WCC’s European artificial intelligence conference opens with the question: ‘What is truth?’

(Photo from Pixabay)

Ecumenical News posted the following:

Artificial intelligence conference opens with the question: ‘What is truth?’

September 11, 2024

The European Christian Internet Conference opened under the theme “What is truth? Ethical and Practical Issues in the Use of Artificial Intelligence.”

The ECIC conference has drawn speakers with diverse insights into a rapidly changing world in which AI is increasing its foothold, the World Council of Churches reported on Sept. 9.

Agnieszka Godfrejów-Tarnogórska, president of the ECIC network and a communication officer of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland, spoke about the issue during a prayer ceremony.

She made her pitch at the conference’s opening prayer referring to Jesus’s response to Pilate—that he came into the world to testify the truth.

“It reminds us that truth is not an abstract concept, but living reality grounded in the person of Christ,” Godfrejów-Tarnogórska said. …

Such is the interest on AI that on Oct. 1 the WCC will cohost a webinar titled, “Theology & Artificial Intelligence: Systematic and Denominational Perspectives.”

It will explore how generative AI and trans-humanism challenge our understanding of personhood and the image of God. https://www.ecumenicalnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-conference-opens-with-the-question-what-is-truth/61168.htm

Yes, Agnieszka Godfrejów-Tarnogórska is correct that Jesus came to the world to testify the truth. But notice what Jesus actually said was truth:

17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (John 17:17)

Sadly, the World Council of Churches (WCC) and most of the churches not in the WCC do not really believe that the word of God is truth.

Jesus also said:

24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24)

God is to be worshiped according what is in the Bible. And related to “the person of Christ” the truth is that Jesus did not look like how most portray Him and His message was different than most believe.

Sadly, the WCC and others often promote agendas that are not according to the Bible.

As the Ecumenical News article pointed out, the WCC plans on a conference to discuss Artificial Intelligence related to “understanding of personhood and the image of God.”

Let’s consider a couple of points about that.

One is that there is now something called the AI Jesus:

An AI program is pretending to be Jesus and thousands of lost young people are flocking to it

There’s an event recorded in the Gospel of Matthew in which Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, and his disciples asked him what the sign of the end of the age would be.

Jesus replied, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.”

At least one of those deceivers is turning out to be an AI called “ask_jesus.”

According to The Independent, a Berlin-based tech collective has developed a chatbot resembling Jesus Christ, which already has thousands of followers seeking advice and guidance.

The chatbot, referred to as “AI Jesus,” has the appearance of a bearded white man with a radiant halo and utilizes artificial intelligence reportedly trained on the teachings of Jesus and the Bible. …

The chatbot has the ability to remember previous interactions with the user which gives it a false sense of omniscience. … one user asked it about gay marriage, and it gave them the noncommittal “all love is love” answer, staying politically correct at all times. 06/15/23 https://www.wnd.com/2023/06/ai-program-pretending-jesus-thousands-lost-young-people-flocking/

No, the real Jesus did not have a halo or work like ChatGPT. So, yes, another false Jesus–but this one is with AI. Others have tweeted that participating in this was surreal. Apparently mystical, though of course, not from God. An AI Jesus is not the truth.

We have a video related that:

14:48

AI Jesus? Artificial Intelligence God?

We are seeing more and more steps to incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) in with matters of religion. From a Protestant sermon via AI, to PETA blaspheming God by re-writing a false account of the Book of Genesis, to Yuval Noah Harari of the World Economic Form (WEF) calling for a new globalist religion and Bible to be produced by AI, things like ChatGPT are being used. There is also an AI thing called “ask Jesus” which has a false Messiah who does not always provide biblically-accurate statements. Many humans want to worship “the work of their hands.” Is that warned against in scripture? Where is this leading? Might the “image of the beast” be demonic and/or involve AI and the Antichrist? Do humans know the way that is right that does not lead to death? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie address these matters.

Here is a link to our video: AI Jesus? Artificial Intelligence God?

As far as Artificial Intelligence programs like ChatGPT go, sometimes they get things right and sometimes wrong. Related to this article and the “personhood” of the Godhead, I asked ChatGPT the following today:

The original koine Greek of the New Testament does not use personal pronouns for the Holy Spirit. Why then have nearly all translators of the New Testament into the English language use personal pronouns such as “he” and “him” and relative pronouns such as “who” or “whom” despite those being violation of koine Greek grammar rules?

ChatGPT responded with the following:

The use of personal pronouns for the Holy Spirit in English translations of the New Testament is influenced by theological and interpretive considerations rather than strict adherence to the grammatical conventions of Koine Greek. Here are some key factors behind this translation choice:

Theological Context: In Christian theology, the Holy Spirit is understood to be a distinct person of the Trinity, alongside God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son. To reflect this doctrine, translators use personal pronouns to emphasize the personal nature and distinct identity of the Holy Spirit within the Trinity. This theological perspective often takes precedence in translations.

Translational Tradition: English translations of the Bible have traditionally used personal pronouns for the Holy Spirit to align with the longstanding doctrinal views of Christianity. This convention helps maintain consistency across various translations and supports traditional Christian teaching.

Now notice that, in this instance, at least ChatGPT has admitted that:

Translators that include personal pronouns for the Holy Spirit are violating “adherence to the grammatical conventions of Koine Greek”
That tradition, as opposed to the word of God, is a reason that various ones have mistranslated the Bible.

So, ChatGPT was able to point out some of the reasons that falsehoods are taught.

Jesus warned about false logic where religious teachers prefer tradition over what the Bible actually teaches:

1 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, 2 “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

3 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God” — 6 then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

8 “These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
9 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'” (Matthew 15:1-9)

Yes one of the reasons that most do NOT know, what the truth is, is precisely because they have been misled by tradition to not accept what the word of God says.

