By David M. Carollo
I began writing this article on Memorial Day, a day that evokes patriotism and gratitude. At least I hope that it does. Not to honor the many who have given their lives for our nation, even if you don’t agree with actions that brought us into a particular conflict, is an insult to those of commitment who questioned little and gave all. The “greatest generation”, as Tom Brokow referred to those who fought in the Second World War, had a simpler vision. My parent’s generation, who grew up during the Great Depression, entered this second attempt at a “war to end all wars” not with great debate but with a sense of service. They knew that many would not return, but they understood the value of duty as they faithfully went forth, imbued with patriotism and the belief that we would triumph against the godless “isms” in the world.
The warnings of Our Lady of Fatima, that we had descended into a world of dehumanization, became more apparent in that war. I cringe at the condescending criticism sometimes leveled at those who, without hesitation, enter military service. They are motivated by the same sense of duty which leads missionaries to leave their homes in the developed world to bring the Faith to those less fortunate. Pope Leo XIV, who grew up in the same middle-class Chicago neighborhood as I did but decided that his mission to those in South America was his calling, is an example of this. I applaud this spirit.
It is undeniably true that war is a punishment for sin, as we were told at Fatima. Sin, and more generally a focus on things not of God, brings about an inordinate view of our very existence. It makes sense that when we gravitate towards the secular vision of our world we minimize the dignity of creation. When we fall away from the focus on God as both the author of life and the One who determines when all life ends, arguments about human mortality seem moot. Life becomes disposable. Pope St. John Paul II spoke of a “culture of death” which if we are to survive at all must be replaced with a “culture of life”. Reducing humanity to a commodity which supports or opposes our desires is a dangerous road to follow. War is one of the key factors that blur our vision of humanity.
Dehumanization is the greatest tool of the oppressor, that is the act of reducing victims to less than human status in order to justify everything from slavery to murder. And unfortunately, war is not the only tool for accomplishing this oppression. The very existence of artificial intelligence is potentially dehumanizing, but like any tool or technology it is morally neutral. No inanimate object has a conscience, only those using the object possess the intent to use it for a good or bad. Pope Leo XIV released his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas this week. The focus of this document is a warning that all technology must serve humanity, not concentrate power or erode human dignity.
It is true that objects and systems only cause evil either by the intent of the user or accidental misuse. No object makes a moral choice. Artificial Intelligence, the boogeyman of the day, must be looked at in the same way as any tool in the past, as something with great potential for good but also a danger when used improperly. If we turn over our thought process to this technology, we are on the road to misuse and abuse. If we harness it properly, we can have a powerful force as an ally for good. Fire provides heat for our homes, the means for cooking and, historically, to light our way. It also has the potential to destroy if not harnessed properly or used by a malicious force.
The evidence brought forth after the fall of the Nazis and later the Communists in Eastern Europe vindicates this theory. The ongoing atrocities which are ongoing in communist countries today and, oh yes, even in our highly sophisticated Western world, stand witness to the reality that we lack the dedication to righteous service which God demands of a just people. It all begins when we turn our focus away from God and His laws given in the Old Testament, ratified by Christ, taught by the Church, and reinforced in later private revelation. This is remedied only when we convert, that is turn back our thought processes. Sounds simple, perhaps too simple for our over-intellectual but under-realistic minds. If the number of abortions committed in our country alone is staggering, worldwide it accounts for numbers which are hard to comprehend. And now, euthanasia is an ever-increasing cause of death in the West. Once again, our sophisticated minds think they have found a “better solution” to perennial human problems. Ponder the sad possibility that a person destined to solve some of the major problems facing humanity in our present or future has been convinced that their life should end due to an illness or other temporary misfortune. We may never know that answer here on earth. As sad as it is when war destroys life, how much sadder when we declare a war on ourselves and our future. Our Lady said at Fatima that “nations will be annihilated.” I am afraid that we are the ones on track to fulfill that prophecy!
God breathed life into Adam and gave him the free will to use it properly or improperly. Although he and Eve chose wrongly, they returned to right thinking and once again came into the mindset established by God. Their repentance shows that even when God punishes He is always ready to forgive, when faced with true contrition and conversion of heart.
Artificial intelligence, nuclear weapons, and the highest technology are nothing compared to the power of Almighty God. If we choose to stay close to His word, nothing can keep us from succeeding in leading the world going forward. The Holy Father further states in his encyclical “either construct a new Tower of Babel or build a city in which God and humanity dwell together.” This is our challenge today.
As we approach the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation, let’s ponder the words of the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. The they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” This is the focus that we must keep in mind as a nation and indeed as a world going forward. This focus on God and His never changing law, as expressed by our Founding Fathers and the Fathers of the Church, can override all the pitfalls that our modern world throws at us.
God bless you and Mary keep you in her Immaculate Heart.
If you would like to contact me, please do so at [email protected].
David M. Carollo is the Executive Director of the World Apostolate of Fatima USA/National Blue Army Shrine. He wrote this for his Voice of Fatima column.
If you would like to comment on this post, please contact him at [email protected].
