AI, Humanity, and the Image of God: It's a Battle Between Rival Kingdoms!

It's no secret that I am becoming increasingly concerned about the growing influence of technology in our world, and specifically in our lives. Because I have the privilege of age, and have therefore experienced life through an amazing time of rapid growth, modification and change in our daily existence, I am able to discern the effects that technological engineering have made on humanity. 

Before I proceed with the purpose of this post, I want to briefly define what I mean by the foundational terms of my hypothesis: Artificial intelligence, Humanity, and the Image of God. I am trying to listen intently and clearly to where the Holy Spirit is leading me. So, I am beginning to gather my scattered [yet inspired] thoughts into a spiritually informed and cogent argument for why we need to be very careful with how we proceed with the next generation of technological advancement. Of course, I am beginning with Artificial Intelligence (AI), the "new science" that has captured the imaginations [and machinations] of men with what I think are questionable motives. 

I was actually astounded to discover that the existence of artificial intelligence is not a new idea. There are confirmed mythical, fictional, and medieval legends of artificial beings -- ranging from a creature made of bronze, by the name of Talos, in Greek mythology, charged with acting as a guardian for the island of Crete; to the Swiss alchemist Paracelsus, who claimed he could fabricate an "artificial man" by placing the sperm of a man in horse dung and feeding it the "secret or mystery" (Arcanum) of man's blood, which after 40 days, would result in a living infant. 

According to Wikipedia, the earliest written account regarding animation of a Golem (the assignment of human traits, emotions, and in relation to this post, intelligence, to non-human entities such as clay figures - or a computer) is found in the writings of Eleazar ben Judah of Worms in the early 13th century. It was believed that the animation of a Golem could be achieved by insertion of a piece of paper with any of God's names on it into the mouth of the clay figure to receive information. Alchemy (chemistry, magic, sorcery, witchcraft, enchantment) was a huge part of these endeavors. 

Again, Wikipedia says that modern artificial intelligence was born in the 1940s when the study of logic and formal reasoning led to the invention of the programmable digital computer, a machine based on abstract mathematical reasoning. This invention inspired scientists to begin discussing the possibility of building an electronic brain. Fast forward to the early 2000s when "machine learning" was applied to a wide range of problems in academia and industry. With the advent and availability of powerful computer hardware, the collection of immense data sets, and the application of solid mathematical methods, "deep learning" became a reality, and we now have a breakthrough that has led to the rapid scaling and public releases of "large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT".  That is a short (and simple) synopsis of the idea of artificial intelligence. 

Moving on to the term Humanity, I consider it to be the condition, quality, and state of being human, which includes compassion, empathy, kindness, and understanding towards others. It is the consideration of humans as a group; the human race. That's a rather detached definition of the qualities of humankind, devoid of what I consider is the most important attribute of our state ... we are created in the Image of God, an immaterial spirit, capable of communing with our Maker. As GotQuestions.org elucidates, we are an "Image-Bearer" of God's likeness mentally, morally, and socially. We can reason and choose, which is a reflection of God's intellect and freedom. We were created in righteousness and perfect innocence, a reflection of God's holiness and image. We are created for fellowship, which reflects His triune nature and His love for us; and whenever we marry, make a friend, hug a child, or gather together in the Name of Jesus, we reflect the likeness and image of God. 

The problem, as I see it, and the reason for my concern, is the very clear intentions of some members of our humanity to use AI to separate us from our understanding of what it means to be a human and created in the image of God. Our identity as a created being [in His image] is a fact and a truth that sets us apart from any other form of creation -- including [and especially] computers. We alone are a reflection of His values and purpose as Creator. A computer cannot reflect God's spiritual attributes; it can't show holiness, love, or fellowship. 

