Toward 2035

[Mendalla]

You could, hypothetically, create an AI "pastor" and stream his (it's gonna be a man) sermons around the world in multiple languages. This pastor would be available for 1-on-1 spiritual guidance any time of the day or night. For a fee, of course. It would be the grift of the century.

I guarantee someone is working on this right now. It makes too much sense and is potentially far too lucrative for this not to be a thing in the near future.

It exists and is called AiPastor though it looks like it is focussed solely on the one-on-one part. I won't link it but it's not hard to find in Google (or other search engine of choice). I have not tried it. I likely will not.

 

[chansen]

What percentage of sermons do you figure are AI generated? I've shown how easy it is. Many Christians may already be following AI Christianity and not even know it.

Heck, half of unsafe's posts are AI. We're already getting AI sermon content, though most of us probably ignore it.

 

[Mendalla]

What percentage of sermons do you figure are AI generated?

That would be interesting information, actually, but I am not sure how you get it. That might actually piss people off more than their minister being an atheist. "We don't pay you to use ChatGPT" sort of thing. There's definitely a perception in some quarters that using AI is cutting corners and, to be honest, sometimes it is. It's whether cutting that corner is legit or not that's the issue, I think.

Creating efficiencies in business intelligence and data analysis is probably something many, esp. those in management, could get behind. And that's a common use for AI in business systems.

Writing a sermon, though? I could see that getting some hackles up. I wouldn't do it myself since my interest in writing a sermon is, well, writing a sermon. But for someone for whom it's an economic thing? Why not once in a while if they are having trouble filling a Sunday? But that goes against the idea that ministry is a "calling" rather than a "job" which still exists, I suspect.

Interesting area. Might even merit its own thread, though since this is about the future of the church and AI is the future of damned near every human endeavour it seems, probably works here, too.

 

[paradox3]

Does that mean not talk about it?

Not necessarily this, no.

Some ministers tell us quite a bit about their personal faith perspective; others don't.

Respect for the theists in the crowd is probably key for atheist clergy.

 

[chansen]

Respect for the theists in the crowd is probably key for atheist clergy.

I think the most important thing for atheist clergy who want to stay employed is to keep their traps shut.

 

[unsafe]

The AI Satanic Church is on the Harrison Folks --- --Watch Out ---it maybe coming soon to your area ----​

First Artificial Intelligence led worship service tested in Germany

Around 300 people joined an experimental 45-minute programme of the German Evangelical Church. 98% was created and performed by machines.

evangelicalfocus.com

​

First Artificial Intelligence led worship service tested in Germany​

Around 300 people joined an experimental 45-minute programme of the German Evangelical Church 98% was created and performed by machines.​

Human Pastors will soon be a thing of the past ----OH NO-----more jobs Chopped --just a sign of the end times FOLKS -----

But fear Not ---God will come like the thief in the night and destroy the wicked with a puff of His breath ----

2 Thessalonians 2:8
​

8 ;And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth

 

[paradox3]

Sure, but they have no one to pray to.

Many people meditate, write gratitude lists and repeat affirmations. These things are not the opposite of prayer. The lack of a "one" to pray to might not be a big deal.

The hymns don't work.

If you are thinking of traditional hymns you are probably right. But have you ever taken a look at our current music resources?

The dunk tanks are now just dunk tanks.

We in the United Church are sprinklers rather than dunkers.

 

[chansen]

We in the United Church are sprinklers rather than dunkers.

Ah, right. I remember when Richard Bott was talking about using a watering can from above for baptisms during the pandemic, and I suggested he was a tea towel away from waterboarding. Richard rolled with it. Why can't more of your ministers be like Richard?

Minus the waterboarding, of course.

 

[paradox3]

Yes, a great guy @chansen. Did you know he moved back to Ontario from British Columbia?

 

[chansen]

Just another friendly reminder that unsafe is closer to being on your team than mine.

 

[chansen]

Yes, a great guy @chansen. Did you know he moved back to Ontario from British Columbia?

I did not know that. It's not like we're close friends, but he's great at banter and a hell of a nice guy.

Edit: Found it.

https://www.facebook.com/ModeratorRichardBott/posts/pfbid0YrtDNcvHGQPLFpCM4kBaJSh1HGopoXRbFJ1K7DxDWs7DR7m7SZLwtMfoVcD8xDMLl

You'll have to expand the comments to see my post and Richard's reply. Some things seem out of order by now. Not sure why. One person reeaaalllly didn't like my joke. Nothing new there. I ran with it and explained how it wasn't even a complete set of instructions for waterboarding, then continued to reply to her with the method to turn this into actual waterboarding. That was fun.

