Humanizing and Christianizing technology
TECHNOLOGY, especially at the rate that it is developing nowadays, is slowly but surely charming us into our own dehumanization, let alone, our dechristianization. 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.
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. 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.
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.
