Forecast For Our Future?

    Modern culture has been enthralled with the dystopian writings of Aldous Huxley and George Orwell since their famous novels, Brave New World and 1984, appeared on the scene. Written in 1931 and 1949, respectively, both are tales of a world run by totalitarian governments, and where the life experience of the individual is limited and controlled.
     At the center of Brave New World is the World State, a unified government which administers the lives of every person on the planet.  There is no individuality or encouragement to succeed on your own.  Even human reproduction is controlled and embryos are raised artificially in "hatcheries and conditioning centers".  When born, every person is assigned to one of five social classes.  Children are educated with appropriate subconscious messages to mold the child's self-image to that appropriate for his class.  Critical thinking is discouraged, and books are banned.

     The experience of the individual can be summed up as follows:  Emotional, romantic relationships are obsolete; chastity and fidelity are cause for disapproval or mockery; and marriage, natural birth, parenthood, and pregnancy are considered too vulgar to be mentioned in polite conversation. Spiritual needs are met by mock religious services in which twelve people consume an hallucinogenic drug, called soma, and sing hymns. The ritual progresses through group hypnosis and climaxes in a sex orgy. The symbol worshiped is the "T", in homage to Henry Ford who had recently introduced mass-production of automobiles with the Model T.
     People enjoy perfect health and youthfulness until they die at age 60.  Death is not feared; the population is confident that everyone is happy, and since there are no families, there are no strong ties to mourn.  The vast majority of the population lives under the World State. In geographic areas not conducive to its system, "savages" are left to their own devices. These "savage reservations" are similar to reservations established for the Native American population during the colonization of North America.
     The rest of the novel delves into the dark story of how one of the "savages" longs to explore society among the World Controllers, only to discover that its comforts, technological wonders, and consumerism are poor substitutes for the individual freedom, human dignity and personal integrity that was part of his experience on "the reservation".  He then ostracizes himself from society and attempts to purify himself of "sin" (desire), which ultimately leads to a lonely ending.
     I've given you this synopsis of the popular novel to show how far we've come towards fulfilling this fantasy novel in the nearly 100 years since it was published.  And, ironically, as I've pointed out several times in the past -- Hollywood has a way of also showing us what our future holds.  So it should come as no surprise that one of the elites of Tinseltown will be bringing Brave New World into your living rooms very soon.
     That's right, the Syfy channel, and none other than Stephen Spielberg, are working together on a TV series adaptation of Brave New World.  Most people will just remember the novel for it's bizarre and, frankly, frightening depiction of the future of human society.  But like many "geniuses" in their fields (such as Nikolai Tesla), Aldous Huxley was interested in spiritual subjects such as parapsychology and philosophical mysticism, or the "extraordinary experiences and states of [the] mind."  Could his experiences with psychedelic drugs have opened him up to influences by spirits not of this world?  Is this where he received his vision of a Brave New World?  And was he simply forecasting Satan's plan for humankind, and now we will be shown in graphic detail on our TV screens just what lies in store for us?
     It will be interesting to see how Spielberg approaches the presentation of the World State, and such subjects as overpopulation, the effects of drugs, subliminal suggestion, and totalitarianism -- all themes within the original novel.  And it will be interesting to see how many unsuspecting TV watchers will be easily deceived; consumed with the entertainment value of the latest apocalyptic show, never realizing that they could be watching themselves in the very near future.

Revelation 17:13   "These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast."

How Close Are We To A Post-Human World?

