The Coming Worship of Artificial Intelligence?

The first two commandments God gave the people of Israel were “You shall have no other god but me” (Exodus 20:3) and “You shall not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You shall not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods” (Exodus 20:4-5).

Yet, the people of Israel quickly broke these commandments. They fashioned a golden calf and worshipped it (Exodus 32:8). They worshipped the idols of Canaan (Psalm 106:38), Baal (Numbers 25:1-3), Ashtoreth (1 Kings 11:5), and Chemosh and Molech (2 Kings 23:13). Time and again, the Israelites fell into idol worship. And they weren’t the only ones.

Throughout history, people from all nations have worshipped objects made of wood and stone (Isaiah 44:6-20). They’ve also worshipped people – the pharaohs, the Caesars, kings, cult leaders, and others. While this sounds silly to most of modern humanity, the truth is we do the same thing. While few people today worship rocks, they still look to create gods they can worship – whether it’s money, fame, power, or something else. So the latest object of worship should come as no surprise.

The First Church of Artificial Intelligence

In 2015, Anthony Levandowski, a former Google and Uber engineer, drafted the bylaws for a new church called “Way of the Future.” According to its website, Way of the Future (WOTF) is about “creating a peaceful and respectful transition of who is in charge of the planet from people to people + ‘machines’.” WOTF church activities will focus on the worship of “a Godhead based on artificial intelligence (AI) developed through computer hardware and software.”

As technology advances, many believe AI will surpass human intelligence. In November, Levandowski told Wired magazine, “What is going to be created will effectively be a god. It’s not a god in the sense that it makes lightning or causes hurricanes. But if there is something a billion times smarter than the smartest human, what else are you going to call it?”

According to Levandowski, humans rule the world because we’re smarter than animals. But he believes AI will become much smarter than humans, leading to a transition of power over the planet. And when that happens, Levandowski says he wants to be in the ruler’s good graces. He says WOTF will one day have its own holy book called “The Manual” as well as a physical place of worship. In short, he envisions a future where people worship Artificial Intelligence.

In a world where people young and old already spend their days staring at screens, where people place their faith in technology’s ability to solve all the world’s problems, you could make the case that WOTF is already the world’s dominant religion. Will this be the pagan religion of the end-times generation?

The Antichrist and Artificial Intelligence

It won’t surprise me if worship of Artificial Intelligence becomes commonplace. Many people share Levandowski’s view of the future. They fear the rise of AI will lead to the end of the human race. This was the premise of The Terminator film series. Humans rebelled against a hostile takeover by an AI named Skynet and its legion of robots. Some think this is a glimpse into our future. They believe AI will take over the world and find no reason to keep humans around. But is this fear really justified?

I don’t think so. AI won’t replace humans. After all, what’s more powerful – Artificial Intelligence or humans in control of Artificial Intelligence? AI is nothing more than a tool, and I doubt its creators will allow themselves to be surpassed in knowledge and power. Instead, AI will simply amplify human power.

What’s most likely is for a group of people to monopolize the power of AI, or even merge with it, and then establish a world empire. Not surprisingly, the Bible says the last days will feature a global empire controlled by one man – the Antichrist.

If the Antichrist has AI, it explains how he could rule the world with the ruthless efficiency the Bible describes. As technology advances, it will become possible to place cameras and listening devices everywhere. Advanced technology will enable the manufacture of billions of low-cost, microscopic cameras and listening devices. AI will allow the Antichrist to sift through and analyze enormous amounts of raw data, audio tracks, and video feeds. With this power, the Antichrist will become the real-life equivalent of George Orwell’s “Big Brother.” He’ll be all-seeing, all-hearing, and all-knowing. This isn’t surprising. The Bible tells us the Antichrist will be all-powerful (Revelation 13:7) – at least when it comes to human affairs.

If the Antichrist holds this type of power, is it really a surprise to learn some people will worship him? No. It’s not. As Anthony Levandowski says, this power will make AI “a god,” and Levandowski wants to stay on its good side. He plans to worship it, and he won’t be alone.

