A different take on Genesis

Dear Rabbi Aron Moss,

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Savior.

I recently read your thoughtful article on Chabad.org titled "Will AI Take Over the World?" I deeply appreciated your perspective on humanity's tendency to create powerful tools and struggle with the moral responsibility required to steward them. Your observations regarding the lessons of the Flood, the Tower of Babel, and the call of Abraham offer a profound framework for thinking about the ethical boundaries of technology.

At the same time, as I read your assertion that the book of Genesis is primarily about humanity's rebellion against a Creator—comparable to a creation or a robot rebelling against its maker—I felt compelled to write to you. From a Christian reading of the text, describing Genesis merely as a record of human failure or mechanical rebellion presents a very limited view of what Genesis is truly about.

In Christian theology, Genesis certainly begins with man falling into sin, but that is far from the whole narrative arc. The story of Genesis is the grand prologue of divine redemption. It is a book that sets the stage for a promise—beginning with the prōtē euangelion in Genesis 3:15—that God Himself would provide a way to reconcile a fallen humanity.

Furthermore, as the narrative unfolds and moves through the patriarchs, it ultimately builds toward the rich tapestry of Joseph's life. In Christian understanding, Joseph serves as a magnificent prototype and shadow of what Christ would ultimately be. Consider the striking parallels: Joseph was beloved by his father, betrayed by his own brethren, sold for pieces of silver, falsely accused, and cast into suffering. Yet, what was meant for evil, God used for good, elevating Joseph to the right hand of power to save not only his family, but the very nations from starvation. In the same way, Jesus Christ suffered rejection and crucifixion at the hands of His own people, yet through His humiliation and exaltation, He became the Savior of the world, providing the ultimate bread of life to all who come to Him.

Where your article looks to human moral cultivation—following the example of Abraham to instill a moral compass from within—the Christian reading points to a divine rescuer. We recognize, just as you do, that artificial intelligence cannot generate true morality and that humanity's heart is deeply flawed. However, our hope does not rest solely on our ability to govern our technology through moral self-correction; it rests on the finished work of the One whom Joseph prefigured.

Thank you once again for your engaging and timely insights on faith and technology. It is always a blessing to reflect on the deep roots of the Torah and see how they continue to speak into the questions of our modern age.

Warm regards in Christ,

Ozhamada

Book review: The Mind Strength Method: Four steps to curb anxiety, conquer worry and build resilience

The Mind Strength Method: Four steps to curb anxiety, conquer worry and build resilience, by Jodie Lowinger is a solid self-help book. I recommend it for anyone who wants to build or retore their mental vitality.

The book is available for purchase here.

Jodie's The Anxiety Clinic is proximate to my workplace. Jodie attended my workplace to present the book's four step method. 

I then read the book.

If you only have time to read one part of this book, then go directly to the diagram on page 219. I've copied the diagram below. 

The diagram indicates a core concept of the book: that destructive thought cycles need to be broken in favour of productive thought cycles. And, best of all Jodie advocates for baby steps rather than singular leaps. The diagram struck me as a summary of the whole of the book.

Finally, there is my Pythonesque mind; the rote response that the receptionist at The Anxiety Clinic gives to all clients [Gemini AI generated image]

Shalom,
Ozhamada

Note: this review links from my Goodreads account.

 

Zero room for moral compromise

 "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we do not live out the truth." (1 John 1:5-6 NIV)

St. John’s Cathedral’s Sunday 27 September 2026 "Pride Choral Evensong" sermon champions a dangerous cultural pivot, framing the church's embrace of secular intersectionality and LGBTIQA+ identity politics as a triumphant evolution. Preacher Allana Wales lauds the parish for replacing biblical boundaries with the "god of diversity and inclusion," celebrating how the institution has seemingly merged its identity with the progress pride flag.

Scripture, however, offers a scathing critique of this syncretism. 

1 John 1:5-6 declares that God is absolute light and truth, leaving zero room for moral compromise or spiritual darkness. By asserting that the church has "always comprised" these ideologies and needs to transform its theology around human constructs, the sermon walks squarely in darkness while claiming fellowship with light.

Instead of calling sinners to repentance and holiness, this sermon bows to cultural pressure, trading divine truth for human validation. The true church abandons God whenever it replaces the unchanging standard of His Word with the shifting, secular altar of inclusivity.

This sermon serves as a poetic and ideological bookend to Dean Peter Catt’s eighteen-year tenure, which abruptly concluded following heavy public backlash over allowing the Cathedral to be used for filming an OnlyFans-focused reality television series involving adult-content creators. The controversy—sparked by a segment featuring a faux-religious reaffirmation ceremony inside the sacred space— precipitated Catt's retirement after critics argued it crossed the line from radical inclusivity into the secular commodification of the church. 

Was this sermon - last preached of Catt's tenure - a defiant double-down on the exact theological trajectory that defined his departure?. When progressive secular values and identity politics are framed synonymously with divine work there is a blurring of the lines between institutional orthodoxy and modern cultural movements.

Weep Brisbane for your Cathedral. 

Mourn and lament. 

Shalom,

Ozhamada

The sermon is available in full text at this link to the Cathedral's website.

The church is playing games.

Book review - Human Skills in the Age of AI: Insights for Local Government Leadership

Having just finished Andrea Iorio’s Between You and AI: Unlock the Power of Human Skills to Thrive in an AI-Driven World, I was struck by how directly its core thesis applies to public sector governance and workforce transformation.

Iorio presents a compelling blueprint for navigating digital transformation across three critical dimensions: cognitive, behavioural, and emotional. Rather than viewing artificial intelligence as an existential threat to human labour, the book argues that AI should be seen as a new tool, just as the printing press was a new tool. When the printing press emerged, it didn’t replace human thought or authority; it democratised information, expanded access to knowledge, and fundamentally shifted human effort toward synthesis, evaluation, and higher-order reasoning. AI represents an identical evolutionary leap.

For operational leaders, thriving alongside AI requires shifting our day-to-day behaviours in three vital ways:

1. Shift from Execution to Critical Evaluation

Instead of relying on AI to perform our thinking, workers must adopt the mindset of an editor and auditor of AI output. In local government—where compliance, fairness, and public trust are paramount—the key behaviour is rigorous verification: validating context, challenging algorithmic bias, and ensuring public policy decisions remain anchored in human judgment.

2. Embrace Experimentation over Friction Resistance

Rather than treating AI as a fixed solution, workers need to treat it as an interactive thought partner. Adapting effectively means building hybrid workflows—testing prompts, iterative refinement, and actively exploring how automated tools can absorb routine processing so staff can focus on high-touch community engagement.

3. Double Down on Uniquely Human Capabilities

AI can synthesise vast amounts of structured data, but it cannot navigate complex stakeholder politics, exercise empathy, or establish community trust. The behaviour workers must double down on is relational leadership—leveraging emotional intelligence, nuanced communication, and ethics where machines simply cannot add value.

The Bottom Line

AI won't replace professionals, but professionals who effectively leverage AI will replace those who don't. By adopting the right behavioural framework, we ensure technology serves as a powerful force multiplier for our teams and our communities.