christmas

christianity/2023-12-17-christmas-celebrates-a-living-christ/index.md

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+---
+title: Christmas celebrates a Living Christ
+description: |
+  Christ is the way, the light and life of the world. Always has been. Always will be.  
+date: 2023-12-17
+categories: [christianity, ai]
+draft: false
+---
+
+![Away in a manger.](photo.jpeg) 
+
+# Old news
+
+Elder Neil Anderson's invitation here is worth listening to. It's an invitation to ponder the reality of the birth of our Savior. It's rather simple, but it evokes a profound question we should all consider. 
+
+<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">How wonderful it is to celebrate the birth of our Savior and Redeemer. Jesus Christ is the central figure of all human history.<br><br>I know He lives. I know He was born. I know He has been resurrected. I know He is our Savior and Redeemer. And with you I rejoice in this beautiful… <a href="https://t.co/YDQpIzgk0n">pic.twitter.com/YDQpIzgk0n</a></p>&mdash; Neil L. Andersen (@AndersenNeilL) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndersenNeilL/status/1736400958928933230?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
+
+# Did He come?
+
+Nothing Elder Anderson shares here is new. It's rather repetitive. Same old story. Same-old old-guy telling me to believe in a Jesus. 
+
+If you consider the most currently interesting things in this world, Artificial Intelligence, some may tell you that there exists a future utopia where we're supported by infinitely intelligent digital agents who can solve complex world problems and bring us to...utopia. 
+
+Ok. We've also heard this before. The Tower of Babel tried to approximate heaven, and now humanity is trying to approximate Godlike intelligence. 
+
+The void of Christ in one's life produces a desire to create Christ. A savior. Something to literally save us from our woes. 
+
+<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">i think AI is going to be the greatest force for economic empowerment and a lot of people getting rich we have ever seen</p>&mdash; Sam Altman (@sama) <a href="https://twitter.com/sama/status/1625186078599811072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
+
+Let's be real. I'm a tech optimist. I say bring it on. But I'm also a Christian. In my view, the most important question isn't "what will AGI do to/for humanity?" Instead, the most important question is "was Jesus Christ the promised messiah?"
+
+If Christ came, and was indeed the prophesied Christ, then all of life's ultimate questions are already answered. 
+
+- Why are we here? To die and be resurrected to live again. 
+
+- Where did we come from? The same place He came from: the presence of God. 
+
+- Who are we? We are sons and daughters of God worth saving. 
+
+Yes, the questions are already answered: it doesn't matter what happens with AI. Because the end is known: the Lord will come again. 
+
+Let us treasure this time to reflect on a Savior who already came. Who lives. Who loves us beyond mortal (or AI) comprehension. 
+
+# What can we do?
+
+Let's take a moment, perhaps an hour, to consider the miracle of Christmas:
+
+<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">As Christmas approaches, I realize that some may have concerns and perhaps some anxiety about the future. <br><br>There may be a lot of “noise” in your life: more or less constant engagement online without downtime, without time to be quiet and reflect and think, without time to look… <a href="https://t.co/4rqS2F6No9">pic.twitter.com/4rqS2F6No9</a></p>&mdash; D. Todd Christofferson (@ChristoffDTodd) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristoffDTodd/status/1735676334968295559?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
+