AI has its uses. It’s good for research, and it’s good for helping work through problems. Like any kind of technology, it’s a neutral tool that can be used for either good or evil.

Part of the problem with AI is the irrational fear that people have of it. AI itself is not actually “intelligent” in the sense that human beings are intelligent. It cannot “think” or “rationalize” the same way. It does not have emotions, a will, or a consciousness. Nor does it have a divine purpose.

It’s simply machinery with software running on it that mimics various aspects of human reasoning—and in some ways, it does so very efficiently.

Yet, all of a sudden, The Gospel Coalition and its contributors appear to be on a mission dedicated to exposing the “existential threat” that AI inherently presents. And if we don’t do something about it now, then we may as well kiss humanity goodbye.

Here’s TGC contributor Gavin Ortlund, posting a frenzied rant about how “crazy” this AI stuff is.

Now, one might ask: isn’t Gavin Ortlund a Christian? Or at least, doesn’t he claim to be?

Doesn’t he claim to believe the Scriptures?

What do the Scriptures say about how humanity ends?

It certainly doesn’t end with AI taking over.

But The Gospel Coalition seems strangely invested in this mission now. And it appears to be for good reason—money talks.

It was recently disclosed that The Gospel Coalition has taken a 200 thousand dollar grant from the Future of Life Institute (FLI). The FLI is a left-of-center technocratic organization dedicated to exposing the “existential threats” of artificial intelligence and other anti-technology causes.

FLI also promotes nuclear disarmament and climate alarmism, which, interestingly, Gavin Ortlund has also gotten behind. Other left-wing movements FLI has promoted are racial equity, “sustainable development,” “indigenous knowledge,” and organized labor.

So then, why all of a sudden is an independent “Christian” publication so dedicated to opposing AI? Well, the 200 thousand dollar grant was given to The Gospel Coalition for that purpose. According to the Future of Life’s grant page, the grant was for TGC to “address theologically sound use of AI in its ‘Silicon Spiritualities’ podcast.”

Now, think about that for a moment. We have a left-of-center secular organization that promotes climate alarmism, racial equity, social Marxism, and big government regulation of technology, which all of a sudden seems genuinely concerned with “theologically sound” arguments against AI.

Give me a break. If they were concerned with “theologically sound” anything, they wouldn’t have given similar grants to the Greek Orthodox Church, the far-left World Council of Churches, and even the Mormon organization, Faith Matters.

So if we’re to put this together, this has nothing to do with offering up biblically sound advice regarding artificial intelligence. As it has always been with bought-and-sold religious organizations, The Gospel Coalition is simply taking money to push a secular agenda.

And they have absolutely no shame in doing so.

In fact, they’re proud of it.

Brett McCracken, one of the most prominent and long-time TGC authors—who is known for his promotion of secular television shows and movies, many of which contain X-rated sex scenes, foul language, and violence—says TGC has drawn a “line in the sand” against AI. And they aren’t backing down. It’s their “missional opportunity.”

Now, I’m not arguing that artificial intelligence presents no danger to humanity at all. Sure, there is a lot that can and should be addressed. But that goes with any technology. But we seemed to have had the same irrational fears when the World Wide Web was introduced to the public in the 90s. We feared Y2K.

We even feared the Industrial Revolution centuries ago.

Irrational fear is a trait inherent in humanity—but Christians are to put that fear away. That’s what makes this so strange. A Christian publication publishing such irrationality against technology demonstrates a lack of faith among the people running the organization.

Again, Christians know how the world ends. The Bible doesn’t reveal the end of humanity. It is quite the opposite. The Bible reveals the continued existence of humanity, the return of Christ, resurrection, judgment, and the consummation of the Kingdom of God.

Even if you hold a different eschatological view, there is no alternate ending that includes the complete destruction of humanity.

Again, as with any technology, AI can be used for evil. It can be used by criminals to commit fraud. The government can use it for illegal surveillance. Bad actors can use it to generate pornography, deception, propaganda, deepfakes, false teaching, or malicious code.

But it cannot be used to destroy humanity.

The Scriptures do not teach that.

But what else should we expect from a fraudulent Christian organization that is head over heels in promoting every left-of-center cause in history, baptizing them with Christian language, and then selling them to us as “gospel issues”?

It’s what TGC does best.