Don’t blame the tech. It’s a human problem

Throughout history mankind has slaughtered each other in large quantities. This has been perpetuated by the development of new technologies. Each time new tech comes onto the scene people find a way to use it to kill. To dominate. It’s in the nature of a fallen mankind that in all of our knowledge and understanding we still seek evil intentions with what we invent.

One of the earliest stories of mankind is of two brothers, Cain and Abel. Cain gave bare minimum offerings to God while Abel gave abundantly and found favor with God. In his envy Cain murdered Abel. These were the first two known offspring of the first people on Earth. Armed with nothing. No technology (that we are aware of). But Cain’s evil heart led to the death of his brother.

The same story continued throughout history. Around 1200 BC the world entered the iron age. Iron became a popular metal due to it’s durability. It was developed and used for farming and smithing tools. Goods were made using iron tools. From that perspective it would seem that Iron was new tech used for good. But no sooner was it developed than militaries started making use of iron. New weapons were built. Stronger more durable blades were smelted. And wars were fought using the new technology. People were slaughtered in large numbers by invading armies on and off the battlefields. The new technology was developed for good but was used for evil.

Fast forward several thousand years. Nuclear energy has been discovered. Unlocking a world of efficient energy production. It’s first use. Used to decimate two cities in Japan in a horrendous act of war against our then enemies. The same technology went on to power cities across the world even in the country it once brought to ruin. But still the threat of that discovery being used against civilians looms over all of humanity as tensions rise and we continue to have wars and kill each other.

In all reality the world may have changed but mankind hasn’t. We’re still fallen by nature. Greedy, hateful, racist, elitist, prideful, sexually immoral. The list of woes against humanity could continue and there would be very little to no difference between modern humans and ancient humans. So where does technology come into this.

I want to think of any tech like a guitar amp. The guitar amp may be the top of the line. It may be built with all the good specs and have potential to sound great. But here’s the catch. What’s going to come out of it is an amplification of what’s put in. So if we plug a totally untrained newbie into the amp. What will come out will be extra bad. It’ll be bad and loud and everyone will hear it. But put a highly skilled and experienced musician through it and what will come out is beautiful music loud and wonderful and the all nearby will be treated to the wonders of music. This is how I see technology work with the human heart. Good becomes great and bad becomes worse. Good becomes wonderful. Evil becomes unbearable.

So what’s the answer to the question of God vs tech. The answer is simple. Tech is amoral. God has gifted humans with brilliant minds that have innovated and created and have built an amazing world that Adam and Eve would be astonished by. But technology without God will eventually lead to destruction. The human heart can corrupt everything. The internet should be a source of vast knowledge but it’s mostly used to feed our lusts. Technology must never replace God or become our God. That would be idolatry. As long as we don’t replace God with tech I believe that God has blessed us with all that we have.
Including our tech.