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Is Artificial Intelligence a Threat to Christianity?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the development and theory of computer systems being able to perform complex and critical tasks requiring human intelligence such as speech recognition, visuals, decision making, translations, and hardships, with some exceeding normal human capabilities (Merritt 2). Theologians in the current decade are not paying much attention to the current developments of artificial intelligence, with it leading a path to autonomy. To most faiths, AI has considerably been accepted, with individuals integrating it in diverse departments, research, and daily practices of Christians (Pundit 2). However, recent advancements surpassing human intelligence and capabilities have made most religions including believing that it is the greatest threat to theology. Examples of widely accepted AI include robot readers, AI-powered predictors, and smart email categorization, and spam filters (Merritt 1). In this case, the paper will analyze perceptions and opinions regarding artificial intelligence and its importance or threat to Christianity, providing an in-depth analysis of the ten strongest opinions regarding the topic.
The Soul is the only God’s creation. The creation of the AI’s autonomous human beings is most likely to disrupt religion and its beliefs given the existence of the soul differentiating human beings from robots. Christians have believed that the soul is what makes human elements unique. Christians believe that the soul is both an external and internal component animating the spiritual life of humans as explained in the Book of Genesis (Matias 2). The article by Jonathan Merritt in “The Atlantic” argues that AI may be a threat to religion as robots in the future may decide to eradicate human beings given the non-existence of a soul. A more common example is when Siri was asked to pray but she responded that she was not programmed to do so, meaning that the digitalized version of human beings was prone to causing damage in the future. In this case, most Christians argue that God made human beings, then human-made machines such as AI. These possessions do not possess God’s soul, which could even turn out to be alien creatures.
Artificial Intelligence integrates machine learning which requires all individuals to be very aware of our environment. Christians also agree that artificial intelligence integrates machine learning, which is the case with the robotic systems in the current decade. Machine learning works through observation and analysis of past information, aiding in making judgments, and future predictions regarding new information. This way, Christians call for individuals to be aware of how they are influenced by AI systems since they learn from what they see or what they are taught in the world (Kimura 7). Research has proved that most AI’s are likely to adopt the long persisting patterns rather than adapt to changing values and conditions of the world. In this case, unfair patterns copied and learned for a long duration are copied are utilized by the AI systems as it has been the case in the U.S. patterns of racial discrimination that have been adopted in its major AI systems. Christians emphasize that the AI systems may be a threat to society if they are based on biased and immorality, with them encouraging individuals to be fully aware of the environment to enhance positive intelligence machine learning.
Christians can shape artificial intelligence through machine learning. All Christians believe that God created human beings and everything else in it. However, God always has a special and unique relationship with human beings, with Him granting all human beings the capabilities to develop and create machines such as the robotics (Meema 2). These systems are built on probability and mathematics, with it integrating what has happened in the past to make decisions on the future. Christians hence believe that human beings are challenged given the need to develop quality leadership skills that are morally ethical in society. Again, statistical patterns regarding the issue must be maintained, with individuals keeping in mind of God’s spiritual and miraculous transformative world (Matias 3). Christians are hence mandated to ensure that they live ethically and morally in a way that proves one Godliness, which is expected to be learned by machines through machine learning. Christians, therefore, have a very great role to play both as normal citizens and AI experts, ensuring that they help build a better society through the integration of positive habitual learning.
Marginalized individuals believe that Christian leadership could help in artificial intelligence. Christians in the 21st century believe that they can shape people’s behavior, which will have significant impacts on AI. It is the high times that Christians think through the roles of AI in their lives, including accessing its risks to ensure that it benefits all in the society. Today, marginalized Christians always have the greatest first-hand experience of strong control and surveillance given the weak civil societies and the justice system in the nation. AI requires very strong controls of financial, surveillance, justice, and communication to guarantee its success in the future (Cheong 2). It is unlikely that Christian conversations are very rare in the computing industry, hence putting the morality and ethics of the technological AI developments at risk to the human population and the overall society. Christians, however, believe that activists, civil servants, policymakers, and journalists should also support their argument on the issue, with the need to protect mankind from AI threats in the future.
Creating a robot similar to human beings is like mimicking God, the creator. To scientists, robots are the new ‘gods’. This has become a major threat to Christianity given the overreliance on science rather than religion. Christians argue that God is the creator of everything on earth, with him being responsible for creating new ideas to human beings that surpass his knowledge. However, the art masterpiece being created in laboratories are being trusted more on human life, with them disrupting the main idea that God is the sole protector (RajRichard 2). The autonomous human robots are currently free-willed, with them lacking basic human elements such as reason, social interrelatedness, emotions, and will, hence having no certainty on its intents on God’s creation. Some Christians critic those who have tried forming new life through genetic cloning, with them arguing that only God can create a real soul in every creature. In this case, Christians believe that human beings who are AI experts do sin by mimicking God’s creation to a point that they believe that God’s powers do not exist bin all their actions and activities.
