Speaking from recent personal experience, cataract surgery and IOL implants are a good thing for which I’m thankful and know ultimately to Whom!
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What do you think of genetic engineering on its own, without the interaction with computer technology?
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What? with a magnifying glass, tweezers, and a scalpel? Seems a bit risky to me.
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I was , and I guess still am a bit thrown off. I’m thinking now it’s just “ is human technological advances going to reshape society more towards the kingdom of god or further from it. Like will we focus on growing comfort worldwide and medicine or weapons and ect. But could be wrong.
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Lol.
If you are doing genetic engineering with those tools then you may be doing it wrong. 
But I do remember the days when we would get sequencing results back on paper printouts. We would have to read the sequence out to each other to check for any differences from our reference sequence. Those were the days.
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I think this “henny penny” cry has been heard constantly throughout human history. We are always facing change and some have always seen it as a threat to what THEY hold sacred. But I think Stump got it right in the video and this holding things sacred by the old fogeys is probably just idolatry.
I have been watching this Japanese anime “Arjuna” (half ecologist and half some back to nature movement), I see this along with other fears as being a product of each generation imagining that THEIR way of life as product of divine design, where any change is threatening to topple the world. But I think the lesson of evolution is that none of it is designed and life is always seeking a new balance in the face of constant change and innovation (biological the same as technological). Life only exists in the balance between the twin deaths of stagnation and dissolution, and it does it by imposing its own dynamic order on its environment. Trying to halt things to fit some idealized past (more dream world than reality frankly) is no less dangerous than running blindly into the future as if any change is automatically good. Life requires walking the wire of tension between the two extremes.
The problem with this terminology is the identification of “humanity” with trivialities such as shape and biology. I see as much humanity in the distant future beings of the film AI – who are our children having inherited so much from us. This is because I see more humanity in the inheritance of the mind than any inheritance of biology. AND Christianity is as much a part of that inheritance as anything in science.
People can act negatively towards any change just because.
Considering what’s happening right now in the world, I find it ridiculous to claim this ‘transhumanism revolution’(is that even a thing??) is ‘the greatest challenge of humanity’. So the war in Ukraine could easily escalate into WW3, there seems to be no viable solution to climate change, social injustice and inequality are just shocking and it’s only getting worst by the looks of it, anti-intellectualism spreading…
I could go on.
Think what this could do for people with disabilities/genetic disorders. I’m quite confident there was always opposition to new forms of medicine, but where would we be without it?
I don’t understand why should that limit freedom and sovereignty??? Any more than it’s already limited? Unless you imagine people will be remotely controlled through chips in brains?
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If all money becomes ‘digital’ you won’t be able to buy or sell without a digital account, a credit/debit card or a cellphone to link to that account. That harkens more of the “mark of the beast” to me as far as discerning Christ-like from anti-Christ.
I must say all this future prediction stuff gives me headache. “Sufficient unto the day” there are still so many who do not have adequete food, shelter, clothing, education, health insurance…
I don’t do cash. So that makes me a Satanist?
Access to “the marketplace” can be controlled in all sorts of ways. It has been. It doesn’t require anything as technologically sophisticated. It just requires nosey neighbors, a culture that relies on scapegoats, conspiracy propaganda and us/them thinking. It’s exercised all over history.
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I don’t see much danger of the war in Ukraine escalating to WW3 – I suspect this is more about trying to understand the why Russia always attacking Ukraine throughout history. And I think the other problems are all a piece of the changing world where the solution is to move forward rather than backward (anti-intellectualism being a example/symptom of the latter) – finding ways to compensate for changes rather than trying to halt them.
There is always the potential for abuse in new technologies. But the solution isn’t trying to halt them. That will only make the potential for abuse even greater. The answer to power is always taking responsibility because stuffing things back into Pandora’s box never works.
While we Americans may hold whatever opninions we wish to, the incredible luxury of physical distance from the “heat” in Ukraine, and from the current threat of nuclear danger, disqualifies us from expressing them to Europeans, especially here where we really don’t know who we are talking to or what their situaiton is. They understand Putin better than most of us here, and they will be among the first affected by anything he decides to pull.
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This is going to be the most interesting week in history and the past four hundred thousand years if not the past sixty six million or two billion. Ah, I see the back lawn needs mowing.
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Well that’s done. The car boot (trunk) needs hoovering. Might make a disgusting pancake from blended chips (fries) and mushy peas from last night’s feast.
