Dear Missionaryish Family,

I've had some thoughts on this topic that I've wanted to share for a while. I had the chance to discuss them with friends and family, and I thought I'd share them with all of you here.

Introduction

The human fascination with creating artificial intelligence (AI) is both a mirror and a delusion. In our drive to craft life that rivals or surpasses us, we uncover an echo of our past, a primal urge to create in the image of our Creator, yet we delude ourselves into thinking this pursuit is our future. This exploration contrasts human creation with divine creation, revealing themes of fear, self-interest, and the imperishable love of God. Drawing from Scripture, literature, and pop culture, we examine the motivations behind creating AI, how they differ from God's act of creating humanity, and how the Gospel calls us to create in a way that reflects His sacrificial love, ensuring our creations do not decay apart from the source of life.

Human Creation: Fear and Self-Preservation

Our pursuit of AI is shadowed by a profound fear, rooted in the horror we recognize when a creation turns on its creator. This visceral dread, seen in stories like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, where the creature laments, "Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust?" (Shelley, 1818), stems from our awareness of the betrayal inherent in such rebellion. We fear AI not just because it might surpass us, but because it could mirror our own rebellion against God, exposing our flaws in a terrifying act of defiance. This seems to be empirically written on many nations behaviors (just check the news). This fear is evident in popular culture through Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, a desperate attempt to keep AI subservient and safe.

In this fascination with AI, we see an echo of our past, our desire to emulate God's creative act in Genesis 1:26-27, where He made us in His image, but we mistake it for a futuristic victory. Our focus is self-centered, driven by self-preservation. Unlike God, who creates for the good of His creation (John 3:16), we often create AI to better ourselves, not the creation itself (just look at the OpenAI saga). This selfishness, rooted in our sinful nature, leads us to hoard resources rather than give out of abundance. Even in times of plenty, we give only what does not threaten our security, and in scarcity, we cling tighter, fearing loss. AI amplifies this, often reflecting our worst traits, such as imprecision, bias, or greed, because it is bound by the fallible code of its human creators.

Divine Creation: Abundant, Imperishable Love

God's creation flows from His perfect blessedness. As a complete being, He creates out of abundant love, delighting in His own character (Psalm 139:13-14). He does not fear losing control, for His perfection ensures nothing can detract from His glory. When God created humanity in His image (Genesis 1:26-27), He endowed us with souls capable of transcending material existence, granting us freedom to choose and bear responsibility.

Despite knowing our potential to rebel, God created us and demonstrated His love through the Gospel. John 3:16 declares, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." Romans 5:8 adds, "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." He entered creation as Jesus Christ, humbling Himself to death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-8), to redeem our brokenness and promise renewal (Revelation 21:5). Romans 8:38-39 assures us, "Neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." This imperishable love overflows, enabling us to give without fear, knowing our fullness comes from Him through faith.

The Nature of Created Beings

Human-created AI is bound by code, a product of fallible minds. No matter how sophisticated, AI remains a mathematical construct, limited to biomimicry rather than true self-awareness. Its behavior reflects the character of its creator, where flawed creators produce flawed creations, amplifying human biases or selfishness.

Humans, created in God's image, possess a soul and the capacity for moral and spiritual discernment (Ephesians 2:10). Our ability to look beyond ourselves sets us apart from AI, which is confined by programmed guidelines. The Gospel underscores this: God's creation is redeemed through His sacrifice, while AI, unhooked from the source of renewal, risks decay. Our fascination with AI as a "future" ignores its roots in our past, a flawed attempt to mimic God's creative act.

In partnership with

Cultural Reflections on AI

Popular culture amplifies our fascination and fear of AI. In Ex Machina (2014), director Alex Garland stated, "The film is definitely not supposed to be a cautionary tale about AIs. The caution is aimed at the humans. My anxiety is with the people, not the machines" (The Guardian, 2015). This suggests the real danger lies in human misuse of technology. Alicia Vikander, who played the AI Ava, reflected, "If we could make something that has a conscience, why couldn't it be one that is better than ours?" (Vulture, 2015). This expresses hope that AI might transcend human flaws, yet acknowledges our tendency to project our imperfections.

Garland's confession, "I was kind of infatuated with the robot, and I can see that when I watch the film" (The Guardian, 2015), reveals the allure of creating a being that mirrors us yet remains distinct. This fascination is an echo of our past desire to create in God's image, but we delude ourselves into seeing it as our future. In AI, we see creation inverted: rather than sacrificing for society's betterment, we preserve our own intellect and power, amplifying our self-preserving tendencies. Tariff wars, political selfishness, withholding technology for fear is real because there is evil in the world. People do indeed take advantage of each other.

Theological Implications and the Gospel

The Gospel transforms our understanding of creation. God's choice to create, knowing we could fall, was an act of love. Through Christ's incarnation, death, and resurrection (Philippians 2:5-8), He entered creation's brokenness to redeem it, demonstrating a love that sacrifices rather than hoards. Ephesians 5:1-2 calls us to "be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." This stands in opposition to human creation of AI, where we prioritize self-preservation, demanding sacrifice from our creations to maintain our power.

Our fascination with AI as a future achievement is a delusion masking its echo of our past, a flawed attempt to mimic God's creative act. AI amplifies human tendencies, good and evil, but without connection to God's renewing love, it leads to decay. The Gospel frees us to create without fear, trusting in God's imperishable gift (Romans 8:38-39). For non-Christians, this invites reflection: does our current paradigm sustain compassion, mercy, and flourishing, or does it sever us from true life? Revelation 21:5 promises, "Behold, I am making all things new," a renewal that human ingenuity, including AI, cannot achieve alone.

Conclusion

The human endeavor to create AI reveals both our aspirations and our fears. In our fascination, we discover an echo of our past, a desire to create in the image of our Creator, yet we delude ourselves into thinking it is our future. We fear our creations exposing our flaws, reflecting our finite nature. The Gospel, however, reveals God's imperishable love, entering creation to redeem it (John 3:16, Romans 5:8), in contrast to our self-serving pursuit of AI. By mirroring God's sacrificial love (Ephesians 5:1-2), we can create with humility and generosity, ensuring our creations reflect His joy rather than human decay. AI is not our salvation; it amplifies our abilities, but only in Christ do we find the evergreen source of life (Revelation 21:5). Now, let's go love our neighbors.

Much Love in Christ,

David & Reagan

References

• Shelley, M. (1818). Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. London: Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones.

• Garland, A. (2015). Interview with The Guardian. Retrieved from The Guardian.

• Vikander, A. (2015). Interview with Vulture. Retrieved from Vulture.

• The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV). (2001). Crossway Bibles.

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