People, in general use twelve main systems to communicate. The twelve systems are: verbal, written, numeric, pictural, artifactual, audio, kinesic, optical, tactile, spacial, temporal, and olfactory. Each culture uses the systems differently, and some cultures ignore entire systems. For example, many places still do not use written langrage, and therefore do not use that comminucation system. Some cultures might use only half of the systems, and another culture may use all the systems. Therefore one cannot automaticly assume one culture understands another prefectly

People generaly use a combination of these signals everyday without even knowing it. People in the western culture are bombarded by music, which is a combination verbal and audio signal. Television is an interesting mix of several of the signals. It is obviously visual, but it is also audio, verbal, pictural, and even could be artifactual.

Written language clearly the second most important way people communicate. Unlike talking, or even radio or television, books, literature, anything written can talk to millions and bbillions of people. Speaking to million sis not what makes written communication so fascinating, television, computers, radio all communicate to many, so why is written communication any different?

Written communication can withstand the passing of time. An author such as C. S. Lewis can still communicate to believers and unbelievers in the twenty first century as well as in the nineteenth. Just because he is dead does not mean he cannot communicate truth. His written words communicate to generations of people. The Bible is even a better example of this interesting factor. The people whom God inspired to write are all long gone, but we still have the words they wrote.

It is my opinion that written material can communicate better, farther, and to more people then almost any other type.

Pictural communication is very useful. Pictures can communicate to all people no matter what their language. Like statues, which would all under the tactile or visual signal of communication, they communicate based from what one can see.

I once read, "You cannot separate the art from the beliefs of the architect" (Mahoney). I think this is true with written, pictural, artifactual, audio, optical, tactile, and other types of communication. For example, I have gone into an art museum and seen pictures that look like framed scribbles, but are called life, or the hand. Painting, sculptures show the world view of the person, and communicate in ways different then the verbal or written method.

I like the example in the book about numeric communication; morse code. This is a numeric code that actually works like verbal communication but it is not. People can communicate though numbers it is just a little different.

I am willing to use any form of communication to tell people truth. Communication is more then just signals, it is getting to know someone, caring for them, helping the know the truth of God. I learned through that it is not so much the signals one uses to communicated, but the message itself. I want my message to be one of love and humility no matter where I go or what signals I use.