Someone asked me (Hi, Turkana!) what book from the over 50 that I read last year would I most recommend. It's this one:
It is not the most elegantly written and the ending is a bit rough, but it is, imho, addressing an issue that Christians need to be aware of and get a firm grasp on: Singularity and Transhumanity.
I live with a geek so I've been aware of these term for a couple of years, think Borg, think Matrix, think Jack Nicholson axing out the bathroom wall and creepily whispering, "Here's Brucey" Don't laugh too loud because there are annual conventions that promote transhumanity and singularity.Time ran a cover story about it in February and how the latest projections put the possibility of cyber-"living" (active verb) at 2045.
So, what's the big deal? We'll be bionic men and women, outfitted with not only bionic body parts but bionic brains. We'll have access to more information, more quickly than ever before. The mentally retarded will have the power to transcend their limitations. Sounds good, eh? Do some research, think it through, pray and discern what the Lord would say about becoming a cog in a machine instead of a unique personality, complete with a God inspired soul that allows you to fellowship with Him.
Francis Schaeffer asserts that Christians must "understand what confronts us antagonistically in our own moment of history." (The God Who is There, pg.32). This concept of singularity, in light of my faith that asserts unique personality, that asserts that we are Image Bearers of the Almighty, seems like an antagonistic confrontation.
I feel more strongly than ever that we need to prepare our children well for the days ahead. If they are fed a steady diet of comfort, ease and entertainment, going along with the crowd, wading in the shallow end instead of diving in deep, are not challenged to stretch and grow intellectually and spiritually, then the siren song of transhumanity might lure them into its cyber fields of poppy induced never-land.
Our kids have already survived the aborticide and infanticide that ravages the world today (50,000,000 babies aborted world wide each year). There challenges to come will attempt to abort their unique personalities on a whole new level.
Our approach to inoculate our kids against the coming attacks on their personality, their individuality and the very essence of their humanity is 2 fold.
1.Teach our kids how to learn and think for themselves and to develop their humanity. We live counter culturally, homeschooling is a part of that. Our kids are used to going against the grain. It's how we live. Not just to live that way, but because our relationship with the Lord keeps leading us that way. We also educate with intention and purpose (see my post on Pedagogy).
We believe that study is a form of worship and we study in this home. We invest in people. We pray for the persecuted church. We have compassion on those who are suffering. We give generously, even when it is a sacrifice. We seek the Lord, even when it is intimidating, challenging or causes us discomfort.
2.Teach our kids to know and love the Lord, to develop their relationship with Him. This means having a transparent relationship with the Lord yourself. This means allowing your kids to know your challenges and struggles (taking care to guard their ages), your joys and successes and being transparent as you prayer, worship and study the Word.
It's time Christians stopped eating their own and battling each other over petty disagreements like the age of the earth(seriously, people, can't there be diversity within the body?!) and prepare for the days ahead. They are coming and they will present challenges the likes of which we have not seen before.
It is not the most elegantly written and the ending is a bit rough, but it is, imho, addressing an issue that Christians need to be aware of and get a firm grasp on: Singularity and Transhumanity.
I live with a geek so I've been aware of these term for a couple of years, think Borg, think Matrix, think Jack Nicholson axing out the bathroom wall and creepily whispering, "Here's Brucey" Don't laugh too loud because there are annual conventions that promote transhumanity and singularity.Time ran a cover story about it in February and how the latest projections put the possibility of cyber-"living" (active verb) at 2045.
So, what's the big deal? We'll be bionic men and women, outfitted with not only bionic body parts but bionic brains. We'll have access to more information, more quickly than ever before. The mentally retarded will have the power to transcend their limitations. Sounds good, eh? Do some research, think it through, pray and discern what the Lord would say about becoming a cog in a machine instead of a unique personality, complete with a God inspired soul that allows you to fellowship with Him.
Francis Schaeffer asserts that Christians must "understand what confronts us antagonistically in our own moment of history." (The God Who is There, pg.32). This concept of singularity, in light of my faith that asserts unique personality, that asserts that we are Image Bearers of the Almighty, seems like an antagonistic confrontation.
I feel more strongly than ever that we need to prepare our children well for the days ahead. If they are fed a steady diet of comfort, ease and entertainment, going along with the crowd, wading in the shallow end instead of diving in deep, are not challenged to stretch and grow intellectually and spiritually, then the siren song of transhumanity might lure them into its cyber fields of poppy induced never-land.
Our kids have already survived the aborticide and infanticide that ravages the world today (50,000,000 babies aborted world wide each year). There challenges to come will attempt to abort their unique personalities on a whole new level.
Our approach to inoculate our kids against the coming attacks on their personality, their individuality and the very essence of their humanity is 2 fold.
1.Teach our kids how to learn and think for themselves and to develop their humanity. We live counter culturally, homeschooling is a part of that. Our kids are used to going against the grain. It's how we live. Not just to live that way, but because our relationship with the Lord keeps leading us that way. We also educate with intention and purpose (see my post on Pedagogy).
We believe that study is a form of worship and we study in this home. We invest in people. We pray for the persecuted church. We have compassion on those who are suffering. We give generously, even when it is a sacrifice. We seek the Lord, even when it is intimidating, challenging or causes us discomfort.
2.Teach our kids to know and love the Lord, to develop their relationship with Him. This means having a transparent relationship with the Lord yourself. This means allowing your kids to know your challenges and struggles (taking care to guard their ages), your joys and successes and being transparent as you prayer, worship and study the Word.
It's time Christians stopped eating their own and battling each other over petty disagreements like the age of the earth(seriously, people, can't there be diversity within the body?!) and prepare for the days ahead. They are coming and they will present challenges the likes of which we have not seen before.
"We and the world will always be at war.
Retreat is impossible.
Arm yourselves."
Retreat is impossible.
Arm yourselves."
What do you think? Talk to me.
Disclaimer: Sorry if this is total whiplash from yesterday's light and fluffy post on "Blackboard Love." My goal with this blog is to give witness to creating a life of value, "crafting the extraordinary from the ordinary." Beauty and intellect both fit within those parameters, don'tcha think?
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