Humanizing and Christianizing technology

THIS is always a challenge for me as it should be for everybody else. Technology, especially at the rate that it is developing nowadays, is slowly but surely charming us into our own dehumanization, let alone, our dechristianization.

And the main reason is that it tends to remove us from the foundation of our humanity who is God. It tends to sweep our feet off because of the many practical conveniences and advantages it gives.

And the most dangerous part of this whole phenomenon is that the new technologies now appear to be our new idols, our new gods that seem to speak and interact with us.

Whereas before, the idols were “silver and gold, made by the hands of men, who have mouths but cannot speak, eyes but cannot see, ears but cannot hear, noses but cannot smell…” (Ps 115,4-6), now the new technologies as our new idols appear to have mouth that seem to speak, eyes that seem to see, ears that seem to hear, noses that seem to smell.

Our new technologies indeed are very tantalizing, since they seem to be interactive. But it is an interactivity that only feeds our egoistic interests. If one is not solidly grounded on his Christian faith and is simply or mainly dependent on his senses, feelings and understanding of things, then there is no way but to be swept away. He will be at the mercy of the dynamics of worldly values.

And whatever prudence he may exercise in the use of the technologies would be the prudence of the world and of the flesh, not the prudence of the spirit, the prudence that comes from God, the prudence that is proper to us as persons and children of God.

Now is the time to face the challenge squarely before we lose our human and Christian soul. And that is why as early as possible we should train everyone about how to relate our technologies to God, to his will, to his providence. Otherwise, there is no other way but to be destroyed by them. Our technologies can be our modern Trojan horse, a sweet but deadly poison that we gladly take.

We have to learn to see God and souls in the mesmerizing world of the new technologies. Otherwise, they will imprison us in our own world. We have to learn to develop and grow in love while using the technologies, adoring, praising and thanking God and reaching out and serving others through them. Remember that it is love that should drive us in life, love as shown by Christ.

Thus, the ethical and moral standard in the use of the technologies should have as parameters love for God and love for everybody else. Short of that, we would be misusing these technologies even if we are fascinated by them. We would be exposing ourselves to a lot of dangers.

Right from the bosom of the family, this ethical and moral standard in the use of the technologies should already be imparted. And it should be consistently reinforced in the schools and the other higher levels of social life.

As St. Paul said: “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it to the glory of God.” (1 Cor 10,31) And we have to remember also that loving and glorifying God always brings with it loving and serving others. In the end, we have to do everything such that we follow what Christ himself said as a new commandment for us: “To love one another as I (Christ) have loved you.” (Jn 13,34)

It is only in this way that we can keep ourselves masters, not slaves, of the technologies. It is only in this way that our human and Christian dignity is preserved and enhanced.