The Shiny Apple

Genesis 3:6 “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”

More thoughts on Artificial Intelligence.

It is a scientific fact that we remember things better when we write them with a pen and paper.  It is also a fact that people who lived centuries ago had much better memories than we do today.  In order even to qualify to study at the feet of Gamaliel, the Apostle Paul was required to memorize and recite the Torah, the first five books of the Bible.  That was the entrance exam.  

We may think artificial intelligence is desirable for gaining wisdom, taking shortcuts to faster results, but in the end, we are surrendering our souls, our very selves, to this machine.  I say this with all distaste of someone with a large investment in Nvidia, and one who is trying to start a new reinsurance company that will be built on AI technology.  

And that is how it starts.  The most insidious evils in this world are not the murderers and rapists.  Those are most obviously evil.  More insidious are the evils that appear good.  Take food.  The most delicious food, in my opinion, is laden with sugar, carbs or salt.  Cookies.  Ice cream.  French fries.  Heart attack.  Diabetes.  Eating healthy is not as obviously attractive.  It is more expensive.  But it leads to healthier bodies, longer lives. 

Sports.  Exercise and competition keep our bodies fit.  Force us to push ourselves to excel.  Focus mind and body.  At their best, they encourage kindness, sportsmanship.  We desire to WIN.  We cheer for Our Team and against Their Team.  And sports divide us, creating hatred instead of camaraderie.  I have been blessed to root for some pretty lousy teams over the last few decades, allowing me to turn away from the inanity of it all without regret.  And as the money these athletes are paid gets more and more obscene, the athletes seem more and more entitled.  Then we laud the athlete.  Then we desire for our children to be great athletes.  And then we frequent the sports field instead of the church. 

Work.  We wrap our self-worth up in our success, our promotions, our salary, our house, cars, clothes, vacations.  Of course, I am better than that, because I am happy with “enough”.  My four weeks’ vacation each year.  My trips to England are to see my daughter, to Guatemala to feel more blessed in my possessions.  I go to church (nearly) every week!  I am a good person!  

In order to attain and sustain, we work harder.  Both parents must, in most families.  And our children are raised by other people. Or by machines.  On machines.  For machines.  And we wonder at the skyrocketing mental health issues.  Suicide rates.  Mass shootings.  

Religion.  Is it a way to seem Good?  Have people think well of you?  To busy yourself with working for the Church?  Paul spent the first part of his life dedicated to Religion and missed entirely getting to know God.  I have more than a few similarities.  I went to church my whole life.  I was taught right from wrong and a bit about Jesus.  I am starting to suspect that most of what I was taught in Church was slightly off target, more about Religion than Love and Forgiveness.  One of the seminal moments in my life was when I was arrested for shoplifting and my parents made me apologize to the store owners I had stolen from.  Looking back now, I see how much I learned about Forgiveness that day.  

For Paul, all his wealth, all his knowledge studying at Gamaliel’s feet, all the prestige: a Pharisee, a Benjaminite a descendant of Jacob’s favorite son, circumcised on the eighth day, a Hebrew of Hebrews; he considered it all garbage, sewage, dung.  Paul did not give up making tents.  He continued that profession so that he could spread the Gospel without being a burden on others.  That is what I take from this.  Perspective.  Focus on the Important Stuff.  Focus on Him.  Everything else is...

That shiny Apple.  So good for food.  So pleasing to the eye.  For gaining wisdom.