We are more affected by culture then we realize. Saw a toddler the other day in the grocery playing with a tablet. Was amazed how this little one knew how to navigate through digital culture.

Speak about becoming more computer-like, I recently walked by the Neptune theatre and the names of the two featured films were the “The Wild Robot” and “The Transformers.” Yes, we are more and more affected by the increasingly electronic culture. Psychology journals are questioning whether the use of social media is a big factor in teen suicides. According to Esquire, more men are dating bots. Social scientists say we are becoming more machine like in the way we interact or don’t interact with others. The Wall Street Journal reports that there’s a debate going on about our manners in talking with bots. AI users face an awkward dilemma: Bots are programmed to be polite, but do we have to reciprocate? We are affected by computer/machines.

On the other hand electronics are more human like. There’s an ad on TV where a man ends up saying, “Hey, I’m not a person,” and his human face comes off revealing a robot face. Increasingly, will we be able to tell the difference between a machine and a human?

We becoming more machine like and machines becoming more human like pushes the question, “what does it mean to be human?” Alexa speaking back to us, is a not-a-human speaking back to us. Yet, the voice sounds so human.

What does it mean to truly be human? It’s in Jesus Christ that we see what it means to truly be human. Paul, tells us in Philippians 2:5-8: “ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross.”

It’s in Jesus we know what it means to be fully human. To be human is to like Jesus love people; even those who don’t like or love you. To be human is to treat others like you like to be treated. To be human is to so love people that they will see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5: 16). To be human is to love mercy, and walk humbly with God and people (Micah 6:8).

Computers will never have the degree of free-choice consciousness that human beings have. Why? Because God Almighty alone is the creator, giver, sustainer, and redeemer of life, through his Son Jesus Christ.

Let us use the best of AI digital culture to serve the needs of humanity; and be totally human, like Jesus Christ.