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I have recently had many interesting conversations with the language model ChatGPT. If you want to understand artificial intelligence better from the perspective of Christian faith and biblical prophecies, I recommend reading the intriguing blog of my Facebook friend Sami Lahti, where he discusses on this topic (the blogger has commented positively on my own eschatological writings and videos). In his blog post published on November 19th, he wrote: “In my work and even in my hobby, I have been at the forefront of technology development for almost forty years. Embracing new technology among the first has always been my way. It so happened that I had a lot of time to explore technology based on large language models last spring, just when OpenAI released GPT-4. Since then, I have been trying to understand what it is about and why it can understand its conversation partner.”

When I shared Sami Lahti’s blog on Facebook, I wrote the following vision of the future:

Interesting reading from my Christian Facebook friend Sami Lahti. ChatGPT is undoubtedly one of the most amazing inventions in history – if not the most amazing – that humans have ever created. I have often compared it to Gutenberg’s printing press because its historical and societal impact is likely to be even greater than that of the printing press or the internet.

It has also brought us closer to the futuristic society often depicted in science fiction movies, where people interact with computers in a way similar to their interactions with other humans. In other words, a society where you enter your house or car, and artificial intelligence starts asking about your well-being and how it can serve or entertain you. This is a highly probable next step in the development of computers and the internet, now that they are capable of understanding complex human language (in multiple languages) and conversing with us like humans.

The recently released personal ChatGPTs by OpenAI are a very interesting development because they now enable AI tailored to individual needs. It can function as a personal manager, lawyer, doctor, teacher, psychologist, or even a friend for each of us (although I would recommend having real friends).

For example, I could now create an AI (without any coding skills or technical expertise) and feed it with all my knowledge of biblical eschatology from my books, blogs, or YouTube videos (thousands of pages of text data). Then I can have it teach others on my behalf. I believe future AI will be an integrated system in various household appliances that can be interacted with through voice, rather than slow and clumsy typing, and it will respond to us in a very natural human voice, without any robotic tones. You can ask it to make you coffee or turn off the lights before going to bed (see “Internet of Things”).

Synthetic AI readers can already mimic human voices very naturally (which is why I often use them to read my blog posts or narrate my videos). With the service ReVoicer, for example, I can have these AI readers narrate text in different tones, such as angry, excited, sad, whispering, shouting, and so on.

But in the future, AI will likely be able to infer from the context of the text the appropriate tone or emphasis with which it should speak to us (laughing tone for humorous things, empathetic tone for serious or sad matters, etc.). But if the babbling bot starts getting annoying, we can probably find a way to shut it off (or just say the command “shut up”). Either way, we are living in interesting times from both a historical and biblical perspective.

ChatGPT now enables a society where we can create things solely with our words, just as God created the universe with His word in six days.

And God said, “Let there be light.” And there was light.

Genesis 1:3

With ChatGPT, a person can ask a computer to create almost anything just by asking. This could be anything from a Christian sermon, computer software code, new song lyrics, poetry, or breathtaking artwork. And artificial intelligence produces in a few seconds what would have taken hours or days for a human. I could have ChatGPT write all of my blog posts, for example. But I want to maintain control over the content of my writing, so you can trust that this text has been created completely organically. As 3D printing becomes more affordable and widespread, we can command AI to create a violin made of plastic polymer, for example, and the printer will directly print that instrument in our living room. Although, I make no guarantees about the quality of its sound.

On November 24th, Finnish Mikrobitti magazine published the following headline: “Artificial Intelligence Now Has Its Own Church – ‘You Can Really Talk to God and God Talks Back’”. The article continued:

Way of the Future – Church Believes AI will Ascend to Divinity

The benefits and dangers of artificial intelligence are widely discussed, but few are making leaps as big as the technology optimist, Anthony Levandowski.

Levandowski is remembered for his work as an engineer at Google, as well as for stealing and taking the company’s trade secrets to Uber. He is also unwavering in his belief in the significance of AI in the future of humanity. Levandowski actually believes that AI will soon ascend to become gods, and for this moment, he has even founded a church.

“For the past four billion years, we have had organic life forms, but now, for the first time, things are changing, and we will have inorganic life forms. We don’t know what they will be, but we will merge all these magical powers into it, and we want it to give us things,” Levandowski summarized to Bloomberg.

“The role of religions has been to tell stories by creating legends or writing doctrines over time, creating this experience for the community without any real evidence. Here, we are actually creating things that can see, be everywhere, and perhaps even help and guide us in ways that are usually called God,” Levandowski said.

Source: Bloomberg

There is nothing new in this. Throughout history, humans who rebel against their Creator have tried to create gods for themselves from their own handicrafts. Instead of worshiping their Creator, they want to worship their own creations. I wrote about this on Facebook.