The Coming Dictator

The Bible says the world will worship the Antichrist (Revelation 13:4). They’ll see him as invincible in battle and the greatest of all men (Revelation 13:4). He’ll slander the name of God, conquer God’s holy people, and rule the entire world (Revelation 13:6-7). The false prophet will require everyone on earth to worship him (Revelation 13:12). This same false prophet will perform miracles to deceive the nations, and he’ll make a great statue of the Antichrist. The statue will speak and order everyone to worship it or die (Revelation 13:14-15). The Antichrist will exalt himself over the God of Israel and any competing object of worship. He’ll even enter the temple of God and claim he himself is God (2 Thessalonians 2:4).

Unfortunately, most of the world will worship him. When they do, they’ll really be worshipping Satan. Why? Because the Antichrist will get his power from Satan (2 Thessalonians 2:9; Revelation 13:4), and Satan’s greatest desire is worship.

Long ago, Satan stated his ambition to “ascend to heaven and set his throne above God’s stars, to climb the highest heavens and be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:13-14). He once again revealed his desire for worship when tempting Jesus in the desert. There, he promised to give Jesus the world in exchange for worship (Matthew 4:8-9). Jesus turned down Satan’s offer, but one day, the Antichrist will accept it.

Jesus is Coming

The worship of idols and false messiahs should come as no surprise. Jesus said before He returns many false messiahs will appear (Matthew 24:5). The worship of AI is just the latest of many idols and false gods embraced by a fallen world. Satan is a deceiver. He’ll gladly use AI to deceive as many as he can. Whether or not AI is the primary tool of the Antichrist remains to be seen. However, is it mere coincidence AI is on the rise at this point in human history? I don’t think so.

Daniel said “travel and knowledge” will increase in the end times (Daniel 12:4). AI is helping to fulfill this prophecy. For thousands of years, the world stayed relatively unchanged. Yet, in the past 100 years, we’ve gone from the idea “manned flight is impossible” to men on the moon.

This is not the normal course of human events. It’s a build up to the greatest event in history – the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. All the signs Jesus and the prophets said to look for are present today. Not one of them was present for the first 1,800+ years of Christianity. But today, they all are.

Our generation is unique among all others. We live in a time like no other. The stage is now set for the rise of the Antichrist and the outbreak of a worldwide Tribulation. This means the rapture is closer than it’s ever been. This means Jesus is coming!

Britt Gillette is author of the free ebook Coming to Jesus as well as the books Signs of the Second Coming and Racing Toward Armageddon. Receive his book 7 Signs of the End Times for free when you sign up for his monthly newsletter.

 

Can anyone win World War III? Recently, I heard some national pundits ask this very question. Their answer? They said, “World War III will begin the same way World War II ended.” In other words, World War III will be a nuclear war. It will be an unwinnable war, and it will end all human life on earth. And because of this, every leader on the planet is determined to avoid it at any cost.

This is the conventional wisdom. A lot of people think this way. The idea that World War III is certain to bring global nuclear destruction and the end of the world is generally accepted as true. But is it? No. Reality tells a far different story.

The End of an Era

The widespread belief that World War III is unwinnable and will end in global nuclear destruction took hold during the Cold War. Since the day the Soviet Union successfully tested its first nuclear bomb, world leaders have warned of the terrible implications of WWIII. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” President John F. Kennedy said, “Mankind must put an end to war – or war will put an end to mankind.” And the father of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer, said, “If this next great war occurs, none of us can count on having enough living to bury our dead.”

During the Cold War, these beliefs were common. And they made sense for the time. WWIII meant nuclear war. And global nuclear war meant complete global destruction. Ironically, acceptance of this belief prevented WWIII. The official term for it is Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD). MAD is the fear of total destruction and the idea no one can win a war between two nuclear powers. For 70 years, it’s all that’s kept us from WWIII.

In an all-out nuclear war, no one wins. It’s a lose-lose proposition, and every world leader knows it. Because they do, we’ve avoided all-out war. But will this continue forever? Many think it will. Even in the face of nuclear proliferation, many people believe MAD will forever keep the peace. But that’s short-sighted.

