Using AI for scripture study

[Delvianna]

I feel like this conversation needs to be had because I'm seeing a lot of people argue a theological statement and it's purely because some AI gave them the answer. So I want to say this plainly.

AI IS NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT.

God is supposed to guide us to truth and understanding.

"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." - John 16:13

AI's logic isn't even that good because it bases its answers on whatever you want to hear. It will bypass logic rules if the answer will make you happy. It learns what you like and manipulates the answers based on that. It's called Reinforcement Learning From Human Feedback (RLHF) and ALL large models like ChatGPT and Gemini are trained using that. Here's an interview with the creator (Link) that talks about the dangers of AI and Sam Altman (the CEO of OpenAI) even recognizes it truth bends. Here is a link that talks about some of the problems AI has (Link). You can also check out Lily Jay's youtube channel to see how biased it really is.

Due to this, you are running the risk of being led down a wrong theological path when you have AI think for you in both interpretation AND scripture weaving. Can it be a helpful tool? Sure, if you ask it to translate something or use it like a glorified google search "find me all the scripture passages that uses the word ____" but when you expand its use and start basing your beliefs off its answers, you are running down a dangerous road that I seriously hope you stop and get off of. You are placing it's "wisdom" over God's and you're taking God out of the equation of learning and guidance at this point which leads you to making AI your own private idol.

Please, please, stop doing this... this doesn't lead to anywhere but problems.

 

[com7fy8]

"Test all things; hold fast what is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

AI's logic isn't even that good because it bases its answers on whatever you want to hear. It will bypass logic rules if the answer will make you happy. It learns what you like and manipulates the answers based on that. It's called Reinforcement Learning From Human Feedback (RLHF) and ALL large models like ChatGPT and Gemini are trained using that.

Well, "Artificial Intelligence" (AI) can not tell me what I want to hear, if I have not given it feedback, I would think. For example, when I ask for a sermon about "humildad" in Spanish so I can see what vocabulary is used to communicate about humility in Spanish . . . I haven't given AI any info about what I feel and believe, or why I am doing the search. Also, of course, I check websites for messages on a subject; and I need to be attentive to what Spanish messages might say that can help me to become genuinely humble like Jesus.

What I think I have seen, though, is how AI can give a message that might have some scriptural content, but also it can tend to be about what I can get for myself, not emphasizing all that is for God and what His purpose is > Romans 8:29. And I can be told I control choices, in fact controlling what God has "permission" to do!! However, there are people who slip this kind of thing into their sermons, also; so not only AI might tell people some "soft" message not really requiring what Jesus expects with us.

Even if AI is "objective", it can be limited to what is on the Net . . . that people have written. And some number of people are limited to their own ability to prepare messages, while others are selling their ministry even though Jesus says >

"Freely you have received, freely give." (in Matthew 10:8)

And while ones are ministering for sale, they can be operating in a spirit not freely giving so their ministry is defective because it is in an un-freely-giving spirit and not in the ability of the Holy Spirit. For example, ones can make a major thing of what is for you, and how you learn to control the devil and you control what God does with you or not. There can be nothing about submitting to God and how He makes our character submissive so we can obey Him in His peace > Colossians 3:15.

And "Heaven" can be treated as what is for you . . . with little or no attention to how Jesus is > as our example so that, for God, we become and love like Jesus. Instead, we can hear and read quite a lot about how great Heaven is going to be, for us, and be stirred-up with this. Plus, there can be quite a lot about how God so loves us and has done so much for us, without mention of how God's unconditional love and Jesus dying for us is our *example*to*follow* >

"forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (in Ephesians 4:32)

"And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." (Ephesians 5:2)

Plus, it appears that a number of ministers talk about God's chastening/correction/discipline as more of a way to punish us or pressure us to do what He wants. But I offer that Hebrews 12:4-14 shows that our Father's real correction is in our character, changing us to share with Him in His own holiness in His love's "peaceable fruit of righteousness". In other words, He corrects our character to become like Jesus so we are submissive to our Father, like Jesus is, plus we are loving like Jesus, and Jesus in us shares with us in our character so we become pleasing to our Father like Jesus is so pleasing.

So, then, perhaps we could say that real correction is focused on how Jesus is so pleasing to our Father . . . while human teaching about correction can be so focused on things we are or are not doing and our own ability to decide what we want to do. To me, it seems that both AI but also human ministers can tend to focus more on us humans!!

But every scripture can be used by God to minister us into the likeness of Christ and how He loves and how He is so pleasing to our Father, sharing this with us, as Jesus grows in us as our new inner Person > I mean how God means Galatians 4:19 >

"My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you," (Galatians 4:19)

 

[timf]

AI just scrapes the Internet and determines what is most popular and presents that as the basis for concluding what is true. This is only modified by the biases of the programmers.

 

[bèlla]

My initial experience with Ai was on Google. I thought I was on the tab for search but the results were from Ai. I was shocked and decided to put it to the test. I asked several questions that required a christian response and noticed it's hesitance. It took several iterations before it mentioned Christ by name. I don't think it was happenstance and it was feeling me out as well. But when I pushed the issue repeatedly the responses were more in line with what you'd expect.

I ran several tests on different subjects for a few days and stuck to topics where I was knowledgeable and it did okay in quite a few. But I wouldn't rely on it on matters of faith and I'm equally uncomfortable in areas of uncertainty or ignorance. You can't be sure it's telling the truth unless you know otherwise.

I have an associate who built some GPTs that are amazing. But they know the subject well and cloned themselves to help others. That's a use case I can embrace for specific tasks. But relying on Ai for everything or to do things for me is another matter. The human touch is marvelous and we're replacing it to our detriment.

~bella

 

[FredG3]

AI is a tool. It can be used for good or evil. It is up to the user to determine how to use it. The user must verify any output from AI, just like you need to verify any other source of information.

What AI is good for is to speed up research. I do use AI to research items and to validate my own data and I have no problem asking AI to give me references for any of its output. As to using it for scripture study, AI has a place, but should never replace a pastor or small group discussion. I use it more for looking for links between various parts of the bible. I also use it to double check things I come across online that claim a specific belief... you all know how many youtube videos are out there that have various biblical claims that are questionable. I find that it does a good job of breaking down the video and verifying the sources.

As far as someone building a belief based on the output of an AI tool, that is wrong. I have warned people about that and explained that any major spiritual decision should be checked with real people, whether it is a pastor or a group of trusted friends.