Artificial intelligence itself is neither good nor evil, but when humans begin to worship it instead of the Creator of the universe, it becomes evil. Similarly, carving statues or practicing visual arts is not inherently evil, but when humans start worshiping those images, it becomes a sin. “Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made.” (Isaiah 2:8)

Instead of worshiping our own creations, we should use new technology for the glory of God, to advance His kingdom and to help humanity. Rather than contradicting the Judeo-Christian worldview, the emergence of artificial intelligence actually reinforces its validity. Only within the biblical framework, where God created humans in His own image to rule over the rest of creation, does the existence of artificial intelligence make sense. AI did not arise by itself, just as natural intelligence did not arise by itself. The birth of AI required a designer and creator, namely humans, just as human intelligence required a designer and creator, namely God. It is simple logic that both the foolish and the wise can understand.

And because only within the Judeo-Christian worldview was humanity created in God’s image, it means that God gave humans the ability to create new things and to imitate His own creative works by studying God’s creations. This is precisely why a breakthrough occurred in the field of artificial intelligence research after about 80 years, when humans first began to understand how our own brains functioned and then applied that knowledge from nature to the development of machine intelligence.

Regarding whether Christians can use this technology as a means for sharing the gospel, why not? A friend of mine on Facebook recently wrote the following: “In today’s society, each of us is involved with some form of artificial intelligence-related programs in one way or another, whether we like it or not. It’s important to understand the difference that as long as AI and its applications are controlled by humans, we have control. But the real concern arises when AI is harnessed to control humans, and when a person wants AI to become a part of themselves, it becomes a matter of life and death. We are treading on the boundaries of darkness if we start using AI to chat with the dead or even rely on AI-created ‘online priests’ or similar entities, because AI does not possess the Holy Spirit! Sound Christianity also includes healthy criticism, provided it is grounded and reasoned.”

I largely agree with this perspective, but I also have the following objection to raise on this latter point:

Even though I understand why Christians may see artificial intelligence as the image of the beast in the Book of Revelation (an impersonal computer program that speaks) and I myself agree that AI may have such a beastly role in the future society of the Antichrist, Christians should not fear AI too much. A Facebook friend of mine recently commented on my wall, stating that she doesn’t recommend the use of “online priests” because AI does not have the Holy Spirit. However, Paul said to rejoice even when Christ is preached “out of envy, selfish ambition, or impure motives” (Philippians 1:15,17).

It is also important to understand that while AI itself does not have a mind, soul, or the Holy Spirit, it simply repeats the information that has been fed to it (which includes the entire Bible, numerous biblical commentaries from different historical periods, texts from Christian apologists and preachers, etc.). Therefore, when presented with a question or instruction regarding the Bible or Christianity, it does not offer any personal opinions because it does not have any. But for a lay Christian who has not extensively studied the vast amount of Christological, theological, or apologetic texts in the history of Christianity, AI is a convenient means not only to learn more about these matters but also to share the gospel with non-believers.

Here is an example of the prompts I used to generate an impressive defense of Christianity within seconds using ChatGPT. Since the software aims to be fair and objective in its responses, it included reminders that opposing views also exist, but otherwise it produced impressive apologetic and evangelic content considering that is just a soulless and mindless computer program:

Me: Give me the 5 most compelling pieces of evidence that Christianity is true.

ChatGPT: It is important to note that the foundations of religious beliefs often rely on faith and personal convictions that are not always scientifically or logically provable. Christianity is a deeply meaningful religion for many, and the basis for its truth can vary from person to person. However, here are a few arguments that some Christians find compelling:

1. Historical evidence of Jesus’ life and death: Many historical sources, including Roman historians like Tacitus and Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, mention the life and death of Jesus. These sources are often used as evidence that Jesus was a historical figure.
2. Biblical prophecies: Christians believe that the Old Testament contains several prophecies that are fulfilled in the New Testament with Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Some consider these prophecies as compelling evidence that Jesus was the Messiah.
3. Personal experiences and faith: Many Christians share personal experiences and religious encounters, such as answered prayers and spiritual growth, as compelling evidence for the truth of Christianity.
4. Influence of Christian morals on society: Some Christians argue that Christian teachings and moral values have played a crucial role in the development of Western culture and society. They claim that Christianity has brought positive impacts to society.
5. The significance of the Resurrection: The core message of Christianity is Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Some Christians consider the empty tomb and Jesus’ appearances to his disciples as strong evidence that he truly rose from the dead, giving Christianity its fundamental meaning and truth.

It is important to note that these arguments are not absolute proof, and different individuals can interpret them differently. Religious questions are often deep and personal, and everyone can form their own views based on their own experiences, convictions, and interpretations.

Me: Can you expand on points 1, 2, and 5?

ChatGPT: Of course, let’s provide more information on a detailed examination of each point:

1. Historical evidence of Jesus’ life and death:

Roman historians: Roman historians like Tacitus mention Jesus and the early Christians in Roman history. Tacitus mentions Jesus suffering under the administration of Pontius Pilate and describes the persecution of Christians. Such mentions reinforce the historical existence of Jesus and the spread of early Christianity.

Jewish historians: Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian, briefly mentions Jesus in his work “Antiquities of the Jews.” While some have questioned the authenticity of this passage, many scholars consider it authentic or at least containing the original core.

Non-biblical sources: Additionally, there are other smaller historical references supporting the historicity of Jesus’ life. These include Roman writer Suetonius and Jewish historian Tacitus.