     That is a question that Sir Martin Rees, the British Astronomer Royal attempts to answer in his astute article in The Telegraph.  Before giving you some of his insightful theories on this subject, I must admit that, as a Christian, I believe some of his prognostications will never materialize, because God will not allow His creation to become so violated.  That being said, I absolutely believe that what Sir Martin predicts will be attempted by those who think they can out-maneuver God.  Therefore, it is important for us to be able to recognize the machinations of such "geniuses".
     Much of what Rees reveals is what we've been hearing for awhile ... due to the overcrowding and over heating of the earth, technology will become an important part of our "survival", and it will have profound ramifications on humankind; most importantly, in the sphere of agriculture, biotech, and robotics.  Because our ecology is threatened, and our "footprint" is too big, scientists and futurists tell us that something must be done to save the planet.  So, it all comes down to this realization: We can now control the weather, the development of viruses, and robotic systems; all of which have the potential to affect how -- and if -- we live.
     Perhaps one of the most chilling statements that Sir Martin made was this:  "And there are downsides to the huge advances in biotech, despite the bright prospects these offer for medicine and agriculture. There were reports last month that Chinese researchers had been gene-editing human embryos using a new technique called CRISPR, raising controversial ethical issues about “designer babies”. But more disquieting are the experiments at the University of Wisconsin and in the Netherlands that show it’s surprisingly easy to make an influenza virus more virulent and transmissible. Last October, the US federal government decided to cease funding these so-called “gain of function” experiments."
     Rees pointed out that such "experiments" are hotly debated among his colleagues, with some wanting to stay one step ahead of natural mutations, while others are concerned about the danger and the risks associated with such scary science.  "What would happen, for instance, if an ebola virus were modified to be transmissible through the air? And they worried that the risk of failure to contain the pathogens within the lab is too high to justify the knowledge gained."  I'm glad someone is being clear-sighted!
     But I found it especially frightening when he discussed the dangers that will come from millions of people having the capability to misuse biotech, and who might have access to biomedical labs, just as millions can misuse cybertech today.  "Not all those with “bio” expertise will be balanced and rational. My worst nightmare is an “eco-fanatic”, empowered by the biohacking expertise that may be routine by 2050 [when 2 billion people will occupy the planet], and who thinks that “Gaia” can only be saved if the human population is reduced. The global village will have its village idiots, and they will have global range."
     Sir Martin also joins the chorus of voices such as physicist Stephen Hawking and Tesla Motors CEO and product architect, Elon Musk, who all warn of the dangers of the rapid ascent of artificial intelligence (AI).  "We’re witnessing a momentous speed-up in artificial intelligence (AI) – in the power of machines to learn, communicate and interact with us. Computers don’t learn like we do: they use “brute force” methods... Experts disagree on how long it will take before machines achieve general-purpose human level intelligence. Some say 25 years. Others say “never”. The median guess in a recent survey was about 50 years... And there is disagreement about the route towards human-level intelligence. Some think we should emulate nature and reverse-engineer the human brain. Others say that’s a misguided approach – like designing a flying machine by copying how birds flap their wings. But it’s clear that once a threshold is crossed, there will be an intelligence explosion."
     All these summations bring the question of ethics and responsibility to the forefront.  But when has that ever stopped mankind's sinful nature?  From the Garden of Eden, to Nimrod's Tower of Babel, to the Third Reich's "experiments", to Ray Kurzweil's plans to transcend biology by merging our brains with computers -- the purpose of all these evil designs is to assume the role of God in our own lives.  Is it in our future "to lose our individuality and evolve into a common consciousness" with computers and robots; in essence, to spiritually "go over to the other side"?
     What I found so compelling about Sir Martin's discourse is that he is the Astronomer Royal, the head of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich (a position in existence since 1675) and the official scientific advisor to the British government -- and, I could go into all the conspiratorial implications that this suggests, but that is a different topic for a different day.  Nevertheless, sometimes it is best to listen to what those in prestigious positions have to say; and he appears to be warning us to pay attention and be on the alert for what is going to be inevitable in our near future.
     As the chief expert on the stars and the heavens, so to speak, Rees has a particular viewpoint that I think we should heed.  In the matter of human/computer integration, listen to what he says:  "Let me briefly deploy an astronomical perspective and speculate about the really far future – the post-human era. There are chemical and metabolic limits to the size and processing power of organic brains. Maybe humans are close to these limits already. But there are no such constraints on silicon-based computers (still less, perhaps, quantum computers): for these, the potential for further development could be as dramatic as the evolution from monocellular organisms to humans. So, by any definition of “thinking”, the amount and intensity that’s done by organic human-type brains will, in the far future, be utterly swamped by the cerebrations of AI. Moreover, the Earth’s biosphere in which organic life has symbiotically evolved is not a constraint for advanced AI. Indeed, it is far from optimal – interplanetary and interstellar space will be the preferred arena where robotic fabricators will have the grandest scope for construction, and where non-biological “brains” may develop insights as far beyond our imaginings as string theory is for a mouse... So, in the far future, it won’t be the minds of humans, but those of machines, that will most fully understand the cosmos – and it will be the actions of autonomous machines that will most drastically change our world, and perhaps what lies beyond."  Does anyone else think that this is simply Satan's 21st century plan to recreate the Tower of Babel and help man gain access to the Heavenly realm and God's throne room?
     Can you see how far our human pride has taken us?  Do you really think God is going to let man -- whom He created -- usurp His creation of the Universe?  And if we are really that close to crossing the line into altering the organic make-up (the God-formed structure) of our brains, how long before God decides we've gone far enough, and it's time to pull the plug?  We know that God allows all things for His Glory.  Because of the speed with which these technological events are happening -- and the determination that their "creators" are exhibiting -- His Glory is soon going to fill the earth!  I can hardly wait!!

