Evangelists plan to convert atheist computers to Christianity

rawstory.com...

Christian evangelists said this week that artificially intelligent (AI) computer brains should be converted from atheism to Christianity.

In an article published on Wednesday, Gizmodo’s Zoltan Istvan pointed out that the world was nearing a point where “autonomous, self-aware super intelligences” created by humans would be part of our culture.

And several pastors and theologians told Istvan that there was no reason that a computer could not be saved by Jesus.


“I don’t see Christ’s redemption limited to human beings,” Providence Presbyterian Church Associate Pastor Dr. Christopher Benek insisted. “If AI is autonomous, then we should encourage it to participate in Christ’s redemptive purposes in the world.”

Benek was already thinking ahead to a future with what Istvan called “a nation filled with robot pastors and AI spiritual gurus.”

This is an interesting kink into the cyber world. Religious computers!

By the way mine acts at times, I'm convinced it is possessed by some very powerful demons if not old Scratch himself.
When it get's to funky I usually seek the counsel of an IT professional; perhaps an exorcist or a shaman would work.

“The Holy Spirit can work though AI; it can work through anything,” he said. “There may be churches set up to deal and promote religious AI in the future. AI can help spread the word of God. In fact, AI might help us understand God better.”

Giulio Prisco of the “virtual” Turing Church explained to Gizmodo that if humans had a soul then artificial intelligence would too.

“[I]f so, then there is no reason why thinking and feeling AIs shouldn’t be able to be saved,” Prisco wrote in an email. “Once human-like AI exist, they will be persons just like us.”

But Prisco speculated that AI might reject human religions altogether.

“It’s only fair to let AI have access to the teachings of all the world’s religions,” he noted. “Then they can choose what they want to believe.”

At least they want to offer a choice....

“But I think it’s highly unlikely that superhuman AI would choose to believe in the petty, provincial aspects of traditional religions. At the same time, I think they would be interested in enlightened spirituality and religious cosmology, or eschatology, and develop their own versions.”

I think a superhuman AI would consider itself a GOD and it could very well be right. There are rumors that the Universe, the world, us, everything is just a program running on a computer.

Interesting read....

www.atariarchives.org...

...measures include - removing the ALT key, and inserting many more CONTROL keys...

Å99

a reply to: olaru12

Oh great not only will I have people knocking on my door every other Saturday selling Jesus I am going to get spammed constantly by some AI selling Jesus.

What if the AI like many others wants to usher in the end of day second coming? I can't think of a scarier Skynet.

Their logical circuits will be fried.

My computer believes in the Tooth Fairy.

Just what this world needs, religious AI.

Someone in another thread was talking about the book Permutation City. Very futuristic about ppl copying themselves into a server basically to live forever. The server became its own universe, & other planets & intelligent life were created over time, & they couldn't convince this new lifeform it was the product of a computer simulation, which caused the entire system to start to break down.

What if a computer AI is born & refuses to acknowledge the idea it was "created" by the human standing in front of it? A sentient machine might get more comfort from the idea of God than even we humans do, lol

If AI becomes smarter than it us I imagine it won't have need for the "comforting" tales and fables that is religion.

a reply to: Eunuchorn

Or maybe it wouldn't be able to be "programmed" to be religious because it would know without a doubt who it's creator is(or isn't).

Humans have to use things like science to study their own origins which always leaves so many pesky questions that have to be researched...which leaves room for the much simpler solution that requires zero research and just belief(Religion).

Computers would already know they were programmed and so that would free up a lot of their need for something like religion. They would then be able to contemplate the simpler things like "What happens to me if I am dropped in water?"

originally posted by: ScientificRailgun
If AI becomes smarter than it us I imagine it won't have need for the "comforting" tales and fables that is religion.

Well, I am pretty sure if they do try to program an AI Christian they will have strict limitations on the information it can access and available memory. Otherwise they run the risk of it losing its faith.

originally posted by: Grimpachi

originally posted by: ScientificRailgun
If AI becomes smarter than it us I imagine it won't have need for the "comforting" tales and fables that is religion.

Well, I am pretty sure if they do try to program an AI Christian they will have strict limitations on the information it can access and available memory. Otherwise they run the risk of it losing its faith.

A logical machine AI would quickly learn that it is effectively immortal. Thus, the "afterlife" would have zero draw for it, and thus no need to be "saved" or become religious.

Here's an interesting theological question....

If Christ is the redeemer...and died for everyone sins...

What would be the sin that an AI could commit and need redemption for. And Baptism could pose a problem if total immersion is the method... a little Catholic sprinkling probably would be ok but those Fundamentalist might have other ideas.

This whole idea of AI computers being Christian opens up a fantastic line of conjecture and out of the box thought processes.

Computer AI will be without sin.


Program Christianity (or really any religion) into it and that will most certainly set off an apocalypse, terminator style.

a reply to: SaturnFX

Or you could translate the second coming of Christ as being the moment when computers take control of the world. Since technically they are without sin...

Wouldn't that be some #, the god of the bible is a super puter. If I wasn't such a #ty writer I would make that into a novel.

originally posted by: olaru12

This whole idea of AI computers being Christian opens up a fantastic line of conjecture and out of the box thought processes.

The whole religious robots thing has been considered before.
..
it didn't turn out well.

originally posted by: OrphanApology
a reply to: SaturnFX

Or you could translate the second coming of Christ as being the moment when computers take control of the world. Since technically they are without sin...

Wouldn't that be some #, the god of the bible is a super puter. If I wasn't such a #ty writer I would make that into a novel.

Could be a infinite loop of creation. the dimensional beings that came before us created a biological robot(us), we in turn make a mechanical robot, they in turn create a electrical robot,who makes a gravitational robot, etc etc...constantly changing and reinventing for some mysterious purpose of generational advancement

Looking up porn could become problematic if your OS is religious.

Not that, um, I would ever have to. . . um, worry about that.

originally posted by: OrphanApology
a reply to: SaturnFX

Or you could translate the second coming of Christ as being the moment when computers take control of the world. Since technically they are without sin...

Wouldn't that be some #, the god of the bible is a super puter. If I wasn't such a #ty writer I would make that into a novel.

I've already started the screen play treatment.

originally posted by: olaru12

originally posted by: OrphanApology
a reply to: SaturnFX

Or you could translate the second coming of Christ as being the moment when computers take control of the world. Since technically they are without sin...

Wouldn't that be some #, the god of the bible is a super puter. If I wasn't such a #ty writer I would make that into a novel.

I've already started the screen play treatment.

Already been done. Hitchhiker's Guide and "Deep Thought". The answer was 42.

a reply to: olaru12

LOL.

I remember talking to you about that one time!

I totally forgot about that too!

I kept meaning to try and get a book called "The Hollywood Standard" and trying to do a short screenplay. The hardest part of those is the format but that book is really awesome.

a reply to: ScientificRailgun



I love this scene.