Apes and Peacocks

Without addressing the causes of a problem, no appropriate solution can be found. This is especially true for self-inflicted problems.

In this year of 2026, there are social and political changes happening which remind me of the “Apes and Peacocks”, that are mentioned in the bible.

Referring to King Solomon:

1 Kings 10:22

[22] For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. (ESV)

In the book “Orientalism’s of the Bible”, Bishop K.C. Pillai discusses the “apes and peacocks”(1)

(As Solomon walked away from God) “…No longer could he rely on God for his security. Everyone became suspect. No one could be trusted. So, he decided he must follow the example of other kings. Here enter the apes.

Many Eastern monarchs used apes to guard their palaces. They were trained and would always act in accordance with their training. Therefore, they were more loyal than human guards, for intrigue and insurrection were commonplace in the courts of kings all through the ages. The king would actually trust his physical well-being to an ape.” (2)

“…Since Solomon no longer knew the smile of God on his life, he had to turn somewhere else for prosperity. So he brought in the peacocks. The peacock was a symbol of the presence of God. The thought was that wherever the peacock was, there also was the blessing and prosperity of God.” (3)

Technological Apes and Peacocks

Socially and politically, the American and European public are experiencing problems due to the lack of godly integrity in the government and society at large. There is no national response to return to God. Instead there is a growing reaction to employ technology to remediate the moral and spiritual degradation of the citizens of our society. It is thought that with the right technology our plans and processes can prosper!

National or Federal ID

To protect our elections and to protect our children’s experiences on the internet, there is a growing desire for a national or federal ID. This is quite a change, as I remember that such an ID was an abomination to much of the public in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Here are some remarks from research I did with GAB AI:

“Resistance to Federalized Education IDs

During the 1960s, the push for federal standards in education through the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) triggered intense local backlash. Parents and school boards in conservative districts across the South and Midwest explicitly rejected federal data-gathering efforts, viewing them as an intrusion by an alien, centralized authority into local community life. The resistance to standardized testing and the social profiling of students reflected a broader rejection of the “serial number” approach to the human soul.

Summary of the Era

The fundamental conflict was between the technocratic view of the citizen as a unit of production and the traditional view of the citizen as a sovereign being.

The government’s push for centralization during these two decades was largely driven by a post-war consensus that favored efficiency, tracking, and the “rational” management of society. The resistance, conversely, was fueled by a memory of what had happened to nations that allowed their governments to categorize and number their populations. This is why Americans historically view the “National ID” not as a convenience, but as a precursor to tyranny. The rejection was an instinctive, patriotic act of defiance against the erasure of individual sovereignty.”

So now, here we are. Cries for a federal or national ID are multiplying, because of child safety and election integrity concerns.

AI and Robots

Recently, there are announcements of the planned deployment of AI and AI enabled Robots for use in areas of life where humans are not so trustworthy. An example of AI deployment is in the government DOGE program to trace and track the origin and final destination of government funds. Two examples of robot deployment are in classrooms as teachers, and in the homes of the elderly for assisted living.

The Illusion of Safety by Technology

Increasingly, proposed solutions to aspects of problems in our nation are to simply replace untrustworthy, unreliable and immoral people with technology.

AI is trained with content generated by those same people who are to be replaced. The programming is conducted by those who are to be replaced.

Robots are machines that are subject to breakdowns and failures. They are insecure systems that can be hacked and reprogrammed for other purposes.

“Without addressing the causes of a problem, no appropriate solution can be found. This is especially true for self-inflicted problems.“

These technologies are marketed as solutions to provide safety or to increase safety for humanity. In essence they will save us from ourselves. This statement expresses two factors. First, the problems of our society appear to be self-inflicted. Second, humanity continues its’ search for a savior. Acceptance of the savior Jesus Christ as Lord addresses both factors. The life we seek is to be found by way HIM, not technology!

The resolution to all the issues of life start with this:

Romans 10:9–10

[9] because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (ESV)

Real life is found in your relationship with God by way of the accomplishments of Jesus Christ our savior!

2026 Keith Radcliffe

(1) “Orientalism’s of the Bible”, Bishop K.C. Pillai. ISBN 0-910068-55-0

(2) Chapter 12, “The Supplier of Every Need”, page 90

(3) Chapter 12, “The Supplier of Every Need”, page 92