It really motivated me to write an article about a different aspect of how I believe science is changing the world and not just physical things, but human beings as well. This is a topic that I have been learning about for the past couple years. There is no doubt that technology is advancing at a rapid pace. For example, in 2016 a new kind of automobile was manufactured that can drive itself. But few Christians stop to think about the implications of how technology is quite literally changing us as a humanity. We often take for granted in Genesis 1:27 that God made humans on the sixth day. The debate of science and creation usually is centered on the first five days of creation - the sun, moon, stars, earth, elements, animals, Biblical record, etc. However, it is my belief that our Adversary is focused on the sixth day. The Evangelical Church has spent decades if not centuries trying to convince people about God’s first five days of creation as written in Genesis chapters 1-2, while Satan is slowly and nefariously undoing and reversing what was created on the sixth day: humanity itself made in God’s image. Of course, the scientists doing the work would argue otherwise. But there is a dark side to all man-made things. If we loss this battle of human "imago dei", hypothetically within the next 50 years, then there will be fewer Bible-believers remaining to keep the dialogue going. If we are defeated on the definition of what a human is and what technology is doing to threaten our Biblical belief in the “imago dei”, then the other elements of the debate are pointless.
We are living in unheralded times. We must be vigilant and prepared for whatever "techno-dimensional" spiritual battle lies ahead (a term borrowed from Thomas Horn). The present scientific advancements reveals to an observant onlooker where the future of humankind is headed. I believe the ultimate goal of these advancements are to create humans in our own image, which is an assault on the God-designed-us-all-uniquely stance we take from Scripture. People celebrate that we can make machine with artificial intelligence. But what happens when A.I. is merged with biology and the human soul? What does it mean to be human? Can we enter a new dawn where the existence of trans-humans thrive as several authors now suggest.
For the past several decades, this concept has been dismissed as science-fiction, but a closer look uncovers a growing reality that has existed for as many decades and is now soon at hand. The rise of the trans-human is a topic discussed in the many non-fiction books available on the subject. While most people are carried away with the hot topics of the day being pushed by the mainstream news media, we have missed one huge reality: Man has now reached the technological capability of re-creating humans as Humanity 2.0 or the H+ Movement (Humanity Plus) in an ever increasing quest for understanding and controlling the cosmos. Put into a simple equation would be Humans + Technology = Immortality. This has always been humanities quest since the Tower of Babel, to reach the heavens and attain godlike status and recreate the "imageo dei" image of God from within our own human abilities. It's Satan's final assault to bring us back into the "Days of Noah" (Matt 24:37, Genesis 6:1-9). Keep in mind, that the average person has no idea of the advancements that actually exist in top-secret, highly classified laboratories around the world, that not even the President can access.
The world is farther along than most people believe. As one starting point, consider the information available at H Plus Magazine www.hplusmagazine.com – a good resource for where unto science is pushing humankind. The subject sounds far fetched to the average work-hard-play-hard American. So to bring it further into the mainstream and normative culture Hollywood movies are used to condition the minds of the masses to accept unfathomable ideas, slowly over many decades. I happen to like sci-fi movies. So I thought it fascinating to discover an article on this website: www.hplusmagazine.com/2010/11/08/top-ten-transhumanist-movies/ which lists the top 10 transhumanist movies up to the year 2010. Since then we have films like Chappie, Self/less, Ex-Machina, Gods of Egypt, Terminator Genisys, etc. each depicting how top-scientists are not content with being made in God's image alone but happy to explore the greater possibilities and intended-purpose of humanity. My favorite of all is the 2015 movie Tomorrowland, produced by Disney and intended for impressionable child-audiences. Just do a Google or Amazon search for Transhumanism, or Ray Kurzweil books, or transhumanism movies and see for yourself where the topic can lead you. Most of these topics are woven into the kids channels like Disney, Disney XD, Nickolodeon, Cartoon Central, etc. I know because my wife and I have had to dissuade our kids from watching a lots of the shows that have transhuman and occultic themes.
This subject alone could catapult the science-creation discussion forward and force people to reconcile their beliefs in God with where technology is currently taking the world. This subject could be near the final frontier where the Church must stand before Christ's return. By looking forward through the lens of current trans-human technologies, it may become easier to look backward thousands of years and see that God has given us His Word for a reason to reveal himself and the apex of his creation-- human beings.
50 years ago almost no one in the world would have dreamed that transgenderism would be a huge topic and political debate. As of today’s news, the NBA All-Star game has pulled out of North Carolina because of the bathroom laws imposed in that state. It is my belief that the topic is a strategic stepping stone to this H+ Movement becoming more public. If we can debate what man or woman is for a person’s own identity, then we can eventually debate what humanity itself means for one’s own identity. Wake up Church! In the UK it’s becoming popular to dress up as a dog and crawl around while on all-fours throughout the city streets and in cafes!
So where does fiction meet reality? Check out this article: www.wegotthiscovered.com/movies/humanity-8-transhumanist-movies/ . The final movie entry of the eight is titled Fixed: The Science/Fiction of Transhumanism and it elicits this response from the writer: "If you’re interested in the themes of transhumanism, and especially in its potential for changing human identity – for better or worse – seek out this wonderfully conceived film. In fact, even if you’re not interested, still seek it out. It’s that important." Did you hear that, Church? What is different about this film from the other 8 listed, is that it's not a "fiction" film. It's a docu-drama that follows five people in their development of super-human skills and abilities.
I think that this non-fiction scientific film was not widely released and is hard to find (as noted in the article), because it's not part of the intended political debate at the present time. I estimate that the movie is being widely released to the top (perhaps "elite") universities and high schools that are shaping the upcoming and brightest thought-leaders of the future. For now, trans-humanism as an ideal is meant to be kept in the science-fiction genre through the release of new films like Iron Man, RoboCop, Avatar, Tomorrowland, etc. Within a few election cycles, it will be more widely held as normative by the younger generations. It will become a political debate, and then the Church will step in, I'm sure, post-crisis. I would argue that the Church must begin to incorporate this discussion into its cultural awareness and response now and allow it to compliment our current creation-science discussion as a whole.
Let us be more than conquers. Even if the above technological advancements are made and world wars exhaust us to the point that the majority of earth-dwellers accept a new version of humanity (this point is called the Singularity by scientists), we will know that we used all our minds and will to point people to the Cross, usher them into God’s kingdom and include them as part of Christ’s bride that will never be spotted or wrinkled.
Let's us pray, "May your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." God will decide the final outcome and sovereignly and lovingly discipline and prepare his bride for the wedding feast. He will work is will through his ambassadors on earth. God will preserve his faithful for eternity, and utilize his Church to bring about a new reality, and speak out against the schemes of the enemy for the extinction of humans made in the image of God.
(Note: for the sake of brevity I have not included many more references and supporting material, so please leave me any comments, suggestions, or questions.)
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