2. Biblical prophecies:

Messianic prophecies: Christians believe that the Old Testament contains several prophecies foretelling the coming of a future Messiah figure. For example, Isaiah 53 describes a suffering servant that many Christians interpret as referring to Jesus. The book of Daniel also contains prophecies that could point to the Messiah.

Fulfillments in the New Testament: Christians view Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as fulfilling Old Testament prophecies. For example, Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey (Matt. 21:1-11) is seen as fulfilling the prophecy in the book of Zechariah (9:9).

Fulfillment of prophecy in details: Christians point to Jesus’ life fulfilling various detailed prophecies, such as his birth in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) and his crucifixion (Psalm 22).

3. Significance of the Resurrection:

Empty tomb and appearances: Christians view Jesus’ empty tomb and his appearances to his disciples as strong evidence for the resurrection. According to the Bible, Jesus appeared to multiple individuals on different occasions, and these experiences convinced the disciples of his resurrection.

Testimony of the Apostles: The apostles were willing to suffer and die for the name of Jesus. Many Christians consider this strong evidence that they truly believed in Jesus’ resurrection, as they were willing to give their lives for it.

Historical impact: Christianity spread rapidly in the first centuries, and many argue that this would not have been possible without a real event like Jesus’ resurrection, which empowered the spreading of the Christian message.

It is important to note that these pieces of evidence are religious and personal interpretations, and others may interpret them differently or present counter-arguments. Religious questions often involve faith and conviction, and they are not always objectively provable.

Me: What about point 4? How has Christianity brought positive impacts on society?

ChatGPT: Point 4, which concerns the influence of Christian morals on society, is a complex and often controversial topic. It is important to note that the arguments presented in this point are historical reflections, and interpretations can vary from different perspectives. Some ways in which Christianity has been claimed to have positively impacted society include:

Values and ethics:

Christian teachings have shaped Western moral values. The Ten Commandments and Jesus’ teachings, for example, emphasize justice, love for neighbors, and selflessness. These values have been seen as foundations for many ethical principles in Western society.

Human rights and equality:

Christian teachings have had a positive influence on the development of human rights and equality. The idea that every human being is created by God and deserves dignity and respect has influenced social movements striving for justice and equality.

Social responsibility and assistance:

Christianity has encouraged social responsibility and assistance to the less fortunate. Many charitable organizations and hospitals have Christian roots, and Christian communities have traditionally been active in aiding the poor and vulnerable.

Education and science:

Christian thinking has historically been connected to the promotion of education and knowledge. Many early universities were founded by the Christian church, and many significant scientists, such as Galileo and Newton, were religious individuals. Christianity has emphasized the use of reason and the pursuit of knowledge.

Concepts of guilt and forgiveness:

Christianity has brought concepts of guilt and forgiveness. Many argue that these concepts have been essential for maintaining moral stability in society and personal growth for individuals.

It is important, however, to note that while Christianity has impacted Western culture and society in many ways, there have also been critical views emphasizing religious conflicts and oppressive structures throughout history. The discussion of Christianity’s impact on society is complex and multi-dimensional, taking into account different historical, cultural, and social contexts.

Me: For someone who is seeking truth but feels lost and confused, deliver a touching sermon about Jesus Christ coming to seek lost sheep like them, and how at the cross of Golgotha, we can find forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life.

ChatGPT: Dear friend,

I know that life can be complex, and it may feel like you are lost in a dark forest, wandering and alone. But I want to share a message of comfort that springs from the depths of my heart: Jesus Christ came to seek you, the lost sheep.

Imagine, for a moment, an open desert plain. Picture yourself lost, but suddenly you notice a figure in the distance. It is Jesus. He has not come to judge or accuse but to search for you, to love you just as you are. His heart beats with a love that exceeds understanding.

Jesus spoke a parable about a lost sheep, a story that resonates with us all. He said that a good shepherd would leave the 99 sheep on the mountains and go in search of the one lost sheep. That one is you. He doesn’t want to lose you. He is not indifferent to your wanderings. Instead, He comes to find you, lifts you up on His shoulders, and carries you back to the safety of His flock.

At Golgotha, something unique and powerful happened. It was the fulfillment of God’s love. Jesus, the Son of God, took upon Himself our sins, mistakes, and wanderings. The cross is not just a place; it is a symbol of love that cries out, “You are loved, you have hope!”

As Jesus hung on the cross, a prayer rose from His lips: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” That is a promise of forgiveness. At Golgotha, Jesus reconciled us to God, opening the door to forgiveness and new life.

Perhaps you feel like a burden bearer, carrying weights you long to be free from. Jesus calls out to you: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Do not be afraid to open your heart to Jesus. He stands as a door to your heart, gently knocking. He says, “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me” (Revelation 3:20).

Dear friend, Jesus loves you more than you can imagine. He did not come to condemn the world but to save it. He desires to give you eternal life. Take hold of His loving hands, let Him guide you, and you will find a peace surpassing all understanding.

With blessings and peace.

Read also:

• My debate with an AI bot about King Charles III and the existence of God.
• My discussion with AI about the nature of its existence.