution (I would say business, but they've reached institution status, IMO) that has benefitted greatly from the invention of the computer they ought to feel greatful to Tesla who also made contributions to computer technology. As I write on my own computer, I too am greatful for scientists who have made technology what it is today, and I am certainly greatful for those who continue making technology better.

Christians may be tempted to feel slighted when the world acknowledges the contributions of its own, rather than the many extraordinary contributions of Christians. Calvin's influence is arguably more profound and more far spread than Tesla's, but we shouldn't be surprised when institutions like Google ignore him in favor of a Serbian Scientist. They have their own secular interests which are generally scientific or cultural and are further removed from theological interests than Christians are. Is it sad that Google and many other institutions and people around the world are ignoring the 500th anniversary of John Calvin? Yes. Should I be upset about it? No.

In all actuality, however, Google's celebration of Tesla gives us Calvinists a chance to exercise our Calvinism. As Kuyper's Lectures on Calvinism so aptly pointed out, Calvinism goes beyond a theological system to embrace a pervasive world and life view. As Calvinists, we can enjoy the contributions of scientists because we know that even the talents of unbelieving scientists are gifts from God. Calvin wrote, "If we reflect that the Spirit of God is the only fountain of truth, we will be careful, as we would avoid offering insult to him, not to reject or contemn truth wherever it appears. In despising gifts, we insult the Giver." We also know that science is not a field that belongs only to secularists, but rightly understood, science ought to be used for enjoyment and utility of God's created universe. We enjoy many of their contributions today, it would be disingenuous for us to not give credit where it is due.

I am thankful for Calvin and his influence on the world. I praise God for raising him up as a standard bearer of truth in an age of error. I am also thankful for men like Tesla who made contributions to science that I can benefit from. Both of these men are gifts from God to the world.

Not really surprising - they don't recognize patriotic holidays, and the general leanings of their top execs are fairly well known.

Haha, I also saw the Tesla image. I was hoping they'd recognize Calvin but I guess not.

I'm still a little surprised they don't have an image of Calvin up there. I mean it is his 500th birthday (as opposed to maybe 497 or something like that).

The world will mock influential saints.

Tesla was nuts, but you gotta admit, he came up with some amazing uses of God's creation.

I actually quite like Tesla, and I'm not sure I want Google picking and choosing which theologians to celebrate, as with Google it would inevitably become a popularity contest.

A true genies is seldom recognized

Originally Posted by Re4mdant

A true genies is seldom recognized

Yes, genies are hardly ever recognized, because they are always hiding in lamps. If you had to grant three wishes to everyone who asked, you would hide too.

Ooooh...you mean "genius."

Originally Posted by Sven

Is it sad that Google and many other institutions and people around the world are ignoring the 500th anniversary of John Calvin? Yes. Should I be upset about it? No.

As you said, it is sad but not surprising at all. The official Google blog proudly reports that many "googlers" participated in all the major gay pride celebrations all around the world this year. They promote a very different worldview than Calvin's.

Doesn't Google have some kind of policy about not doodling religious holidays?