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Bryan Johnson, a tech CEO and health influencer, doesn’t want himself or other people to die, and he is willing to use all the technology in the world to make that happen–but is that a choice he should make? For as long as man has walked the Earth, he has wanted to cheat death. Today’s world just provides more tools than ever to attempt to do so. Bryan Johnson’s story and purpose are an interesting one. His personal crusade against human aging is bringing new attention to the philosophical and ethical questions that spring up from augmenting man with technology. This speaks to a very intrinsic (and flawed) facet of human nature that has been experiencing a renaissance in recent decades with the development of transhumanism.
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Who is Bryan Johnson? And what does transhumanism mean to a Biblical worldview?
Early Life
Bryan Johnson was born in Provo, Utah, and raised nearby in Springville. He is the middle child of three, and was raised in the Church of Latter-Day Saints. His parents divorced at a young age, and he, his mom, and his siblings went to live with his stepfather, who owned a trucking company. At 19, he went to Ecuador for two years as a Latter-Day Saints missionary—a custom that nearly all Mormon youth engage in.
Later on, he graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2003 and then earned a Master’s in Business Administration at the University of Chicago in 2007. Throughout his college years in the early 2000s, he also kept himself busy with multiple business ventures, helping to pay his way through school while also gaining experience as a serial entrepreneur. These early startups range from selling cell phones to building communication platforms to trying his hand in real estate.
A Career in Entrepreneurship
In 2007, Johnson started an e-commerce company called Braintree. The company was a success. Braintree purchased Venmo before it was sold to PayPal in 2013, earning hundreds of millions of dollars for Johnson. After that, he started the OS Fund in 2014, showing his increasing interest in technology by investing in early-stage science endeavors.
In 2016, he graduated from investing in new technology to getting involved in it himself. He founded Kernel, a tech company that specializes in designing non-invasive brain-reading devices. Johnson has been spearheading the development of hardware platforms that use high-tech neuro-imaging software. The applications for such devices are vast. It’s been a hit for investors, and it received millions of dollars by 2020.
Project Blueprint
It was around this time that Johnson, now an established multi-millionaire, began his anti-aging journey. In 2021, he announced “Project Blueprint”—an expansive initiative that is attempting to artificially extend the human body’s lifespan, starting with his own. Johnson is using every health hack and medical expert he can muster to maintain a strict lifestyle regimen that involves everything from technologically optimized exercise routines to a completely plant-based dietary plan. He has focused his resources on constantly monitoring all of his bodily functions. From his brainwaves to his reproductive health, he’s technologically micro-managing everything he can. Johnson has even received multiple blood plasma transfusions, one of which was from his own son, just to try to optimize his health.
The Danger of Transhumanism
What does this all mean from a Biblical worldview? Nothing Good. Johnson’s project is just another attempt by people to bastardize God’s creation. Transhumanism fundamentally seeks to augment and “perfect” the human form so that we may transcend our inherent limitations (In other words, become like “gods”). This has never been a conducive way of life, and it never will. Many men throughout history have sought everlasting health to no avail. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:14) And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:7) All in all, it’s safe to say that we can’t “bio hack” our way to eternity. Everlasting life can only be achieved through a relationship with the Messiah.
How Can We Pray for Bryan Johnson?
First and foremost, we should pray that the plans and purposes of Bryan Johnson and other like-minded transhumanists be rendered null. Trying to circumvent God’s design never leads to anything good for people.
Secondly, we should pray for Bryan Johnson himself. Pray that whatever false teaching he received in his former life, coming from a Mormon family, does not prevent him from seeking a relationship with the true God. Pray that Christ-like examples be allowed to enter his life, and that his heart and mind would be opened to Jesus’ teaching and purpose.
Lastly, pray that Bryan Johnson’s zeal and drive for improving people’s lives be used by God to represent his kingdom. Pray that Bryan Johnson repents and focuses his energy on seeking Jesus.
How are you praying for Bryan Johnson and about his transhumanist plans? Share your prayers below.
T.K. Robinson is a student and part-time (amateur) philosopher. In his downtime, he enjoys reading, music, and chronic daydreaming. His Scripture-oriented commentary usually involves the younger generation (especially Gen Z). He wants to shed light on important current events regarding his peers and share insights from a Biblical perspective. Photo Credit: Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash.