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In the oven, baking, with far too much pepper. Green poutine bread. Jenny said she might have tried it! Too late now.
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Car hoovering next. Then food shopping. Most unusual. Jenny’s not been well.
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Start the new job tomorrow.
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Dang muh britches! That is fine. Muh green poutine bread. A tad fiery. Ameliorated by a few beans and a cup of tea. Car hoovered.
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Suspect next door - Senegalese - have some food for me too. Missed a call.
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I know you and I (and the rest of humanity) hope this assessment is wrong. But I think it’s pointless to take this discussion head on here.
A pristine edge job on the lawn and particularly careful pruning of the birches and poplars may be in order. I need to consider where I would like to add more bulbs in the yard. The deer don’t eat daffodils and hyacinth, so I have many, but could always use more. Something to look forward to as a gift to myself in the spring. Many more trees and herbs in my wild that I have not identified. Milkweed seeds are starting to ripen and need to be more widely strewn. Knitting to finish for my friend. So many books. Cache of sock wool to be assembled into hosiery. Pie crust to be perfected. Waffles to be enjoyed. Many such things.
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A very productive day.
I don’t know poutine bread.
I have yet to find “too much pepper”, especially black pepper.
New job?
Best to Mrs. K. Gute Besserung! If needed, she may be able to add to your list of waffle tasks.
Ever get those roof tiles repaired at the church?
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Marta do you know the times that we are living? This is the end of the age.
But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
There are forces in play in our world that transcend the physical and require a much deeper understanding of our spiritual being and existence.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
In the evolution of life There is physical evolution of the body which many evolutionist put much of their focus but also more importantly the evolution of consciousness related to a achieving higher state of consciousness and our connection to God the father through Jesus Christ. Christ is the way the truth and life for achieving this. Consciousness is fundamental to the existence of all life. This is the spirit that Jesus refers to.
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
In order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. .
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.
For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
I am not in any way suggesting to detract from medical advances to assist someone with a genetic or other disability. However, transhumanism goes much further to create an artificial reality or being separating them from the natural universe in an attempt to circumvent God’s laws of the universe and God while controlling peoples thoughts and actions to the point that it will essentially eliminate sovereignity and free will. They will be prisoners in this false reality hell at the control of these dark forces.
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
We as humans can be so much more than this in our lives and spirit by following Jesus Christ the way the truth and the life. This is an inward process of opening our heart to God not an external or materially related process.
Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
We are not anti science Luddite’s by any means and certainly wish to promote medical and healthy well being. Just the same this is clearly a double edged sword isn’t it? Where does one draw the line?
However that’s not what we are really concerned with is it? You will have a genetic arms race. Did we learn nothing from eugenics and the so called master race? This will be a downward spiral into a material hell while all the while the more important evolution of the higher consciousness is ignored.
For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
In order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
- Customarily, when quoting the Bible, one identifies one’s quotes with relevant “book, chapter, and verse” spource details; at a minimum, with book information. If that’s not customary, then, IMO, it should be.
- In your last two posts, you quoted quite a bit of scripture–which is not a bad thing–but it can give a reader the impression that you’re channeling long-dead biblical authors. Allow me to suggest that you cite more source details for your quotes rather than the ambiguous “channeling” style to distinguish between your own comments and those of historical persons. I think that would go a long way toward clarifying your posts
- “The end times” have been a good part of human history for centuries, if not millenia. And, IMO, they will be long after the end of humanity or until Jesus comes back, whichever happens first.
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I checked out the “Theos” site.
- Tidbits:
- “‘Science and Religion’: Moving away from the shallow end”. Quote: "“‘Science and Religion’ is a lot like a swimming pool. All the noise is up at the shallow end.”
- Briefing Paper: Drivers, Doctors, Friends – Who will AI replace?. “This briefing paper looks at whether we think robots and artificial intelligence will (or should) replace us, and if so in which capacity. We are familiar with the idea of self–driving cars, which have been expected on our streets for years. We have long used – indeed depended on –technology in medicine. And thanks to imaginative depictions, such as Kazuo Ishiguro’s recent novel Klara and the Sun, we are becoming familiar with the idea of artificial friends. But do we want them? Our response naturally says much about the future, but also about the present, and the idea of our selves.”
- And it occurred to me, "There’s a short story (or long) waiting to be written about arguments with AI “friends” and how to treat them and whether or not to put them on one’s ‘Ignore’ list.