AI-generated sermons have no soul

I came across an interesting article shared by Steve Baker, who I have featured on the Gone Newclearpodcast. The emphasis of the article was on how artificial intelligence is being utilized by pastors, rabbis, etc. to write sermons for them.

You can read the article here, it’s an interesting read.

The consensus among men and women of the cloth is that the sermons being generated by AI “lack soul.” Meaning it may be adequate on an intellectual level, but it lacks the depth or the human connection that will resonate with the receiver of the message, and have them walk out the door a better person. Or have their communication with their creator strengthened or crystallized.

In one instance, a pastor read a sermon in its entirety, and then informed his congregation at the very end it what he had just read to them, was generated by AI software. His parishioners remarked that the content seemed dull, it seem to like the usual flare.

No kidding.

This of course is the state of AI here in 2023. No doubt the tech will be programmed in such a way that we’ll soon not be able to tell the difference. Our souls, what’s left of them anyway, will be truly stirred to an authentic connection with God – or what our souls imagine God might be.

It’s a slippery slope we’re on with this AI tech. Unless we educate ourselves and take a hard stand one way or another, we’ll be subservient to The Machines, and we won’t know what to do about it even if we want to.

I have a feeling I’ll be talking about it a lot more on the podcast, but for now I can share with you a short episode I recorded on it last week. You can listen to it at this link: https://jamesdnewcomb.com/150223