Ethics, Innovation, and Controversies: The Line Between Can and Should

Hi, there, listeners! It’s time for Episode 115 of Faithful on the Clock, the podcast where every piece of popcorn goes pop to get your faith and work aligned. Today, we’re talking innovation, but not just trends or strategy. I’m talking about some of the most out-there goals of the hottest startups and thought leaders, and I’m looking at just how ethical and Biblical those goals are. Put another way, when it comes to innovation, where’s the line for Christians between can and should? Let’s roll, everybody.

Anybody who’s spent any time in the business world probably has heard the idea that, if you wanna be successful, you have to push limits. You’ve gotta break boundaries and try things nobody has ever done. And that’s not to say that, you know, incremental changes don’t have value. It’s just to say that big change or being disruptive usually means entertaining ideas that most people would at least initially think are pretty out there or wild. Sometimes, rather than building on what we’ve done, we change the game or what people expect entirely.

So, taking that idea, we’re reaching a point where tons more is possible than it used to be. You know, technology has advanced so much that concepts that wouldn’t have been feasible a decade or even a few years ago now really are viable. And in a lot of ways, that’s incredibly exciting. I think we’re able to be creative and build things in really positive ways, and we’re looking at how to solve problems better. So, healthcare is a really good example. You know, using technology for things like detecting cancer or giving somebody a robotic arm that’s neurologically controlled or something like that, those aren’t Moon Shot ideas anymore. And I think we’re entering this age where that’s changing how people think about innovation in general. We’re not as automatically dismissive of concepts anymore. You know, we give ourselves a little more time to consider whether something is logistically viable or could be in the future. And when you couple that with changes in how people are approaching raising capital through options like crowdfunding, it’s a really encouraging time for entrepreneurs and innovators to be putting their ideas out there.

But even as our innovation is doing all this good, we’re also entering an age where we are approaching — and in some cases, crossing — ethical lines. You know, we’re so enamored with the potential in front of us that I think we’re struggling to slow down and intentionally control whether we move forward from an ethical and moral standpoint. And probably the most obvious example I can give you here is artificial intelligence. That technology, yes, it can do a lot of good, like I was pointing out in healthcare. But it’s also moving so fast that we’re seeing a lot of protests around it where people are just like, “Okay, we need to think about the ramifications of what we’re doing.” And in a lot of ways, I think it’s getting away from us, where now people think that just because the train has left the proverbial station, they have to jump on or there’s no way to stop it. And so, now more than ever, we’re seeing startups or funding of more and more controversial ideas.

Now, just to help you wrap your head around the kind of stuff I’m talking about, if you think about a company like SpaceX and all the work Elon Musk is trying to do to get to Mars, the idea is that human beings will be able to colonize other places in space. And that’s got a lot of value from the standpoint of, you know, science and exploring and all of that. But underneath all of that is this undercurrent that the Earth is running out of time, and that we have to figure out the problem of how to do space travel if we want human beings to survive. And so, from that standpoint, you can look at SpaceX and think, “What in the world are we doing?” You know, God put us on this Earth to steward and take care of it. And the science we’ve got really says we’re failing at that job pretty miserably. So, from the Christian perspective, the dilemma is, maybe exploring other places God has made isn’t a horrible concept, but to just, you know, turn our backs on the planet is really questionable.

As a second example, there are companies now that are trying to preserve the human body. One of the more recent ones is Bio, and they offer a cryogenic freezing process under the idea that someday we might be able to reanimate corpses. And some pretty big names have put money behind these, and I use this word intentionally, what I’ll call resurrection companies. Peter Thiel, you might know who he is, but he’s a big tech investor. And he’s come right out and said that even though he’s got doubts about whether it’ll all work, but when he was asked whether renaimating the human body is something we should do, he said, and I quote, “We haven’t even tried. We should either conquer death or at least figure out why it’s impossible.” Now, I hope you can see how this type of venture in particular might upset God a little bit. Because if you believe in Jesus, if you believe in the Scriptures, then you know that the power of resurrection is not a matter of process or technology, right? It’s a matter of faith. And companies like this, they really distort the fact that God did something miraculous on the cross. They try to take the control of life that God has and transfer it onto people. Now, that’s not to say that people don’t have any control over death. We know that the disciples, other people like Elijah, they raised people from the dead. But the key is, they did it through God. They weren’t out there saying, “Look what I can do! Aren’t I so awesome!” They prayed and asked God to help, and God just responded to their prayers. So, they didn’t distort the source of what was happening, and in fact, they made it a point to glorify God whenever God allowed them to perform that type of miracle. And that is very different from a company like Bio that’s based on the idea that human beings potentially can bring each other back to life completely on their own. And even if we were to solve the physical part of reanimation, nobody’s addressing the fact that, you know, you’ve got a soul. And absolutely nobody can pinpoint exactly what that is or how it functions and makes you, you. They’re ignoring the fact that the soul is absolutely something God keeps in safekeeping.