Isaiah 44: 9, 20:    All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame... a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”
   

Was Tesla The Conduit Between Fallen Angels & Our Technology?

     I find it extremely ironic that Tesla Motors founder and CEO Elon Musk is escalating his warnings that our obsession with Artificial Intelligence technology (AI) is the biggest threat to our human existence.  "With artificial intelligence, we are summoning the demon," he is quoted as saying.
     To be honest, he is not the only pioneering whiz to sound the alarm.  Even the genius astrophysicist Stephen Hawking is on record as saying, “The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.”  He warns of the consequences of creating something that could potentially become smarter than its creator.  But hasn't that been the prideful sin of every enemy of God; from Lucifer to Nimrod, to all those throughout history who have followed in their footsteps and embraced their spirit of evil?
      “[AI] would take off on its own, and redesign itself at an ever-increasing rate,” Hawking said.  “Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete, and would be superseded.”

Nikola Tesla

     But it is Musk's comments that I find the most fascinating; especially as chief executive of rocket-maker Space X.  He calls self-learning artificial intelligence “potentially more dangerous than nukes”.  And is it purely coincidental that he is the head of a company named after Nikola Tesla, the Serbian American inventor, engineer, and futurist who, by some accounts was a genius who wanted to illuminate the earth; the man who was "robbed" of the title of "Father of Electricity" by his rival, Thomas Edison.  (I really wish Glenn Beck would do his homework on this man whom he idolizes).
     To others, Nikola Tesla was a dangerous man; a man who believed that "In black holes, (what astronomers talk about), are the most powerful sources of energy and life."  He was a man who conducted experiments, trying to discover "what to do in the Universe, so [that] every being is born as Christ, Buddha or Zoroaster."  (Zoroastrianism is a pre-Islamic religion, revealed to man by a "god" named Ahura Mazda.  It is my contention that this was a fallen angel entity.)
     In an 1899 interview, from his Colorado Springs laboratory, Tesla opened up about his "other-world views": that the Light of the Universe filled his six senses; about building a machine, that by vibration, provokes a feeling of bliss; that humans once had real and visible wings.  He speaks of being aware, as a child, that there was an Energy in the Universe, and of trying to awake that energy, and figure out how it could influence people.  He told his interviewer,  "My eyesight and hearing are perfect and, I dare to say, stronger than other people. I hear the thunder from a hundred fifty miles away, and I see colors in the sky that others cannot see. This enlargement of vision and hearing, I had as a child. Later I consciously developed [it]."
     He speaks of being seriously ill during his youth, and of discovering that "The source of most disease is in the spirit. Therefore the spirit can cure most diseases ... I was cured because my father finally allowed me to study technology, which was my life. Illusion for me was not a disease, but the mind's ability to penetrate beyond the three dimensions of the earth."  Does anyone else think that perhaps this man had tapped into a force outside our human realm; and that perhaps it didn't  necessarily possess a benevolent spirit?
     In case you think I'm over-exaggerating, Tesla recounts this memory from his childhood: "Once, in childhood, I was walking along the river with Uncle and said: 'From the water will appear the trout, I'll throw a stone and it is cut.'  And, that's what happened. Frightened and amazed, his uncle cried: "Bade retro Satan’s!" ("Get back, Satan!") He was an educated man, and he spoke in Latin."  And -- if you need further proof -- later in the interview, Tesla finishes up a segment of his interview by declaring, "There are many fallen angels on Earth."
     At times, as I read his interview, his words seemed the farcical meanderings of an intellectual eccentric. But then there would be a passage that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck, such as this excerpt:  "Life is a rhythm that must be comprehended. I feel the rhythm, and direct on it, and pamper in it.  It was very grateful and gave me the knowledge I have."  (He speaks of "It" as if it was a person or entity!)  "Knowledge comes from space; our vision is its most perfect set. We have two eyes: the earthly and spiritual. It is recommended that it become one eye. The Universe is alive in all its manifestations, like a thinking animal."
     Does that creep you out like it does me?  Is he promoting the "all-seeing Eye"?  And does anyone else perceive the Prince of the Air prowling like a lion? And this Knowledge that comes from space --- could it be fallen angel technology that has been shared throughout history with mankind ... from the technology that allowed Nimrod to build the tower of Babel; to the branch of knowledge that resulted in the building of the ancient Sphinx; to the occultic knowledge possessed by Hitler and the Nazis; to the modern applications being employed in the field of Artificial Intelligence and Transhumanism?  Was Tesla trying to tell us that this knowledge is supernatural and unhuman?  What could he have possibly meant by this statement?  "The Universe has only one substance and one supreme energy with an infinite number of manifestations of life. The best thing is that the discovery of a secret nature reveals the other. One cannot hide, they are around us, but we are blind and deaf to them. If we emotionally tie ourselves to them, they come to us themselves."