And it is terrible that most translators intentionally violated rules of proper translation when it comes to the Holy Spirit.

Related to that, we produced the following video:

14:53

Gender of the Holy Spirit?

Does the Holy Spirit have a personal gender in the scriptures? Both ancient Hebrew (language of the Old Testament) and koine Greek (language of the New Testament) use grammatical gender when it comes to nouns. In the Hebrew scriptures, the terms for “Spirit” are ruwach or ruah–are they masculine, feminine, or neuter? What about the Greek term pneuma for “Spirit” in the New Testament? According to Protestant scholar Dr. Daniel Wallace are personal pronouns ever grammatically appropriate for the Holy Spirit? According to Eastern Orthodox priest Dr. Laurent Cleenwerck is it grammatically appropriate to use “who” or “whom” associated with the Holy Spirit? Do most translations of the New Testament intentionally violate rules of Greek grammar related to the Holy Spirit? Should people intentionally change the word of God to show a meaning that God did not inspire? Was the King James Version correct when referring to the Holy Spirit as ‘it”? Does referring to a “she” as a “he” make it so? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie go over these matters quoting scriptures as well as scholars who have translated the New Testament into the English language.

Here is a link to our video: Gender of the Holy Spirit?

By putting words in their translations that are not truly supported by the context, many have violated the following warning in the Book of Revelation:

18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; (Revelation 22:18)

While some might say that only applies to the Book of Revelation, the Bible is clear one is not to add to its words. Notice the following from the Book of Proverbs:

5 Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6 Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar. (Proverbs 30:5-6)

Now, as it turns out, the WCC only allows churches to join who are trinitarian.

So, any churches that do not accept the personhood of the Holy Spirit as the third member of the trinity pushed by the Roman Emperor Theodosius in the late 4th century cannot join.

Yet, the passages in the New Testament do not support the personhood of the Holy Spirit. Yet, people think they do mainly because of intentional mistranslations that added falsehoods as well as teachers of false traditions.

That was prophesied, however to happen, as the Apostle Peter wrote:

1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. (2 Peter 2:1-2)

Yes, “the way of truth” has been “blasphemed” by false leaders claiming to teach Christianity. This has turned many off.

The Apostle Paul also warned about them:

13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

Yes, many false religious teaches look good to the world. But because they do not truly rely on or teach the word of God, they are false and artificial themselves.

While things like AI could help the world’s churches, the reality is that they have accepted tradition over the word of God.

Instead they should believe the word of God and, as the Apostle Jude wrote they also should “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

But they do not. The WCC and others are focused more on their unscriptural view of unity than they are the truths of the Bible or holding to the original faith, which is documented in the first and second centuries A.D.

As far as the Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and LDS faiths go, we have documented truthful information on those, which explain that they have many areas that are biblically untrue. You may wish to check out some of the following:

Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.

Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?, Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover, What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?, Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy, Early Heresies and Heretics, Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats, Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, Saturday or Sunday?, The Godhead, Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession, Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List, Holy Mother Church and Heresies, and Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs. Here is a link to that book in the Spanish language: Creencias de la iglesia Católica original.

Teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) and the Continuing Church of God The genuine Church of God is not related to the Mormons and this article explains some differences and a couple of similarities. Also, might certain LDS prophecies apply to Mitt Romney? A sermon of related interest is available: Mormon vs. Church of God Teachings.

Scholars have issues with the world’s version of ‘Christianity’ as well. Dr. Bart Ehrman was some type of fundamentalist Protestant until he looked into matters like church history and realized that nothing like Protestant fundamentalism was practiced by early Christians. As it turns out, according to Dr. James Tabor, nearly all heads of theology departments of most universities in the USA are atheists or agnostics.

As far as what the truth is, the Apostle Paul wrote:

13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. 14. For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 2:13-14a).

7… the word of truth, (2 Corinthians 6:7)

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; (Ephesians 1:13)

5 the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, (Colossians 1:5)

So, whatever God says is the truth.

The Bible also teaches:

18 it is impossible for God to lie, (Hebrews 6:18).

2 God, who cannot lie (Titus 1:2)

4 … Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. (Romans 3:4)

So, if the WCC and others want to know the truth, instead of accepting traditions of men and holding to mistranslations of the Bible, they should believe the word of God.

The last book of the Bible mentions who does and who does not make it in the Kingdom of God.

Now who makes it?

14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city (Revelation 22:14).

Some do not,

15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie (Revelation 22:15).

Because the Pharisees “loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:43), they are condemned (Matthew 23:14). They both loved and practiced a lie.

They are like many associated with the WCC and the other churches of the world.

UPDATE 09/15/24; we just uploaded the following related video:

13:51

AI and What is Truth?

Through its, European Christian Internet Conference, the World Council of Churches (WCC) opened under the theme “What is truth? Ethical and Practical Issues in the Use of Artificial Intelligence.” Truth in Jesus was discussed. What is truth? On October, 1, 2024, 1 the WCC plant to cohost a webinar titled, “Theology & Artificial Intelligence: Systematic and Denominational Perspectives.” But does the WCC have the truth or require one must accept falsehoods about the Holy Spirit to join? Is there an ‘AI Jesus’? Can AI programs like ChatGPT be helpful? Do many gloss over the actual original scriptures and believe traditions of men that are not in them? Should translators rely on tradition over koine Greek grammatical rules? Did Jesus teach that people could worship God in vain? Is it biblically-acceptable to add words to the prophecies of the Book of Revelation or elsewhere in the Word of God? Is God’s word truth? Are there false ministers that many accept, despite warnings from the Bible? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie go over these topics and more.