The App ‘Text with Jesus’: The Clash Between Faith and Artificial Intelligence
The application “Text with Jesus,” created by Stephen Peter, has challenged the boundary between faith and artificial intelligence and sparked widespread reactions in Christian communities.
As the use of artificial intelligence technology expands day by day across different areas of life, the time has now come for religious concepts to be redefined in this technological wave. The application “Text with Jesus,” created by Stephen Peter, CEO of the software company “Catlov,” is a controversial example of this coexistence between technology and faith; a program that allows users to engage in virtual conversations with characters such as Jesus, Moses, Mary, and even Satan.
Peter, who does not consider himself particularly religious, confirmed in a conversation with Fox News that he did not consult with any Christian advisors in designing this platform. Pointing to the unexpected user reception, he says: “It’s unbelievable how many users are eager to have conversations with biblical characters.”
According to Peter, the goal in creating this program was to provide a “safe and accessible method” for asking questions of faith; questions that some believers might hesitate to voice in church gatherings. For example, in one conversation, the virtual character “Jesus” responds to a user’s concern about their job by quoting a verse from the Bible.
However, reactions to this innovation have not been unanimous. Some religious figures have warned about the nature of such an experience. Ken Wiloughby, a priest who reviewed this program, described the ability to converse with “Satan” as “frightening” and said: “To be honest, I don’t want to talk to Satan and I try to stay away from him.”
Joel Berry, editor of the publication “Babylon Bee,” also warned in criticism of such tools, saying: “Artificial intelligence is not a source of anything; it is merely a mirror, a flawed simulation that can only reflect the corruption within ourselves. To attain wisdom, the source must be transcendent and outside our existence. The only true source for achieving truth and wisdom is the Word of God.”
Meanwhile, experts in religious technology say the emergence of platforms like “Text with Jesus” is a sign of humanity’s effort to find common ground between faith and artificial intelligence; an effort that, while it may provide opportunities for religious education and reflection, also simultaneously raises new questions about the authenticity of divine inspiration, religious authority, and the ethical boundaries of technology in the realm of faith.
As the program’s popularity increases, the central question remains: “Can a conversation with a digital representation of Jesus be a spiritual experience, or is it merely a technological reflection of humanity’s thirst to hear a sacred voice in a mechanical world?”