Richard asked nicely for me to take the waterboarding instruction post down, so I did. Just textbook diplomacy. None of this authoritative delete-ban crap that the United Church is known for online.

In all seriousness, thank God for people who can take a bloody joke.

 

[Luce NDs]

There is rain and there are deluges ... and conditions that create situations where the plant can't breathe ...

An old instructor once told me all things were required but in excess were toxic ... ponder that as we go down as social delinquents ... non-communicative regarding unknown situations?

Is the edifice sometimes just too much legality?

 

[jimkenney12]

I do not believe in a God who looks like us or thinks like us. I am closest to being a panentheist who thinks of god as a mysterious, comforting, annoying, challenging, and assuring presence I describe as a quantum god, sometimes connecting as an individual and sometimes connecting globally.

 

[paradox3]

Not sure I would call myself a pantheist or even a panentheist. But your comments about a presence resonate with me @jimkenney12

I have never believed that I see or hear God. It is more like sensing God or God's call.

Recently I have started to wonder if this sense of being in God's presence is actually just an altered state of my own consciousness. But I have yet to make a decision. I will not be surprised if I start identifying as an agnostic because I am already leaning that way.

But it will be as a Christian agnostic with a low Christology.

 

[paradox3]

If I were a Roman Catholic, I might be one of those lamenting the loss of the Latin mass. I have such a strong emotional reaction to traditional church architecture and traditional church music.

All the same, I get the point about outdated theology in some of those hymns.

 

[Luce NDs]

I do not believe in a God who looks like us or thinks like us. I am closest to being a panentheist who thinks of god as a mysterious, comforting, annoying, challenging, and assuring presence I describe as a quantum god, sometimes connecting as an individual and sometimes connecting globally.

Is God like a Stranger from Galilee? Odd fellow ... not looking to overcome the earth ...

 

[Luce NDs]

One should know their Latin ... to understand Roman intent ...

Then some Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, etc could be of assistance to respond to the classic voice! Tis eclectic know ... then there are brutes that sooner you don't know!

 

[chansen]

I've been thinking for some time that it's just how you're wired. I just don't think I'm wired for faith in a deity. I couldn't if I tried.

That makes me think of all the people born into untra-religious families and societies, who are wired similar to me. How does that go? I was lucky that my parents gave up church long before I was born. They were probably relieved. A friend brought me to a church youth group once. I probably cracked a few jokes because I was never invited back. I hope the jokes were good, but I was a young teenager, so chances are low.

And if I'm not wired for faith, that must mean some of you are. That you can't choose to disbelieve, as I can't choose to believe. And that's fine.

What I wish, was that faith was not seen as a necessary thing for all. I mean, we know faith doesn't automatically make you a better person. We see that on the daily. And yet there are people who insist their faith is right and important for everyone. We have, in the last day on this site, been told that just being the wrong kind of Christian will doom you to hell. This is the sort of thing that needs to be mocked back into the last century.

 

[KayTheCurler]

I think clergy would be honest on an anonymous survey. What they would be willing to say publicly could be another story.

Some years ago I had several conversations with a UCCan minister. I found the experience annoying. What was said to me over coffee cups didn't match what was in her sermons on Sundays. When I pointed that fact out her reply was "My people aren't ready to hear those views of mine ".. I stopped attending. Strangely,, I knew several people who would also attend IF the minister preached as well as she conversed.

 

[chansen]

I've been thinking for some time that it's just how you're wired. I just don't think I'm wired for faith in a deity. I couldn't if I tried.

That makes me think of all the people born into untra-religious families and societies, who are wired similar to me. How does that go? I was lucky that my parents gave up church long before I was born. They were probably relieved. A friend brought me to a church youth group once. I probably cracked a few jokes because I was never invited back. I hope the jokes were good, but I was a young teenager, so chances are low.

And if I'm not wired for faith, that must mean some of you are. That you can't choose to disbelieve, as I can't choose to believe. And that's fine.

What I wish, was that faith was not seen as a necessary thing for all. I mean, we know faith doesn't automatically make you a better person. We see that on the daily. And yet there are people who insist their faith is right and important for everyone. We have, in the last day on this site, been told that just being the wrong kind of Christian will doom you to hell. This is the sort of thing that needs to be mocked back into the last century.

Expanding on this post, think of it like neurodiversity, probably because it is related. Maybe it is neurotypical to want to have faith in a higher power, and neurodivergent to not need or want such beliefs. So what if it is? Say the neurotypicals have a point and some sort of "God" exists. Would this God create neurodivergents who can't believe in him, just to torture them later? How stupid does that sound?

The whole idea of hell fails on so many levels. If you want to believe it, fine. But as a concept, it's insane. As a threat? It's batshit crazy and exposes your own morality as deeply flawed if you think it's a grand idea.