Debuting for the celebrity game, the court will essentially become a centralized Jumbotron beneath the players’ feet—capable of displaying graphics, video replays, player-tracking animations, and interactive games. It’s a hyper-saturated visual eruption that could revolutionize how sports are presented in arenas and on television broadcasts.

Humanity is encountering technological advancements at a pace that can easily overwhelm the imagination. For instance, AI (Artificial Intelligence) can analyze vast amounts of data and tailor content in ways that influence our decision-making, often without our awareness of the manipulation. AR (Augmented Reality) adds another dimension by blending digital information with our physical surroundings, subtly altering our perception of what is real. Meanwhile, VR (Virtual Reality) creates experiences so convincing that the boundary between reality and artificiality becomes increasingly blurred, potentially exerting control over individuals through immersive multisensory experiences. 

Through AI algorithms, unscrupulous people can manipulate individuals or groups into believing things that are not factual. This precision targeting isn’t just theoretical; it is already being used in advertising and political campaigning, illustrating the power of technology to shape societal norms and individual behaviors. For instance, High School girls have had their faces imposed on the bodies of naked women and then spread to their classmates.

In 1986, a minister made headlines when he was caught using a concealed earpiece to receive radio messages from his wife, who gave him the names, addresses, ailments, and where they were sitting in the service. He claimed that God was revealing these things to him so that their level of faith would increase. It has been reported that a prophetic minister was caught taking advantage of individuals’ online digital footprints by simply using his iPhone. Simple tools like search engines or social media platforms can reveal a wealth of personal information, from family relationships to significant life events, preferences, and even deeply personal struggles. In the hands of these unprincipled individuals, iPhones can receive information about a person in seconds, revealing names, addresses, and personal details such as medical diagnosis, etc.

For example, consider the concept of subliminal messaging. Subliminal messages are concealed words or images that are not consciously perceived but have the potential to impact one’s attitudes and behaviors. The history of subliminal advertising can be traced back to 1957 with James Vicary’s Popcorn Experiment. Advertisers used this technique to sway customers’ purchasing decisions. Subliminal can be best described as operating below the threshold of conscious perception.

Moreover, AI and machine learning have allowed for a more targeted approach. Predictive algorithms can affect an individual’s preferences and behaviors, leading to incredibly personalized advertising and content that can influence decisions at a subconscious level. This level of personalization means that the content you are exposed to is specifically designed to appeal to your interests, habits, and past behaviors, often making the influence exerted on your choices subtle yet highly effective. How this affects a person’s ability to exercise their God-given free will is yet to be seen. Matthew 24:24 (NIV): “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

The recent NBA All-Star game featured a cutting-edge floor with 27 million pixels, showcasing the remarkable capabilities of modern visual technology. This technology, while dazzling, prompts us to consider its application beyond entertainment. Imagine employing it in a church to project lifelike images of angels or miraculous events. While the potential for immersive experiences is exciting, it’s essential to be mindful of the ethical concerns and the possibility of misuse, particularly in settings where it could unduly influence beliefs or perceptions. Remembering Jesus’ warnings about deception in the end times, believers are encouraged to be cautious, constantly testing what they see and experience against Scripture. (Read: Matthew 24:23-26)

The Line Between Spiritual Insight and Technological Intrusion

AR and VR could couple this with subliminal messages that could easily manipulate a person’s thoughts or feelings. Along with psychological profiling, these messages could be tailored to exploit individuals’ susceptibilities, guiding behavior, or beliefs without the individual’s conscious awareness.

The very best safeguard that we can aspire to is to be grounded in our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and the Lord of our lives and in Biblical truths. May we choose to draw near to Him through the power of the Holy Spirit that lives within us and mature in our faith as we are transformed into His likeness. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are very clearly mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law.” To build and discipline ourselves in godly character is paramount as are the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  I Corinthians chapter 12 describes the gifts. One major one to earnestly seek in this age is “the gift of discernment of spirits”.

Geoffrey Hinton, considered the godfather of AI, feels that we have entered a period of enormous uncertainty. He feels there is a real possibility that AI will soon surpass our intelligence, and when they do, they will have goals of their own to develop. Whether the goals are good, or evil will depend on those who will be programming them. He knows there are governments that are in the process of making battle robots even though the United Nations has already warned the world of the dangers. One can easily deduce that these robots are not going to necessarily be good for mankind since their primary purpose is to kill people and bring destruction. (John 10:10)

A manipulative figure could use these technologies to repeatedly expose followers to altered depictions of reality that support the leader’s worldview, effectively isolating them from any external sources of information or alternative perspectives. Over time, this could erode critical thinking and reinforce a dependent relationship with the leader for guidance and truth. I Thessalonians 5:21, “But test them all; hold on to what is good,”

We know that smell can elicit a particular emotion and evoke a specific response from an individual. Similarly, sounds can trigger a specific memory, which, if strong enough, can create a reaction within the individual that could initiate a specific response towards another person. Manipulating reality in this manner has been proven to elicit a strong response within the individual. Knowing the psychological triggers that an individual has demonstrated in the past could be used by AI to provoke a similar response in the future. In some instances it has been documented that even the smell of Chinese food along with sound of an approaching helicopter could produce a strong PTSD reaction,  in a Viet Nam Vet.

As Christians navigate this increasingly digital and technologically advanced world, it’s crucial to cultivate discernment and a deep-rooted faith that can withstand the challenges posed by AI, AR, and VR technologies. These tools, while beneficial in many contexts, can also lead to manipulation and control if wielded unethically. To ensure we do not become victims of such manipulation, it is essential to immerse ourselves in the Word of God, allowing the Holy Spirit to be our lens through which we view and interpret the world around us.

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