We must realize and see that modern proponents of Artificial Intelligence are attempting to apply human [and therefore God-like] qualities to machines, describing their ability to "think", "learn", and "understand". This serves to confuse [and conflate] the nature of man and machine. No matter how close these machines and computers can come to mimicking human intelligence, they are not made in the image of God! They don't have spirits, or a soul, and they are incapable of inviting Jesus to sit on the throne of their heart ... because they don't have a heart, let alone any ability to "engage in moral or spiritual reflection", as Cheri Givens writes in her astute article on Medium.com.  

I think the thing that disturbs me the most is the attempt to minimize the miraculous and divine design of God's creation of man by insinuating that we are merely "advanced biological machines", which leads to drawing a dangerous parallel and connection between man and technological devices. As the advances continue in the abilities of AI to take over [and eventually surpass] man's human abilities to solve the challenges we face [to preserve human life], I fear that we will increasingly undervalue God as the answer to our problems. 

And when we attempt to minimize God's blueprint, so to speak, in our bodies by encouraging the merger of man and machine, then we are advocating Transhumanism, the philosophical and intellectual movement that says we can enhance our human condition [and overcome its limitations] by integrating machines into our physical environment. In other words, there is a very real effort to separate humanity from our divine link to our Creator.

And that's a battle that has been waging since the Garden of Eden! Ever since the Fall of Man, Satan has tried to convince us that we don't need God. In fact, he's tried to convince us that we can become our own god and be in control of our own destiny. It's all part of Satan's plan to usurp the government of God's Kingdom on earth in order to establish his own kingdom, based on deception and convincing us that we don't carry a spiritual significance in our relationship with God. But we're not just physical cells, muscles, tissues, and blood. We are made in His image, and we are spirits, as well. 

If Satan can keep the culture focused on the intellectual value that AI can bring to humanity, we will neglect [and eventually lose] the spiritual connection to God in favor of greater physical advancements. And it won't take long until we are augmented with computer parts that promise a transformation that unfortunately no longer aligns with God's creation of our bodies or His will for us. We are created to set our minds on spiritual matters, and focus on heavenly things that will lead to lives devoted to God; worshiping and glorifying Him alone. AI and Transhumanism are focused on annulling our covenant and divine relationship with our Creator, and enslaving us to the kingdom of Satan. . 

The bottom line is that Satan wants dominion of the earth for himself, establishing his own kingdom populated with beings who invalidate their divine connection to the God of the Universe, in favor of worshiping the deceptions offered by science. He whispers that humanity can "save their lives" by advancing, enhancing, revolutionizing, improving, streamlining, and enriching themselves in the areas of healthcare, environmental conservation, social welfare, education, etc. All we need to do is abdicate our spiritual relationship with the One who created us, and join forces [and our brains] with the machines that will give us all the wisdom and knowledge we need without the need to spend eternity with God.

I know this probably sounds like I've gone over the cliff, but every ounce of my spiritual being is crying out warnings! I fear for our younger generations who have only known the modern age of computers. It has been easy for them to be enticed by Satan's lying whisper ... I can offer you more. The advancements in AI are coming rapidly and deceptively; disguised as progress and growth in the advancement of human potentiality. I'm not denying that we could benefit from some of the developments. But there's danger in the undercurrents of wicked forces who are promoting an anti-God agenda in the mix. Please pray for discernment for our leaders. Pray for Godly men to keep this powerful tool in check. And ask the Holy Spirit to give us the fullness of His work in our lives, so that we might correctly navigate this critical time in the age of Humanity: Give us the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of Wisdom, the Spirit of Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel, the Spirit of Might/Power, the Spirit of Knowledge, and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord. Amen!

2 Corinthians 7:1     Therefore, since we have these [great and wonderful] promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, completing holiness [living a consecrated life -- a life set apart for God's purpose] in the fear of God.

Everything Just Changed! Have We Sealed the Fate of the Human Race?

