The Gospel of Matthew includes a story of Magi, wise ones who seek a child, “We saw his star rising.” They offer “him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” The story is told to link with an Old Testament story but erroneously so, for it tells of warriors who seek plunder, “all shall come bearing gold and frankincense.” Myrrh is missing from the warriors’ story. Myrrh is a perfume used to anoint dead bodies. It is known Christ Jesus will be murdered and the myrrh will be needed. It is known warriors will murder him but will reject knowledge that they bring death.
The deadliness of Militarism and its warriors, who reject knowledge of their deadliness is increasing with the development of Artificial Intelligence. Pope Francis addressed Artificial Intelligence and Militarism’s deadly use of it in his recent World Day of Peace message. “When human beings, with the aid of technology, endeavour to make the earth a dwelling worthy of the whole human family, they… bring about peace among peoples.” “At the same time, techno-scientific advances… exercising… unprecedented control over reality, are placing in human hands… options… that may pose a risk to our survival and endanger our common home.” “Technologies employing a variety of algorithms can extract data that enable (owners) to control mental and relational habits for commercial or political purposes, often without our knowledge, thus limiting our conscious exercise of freedom.” “The results they produce… always have an ethical dimension, closely linked to decisions made by those who design their experimentation and direct their production towards particular objectives.” This includes “the aims and interests of its owners and developers” who might “yield to the temptation to selfishness, self-interest, the desire for (plunder and control).” Pope Francis urges humility. “Human beings are, by definition, mortal; by proposing to overcome every limit through technology, in an obsessive desire to control everything, we risk losing control over ourselves.” The AI robber barons have indeed lost control, over themselves and over AI – because they are in joint operations with the military. It is the military that is determining the algorithms, conditioning the social values, and pridefully controlling everything, including new weapons systems that reject every limit on AI. It is known Christs will be murdered and the myrrh will be needed. It is known warriors will murder us but will reject knowledge that they bring death. “The ability to conduct military operations through remote control systems has led to a lessened perception of the devastation caused… resulting in an even more cold and detached approach to the immense tragedy of war.” “The world has no need of new technologies that contribute to the unjust development of commerce and the weapons trade and consequently end up promoting the folly of war. By so doing, not only intelligence but the human heart itself would risk becoming ever more ‘artificial.’” We must help young people especially, “to grasp the social and ethical aspects of the development and uses of technology.” Pope Francis concludes by urging “the global community of nations to work together in order to adopt a binding international treaty that regulates the development and use of artificial intelligence in its many forms,… (for) the prevention of harmful practices but also the encouragement of best practices,… the meaning of human existence, the protection of fundamental human rights and the pursuit of peace.”
The Pope’s message of AI for peacemaking needs to be directed behind nations and international treaties to the warmaking rulers who actually control AIs development and use, the military. No state, on its own, controls anyone or anything. Control is by War Lords, supremacist plunderers violating us, who devise political organizations such as the state to legitimize deadly artificial intelligence and deadly artificial hearts.
Prayer: “It is my prayer… artificial intelligence… will help put an end to wars and conflicts, and alleviate many forms of suffering that afflict our human family. May… all men and women of good will work together in harmony… and thus hand on to future generations a world of greater solidarity… and peace.”
Question: How does AI have control of me and what changes can I make?
January 07, 2024 Gospel Matthew 2:1-12 The Epiphany