So, essentially, what it boils down to is, with a lot of this stuff, we’re asking ourselves whether we can. You know, it’s all about whether it’s technically feasible or whether there’s the potential to set a new trend, right? And really, I think the better or more important question is whether we should. And if you wanna get that right, there’s only one option, and that’s just to learn as much through your Bible and prayer as you possibly can. You have to be constantly asking whether the innovation violates the intentions and character of God. And if you’re really thinking of the idea of service, of stewardship, which we talked about in Episode 110, you’re also thinking about who benefits and why. You’re considering how you are helping God with everything you’re doing.

Now, what’s the key to all of this? Ultimately, it’s humility. It’s the ability to set aside your ego. Because I think a lot of entrepreneurs or innovators, you know, it’s not just about conquering a worthy challenge. It’s also a lot about making a name for themselves, right? Standing out. Becoming a big name. Having influence. I mean, you say the name Neil Armstrong and most people immediately say, “Hey, that guy was the first person to walk on the moon.” Or, you know, Henry Ford, first guy to really use an assembly line. But when you’re operating with God at the front of your mind, it’s not about your name. It’s about His. And within all of this, you have an understanding that discernment is important. And so you become like King Solomon. And you ask God to give you the wisdom about what’s going to help people and what’s not. And that’s not just a short-term issue, either. You’re looking generations down the road and considering the influence your decisions are gonna have waaaaaay into the future. And you’re thinking about wellbeing from every angle, including whether what you’re doing is supporting the faith other people have. Any time an innovation has the potential to put a millstone around anybody’s neck, you have the courage to say no. You just say, “No, I’m not gonna move forward with that, no matter how much money or fame it could bring me.” And people might look at you like you’re crazy for that. As a matter of fact, that’s pretty much guaranteed. Jesus already said that if you follow Him, the world is gonna be not-so-nice to you. But isn’t that the spirit of innovation? Isn’t that what it’s all about, doing something different? So, if you have the courage to break the rules of the world anyway, all I’m suggesting is that you let God dictate how you’re gonna do that. You’re just taking that gift of being able to think differently and making an intentional choice about the values you’re going to pursue and uphold.

So, to wrap up, I just want to leave you with the thought that, even though it might be difficult to stand up against the world and innovate in a way that’s ethical and pleases God, every time you have to explain why you are or are not pursuing a venture, that is an opportunity to preach. It’s your opportunity to tell people what you stand for and why it matters. And when I say preach, please understand, I’m not saying you’ve gotta get up on stage in front of hundreds of people or anything, all right? Sometimes, you just start by telling somebody whether you’re comfortable. And then in the next conversation you say what your values are. The next conversation, you make sure people know where those values come from. It can be a process, right? But you’re willing to have those organic interactions and be honest through them, and when the moment comes for you to tell people that you’re following Jesus and to invite them to keep learning with you, you don’t shy away from it.

So, hopefully that gives you some direction on how to handle innovation as everybody is out there trying to compete. If you would, let’s just take a minute to pray together.

Lord, You’re the King of a lot of things, and breaking limits is one of them. But the reasons You broke limits were always selfless. And today I pray for all the leaders and innovators out there that you would make them humble enough to break limits in the same way. Make it clear to them what to pursue and what to leave behind and help them get past all of the temptations that are gonna be in the way. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

I’m about out of time, everybody. But I wanna give you a heads up about our next episode, because I’m welcoming Old Testament scholar Sandra Richter to the podcast. We’ll be talking about why the Old Testament holds value for you as a professional and chatting with her about her latest work, including insights about the story of Deborah. I’ll see you in two weeks for that, everybody. Until then, be blessed.