There’s a battle for our minds and the most vulnerable are our children.
Artificial Intelligence (AI). Machine Learning. Two technological buzz words we hear all around us today.
What do they have in common?
- An attempt to model the human brain
- A possible subliminal lock on our minds
- The use of our personal devices—phones, laptops and computers
“Hey Siri, take me home!” is a common interaction in most of our cars today.
We talk to and without even knowing it, develop “relationships” with virtual assistants like Siri (Apple), Alexa (Amazon) and Corana (Microsoft) on our electronic devices. Google recently announced it is about to roll-out Duplex, a virtual personal assistant that’s so natural that you can’t tell you’re talking to a computer.
What does this all mean?
There’s a battle for our minds, and the most vulnerable are our children. The battle is being fought right before our eyes, in our homes, using gadgets and devices we use every day and don’t give a second thought to.
In an online article, Jeremiah Johnston of Christian Thinkers Society recounted celebrating his birthday with his wife and children at a restaurant. He asked his nine year-old daughter, Lily, to pray for the meal.
Lily started: “Dear Alexa, please bless our meal today, and Daddy…..” She broke off, and embarrassingly cried, “Daddy, you know what I meant!
Jeremiah noted, “Lily’s innocent mistake that day opened our eyes to how a small device that is becoming so prevalent in homes is making a huge impact on the thoughts and communication of our children.”
Create spiritual altars
Parents, do you know what your children are exposing their souls to through their cell phones and computers?
If you’re a youth, teenager or young adult, is your life so consumed with video games, virtual assistants and chat room friends that you feel that you cannot survive without them?
Whatever is the focus of your life, be it a person, relationship or a thing, it becomes your worship. However, we know from Luke 4:8 that we should worship and serve God only.
Therefore, it’s important that we create spiritual altars in our homes. Not a physical structure, but an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ evident through our worship and personal demonstration of the greatest commandment of all—to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37).
Let the love of God be the model for your brain. Open the doors of communication in your home and ensure that there’s honest and ongoing two-way dialogue between adults and children, based on a Christ-centered life.
God’s love has transcended many ages, and the digital age is no exception.
How are you navigating the digital age as a parent or child? Email us at chayil@patfrancis.org and share some of your tips and challenges.