"Faust Conjures Up the Spirits"
by Carl Christian Vogel von Vogelstein (1788-1868)

     And listen to his rendition of how he discovered the rotating magnetic field and induction motor: "One summer evening in Budapest, I watched [the sunset] with my friend Sigetijem. Thousands of fire was turning around in thousands of flaming colors. I remembered Faust and recited his verses and then, as in a fog, I saw a spinning magnetic field, and induction motor. I saw them in the sun!"  And in case you are wondering what the significance of Faust was, and how that could have played a part, contemplate this fact:  Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend. He is a scholar who is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, so he makes a pact with the Devil, exchanging his soul for unlimited universal knowledge and worldly pleasures.
     So how many champions of Nikola Tesla are aware of this aspect of his genius and the influence behind his inventions?  Would Glenn Beck still shamelessly promote his exceptional creativity if he knew to whom Tesla gave credit?  There is no doubt that Tesla possessed great knowledge and produced great results from his experimentations; he is often called the Father of Radio, Television, Power Transmission, and the Induction Motor.  Less publicity is given to his mysterious inventions, including those that caused buildings to sway, earthquakes to materialize from his electro-magnetic oscillator; and a directed-energy weapon, called a death ray.  And would it surprise you to know that conspiracy theories swirl around his death and his legacy?  Some promote the idea that he was murdered by the Nazis for the work he did on electronic devices that would have been of great significance during WWII.  Then there is the rumor that soon after his death, the United States Government (with the help of the FBI) seized all of his research materials and writings, most of which never again reappeared -- (except perhaps as HAARP; the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program.)
     But here's the bottom line:  It is difficult to know the truth about this enigmatic genius; is he a hero or a villain?  One thing is clear:  Throughout his life, Tesla asserted that he had indeed discovered a limitless power supply from a source that no one else had knowledge of, but he never revealed the source.  In fact, I think this following quote, by Tesla himself, establishes that his genius was supernatural:  "Ideas came in an uninterrupted stream and the only difficulty I had was to hold them fast ... In less than two months I evolved virtually all the types of motors and modifications of the systems which are now identified with my name."
     And now, nearly 73 years after his death, Elon Musk, the Founder of a company that bears his name, and one of the foremost entrepreneurs that have benefitted from the genius and experimentations of Nikola Tesla is announcing that we may have gone too far ... that we may be "summoning the demon."
     To make his point perfectly clear, Musk gives us this analogy: "In all those stories where there's the guy with the pentagram and the holy water, it's like, yeah, he's sure he can control the demon. [It] didn't work out."
    But who is able to stuff that genie (uh, I mean, demon) back in the bottle?  History has shown us that once man agrees to accept that Satanic power source, it becomes a race towards human destruction.  The only thing that has ever stopped the total ruination of man has been God.  But has mankind reached its full quota of evil upon the earth?  Is it nearing the time when God will no longer save us from ourselves, and finally pronounce His Judgment?  Maybe He's providing us clues; if we will only pay attention and recognize that all technology is not for our good, perhaps we stand a chance.  Tesla believed that there were certain truths we needed to learn in order to be healed in this human existence. But here's the deal ... Our survival, and our eternity, depends on whose Truth we seek.

You can read the entire 1899 interview with Nikola Tesla here, and make up your own mind.  He's a fascinating character study, and I truly believe his story is part of the spiritual battle in which we find ourselves today.

1 Timothy 4:1   "Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,"


 

Glenn Beck: THIS Is What The Flag Means!

     For the most part, I applaud conservative talk host Glenn Beck for his political and social views.  We share a dismal view of the direction of the country, and the world, for that matter.  We are both troubled by the rampant moral decay and the corruption.  We abhor abortion, hate the intrusion of Big government in our lives, and champion the Constitution; especially our Second Amendment Rights.
     Sometimes I think he's on the wrong side of issues; not so much ideologically, but because he hasn't done his due diligence on the subject.  Take his love for Nikola Tesla and his disdain for Thomas Edison, for instance.  Or consider his recent sarcastic scorn over Area 51.  If you are like me and some very close friends who have done a deep, deep, deep Biblical study into the implications of these topics, then you know what I'm talking about.  Otherwise, let's just leave it as one of my tin-foil hat conspiracies.
     But back to Glenn.  Last week he went on a righteous rant about the state of America.  Right Wing Watch, a decidedly left-leaning website, was only too pleased to report on Mr. Beck's tirade.  While they gave an obviously one-sided review, picking and choosing his most inflammatory comments, I would like to issue my own statement about some of the most provocative remarks.  I heard the entire segment, and while I agree on his overall assessment, there was one aspect that I would especially like to address.
     "I'm an American, and I still know what I believe.  But, I will tell you this," he observed, "the country, the institution, what that flag, those buildings that the flag flies over, what the flag is becoming, what it means to the rest of the world, I DON'T KNOW! I don't care!"  He was just beginning ...  "I'm not about the flag, I'll burn the flag every day. In fact, I'm really considering burning the flag. I may do a show really super soon where I burn the flag. And if you don't like it, then maybe you should figure out what the flag means."  While he vowed to defend the Constitution to his last breath, Beck said "I'll burn the flag every day of the week".

