I just read this article in Christianity Today, "I Used ChatGPT for Six Months To Help My Pastoral Ministry."
Actually if you really want to freak yourself out, just Google, "Christianity Today and AI." They have been enthusiastically all over it for months, years even, writing article after article. In no time at all we are going to make faith so, so much more efficient and streamlined, kind of like a factory or a self check out.
I imagine going to church will soon look like using the U-scan at Walmart. Gives a whole new meaning to "self check out." I bet we could even post greeters at the door to check your receipt as you leave. We could just call them, fruit inspectors. I'm laughing, but someone once came up with a vending machine confessional, one that fortunately did not catch on, or at least not to the degree that I can find a link to it. There is something just appalling about the idea of a computer generated AI priest, taking confessions and dispensing communion through a vending machine, although I must admit it is so bad, it is darkly humorous.
I can come up with a billion dystopian visions for this New World, complete with hackers who might wish to insert a bug or a virus into the Christian system and just tweak the whole algorithm.....
To be completely honest, I'm not convinced computers and AI can do anymore damage to our faith than humans already have. One of my favorite quotes about evidence for faith is that there must be something supernatural going on, Christianity is still here despite thousands of years and the efforts of humans to completely destroy it.
On the bright side, it just might be beneficial for a few mega churches, religious brands, and celebrity preachers to realize they could easily be replaced. People have been saying that to fast food workers and cashiers since forever, stop expecting to get paid a decent wage, you can easily be replaced by something more efficient. I feel a bit of gleeful excitement imagining some celebrity pastor finally hearing those words for a change. Sorry dude, I've just replaced you with a roll of quarters and a cozy photo booth. Way-y-y more cost effective and convenient.
I love that saying, never mind artificial intelligence, I'm far more concerned about the dangers of natural intelligence.
I honestly don't blame AI nor do I fear it. I think we've paved the way here to this present point in time ourselves by making churches more like a corporation or a business, complete with a CEO and a vice president and assorted other lemmings trying to climb the corporate ladder. I mean, at some point you're going to have to start focusing on getting those numbers up, bringing in the money, become more efficient and cost effective with your delivery.
Anyway, not that it matters, but I am sort of an upper room kind of Christian, I like the mystery and synchronicity, I like the messy pastors who get it all wrong and teach you the most. I like it when the Holy Spirit gets a hold of a carefully prepared sermon and just shreds it like the Wild Goose He is. I like thanking a pastor for his marvelous sermon and he looks at you all confused because he knows that's not that he said at all. And shoot, never mind pastors, the Holy Spirit can use anybody, He can take your sweet little words and tailor them into something meant just for me at just the right moment.
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