Bjcorbin's Blog

I believe that it is worthwhile to remember that the fruit mankind chose in the garden was the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  It’s what facilitated man’s moral autonomy to decide for himself what is good and what is evil, which ultimately freed him from dependency on God’s perspective.  So when well-meaning Christian folk declare that something is evil, without specific insight from the Lord, we might inadvertently be exercising this autonomy rather than reflecting the Father’s heart.  

Indeed, Peter felt as though he was being a guardian of orthodox religious practice when the Lord chastened him, “do not call anything impure that God has made clean” (Acts 10:15) and Saul was sure he was doing the Lord’s work when God knocked him to the ground and chided, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me” (Acts 9:4).  Thus, I also need to choose my words carefully, as I share a warning that I do believe comes from Him.

As technology continues to advance at a rapid rate, mankind’s confidence in itself, and in what it thinks it knows, seems to grow; as Humanism has become the prevalent ideology within western culture.  We have rationalized that our “evolution” as a society somehow exempts us from the lessons of human history, and embraced a faith in technology, which has come to embody our hope for the future.  Much like the tower of Babel (Gen.11:1-9), mankind continues to try to make its own way to heaven apart from “the Way” (John 14:6) that God ordained for us. 

Perhaps nothing reflects this pursuit more clearly than the rise and application of Artificial Intelligence (AI).  With alarming ease, AI has quickly ascended to a place of prominence within our culture and established its presence in our daily lives.  It has largely been welcomed like an old friend and has rapidly become the go to resource for information.  Many would rationalize that it is simply a tool, and there is certainly some amount of truth to that.  But like every “tool” man creates, it has the very real potential to be corrupted and even weaponized.

The “artificial” component of artificial intelligence is that it only knows what it has been told, and it only sees what it is programmed to look at.  In that regard, the output is highly susceptible to manipulation.  More importantly, for those who count themselves as spiritual beings, AI is a soulless and spiritless entity.  It has no conscience nor any spiritual discernment (1Cor.2:14).  For those who ascribe to a biblical worldview, that ought to be problematic (Gal.5:17-18).  

Some might argue that it is simply information, like a really good set of encyclopedia’s.   But I have already witnessed folks (young and old) consulting ChatGBT for relationship advice, seeking guidance on significant life decisions, attempting to arbitrate disagreements and even with regard to spiritual matters.  These “tools” have been strategically positioned to become our source for truth, and there is mounting evidence that they are being embraced as such.  

But genuine truth has a spiritual dimension that transcends information that could simply be classified as factual.  Indeed, only Christ has the words of life (John 6:68) and only He can do exceedingly, abundantly more than we could ask or imagine (Eph.3:20-12).  Paul warned against succumbing to “human wisdom” and exhorted that through the Spirit we have been given access to the “mind of Christ” (1Cor.2:6-16), just as John spoke of an anointing that is meant to teach us “all things” (1John 2:27).  Nevertheless, it will always be easier to pull up an app on our phone than to access the things of God.

Am I saying that AI is evil?  No, it really is just a tool.  Which is not to say that there aren’t forces at work behind the advancement of AI, who may well have dubious intentions.  To be sure, a tool that can be used for our benefit can also be aimed toward our destruction. 

Am I saying that using ChatGBT is immoral or unbiblical?  Not necessarily.  Within the right context, it is perfectly reasonable to take advantage of this technology (e.g. to expedite research).  

But for those born of the Spirit, these things cannot become our Source, or even a source, for truth (John 14:6).  Devoid of the Spirit, the best they can deliver is rooted in hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ (Col.2:8).  They are ultimately an accumulation of the way that seems right to mankind, which amounts to foolishness to God (1Cor.1:25) and pushes us toward death (Prov.14:12).  

Just as this intelligence is classified as artificial, so too should the “truth” which is derived from it.

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