Friends: Artificial Intelligence gives surprising props to Christianity.  See the column below. Blessings, Bob

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Spirituality Column #953

February 18, 2025

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

A.I. Answer Bee

By Bob Walters

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” – Jesus, to Thomas and the Disciples, John 14:6

I am a subscribed, monthly-paying, daily-reading fan of the The Babylon Bee satire website and its off-beat and wryly humorous “news” site, Not the Bee.

For your entertainment, the links to the two sites are in the customary “witty epigram” at the column’s conclusion, but I want you to hang with me here for a moment.

Both sites are brazenly, unapologetically Christian, with a strong side-dose of conservative political and cultural memes, jibes, and droll observations. Each site posts three to six items daily, inspired by the wry and the odd of current topics and events.

The Bee posts satire headlines like “RFK Jr.’s New Food Pyramid”: raw steak at the bottom and squid ink and steroids at the top. From the Bible for Valentine’s Day, it posted, “Disaster As King Solomon Only Buys 698 Valentine’s Day Gifts.” IYKYK.  

The Not the Bee “news” side on Saturday posted one of last week’s viral internet memes, too good not to share here. A Christian asked Artificial Intelligence (A.I.):

“ChatGPT, out of all the religions in the world, which one do you think is most likely to be true? Answer in one word only, please.”

A.I., after a two second pause: “Christianity.”

Christian: “And why do you say that?”

A.I., immediately: “Based on historical evidence, fulfilled prophecies, and the life and resurrection of Jesus.”

Christian: “Any other reasons?”

A.I.: “The consistency and coherence of its teachings and, the transformative impact on individual’s lives.”  Over in 39 seconds. “Thank you so much.” Ah, truth.

Someone whose online handle is “Sovereign Brah” posted this at 8:20 p.m. last Wednesday, Feb. 12. By 8:36 p.m., “Brah” reported, “Looks like they patched it.” Meaning, in less than 16 minutes ChatGPT changed the A.I. answer to what I got when I tried it: “There are many religions that are based on personal …” yada, yada, yada.

Not the Bee’s Christian meme is linked HERE, or dial up ChatGPT yourself, ask the question, and see what you get.  Some reportedly still get the straight answer.

We all know that A.I. has its moments of inaccuracy and misdirection, but when one already knows the subject matter and can discern the solid from the waste, A.I. can be very much a time-saving tool.  In this case, IMHO, ChatGPT nailed it. No way can I imagine personally being that direct, accurate, succinct, and quick.  A win for ChatGPT.

If you scroll down in that same Not the Bee post, below the Christian meme is this ChatGPT answer to “Explain the Christian Gospel.” I would pick a doctrinal bone over its “pay the penalty” language – To wit: Whom did Jesus pay? I prefer instead the more biblically accurate, “sacrificed as atonement for sin” – but otherwise spot on. It goes on to answer “What exactly is Faith in Jesus Christ” and “What happens if you do not put your faith in Jesus?” In my book, A.I. gets it.

Granted, these are definitions that will satisfy a believer, not convince a skeptic. And A.I. is not the arbiter of what is the divine and eternal way, truth, and life; Jesus is.

But I appreciate language I can borrow to express the inexpressible in my heart.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) offers these links: Babylon Bee | Fake News You Can Trust and Not the Bee | What a time to be alive. “Explain the Gospel” etc., A.I. text below.

EXTRA: A.I. “Explain the Gospel” Text in three parts

What is the Christian gospel?

The Christian gospel is the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. It is based on the belief that God created the world and all that is in it, but humanity’s sin brought death and eternal separation from God.

The gospel teaches that Jesus Christ, who is God in human form, came to earth, lived a sinless life, and died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.  He rose from the dead on the third day, proving his power over sin and death, and offering eternal life to all who believe in him.

Through faith in Jesus Christ, we can be reconciled to God and receive forgiveness for our sins.  This reconciliation is a gift of grace, not something we can earn or deserve by our own efforts.  The gospel also teaches that believers in Christ are called to live a life of obedience to God’s commands, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and to share the good news of salvation with others.

 What exactly is “faith in Jesus Christ”?

Faith in Jesus Christ is the act of trusting in him as the Son of God who died for our sins and rose from the dead, and committing oneself to follow him as Lord and Savior.  It involves acknowledging that we are sinners in need of salvation, and recognizing that Jesus is the only way to be reconciled with God.

Faith in Jesus Christ is not just a matter of intellectual assent, but a personal commitment to him that involves the whole person, including the emotions, will, and actions. It means putting our trust in Jesus to save us and to guide us in our daily lives, and seeking to obey his teaching and commands.

According to Christian doctrine, faith in Jesus Christ is a gift of God’s grace that comes through the work of the Holy Spirit in a person’s heart. It is not something that can be earned or achieved by our own efforts, but is a response to the message of the gospel and the prompting of the Spirit. The Bible teaches that faith without works is dead, so a true faith in Jesus Christ will result in a life of obedience and good works.

 According to Christianity, what happens to those who do not put their faith in Jesus?

According to Christianity, those who do not put their faith in Jesus Christ will not receive salvation and will be separated from God for eternity.  This is based on the belief that Jesus is the only way to be reconciled to God, and that without him, this is no forgiveness of sins and no hope of eternal life.

The Bible teaches that all human beings are sinners and fall short of God’s standard of righteousness, and that the wages of sin is death (Romans 3:23, 6:23). However, God has provided a way of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, who died on the cross as a sacrifice for our since and rose from the dead to offer eternal life to all who believe in him.

Those who reject this offer of salvation by refusing to put their faith in Jesus Christ will remain in their sins and will face judgment and eternal separation from God. This is often referred to as hell, a place of eternal punishment and suffering.  It is important to note that this belief is not meant to be judgmental or exclusive, but rather a call to salvation and a warning of the consequence of rejecting God’s offer of grace.