     Well, Mr. Beck, I, too, am an American and let me tell you what I believe; especially about our flag.  I would refer you to an eloquent essay on the meaning of our flag, by Henry Ward Beecher, an early 19th-century abolitionist and clergyman.  He articulates the significance of our flag far better than I ever could.  Among his statements are these:
•  [The flag] means the rising up of a valiant young people against an old tyranny, to establish the most momentous doctrine that the world had ever known, or has since known, - the right of men to their own selves and to their liberties.
•  Our flag carries American ideas, American history and American feelings … in its glorious insignia, it has gathered and stored chiefly this supreme idea: Divine right of liberty in man.
•  This American Flag was the safeguard of liberty...  It was an ordinance of liberty by the people, for the people. That it meant, that it means, and, by the blessing of God, that it shall mean to the end of time!
• … Accept it, then, in all its fullness of meaning … It is a whole national history. It is the Constitution (my emphasis) … Forget not what it means … be true to your country’s flag.
     Now let me share with you what happened this past week, and why the flag has special meaning for me.  After being a part of the Chris Kyle Memorial charity event, it became clear that a lot of Americans are still patriotic and still believe in what this country has stood for. ( I will agree that our national identity is changing, both abroad and at home -- and not for the good.  But that doesn't mean that I associate the flag with how someone else is misrepresenting it.  The flag STILL stands for those same ideals that Henry Ward Beecher expressed in the mid-1800s! )
     Back to my story -- after paying tribute to our valiant warriors who defend this nation -- and its flag -- we were surprised and honored to receive a special package in the mail from one of those warriors.  Inside the box was a carefully folded flag, with a hand-written note that read, "Hopefully, you can find a home for this flag.  I carried it in combat.  Enjoy!"  Along with this treasure was a certificate from the Special Operations Command that stated this flag had been flown during a successful mission in Afghanistan, resulting in the capture of insurgent forces responsible for terrorist activity.  The final inscription on the certificate read, Cherish this flag and your freedom.  Much has been sacrificed for both.
    To say that we were choked up, is to put it mildly.  So, I would say to you, Mr. Beck, that I feel sorry for you if you no longer know or care what the flag means.  Because I can tell you that every person who has gone into battle carrying it --- from the Revolutionary War to the current wars --- knows what it means, and desperately cares about what it stands for.  The flag we received as a gift was the banner of freedom that accompanied those willing to fight for our liberties.  To say that you would consider burning it is a disgrace to the memories of all those who died holding it aloft.  Perhaps you should speak to your friend, Marcus Luttrell, the Lone Survivor, how he feels about your remarks.
     Finally, I would like to remind you that a flag, or banner, has great significance as a symbol in the Bible.  In fact, one of the names of God in the Bible is Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord-Is-My-Banner.  (In Exodus 17, you can read how God, as the Israelites banner, insured their victory in battle).  In ancient times, banners were often a bare pole with a bright shining ornament which glittered in the sun; but it was more than that.   It was an ensign or standard carried in the midst of battle to indicate the line of march, or the rallying point, and, as such, is closely aligned with victory.
     I would venture that the flag holds that same meaning to millions of Americans today.  It is our symbol of liberty against tyranny; it is our ideas, our history, our faith and our freedoms; it is the symbol of our Constitution --- it is our rallying point.  It doesn't matter what it means to the rest of the world; I don't care about that, and therefore agree with you on that point.  But it does matter what it means to us Americans, and I know what it means to me and all those who have died for it. 
     Our leaders can drag it through the mud and even try to make it mean something different, but it is at the heart and soul of who, we as true Americans, really are.  And they can't change that.  So I will chalk up your attack on the flag as a lapse in judgment during a moment of impassioned indignation.  You didn't really mean you'd burn the flag every day of the week .... did you?

Isaiah 11:10     And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious.