After Jesus was criticized for what he and his disciples did on the Sabbath, Jesus replied, “The Sabbath was made for [humans], not [humans] for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27-28).

Instead of emphasizing what we should not do on the Sabbath, Jesus emphasized what we should do on the Sabbath.

Some of his critics said he should not heal a man with a shriveled hand on the Sabbath. (Mark 3:1-2).

Jesus asked, “What is it right to do on the Sabbath? To do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” His critics “remained silent”. (Mark 3:4).

Jesus looked at his critics “in anger and, in deep distress at their stubborn hearts”. Then he went ahead and healed the man. (Mark 3:5).

It is always discouraging when we speak wise words and do good deeds, but people nevertheless do not heed our wise words nor praise our good deeds.

The reaction of his critics to the wise words and good deeds of Jesus was far worse than not heeding his words and not praising his good deeds.

They became angry and distressed.

Indeed, they became so angry and distressed that they joined with other critics of Jesus “and began to plot . . . how they might kill Jesus”! (Mark 3:6).

What does all this have to do with technology? Why apply Jesus’s teachings about the Sabbath to my teachings about technology?

Why do I insist: “Tech was made for humans, not humans for Tech”?

I thought of this blog after I became angry and distressed from trying to use technology. Indeed, I became so angry and distressed that I wanted to “kill” the technology!

This is an exaggeration. But I do want technology to serve humans rather than to have humans serve technology.

Much of my frustration, distress and anger comes when a company cuts humans out of the loop.

We all know the problem.

The “answering machine” first wastes our time urging us to use the website. If I could solve my problem using your website, I’d have gone to your website!

Next, they offer a menu of choices, none of which fits my problem.

After wasting my time going through several menus of irrelevant options (and additional admonishments to hang up and use their website!), I finally get to choose to talk with a human.

But, of course, I don’t actually get to talk with a human! Instead, I’m told the waiting time is everything from “longer than five minutes” to “longer than an hour”.

Now, the music begins.

Sometimes, the song is not too bad. The first ten times I hear it.

But before long, the robotic repeating of the music of technology becomes like Chinese water torture.

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. DRIP!!!

The only interruptions are when the robotic voice urges me to hang up and use their website.

A few times, I’ve endured this torture for an hour, only to have my call dropped from the queue.

The ultimate frustration, anger and distress came a few weeks ago when the “answering machine” came right out and admitted the truth: “There is no option to talk to a person.”

I thought about Jesus having to remind people that the Sabbath was made for humans, not humans for the Sabbath! (Mark 2:27-28).

I realized that, in the Twenty-First Century, we need to be reminded: “Technology is made for people, not people for technology!”

This wisdom is especially needed where I live here in Silicon Valley, the Tech Capital of the World.

Jesus didn’t tell people to get rid of the Sabbath. And I’m not saying we should get rid of technology.

But Jesus did remind us to keep Sabbaths in ways that do good, instead of keeping Sabbaths in ways that do harm.

Similarly, we need to use technology and robots in ways that do good, instead of in ways that do harm.

What does it mean to do good on Sabbaths? What does it mean to do good with technology and robots?

It means to heal whatever is blighted and shriveled. (Mark 3:1-5).

It means to speak and act in the image of God—wisely making a world and a civilization that are good, that are very good. (Genesis 1:1-31).

It means to be compassionate and gracious; forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin with as few bad consequences as feasible; while abounding with love and faithfulness. (Exodus 34:6-7).

We need to use technology in ways that do good, instead of using technology in ways that do harm by causing frustration, distress and anger.

This reminder becomes more urgent as technology replaces humans in ways that mimic the image of God.

Originally, computers merely computed numbers.

But now ”computers” are increasingly becoming “robots”—manmade intelligences that need to apply the knowledge of good and evil wisely. (Genesis 3:1-31).

For example, if a self-driving, robotic car has a choice, how does it decide between:

—killing an adult or a child?

—killing a mother or her baby?

—killing a brother or a sister?

—saving itself by killing a human?

—or destroying itself by sacrificing itself to save a human?

Increasingly, such robots need to be made in the image of God—robots whose purposes are to be compassionate and gracious; forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin with as few bad consequences as feasible; while abounding with love and faithfulness. (Exodus 34:6-7).

Indeed, I propose replacing the Turing Test with this Image of God Test.

For those who have never heard of the Turing Test, it is an effort to determine how we should decide if an artificial intelligence has become a person.

In essence, the test is whether we can tell the responses of an artificial intelligence from the responses of a human.

As artificial intelligences become increasingly equal (and superior) to human intelligence, this bar keeps shifting. We keep trying to differentiate humans from manmade intelligences in ways that make humans look better than the robots we’re creating.

When we consider how badly humans have fared in following the image of God, we should be very, very, very careful about giving robots tasks that need to apply the knowledge of good and evil wisely.

For example, if a robot is made in the the Image of Humans, it will respond to threats by building better ways to kill people. (Genesis 4:23-24; Genesis 6:11-13).

But if a robot is made in the Image of God, it will respond to threats by devising wiser and wiser ways to turn the other cheek. (See my blogs “Blessed Are the Peacemakers”, “Ending Violence: Putting Faces with Names”, “Ending Violence: Embracing the Spirit of Peace”, and “Curtailing Force: Replacing Nails with Glue”.)

We certainly do not want manmade technologies and robots to be made in the Image of Humans.

Therefore, I propose the Image of God Test. A manmade intelligence—a robot—needs to prove that it will apply the knowledge of good and evil wisely. (Genesis 3:1-24).

How?

By only talking and acting in ways that are compassionate and gracious; forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin with as few bad consequences as feasible; while abounding with love and faithfulness.

We need to make technologies and robots that make us more humane, not make humans who follow the inhumane ways of technologies and robots.

Tech should be for people, not people for Tech!

And while we’re making tech that talks and acts wisely, let’s remember to build ourselves and our own civilizations wisely.

How?

By talking and acting in the ways of the Image of God.

By talking and acting in the Way of Jesus.

By talking and acting in the Way that is compassionate and gracious; forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin with as few bad consequences as feasible; while abounding with love and faithfulness.

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT

When has a technology or robot made you frustrated, distressed and angry?

When has a person made you frustrated, distressed and angry?

When has a technology or a robot been gracious and compassionate; forgiving your mistakes with as few bad consequences as feasible; while abounding with love and faithfulness?

When has a person been gracious and compassionate; forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin with as few bad consequences as feasible; while abounding with love and faithfulness?

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The great science fiction author (and noted atheist and humanist), Sir Isaac Asimov, wrote a number of stories and novels (including I, Robot and The Foundation Series), exploring the practical, ethical and philosophical implications of his Three Laws of Robotics:

FIRST LAW:

A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

SECOND LAW:

A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

THIRD LAW:

A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

He later added the ZEROTH LAW:

A robot may not harm humanity or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to be harmed.

For related virtues, please read my blogs “Jesus Embodies Hesed—The Vision of Isaiah”, “Jesus Embodies Hesed—Fulfilling the Law of Moses and the Prophets”, “Jesus Embodies Hesed—Sowing the Ideals of the Law of Moses and the Prophets”, and “Jesus Embodies Hesed—Saving Lost Sheep, Lost Coins, and Lost Sons”