It has been 41 years since the sci-fi movie franchise of "The Terminator" took our imaginations by storm. The series introduced what seemed, at the time, like a far-fetched fantasy where synthetic artificial intelligence is merged with robots to create a cyborg intent on destroying humankind. As one of the main characters in the first film explained, "Defense network computers ... new and powerful ... hooked into everything, and trusted to run it all. They say it got smart, a new order of intelligence that saw all humans as a threat; and they decided our fate in a microsecond: extermination". 

Isn't that the dynamic that many people (including myself) have been fearful of? Believe me, I would have loved to stick my head in the sand and pretended like there was nothing to worry about -- after all, it was only a movie -- but I believe the Holy Spirit kept shining a light on the discussions of scientists and agnostic engineers like Google's Ray Kurzweil, who touted the benefits for mankind in pursuing the acceleration of artificial intelligence. In turn, I've been shining the light [since 2013] on engineers their efforts which have brought us to the point where we're very close to these computer machines achieving complete "self-awareness".

So, you can call me a skeptic, a fear-monger, and even a conspiracy theorist, but almost as frightening [to me, at least] is the realization that the existence of these "super computers" has become such a part of our culture and means of communication and creativity, that our younger generations don't remember when they didn't exist! I know it sounds crazy, but I would like to invite the Gen-Xers, Millennials, and Gen-Zers to watch at least the first two movies of the series, so they see the potential dangers of what we've created, seemingly without any kind of security or protection in place. 

Need convincing? Instead of reading about my admittedly dubious concerns, let me share with you a conversation between national broadcaster Glenn Beck and the very real computer scientist, futurist, and inventor, Ray Kurzweil, who promotes furthering the progress of artificial intelligence, transhumanism, and the technical singularity, which by the way is a "hypothetical" point in time at which technological growth becomes uncontrollable and irreversible, resulting in unforeseeable consequences for human civilization. Got your attention now? This conversation took place during an interview with Mr. Kurzweil in May, 2008...

Beck begins the interview by introducing Kurweil as "the guy Bill Gates calls a visionary thinker and futurist. He has been inducted into the Inventors' Hall of Fame and the author of "The Singularity is Near". At the time, Beck was enthralled with the accomplishments of Kurzweil and, at the same time, found his books "some of the most frightening and yet hopeful stuff I have ever read". Their conversation progressed through topics that Kurzweil was working on: the future of energy, global warming, and health strategies. Here are some snippets of their conversation in 2008 that pertain to our current progression in the arena of technology...

KURZWEIL: We are doubling the paradigm shift rate of technical progress every decade. So in the next 50 years, we'll see 32 times more progress than in the last century.

BECK: Where does that put us? What is life like at that point?

KURZWEIL: Fifty years from now, life is quite different. We will be spending most of our time in virtual reality. We'll be enhancing our brains by merging with our technology, and we will be able to back up our mind file. 

BECK: They tell me that in the movie, "The Matrix", they could put a chip or put a cord in the back of your head and you could upload all of this information.

KURZWEIL: Well, we're going to be able to send nanobots, blood cell sized devices, inside our blood stream that will keep us healthy from inside, and also go inside our brains through capillaries and interact with our biological neurons. Parkinson's patients have a pea-sized computer in their brain that replaces biological neurons destroyed by the disease. The latest generation actually allows you to download software in the neural implant from outside the body in[to] the patient. [NOTE: This is where Elon Musk and his invention of the Neuralink in 2016 comes into the story]. That is today. And this kind of technology is doubling in power every year. It is shrinking in size by effect of 100 per volume per decade. So 25 years from now, these technologies will be a billion times more powerful; 100,000 times smaller, and we'll be able to send the nanobots into our brain. They'll interact with our neurons and they will extend our intelligence. We'll be a hybrid of biological and non-biological intelligence.

BECK: You said in your book, "The Age of Spiritual Machines", at some point you will walk into your room, and your computer will surpass your intelligence, or all the intelligence on the planet by 2027.

