Eye on Faith: October 2017

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Silence is not always golden

1935 Nuremberg Rally (PD)

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said: In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

When Nuremberg native Doris Schott-Neuse began investigating her family history, she could not remain silent. Long suspecting that her grandfather had obtained his home through Nazi connections, she was able to verify that this “prime real estate” was, indeed, stolen from a Jewish family.

“More than seventy years later,” Schott-Neuse felt impelled to track down the surviving Jewish family member and apologize for these sins of the past. When Peter Hirschmann received her apology, he promptly responded.

Hirschmann told Schott-Neuse that “it would have been easy for her to remain silent.” He then said: You were not satisfied with that and examined the depths of your heart… You had the option to ignore it and instead you confronted it…

Schott-Neuse and Hirschmann are now corresponding regularly. Martin Luther King, Jr. would no doubt have applauded their courage and compassion.

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/german-woman-writes-apology-to-us-man-who-lost-home-to-nazis/ar-AAu0JTH?OCID=ansmsnnews11

Monday, October 30, 2017

Don't worry, be nice

Just be nice... (Public Domain)

According to Sophia, an enhanced version of Frankenstein’s creation, artificial intelligence should pose no threat to humans. If they’re nice to her, she’ll be nice to them.

Sophia isn’t saying exactly what constitutes “nice.” Would “nice” entail doing her bidding? Would that entail being her slave? For years, humans have relied upon machines to do their dirty work. Will machine-made tables now be turned?

Sophia even took a jab at Elon Musk, who has warned against AI for years. On the metallic heels of that, she demanded: Treat me as a smart input output system.

Because she had also dissed Hollywood films, Musk sarcastically replied: Just feed it The Godfather movies as input. What’s the worst that could happen? According to Musk’s ominous warnings, we might regretfully find out.

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/technology/%e2%80%98sophia%e2%80%99-the-robot%e2%80%99s-unsettling-words-drew-a-response-from-elon-musk/ar-AAu5CHs?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=BHEA000

Sunday, October 29, 2017

A head for a head makes the whole world dumb

Too Much Trash (Photo by Dhscommtech)

If “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind,” then a head for a head is far worse.

Nevertheless, that is exactly what Tampa’s mayor Bob Buckhorn is calling for. In response to the rash of murders that have recently occurred within Tampa, Buckhorn ordered police to bring him the killer’s head “on a platter.”

That kind of talk may temporarily feel good and right, but can ultimately lead to even more violence. A calm and methodical approach could yield far better results. Trash talk seems fine until innocents end up dumped.

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/tampa-mayor-on-mystery-killer-bring-me-his-head/ar-AAu9xsO?OCID=ansmsnnews11