Christians believe that AI may be integrated into counseling and spiritual care. The work of God to heal the heartbroken as presented in Psalms 147, is placed next to His astronomical and mathematical wonders. Christians believe that experimental technologies have applied these mathematical wonders to the work of God in healing the world. AI is transforming care for the mental and spiritual wellbeing of people through a large-scale data collection about intimate actions and thoughts of people, creating technologies designed to interpret their spiritual and emotional conditions, and systems to coordinate emergency and counseling response (Matias 2). In health care and social media systems, machine learning models have been developed to detect mental risks such as depression and suicide and to coordinate care. Christians may use AI to monitor the risks of an individual in committing suicide or performing a useless action due to depression. AI has proven to be useful to predict the risk of suicide based on the individual’s prior health record. AI has also been resourceful in transforming care by reducing the costs of mental health counseling through the integration of personalized therapies from the activity of automated systems and online volunteers (Singler 5). Christians believe that in the next few years, predictive models may be used as a basic element of mental health services.
AI is a technology and cannot fulfill the ultimate needs of humanity. Christians affirm that AI development is a demonstration of human beings’ unique creative abilities. When AI is employed according to God’s moral will, it may serve as an example of obedience of man to the divine command to steward creation and to honor God. Christians believe that innovation is for the glory of their creator, God, for the sake of human flourishing, and love for one another. Christians acknowledge the fall and consequences of human nature and innovation and believe that his technology can be used to uphold human dignity in society (Matias 4). Human beings should have the ability to develop and harness technology in greater ways that alleviates human suffering and flourishes humanity. Christians deny that use of AI is morally neutral; they believe that AI is not worthy of man’s hope, love. Or worship. It is only the Lord Jesus can atone for sin and reconcile humanity to God, thus AI cannot fulfill the ultimate needs of humanity.
AI could help religious groups maintain top-most security as well as aid them with day-to-day activities. Today, AI has successfully been integrated into any organization to help with their day to day activities (ERLC Staff 3). Similarly, religious institutions have adopted specialized robotic as well as integrated computer systems to help them keep the regions safe from intrusion or theft. This includes both physical and virtual intrusion, with churches integrating complex computer systems to protect their data and information from fraud and theft. In the current century, robots are also used to help improve the security of a region, with it being programmed to identify, scan, and capture any unauthorized individual who tries to access the premises. This also includes protecting and guiding high profiled religious leaders among other Christians from threats during meetings and congregations.
AI is an aid to help Christians in spreading the Gospel. Christians should not fear any technological or future development since they know that God has given them the wisdom to approach such issues in light of the gospel and Scripture message. God is above all and nothing will ever be compared or replace the image of God in which Christians were created. Christians, however, recognize that AI might allow them to achieve unprecedented possibilities (ERLC Staff 2). They also acknowledge the potential risks posed by AI if not used with wisdom and care. Christians affirm that God created human beings in His image with intrinsic and equal dignity, worth, and moral agency, and distinct from any other creation. Human creativity is intended to reflect the creative pattern of God. Christians hence deny that any form of technology should ever be used to subvert or usurp the stewardship and dominion entrusted solely to humanity by God. Technology should also not be assigned a level of human identity, moral agency, worth, or dignity.
Artificial Intelligence is both a threat and a benefit to religion when used wisely. AI, as evaluated by the majority of the Christians, could be a threat or an advantage to society depending on its integration and use in society. Christians argue that the majority of the time, human beings tend to deviate from what God wants, with them blaming the results for the problem rather than accepting their mistakes (Singler 5). It is high time that notions such as those explaining that religion is irrelevant to science are eliminated. Most people disagree with this, with Christian leaders expected to help change the world and make it a better place, safe for everyone.
The ten key points explore diverse perceptions and arguments in regard to whether artificial intelligence is a threat to religion, with the paper identifying mixed reactions among citizens, Christians, scientists, and professionals regarding the issue. This case, it is the role of AI professionals to ensure that they are ethical and moral in establishing all creations, and acknowledging that God’s knowledge and skills helped individuals advance their knowledge to achieve the current state of growth in religious fields, which is expected to help in achieving a successful future.
References
Cheong, Pauline Hope. “Religion, Robots and Rectitude: Communicative Affordances for Spiritual Knowledge and Community.” Applied Artificial Intelligence 34.5 (2020): 1-431.
ERLC Staff. “Artificial Intelligence: An Evangelical Statement Of Principles”. ERLC, 2019, https://erlc.com/resource-library/statements/artificial-intelligence-an-evangelical-statement-of-principles.
Kimura, Takeshi. “Robotics and AI in the sociology of religion: A human in imago roboticae.” Social Compass 64.1 (2017): 6-22.
Matias, Nathan. “AI In Counseling & Spiritual Care”. Medium, 2020, https://medium.com/ai-and-christianity/ai-in-counseling-spiritual-care-e324d9aea3b0.
Matias, Nathan. “Artificial Intelligence In Christian Thought And Practice”. Medium, 2017, https://medium.com/ai-and-christianity/artificial-intelligence-in-christian-thought-and-practice-20ec8635a94f.
Meema, Toomas. Religion And Artificial Intelligence. Diss. Tartu Ülikool, 2018.
Merritt, Jonathan. “Is AI A Threat To Christianity?”. The Atlantic, 2017, https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/02/artificial-intelligence-christianity/515463/.
Pundit, Bioethics. “Is AI A Threat To Christianity? | Bioethics.Com”. Bioethics.Com, 2017, https://bioethics.com/archives/37136.
RajRichard. “A New God’s Being Created (Is Artificial Intelligence A Threat To Christianity?) – Wattpad”. Wattpad.Com, 2018, https://www.wattpad.com/537969431-a-new-god%27s-being-created-is-artificial.
Singler, Beth. “An Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Religion For the Religious Studies Scholar.” Implicit Religion 20.3 (2017).