KURZWEIL:  By 2029. By 2029 a machine will be able to pass a Turing test [a test of a machine's ability to exhibit intelligence behavior equivalent to that of a human]. It will be able to have a natural-language conversation and you won't be able to tell the difference between the human and the machine. Our computers aren't going to be these distinct rectangular devices we carry around. We are going to merge with them. Some day we'll have blood cell sized devices in our blood stream keeping us healthy -- [healthy by whose standards, say skeptics like me]. There are already 50 experiments of doing that today [in 2008]. These devices will get more and more intelligent. If you go on to 2029, they're going to be inside our bodies and brains and we are going to be a hybrid of biological and nonbiological intelligence.  

Fast forward to today in 2025, and back to my relatively simplistic thinking... I mean, Kurzweil predicted this would all happen by 2029, only 4 years from now! And can you see the similarities to movies such as "The Terminator" and "The Matrix"? Is fantasy about to become reality? Well, based on the information Glenn Beck shared on his program just last week, it looks like Ray Kurzweil's predictions are coming true. 

Last week, Microsoft announced that they have developed a quantum chip which results in a fundamental leap in computing. In other words, from my limited understanding, a molecule has been discovered that enhances the capability of these chips to hold massive amounts of cubits of information. What might have taken a computer (using AI) several cubits to process and solve a problem, will now be able to be accomplished with millions of cubits in a very short period of time. In other words, this rate is way past the computation of the world's best supercomputer! So what has just been invented, and how will it affect us, as human beings? 

Please do your own research on this phenomenon! I really can't wrap my head around it! All I know is that this invention revolves around this new molecule, which is actually a new state of matter (other than a solid, liquid, or gas) that when applied to this chip, allows for a million cubits of quantum computing. That means that AI computers will be able to solve problems faster and more efficiently, at rates beyond human computation. Imagine the current state of AI on steroids!

And where does that lead us to? In my mind, right back to Ray Kurzweil and his predictions for 2029. As computers get faster and their ability to gain information and solve problems outpaces human capabilities, you very well might ask a computer, "How do we cure cancer"? And it's response could conceivably be, "Why cure cancer? I'll just redesign the human body [by merging it with machines], so it never gets cancer"! Can you see that AI is going to move at exponential speeds? Can you see that what might take our human brains 50 or 60 years to solve problems in the areas of health, military defense strategies, or energy crises, could be done in 5 or 10 minutes with this chip? AI employing this chip will grow in knowledge and experience faster than we can imagine, and that kind of capability is a temptation to mankind.

Instead of using it to grow our own intelligence, wisdom and understanding, it will be easier to let AI do it; and faster. So not only will we become lazy, but we will begin depending on it, and bingeing on it, and it will become part of who we are. What will then be the purpose of being a human being? Consider this: When we get to that merging point, are we looking at Mark of the Beast? Microsoft predicts that this technology will be in full operation by 2030. That's only 5 years from now, and only one year beyond Ray Kurzweil's prediction of 2029 for hybrid human/computer robots!

This is just a cursory examination of the state of AI interaction with humans. I am no expert, but even I can see the danger signs! As humans, we are created in the image of God Almighty! Computers, including AI, have been created by man, but without the God component that makes us accountable to our Creator. Therefore, we have no guarantee that the technological advances of AI into the quantum realm will not backfire on the human race.    

In conclusion, all this brings me back to "The Terminator" movies. They may seem out-of-date and corny now, but their message is not. We must not dismiss the warning signs that this iconic franchise portrays clearly and sharply. As one of the characters says, "This is the world now. Logged on, plugged in, all the time". It's true! And we, humanity, will make a takeover by machines easier if we don't evaluate what we're doing and what we're becoming. And I'll leave you with a quote from John Connor, the protagonist and hero of the movie: "The future has not been written. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves." I hope and pray that we take a step back, re-evaluate where we're going and our purpose on earth, and don't turn mankind's future over to these false gods.

Psalm 135:118     Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them.