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<\/source><\/picture>Is it an answer to our prayers or an idolatrous representation of the Son of God?<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the inescapable question faced by those who, depending on one’s theology, either stumble upon or are called to a new AI chatbot which one theologian says is a new representation of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n
Twitch channel Ask Jesus <\/a>is an experimental AI-generated livestream that gives viewers the chance to query a chatbot \u201ctrained after Jesus and the teachings of the Bible.\u201d<\/p>\n The nonprofit project \u2014 which is supported by contributions from users and The Singularity Group<\/a>, described on the Twitch page as \u201cnot a Christian organization\u201d \u2014 offers \u201cspiritual guidance\u201d or even just \u201csomeone to talk to\u201d and responds to questions ranging from theological and practical advice to inane requests to incorporate nonsensical words or phrases into its responses.<\/p>\n For example, a question from user \u201cFXvirusLive\u201d asked the AI Jesus to explain Christianity but to replace every vowel with the word \u201cburger.\u201d<\/p>\n Or the prayer request from user \u201cgreenshoesbrownsocks\u201d for their cat Whiskers, but with the phrase \u201cgrrrr\u201d inserted after each word.<\/p>\n Another request asks AI Jesus to rap about the Father, resulting in a cringey yet biblically-adjacent \u201cdivine rhymes\u201d: “Yo, let me tell you about my Father up in heaven\/ creator of the Earth and the stars up in the sky\/ He’s a legend\/ He brought life into the world\/ That’s no lie.”<\/em><\/p>\n Upon being asked a sincere question like, \u201cCan you explain more in-depth what it means to be meek?\u201d the chatbot quoted Matthew 11:28-29<\/a>: \u201cCome to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.\u201d<\/p>\n In response to a question from user \u201cdaveisdigital\u201d about which career to choose, the AI pointed to Colossians 3:23, which says, \u201cWhatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.\u201d<\/p>\n While a talking image of God might seem blasphemous to some, Joseph L. Kimmel, a scholar of early Christianity and comparative religion at Boston College, argued <\/a>that this AI Jesus is merely the latest \u201creinterpretation\u201d of the Son of God.<\/p>\n Kimmel, pointing to various traditional portrayals of Jesus as merely a \u201cprophet\u201d or a \u201cphilosopher\u201d in traditions ranging from 19th century American to Hindu mystic to a proponent of Black Liberation theology, says the chatbot is \u201cthe latest in this ongoing pattern of reinterpretation, geared to making Jesus suited to the current times.\u201d<\/p>\n Unlike the unchanging, omniscient nature of the Son of God, this AI chatbot version also appears to learn new information and update its responses over time, according to Kimmel.<\/p>\n \u201cFor instance, as part of the running stream of questions from some weeks ago, AI Jesus referenced past interactions with users and nuanced his responses accordingly, saying, \u2018I have received this question about the Bible’s meaning before. \u2026 But in light of the question you have just posed, I want to add that \u2026 \u2019\u201d Kimmel said.<\/p>\n This AI Jesus is the latest trend among not just Christianity, but a number of other faith traditions offering spiritual conversations via chatbots.<\/p>\n A Buddhist chatbot in Thailand named the \u201cAI Monk\u201d is represented with a human face and discusses Buddhist notions of impermanence and other ideas on his Facebook page<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Another Buddhist chatbot <\/a>is in development in Japan, where researchers at Kyoto University are programming the AI to quote Buddhist teachings.<\/p>\n The debate over images of Christ in mass media and pop culture has been a hot-button topic in recent months, specifically with the success of \u201cThe Chosen\u201d and comments by Evangelical leader Voddie Baucham who believes <\/a>the show is a violation of the Second Commandment.<\/p>\n In response<\/a>, \u201cChosen\u201d creator Dallas Jenkins said he doesn\u2019t agree with Baucham\u2019s assessment because he believes the commandment is \u201cclearly referring to objects of worship, and most likely, specifically objects of worship that compete with God.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut no one is worshiping the TV screen; we\u2019re not claiming the show is the Bible or Jonathan is actually Jesus; and no one believes the portrayal is an object of worship or anything other than another way to illustrate and point people to truth,\u201d Jenkins wrote.<\/p>\n Ian M. Giatti is a reporter for The Christian Post and the author of\u00a0BACKWARDS DAD: a children’s book for grownups<\/a><\/em>. He can be reached at:\u00a0ian.giatti@christianpost.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n