The ouroboros, from the Greek for "eating the tail" is an ancient symbol of self-reference.

In mathematics, something that refers to itself is called recursive.

In mathematics, a relation (or condition) that refers to itself in a true way is called reflexive.

Note: Cats will sometimes go after their own tail without realizing that it is their tail.

Have you ever heard someone say that when you point one finger against someone else, there are three fingers pointing back at you?

This is an interesting example of self-reference.

Let us go through the pattern. Start with humans.

Humans like to invent and create things. Then who created us? More on that later.

Humans create robots that are increasingly powerful, and become almost human.

The word "robot" comes from a Karel Capek 1920 play from the Czech word "robotnik" that means "forced worker" (or slave). The "nik" at the end is a Slavic way to refer to someone who does something, as in "sputnik", "beatnik", "peacenik", etc.

This Czech word "robotnik" has Slavic roots. Note that so many Slavs were made slaves that, over time, the word "slave" comes from the reference to the Slavs. The word for the Slavs is in the names of some Slavic countries.

• Slovakia
• Yugoslavia
• Slovenia

The English word "serf" was used prior to the word "slave". The word "serf" comes from the Latin word "servus" from which we get he word "serve" as in a "servant".

In Slavic languages, such as Russian, the actual word for Slavic is related to the word for "word" as "слово" and the word for "glory" as "слава".

This correspondence between the word for "word", "glory", and "Slav" gave special meaning to the Old Church Slavonic translation of the Gospel of John into Slavic, and later other Slavic languages such as Russian.

The Latin word for "word" is "Verbum" from which we get the English word "verb". Did you know that the word "verb" is a noun! And if you "noun" or "nounify" a word, then the word "noun" is being used as a verb.

And, later in John, we can see the correspondence of the word for "glory".

Enough side trails, we have debts to pay, so it is "I owe, I owe, it's back to work I go".

The Russian (Slavic) word "работать" (ra-bo-tat) means "work".

The modern Greek word for work is «δουλειά» which in Bible times meant a slave type of work.

The Slavic word for work based on variations of "robot" goes back to PIE (Proto Indo-European) roots and is related to the German word for work "Arbeit" which originally was more like "a-ra-bite" where the "ra-bite" is related to "ro-bot".

The Nazi's in World War II had a sign outside a concentration and slave labor camp that read "Arbeit macht frei" meaning, in a gruesome way, "Work makes free".

So, humans create robots that are increasingly powerful, and become almost human.

Science fiction writers, news reporters, etc., write stories about robots trying to take over. Will they achieve that goal, or would we humans just laugh at them (the robots) trying to take over.

Can robots take over the world? This is a popular theme in books, movies, etc.

Mary Shelley's book Frankenstein (1818)

R.U.R. Czech play by Karel Capek. (1920, robota meaning worker/slave in Czech)

The Matrix (1999, movie, the world is a digital simulation)

Robots taking over is not the Star Wars clones, which are robot types used by humans to take over the world.

Nor is in Artificial Intelligence robots to make life easier (factory automation, self-driving cars, etc.).

This is robots taking over as if they own the place and are in control of humans.

The science fiction writer Isaac Asimov created three laws of robots that are popular in science fiction writing.

• #1:A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
• #2: A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
• #3: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
• #0: A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm. (added later)

Such robots would have been created in the image of humans, with distinctly human characteristics, but yet, robots.

God created humans in the image of God, with distinctly God-like characteristics, but yet, human.

Are humans (like the robots that some humans fear) trying to take over from God?

Would the creator God take that threat seriously, or just laugh at the human attempts to challenge God?

Do we see humans revolting against a creator God?

Does this reaction appear much more often than not?

Let us look at the chapter of Psalms 2, written about a thousand years before Christ was crucified.

Do people rage against the creator God? Consider Psalms 2, as follows.

The "vain" thing here is, in Greek, «κενα» which is something that is empty or void. What are some empty things that humans might imagine? The Latin is "inania" meaning silly or empty-headed, from which we get the word "inane".

Do the people rage against the "anointed" one? Who might the "anointed" one be?

In the LXX (Septuagint) Greek, the "anointed" one is «χριστου» which is, in English the "Christ", as in "Jesus". The word "Christ" means "anointed", which is what is done when something or someone is "christened".

What are the "bands"? The Greek here is «δεσμους» or "bonds" as in restrictive chains. What are the "cords"? Are we puppets activated by strings? The Greek here is «ζυγον» or "yoke".

When someone asked me if I wanted to go see a puppet show, I asked if there were strings attached.

Will the creator God take action? What type of action?

Do you get the idea that a conversation is going on in heaven? Might it include the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost/Spirit?

The Greek word here is that of a "mountain". Ancient Greek does not appear to have had any word for "hill" as we call a hill.
Which "King" has been set on the holy hill (mountain) of Zion? What we call mountains in Pennsylvania are called hills by those from the Rocky Mountains out West.

Has the Father begotten the Son on this day? What day?

When the Son asks, shall he be given the heathen (us) for his inheritance?

Has the son asked? The LXX Greek for "heathen" here is «εθνη» meaning nations or ethnicities and from which we get the word "ethnic". Paul talks often about this "inheritance".

Details are left as a future topic.

This is an allusion to the potter and the clay. We are the clay, he is the potter. (see below)

What should be doing instead of rebelling?

Do you fear God? What exactly does that mean?

From the KJV (King James Version), do we embrace the Son? From the LXX, do we accept correction?

What happens when the wrath of the Son is kindled? Is this related to the "avenger of blood"? In whom do you place your "trust"? Do we see some of this revealed in the "Revelation to John" from the Son, Jesus the Christ?

Does the clay have power over the potter that created it?

Can the clay by good or bad, one to honor, one to dishonor? Is everyone "good"? Is everyone "bad"? How might one make those distinctions?

A song based in the idea of a "potter" and "clay" is Song: Have thine own way Lord.

Isaiah used the same analogy of the "potter" and the "clay". Shall we deny the potter that created the pot from clay?

Some hold the view that the first verse is from the "first Isaiah" and the second from the "other Isaiah".

More: The two Isaiahs

Let us revise/rewrite Asimov's laws for robots in terms of humans and God and see if anything makes sense.

• #1:A human may not injure God or, through inaction, allow God to come to harm.
• #2: A human must obey orders given it by God except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
• #3: A human must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
• #0: A human may not harm God, or, by inaction, allow God to come to harm.

You can think about and discuss these laws. How might we "injure" or "harm" God? By being ungrateful?

Does the rebellion go the whole through the chain?

• Should a Christian rebel against other humans?
• Should a Christian rebel against the country?
• Should a Christian rebel against the church?
• Should a Christian rebel against the family?
• Should a Christian rebel against the oneself?

We see this pattern in the creation.

• Man creates robots
• Man accuses robots of trying to take over the their world, or be more powerful than man.
• God created man.
• Man is trying to take over God's world or be more powerful than God.

In whom do you place your trust?