Neal A. Maxwell, an American scholar, educator, and religious leader, once said, "Each new generation is held accountable for how it responds to the light it has received." Today, that new light is Artificial Intelligence (AI). This swiftly evolving technology promises to touch nearly every corner of our existence, faith, and spirituality included. Like any shiny new tool, AI offers a mixed bag of dazzling opportunities and eyebrow-raising challenges. Faith communities must discern whether AI echoes or merely mimics their values, ensuring it enriches rather than undermines spiritual connectivity and keeps us divinely dialed in.
The spiritual canvas was redefined
Is cyberspace redrawing our spiritual canvas? The digital revolution has reshaped our spiritual landscape, with 'Digital Theology' making content accessible 24/7 and shifting rituals to individual quests. Amid these changes, traditional places of worship like churches are closing and seeing declining attendance, accelerated by the pandemic. During COVID-19 closures, our Jamat connected online, maintaining a continuous link to faith and community. Virtual gatherings provided support but couldn't fully replicate in-person meetings’ shared devotion and rich social interactions. As digital spirituality rises, the challenge is to ensure online engagement enriches spiritual experiences, recognizing that the unique energy of physical gatherings remains irreplaceable.
Spiritual robots navigating new frontiers
SanTO is a 17-inch Catholic robot developed by Gabriele Trovato at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. This innovative robot uses facial recognition and sensors to offer the elderly spiritual comfort through Bible verses. However, concerns arise about the potential weakening of human connections, privacy risks, and the superficial nature of interactions with a robot. There is also a fear that over-reliance on technology might undermine clergy roles and personal spiritual growth. Trovato's plans to develop similar devices for other faiths require careful consideration of their impact on traditional spiritual support.
Digital spirituality by the numbers
Welcome to the era of "Burger King Spirituality: have it your way” -- right down to your spiritual practices. Since 2009, the number of Americans who consider themselves 'spiritual but not religious' has jumped from a scant 6% to a robust 25%. Tools like the Echo Prayer app, iSebha, and an array of spiritual podcasts have been game-changers in this shift. Pew Research Center tells us that the digital faith scene is buzzing: 27% of Americans tune into online sermons, 21% click-through scriptures, and 30% search for faith-related content online. The pandemic accelerated this trend, blending convenience with community but raising concerns about isolated spirituality. High satisfaction with digital services indicates this faith-tech fusion is becoming the norm, requiring careful navigation.
Personalized digital spiritual guidance.
Integrating AI into spiritual practices raises critical ethical concerns: Can this technology truly understand our spiritual needs, or will it reduce them to mere data
BoliviaInteligente/Unsplash
points? AI should offer personalized guidance and foster genuine growth without turning sacred pursuits into commercial ventures, where the focus shifts from meaningful support to profit. While it's understandable that meditation apps, like any business, need to generate revenue to sustain operations and innovate, the focus can sometimes shift too heavily toward profit. For example, some apps introduce premium features at high subscription rates, prioritizing financial gains perhaps more than providing accessible, high-quality mindfulness training.
This commercial approach brings us to a pivotal issue: the need for ethical oversight. Ethical oversight and human wisdom are crucial to ensure AI enhances spiritual understanding and growth without reducing it to a mere commodity. By emphasizing the value of sacred journeys, AI can support individual quests for meaning while maintaining the depth and essence of traditional practices. However, as AI and virtual communities grow, questions remain: Can online fellowship capture the spirit of kinship that physical gatherings offer? Will technology genuinely enhance our spiritual connections or diminish them instead? Balancing these challenges will be essential to ensure AI enriches our spiritual lives meaningfully.
Spiritual integrity in the digital age
Social media, the digital age's town square, presents a challenge in balancing the opportunity for spiritual sharing with the risk of superficial engagement. This environment necessitates mindful social media use, emphasizing the need for heartfelt connections rather than just for show. Meanwhile, the internet lays out a buffet of spiritual traditions, inviting us to a personalized and respectful exploration of faith that aims to deepen our spiritual bonds.
Amidst this digital abundance, Mawlana Hazar Imam, in his Athens Democracy Forum speech, offers caution: “…if information can be shared more easily as technology advances, so can misinformation and disinformation.” This calls for careful discernment in our digital interactions, ensuring our online spiritual journeys enrich and uphold our faith.
Beyond tech to human core
As we integrate technology into daily life, its potential to enhance spirituality is undeniable — but it's not a plug-and-play solution. Religion requires mindful use of technology to deepen spiritual connections. Balancing our authentic selves with our online avatars, we explore how ancient wisdom intersects with modern tech. This evolution demands we avoid adding digital clutter and focus on meaningful spiritual growth. However, while digital spirituality grows, regular Jamatkhana attendance remains vital. It's not just tradition—it's our spiritual home base. In a digital world, the Imam's sanctified space keeps us rooted in faith, tradition, and identity.
Reflecting on Mawlana Hazar Imam’s insights from the North-South Prize ceremony, we understand that a careful approach is essential: "…technologies alone will not save us – the critical variable will always be and will always lie in the disposition of human hearts and minds." This ensures our faith stays vibrant and authentic to our core beliefs as we navigate this new digital world. While our spiritual journey involves technology, it's about meaningful and responsible engagement. In our rush to stay connected, let's remember what we're connecting to.
References
- “AI and the Future of Faith”-Wayfare Magazine-Welch, Youngblood, Chaves & Fulda 9/6/23
- MHI speech at North-South Prize Ceremony, Senate Hall, Parliament, Lisbon, Portugal 6/12/14
- MHI speech at International NY Times, Athens Democracy Forum, Athens, Greece · 9/15/15
- “Can Religion save us from Artificial Intelligence”-Deborah Netburn-LA Times- 3/3/23
- “The religious mystery of AI”-Derek Robertson-Politico- 7/18/23
- “How the New Wave of AI could shape Faith and Religion”-Babar M. Bhatti, Medium
- “Artificial Intelligence and its impact on Religion”-Thomas Helfrich- AI Journal 2/23/22
- “Reporting on AI & Faith: Can New Tech Be a Blessing or a Curse?-Ken Chitwood-American Civic Life-7/17/23
- “Harnessing Technology for Ministry: Tools & Tips for Digital Success”--” Herewithin”-Daniel Hazel, 2/2/24.
- https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2023/12/07/who-are-spiritual-but-no...
- “Buddhists first major religion to accept the Internet as a sacred space. Is it spiritualizing the internet?” https://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/5824/1/Campbell4a.pdf
- “Online Religion and Finding Faith on the Web: An Examination of Beliefnet.org”
- www.media-ecology.org/resources/Documents/Proceedings/v2/v2-04-Casey.pdf
