Unbound: Freedom in a Digital WorldSýnishorn

Having finished Philippians, we now move into the shortest of Paul's prison letters, Philemon. This is a personal letter from Paul to a man named Philemon concerning a slave named Onesimus. Paul writes this letter because Onesimus has run away from his master Philemon and has wound up with Paul in prison. It's unclear what circumstances led to his departure and connection with Paul but we do know a few things about the circumstances.

First, it is unlawful for Paul, who is a Roman citizen, to know the whereabouts of Onesimus and not return him to his master Philemon. Despite being flogged and arrested many times, Paul never actually blatantly disobeyed Roman rule. Second, scholars have recently pointed out a possible reason that Onesimus is with Paul. If a slave felt as though they were being treated severely harshly by their master, they would occasionally flee to a close friend or social superior of their master rather than the government in the hopes that this person would reason with their master and return them to a better situation. This was a risky move, but in some circumstances it was worth the risk. Third, both Philemon and Onesimus are Christians. In fact, Philemon and Onesimus came to faith through the preaching of Paul, although it appears Onesimus only recently converted (v. 10). Evidently, Philemon hosts the local church in his own home. So Paul is attempting through this letter to keep the peace in the church by appeasing both Philemon and the Roman government while also subtly teaching on the wrongs of slavery and pushing for Onesimus’s release. That's quite a balance to hold, especially in a world in which one in every three people is a slave.

The early church included this letter as scripture not just because it was written by Paul but also because it gives insight into the Christian perspective on slavery. In this short study, we can't cover everything concerning the Christian perspective on slavery, but I want to call attention to one specific issue that Paul addressed in this letter. Of the many things that are terribly wrong and sinful about slavery, one of the worst aspects is the way that slavery dehumanizes a person created in the image and likeness of God. In our sinful humanities lust for power and authority, we have wrongly attempted many times in many places to force other humans to live and breathe as less than human. We have enslaved them and treated them as commodities.

Although most translations footnote it, Paul addresses this issue with a play on words that we might miss today. The name Onesimus means “useful.” So in v. 11, Paul is making quite a statement about Onesimus as a person when he says, “formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.” Paul is arguing that Philemon needs to recognize that Onesimus is more than just a commodity to be bought and sold. He is a person created in God’s image and, through his recent conversion, being formed into Christlikeness. He has meaning and purpose. He is not useless; he is Onesimus. Paul refuses to allow Onesimus’s status as a slave to make him any less human.

Many modern philosophers and futurists are pointing to the fact that, ironically, as we try to make our digital devices more human-like, they are making us less human. We add human voices and connect digital devices further and more intimately to us through smart watches, Google glasses, etc. Of course, in this quest to humanize our devices, we cannot make them any more human, but we do move ourselves further out of our humanity.

The futurist Yuval Noah Harari puts it this way, “This will not happen in a day, or in a year. Indeed, it is already happening right now, through innumerable mundane actions. Every day, millions of people decide to grant their smartphones a bit more control over their lives or try a new and more effective antidepressant drug. In pursuit of health, happiness, and power, humans will gradually change first one of their features and then another, and another, until they will no longer be human.”

We will continue this discussion tomorrow, but for today I just want you to notice the way that our digital technology can be used to both strengthen and weaken our humanity. Practice noticing this dehumanization today by checking what is referred to as your digital wellbeing on your phone. Go to settings and search for digital wellbeing on Android or Screen Time on iPhone. Notice not only how many minutes a day you engage with your phone, but also what apps are being used. Is your phone being used as a tool of communication to strengthen and encourage your humanity, or is it being used to pull you further away from others so as to dehumanize you? Are you texting with friends or lost in a digital world?