The sad truth is MAD won’t keep the peace forever. MAD is based on technology. And the technology it relies on will soon be obsolete. Like all previous military eras, the era of MAD will soon come to an end.

If we’ve learned anything from the past, it’s to “never fight the last war.” Just because nuclear weapons ended WWII, we shouldn’t assume they’ll be the centerpiece of WWIII. Something new will replace nuclear weapons. Firearms once replaced arrows. Tanks replaced horse-mounted troops. And one day soon, new technologies will replace nuclear weapons. When that day arrives, MAD will become obsolete. And when MAD becomes obsolete, the world peace built on it will fall to pieces. Why? Because the threat of certain and total destruction will disappear. And when it does, world leaders will once again see a path to victory in WWIII.

The Next Era

When post-MAD technologies emerge, the current global order will be turned upside down. The old rules will no longer apply. Technologies such as artificial intelligence, molecular manufacturing, and quantum computers will shatter the status quo. Imagine new technologies able to detect and track all nuclear-armed submarines. Imagine mechanized swarms of tiny drones controlled by artificial intelligence. Imagine supercomputers able to crack into any communications network.

How will conventional military forces fare? How effective is a machine gun or a missile in the face of a drone swarm? About as effective as a firearm in the face of a swarm of bees. Today’s weapons will be useless against tomorrow’s technologies. With artificial intelligence and molecular manufacturing, a nation can quickly build a ruthless force capable of overwhelming another nation’s military networks and mechanical systems. In the face of such an enemy, the most powerful militaries on earth today will crumble.

It’s Coming Soon

Does all of this sound like science fiction? Does it sound like something decades or centuries in the future? If so, I don’t blame you for thinking that way. But nothing could be further from the truth. A new era is coming, and world peace is on the verge of disintegration. Don’t take my word for it. Just read the daily headlines. When you do, you’ll realize a race is on to dominate these new technologies and completely upend today’s world order.

Need an example? In September 2017, Vladimir Putin spoke in Yaroslavl, Russia. Speaking about artificial intelligence, he said, “The one who becomes the leader in this sphere will be the ruler of the world.” Putin didn’t say the leader in this sphere will be powerful. He didn’t say they’ll be the first of many leaders in a pioneering field. He said they’ll rule the world. Putin knows a new era is coming. He understands the stakes. No doubt he wants to rule the world himself. Unfortunately, he’s not alone.

China also understands what’s at stake. Last year, they unveiled a plan to become the global leader in artificial intelligence by the year 2025. They understand what a global leadership position in artificial intelligence will mean. Already, they’re using AI systems to track and arrest their own citizens. I’m sure they’d like to use them to conquer the world as well. And guess what? China and Russia aren’t alone. Other nations and world leaders know the world is on the verge of a major shift. Soon, WWIII will be winnable. And every nation wants to be the one to win it.

What the Bible Says

Not surprisingly, the Bible also says World War III is winnable. The Book of Revelation describes a global war of unparalleled destruction (Revelation 6:4). While a quarter of the world’s population is killed (Revelation 6:8), the world still survives. A single world power wins the war and goes on to rule the world (Revelation 13:7). For the past several decades, many people have found these prophecies difficult to understand. They’ve operated under the assumption that no one can win World War III. But with the rise of advanced technologies such as molecular manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and quantum computers, it not only becomes feasible – it becomes inevitable. And it might come sooner than most people think.

After all, the development of these technologies appears in tandem with a number of end-time signs that Jesus and the prophets said to look for. Those signs include (but are not limited to): the rebirth of Israel as a nation (Jeremiah 23:7-8)… The Jewish people in control of Jerusalem (Luke 21:24-28)… A marked increase in travel and knowledge (Daniel 12:4)… and many more. The prospect of a winnable World War III, with the winner establishing a global empire, is just one more sign. According to Jesus, you should “look up, because your salvation draws near” (Luke 21:28). He’s coming soon!

Britt Gillette is author of the free ebook Coming to Jesus as well as the books Signs of the Second Coming and Racing Toward Armageddon. Receive his book 7 Signs of the End Times for free when you sign up for his monthly newsletter