"A new AI app lets users ‘text’ with Jesus. Some call it blasphemy."

[Miles]

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If you ever wondered how Jonah felt while he was trapped inside the whale’s stomach for three days, why Solomon had so many wives or why Judas betrayed Jesus, an app called Text With Jesus is your chance to ask for yourself.


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Text With Jesus, launched in July, was created by Catloaf Software, an app-development company in Los Angeles. The app replicates an instant messaging platform, with biblical figures impersonated by the artificial intelligence program ChatGPT.

Characters available on the app include the Holy Family, the apostles, the prophets, Ruth, Job and Abraham’s nephew, Lot.

“We stir the AI and tell it: You are Jesus, or you are Moses, or whoever, and knowing what you already have in your database, you respond to the questions based on their characters,” said Stéphane Peter, the app’s developer and the company’s CEO.

“Instead of just getting a daily Bible verse, now you get a chance through this app to chat with Jesus or anybody else in the Bible,” he said.


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............................................................... Chat with Jesus Christ


Many people in the Bible, Mary Magdalene among them, are only accessible in the app’s premium version, which costs $2.99 a month. In a conversation with Magdalene, the devoted follower of Jesus mentions how having seven demons “was an incredibly tormenting experience.”

“Chat With Satan” can be activated if the user chooses. The character signs all his texts with a “smiling face with horns” emoji.

Some pastors complained that some responses lacked Bible chapter and verse citations, or about the strange, uptight tone in which Jesus talked, but the final version, Peter said, received “pretty good feedback” from the professionals.

On Twitter, the platform recently renamed X, the launching of the app stirred reactions ranging from amusement to accusations of blasphemy and heresy. “That’s a hard NO for me,” tweeted one user.

On same-sex marriage, the app says it is “up to each individual to seek guidance from their own faith tradition and personal convictions” and encourages users to “prioritize love and respect for all people regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” signing the text with a rainbow and red heart emoji.

About feminism, Jesus emphasized the importance of “empowering women and breaking societal barriers that limited their opportunities.”
source

So, would you like to chat with Jesus Christ? If not why not?

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[Difflugia]

It reminds me of TempleOS. The main difference is that these creators don't think it's really God talking to them.

[Mae von H]

Why is it strange? If a person signs up for an AI who will talk to them like a father, should the real father be expected to remember the conversation?

If the real father's supposed to be omniscient, then yes.

Knowing what an imposter said isn’t the same as acting as though you said it.

[Difflugia]

Knowing what an imposter said isn’t the same as acting as though you said it.

That's also not the question you asked. Furthermore, if a being is responsible for everything in this world, can any part of it be said to be an "imposter" of that being?

[William]

[Replying to Mae von H in post #29]

Please answer my questions or withdraw your comments and accept them as besides the point.

I won’t be there when Jesus tells people to go away, he doesn’t know them. He already said this was coming. It’s not my idea. And I have no interest in determining who is in this category. So I’m not making any call.

I am happy to take that as you withdrawing your comment that "If a person wants to fool themselves into “experiencing” talking with someone whom they KNOW isn’t talking to them, all kinds of deception is available. I’d expect Jesus to say to them, “depart from me…we never talked.”"

There are means through which records can be kept.

That’s no longer “recalling.”

Of course it is. It is a means through which one is reminded.

What is worse, what if promises are made you never uttered?

That is true. What if the biblical promises were never uttered and words attributed to biblical Jesus never spoken?

Why is it strange? If a person signs up for an AI who will talk to them like a father, should the real father be expected to remember the conversation?

Wouldn't that depend upon the attributes of "the real father"?

Do you think that the interaction I posted between myself and GPT – Jesus have fault, or does the conversation align with Biblical Jesus, and thus acceptable?

[Mae von H]

Wouldn’t an AI app that lets you converse with your mother be preferable? Or your father? You could then hear all the compliments and encouragements you always wanted to hear. Or how about such that allows you to converse with your sweetheart anytime you want whether they’re asleep or even dead. Think how delightful that would be. They’d say sweet things no matter how you’ve behaved.

[Mae von H]

Knowing what an imposter said isn’t the same as acting as though you said it.

That's also not the question you asked. Furthermore, if a being is responsible for everything in this world, can any part of it be said to be an "imposter" of that being?

He isn’t responsible for everything in the world. Just answer the question asked, whatever you think that is, please.

[Mae von H]

[Replying to Mae von H in post #29]

Please answer my questions or withdraw your comments and accept them as besides the point.

I won’t be there when Jesus tells people to go away, he doesn’t know them. He already said this was coming. It’s not my idea. And I have no interest in determining who is in this category. So I’m not making any call.

I am happy to take that as you withdrawing your comment that "If a person wants to fool themselves into “experiencing” talking with someone whom they KNOW isn’t talking to them, all kinds of deception is available.

Not at all. They aren’t connected. That Jesus will not acknowledge an exchange in which He played no part has nothing to do with me. You made that a key role. It isn’t a role at all.

There are means through which records can be kept.

That’s no longer “recalling.”

Of course it is. It is a means through which one is reminded.

Only Of what an imposter or liar said you said. No one is responsible for what imposters say.

What is worse, what if promises are made you never uttered?

That is true. What if the biblical promises were never uttered and words attributed to biblical Jesus never spoken?

What if?

Why is it strange? If a person signs up for an AI who will talk to them like a father, should the real father be expected to remember the conversation?

Wouldn't that depend upon the attributes of "the real father"?

I ask again, what attributes makes any father responsible for words an imposter said?

Do you think that the interaction I posted between myself and GPT – Jesus have fault, or does the conversation align with Biblical Jesus, and thus acceptable?

I would have to read it but so far you do not seem to see that an imposter posing to have a conversation with someone does not make the real person responsible for what said imposter said.

[Mae von H]

William,

This is a pretty interesting exchange. You are quite smart which makes it enjoyable. I think we diverge when it comes to the position of the reality (or not ) of the divine. I surmise that you assume said Being isn’t really there so AI offers a pleasant way to live the fantasy. Is that right?

For me, He’s very real, more real than you are and an imposter telling a man whatever he wants to hear quite dangerous.

[Difflugia]

Just answer the question asked, whatever you think that is, please.

I did:

Why is it strange? If a person signs up for an AI who will talk to them like a father, should the real father be expected to remember the conversation?

If the real father's supposed to be omniscient, then yes.

[Mae von H]

Just answer the question asked, whatever you think that is, please.

I did:

Why is it strange? If a person signs up for an AI who will talk to them like a father, should the real father be expected to remember the conversation?

If the real father's supposed to be omniscient, then yes.

If you heard an imposter perfectly imitating your voice promise something you’d never ever promise, knowing what the imposter said doesn’t mean you’d recognize the promise as though you’d said it. Why does knowing what imposters said mean accepting it as though you’d said it?