In the Beginning was Information

13 The Quality and Usefulness of BiblicalInformationThe semantic value of information versus usability is graphed inFigure 25, resulting in four different areas (quadrants). Accordingto biblical assertions all information given out by humans is evaluatedby God.Useless information: We have subdivided useless information intotwo parts, namely indifferent and injurious information, and wefind a permanent criterion in God’s commandments: “You shall notgive false testimony against your neigbour” (Exodus 20:16),because “The Lord detests lying lips” (Proverbs 12:22). Such peopleare described in Jeremiah 8:6: “I have listened attentively, butthey do not say what is right. No one repents of his wickedness,saying, ‘What have I done?’ Each pursues his own course like ahorse charging into battle.” The tongue is a small part of the body,but it can have enormous effects: “Consider what a great forest isset on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire ...” (James3:5-6). These quotations are restricted to cases where we, assenders, transmit injurious information. But God also wants to protectus from being recipients of such information, and He warns usemphatically against association with such senders:Proverbs 1:10: “My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in tothem.”Proverbs 14:7: “Stay away from a foolish man, for you will notfind knowledge on his lips.”Psalm 1:1: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counselof the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seatof mockers.”In this connection we want to point out that Adam and Eve’s sinwas introduced by the evil information: “Did God really say...?”(Genesis 3:1). The response of the first persons to this informationwhich threw doubt upon God’s word, had inconceivable consequences:It resulted in death and suffering, pain and illness, warand wailing, and all of us are still suffering from the disastrouseffects of sin. Man can both send and receive injurious information138