What do you think about…
By Don Gentry
What do you think about self-driving cars? What about Nano-technology? What about Transhumanism? What about AI? What about IOT? What about bio-ethics? Why do I even ask?
I love science and I believe Christ followers need to be leading the way in all the above listed technological advances. I would bore you to death if I talked about each of them, but let me just talk about IOT. Better known as Internet of Things. If you don’t know what it is then you better start studying it because it is changing the world you live in. You think our world is digitized now, according to a business insider they are predicting that by 2020 there will be 24 billion IOT devices on the face of the earth. 4 devices per human being. 24,000,000,000 devices.
The question is, does it matter to the average follower and or should it matter? Self-driving cars are all driven by IOT. Insurance premiums and risk management are going to be driven by your web bed searches and health habits that you willingly up load on your personal devices that are constantly monitoring your activity levels and even your sexual activity. Let’s not mention the new web based information that is mandatory for the medical community to upload and share with one another. Those key tags you scan to get the sales at the grocery store, yeah, they are tracking your monthly cycles.
Do you care yet? How about AI (Artificial intelligence)? Should we be doing research and creating computer devices that can think and interact with humans at an emotional or even sexual level?
I hope you now have IOT on your radar. If Christ followers don’t start researching and engaging in discussions on what are the practical and ethical implications of these discoveries we are going to have an interesting society.
Here is my formula for engaging in all things science related. My faith informs my science, but for many people, including Christians, their science informs their faith. I obviously think my bias is correct, but it doesn’t really matter what I think. When we engage in discussion we just need to know our own biases. Whether you want a bias or not, you have one.
I believe we can be very relevant and engage in cutting edge technology and discovery, and still have the bias of faith informing science; however, many in the western church would disagree with me. My challenge to you is for you decide what you think. What is your bias?
We live in a world that is changing before our eyes because of computer science. I haven’t heard many, if any, Christians discussing articulately or intelligently how our faith should influence these incredible inventions. Let’s be on the cutting edge of discussion. Inform yourself as to your bias, inform yourself on the different scientific topics, and then engage in discussion.
I hope you find tension as you answer does your faith inform your science or does your science inform your faith. Because, as Matt says, “the power lies in the tension!” Love you all and hope to see you Sunday!