this is such a lovely conversation, and I buy into this idea. One may think that being against the machine is completely being against the idea, but the real truth is these things have to be designed in a way that is safe to all of us. A friend referred me to your work and I’m so happy. I’m here. You’re amazing and you have a very beautiful way of writing.
Amazing article! I am going to share this with many I have been having AI conversations with.
I especially appreciated your 3 examples at the end of section 2… as I can draw some implications as to how we choose to use or not use AI in our work of software development for Christian digital curriculum.
And this might be one of my favorite sentences you have ever written:
“If the Apostle John can declare Jesus’ reign 300 years before Christendom, I feel okay about proclaiming it 300 years after Christendom. “
This is really honestly how I feel about all this AI stuff and our technological age. I think we have a lot of growing pains with this new technology, and there are pushes (such as from Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei) to wait for congress to catch up with moderating and controlling AI usage.
I loved the bit about salt and light, we're supposed to stand out and preserve the health of the societies we're in. I also think of when Jesus said, "Be in the world but not of the world." A wise minister once told me that with the age of the internet, we have Christians who are of the world, but not IN it. We have to take that commandment in its entirety. Most evangelicals just look at that last part, "don't be of the world" but don't stop to consider what being IN the world really means.
To me, to be IN the world means being rooted as Kingsnorth said. It means knowing its ins and outs, knowing how to navigate all its aspects, and being learned on it, not abandoning it or making a counterfeit version of it.
Also appreciate the anti despair rhetoric here. The quickest way to turn me off to any warning is to be a doomsday prophet. I'm also an eschatalogical optimist like yourself. The kingdom of heaven is greater than The Machine, it's greater than AI, and there's no creation of man that can thwart God's plans.
Love the example of Lamech! I reference that one all the time.
It's also interesting that Lamech's name could be translated "strong man", which can add some context to Jesus saying:
"But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house." (Mark 3:27)
It's the difference between a redemptive Eschatology and reversal Eschatology. Redemptive says Eden will be better in the new heavens and new earth. Reversal says it will be just the same.
this is such a lovely conversation, and I buy into this idea. One may think that being against the machine is completely being against the idea, but the real truth is these things have to be designed in a way that is safe to all of us. A friend referred me to your work and I’m so happy. I’m here. You’re amazing and you have a very beautiful way of writing.
Amazing article! I am going to share this with many I have been having AI conversations with.
I especially appreciated your 3 examples at the end of section 2… as I can draw some implications as to how we choose to use or not use AI in our work of software development for Christian digital curriculum.
And this might be one of my favorite sentences you have ever written:
“If the Apostle John can declare Jesus’ reign 300 years before Christendom, I feel okay about proclaiming it 300 years after Christendom. “
A resounding “huzzah” to that!
Thanks so much for your really encouraging words, Richard. Means a lot to me.
Great commentary on a book I've never read!
This is really honestly how I feel about all this AI stuff and our technological age. I think we have a lot of growing pains with this new technology, and there are pushes (such as from Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei) to wait for congress to catch up with moderating and controlling AI usage.
I loved the bit about salt and light, we're supposed to stand out and preserve the health of the societies we're in. I also think of when Jesus said, "Be in the world but not of the world." A wise minister once told me that with the age of the internet, we have Christians who are of the world, but not IN it. We have to take that commandment in its entirety. Most evangelicals just look at that last part, "don't be of the world" but don't stop to consider what being IN the world really means.
To me, to be IN the world means being rooted as Kingsnorth said. It means knowing its ins and outs, knowing how to navigate all its aspects, and being learned on it, not abandoning it or making a counterfeit version of it.
Also appreciate the anti despair rhetoric here. The quickest way to turn me off to any warning is to be a doomsday prophet. I'm also an eschatalogical optimist like yourself. The kingdom of heaven is greater than The Machine, it's greater than AI, and there's no creation of man that can thwart God's plans.
Great thoughts, Kenny
Love the example of Lamech! I reference that one all the time.
It's also interesting that Lamech's name could be translated "strong man", which can add some context to Jesus saying:
"But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house." (Mark 3:27)
It's the difference between a redemptive Eschatology and reversal Eschatology. Redemptive says Eden will be better in the new heavens and new earth. Reversal says it will be just the same.
Never heard those phrases in quite that way but that’s useful
Feel free to steal it. I've been using your phrase "political syncretism" quite a bit, and haven't been sending you any royalties.
Sharpest and fairest critique of Kingsnorth's ideas I've seen.
Btw isn't that a beautiful cover for Against the Machine, the green static. I hope a human being designed it!
Thanks for reading...I know it was a lot. Yes, agree. Great cover.