Robot priest are on the rise. This change could be good or bad.
https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/9/9/20851753/ai-religion-robot-p...
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@xenoview: Nice article. The best part in the whole article: "Religious affiliation is on the decline." I guess, even the Buddhists are loosing membership. Good thing to know.
Someday it might actually be a robot. Apparently it is only a manikin with a tape recorder running in it. "For now, Mindar is not AI-powered. It just recites the same pre-programmed sermon about the Heart Sutra over and over."
Still, an interesting idea. Priest Robots. Wasn't it Douglas Adams in his book; Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, by Douglas Adams, that had the robot priests?
All we need to do is set them arguing really....then we can relax on these forums while the apologists listen to their pet AIs fight it out.
While some cultures may be more open to such a concept, I expect a huge push-back and denial from many "holy men" from other religions. Let us face it, apart from the gift of gab ,the only job skills they have barely qualifies them to mop a McDonalds.
When it comes to job security, any "profession" will fight hard.
But when you think about it, most "holy men" just parrot what they have been instructed to speak, and have nothing new to offer.
At least you could leave your children alone with a robotic priest.
HAH!
Well as long as the AI does not mimic real priest too closely. Can at least build em w/o sex organs...
Off topic but.. makes you wonder... robotic nannies.. To watch our kids, robotic care takers to watch us when we are old. Are our care takers going to become increasingly robotic/ai?
Would having a robotic nanny that allowed parents to see what their kids are doing at any time (via cameras) mean the collapse of the day care industry? Yeah those robots will be expensive but ask any parent, day care is way more expensive. And video documentation of any and all actions by the children could end any dispute real quick.
@Logic Re: Robot caretakers
Ever seen the movie "Bicentennial Man"? Or maybe "I, Robot"? There's a bit of foreshadowing for you... *chuckle*...
@Old man shouts: RE: ...A robot atheist. I like that. We could have a drop down screen with all the apologetics listed. All the theist need do is push the button corresponding to the apologetic he or she intended to discuss and the robot could debunk it so the theist would simply leave the rest of the world alone.
@ Cog
We could take it a step further and have AI Robot religious wars....Shia vs Sunni vs Christians Vs Hindus Vs Episcopeans Vs Catholics etc ad nauseum.
They all start off with a round one debate and apologetics then the losers in that round judged by an AI of course go into the arena for a death fight to dismemberment. Then the winner of that round gets to fight the worst performing of the apologeticists until you get the final two....would make great TV.
Think Robot Wars with religion...cool....
We could even have the introduction of a 'Wild Card' in each round..like a Talking Donkey, or pissed off Jesus or Flying Horse that attacks the opposition when they are cornered....what a spectacle!
@Old Man Shouts: Or we could take it a step further and teach them to ride trikes around the theists while spewing sidelong insults like Tin Man while flinging poo. Now that would be a ROBOT!!!
Give the robots friggin laser eyes and let them fight the priest.
Here you go, Xeno...
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So you can have an unthinking, heartless, mindless automaton chanting prayers and performing rituals for money, or you can get a robot to do the same job.
What's the difference?
@Algebe Re: "So you can have an unthinking, heartless, mindless automaton chanting prayers and performing rituals for money, or you can get a robot to do the same job. What's the difference?"
One of them has a coin slot for you to insert your money directly into it. The other one passes around a collection plate.
@Robot Priests: Can you program a robot priest to say "Pull down your pants, God wants me to do this?" I mean, taken logically, the robot is not on a god trip and has no need for power or control over little boys. The robot is not getting sexual pleasure out of the act of molestation. If the robot was molesting anything it would be the electric sockets in your home and child protective covers might just solve the problem. Perhaps robot priests are in fact more godly than (Wait! More godly is a horrible thing to say. God butchers babies. Change that to "more moral") more moral than human priests..
@Cognostic: Can you program a robot priest to say "Pull down your pants, God wants me to do this?"
I think that would violate Asimov's laws, but I'm sure there'd be no problem under Canon law.