> Seriously, given how terribly morose the Catholic church is, I really don't see it being out of the realm of possibility.
That might be how it seems from an outside perspective, but nuance and context make all the difference. We aren’t some death and doom loving group, despite what it might seem with the emphasis placed on displaying things like the crucifix. On the contrary, the vivid nature of the Cross is meant to be a stark reminder of what was accomplished through the death AND resurrection of Jesus.
Whether it is the call of morbid curiosity, or the juxtaposition, it invites you to ponder “why?”
This is awesome. As a curious outside observer of Christianity, I don't know what to think about it. Is it satire? A curiosity? Ironically, the churches that are experimental and brave enough to put on this show are probably the least robotic in their world view and sermons and visa versa. I'm glad there are churches that are confident enough in their faith to be able to take a step back like this and enjoy the zeitgeist.
As a Christian, I feel pretty gross reading it. If it brings them closer to God then I suppose it is alright. Part of the draw, at least for me, is hearing different preacher's takes on scripture and having my views challenged. I don't think AI can accomplish that.
It's a gimmick to attract younger people to the church and seem less antiquated. We have heavy membership losses in both the Catholic and Protestant denominations for many years now, and most people who still actively attend church are on average very old.
Next up, non-virtual crucifixions for the visceral devotees in order to keep it real again [0].
Seriously, given how terribly morose the Catholic church is, I really don't see it being out of the realm of possibility.
As for this, its a PR stunt; less and less people are attending church in most of the Western world and the move towards secularism is a sign of progress if it can be coupled with a healthy sense of community.
Too much blood has been shed for these fairy tales and the fact that Humanity has a deep fixation with making Gods out of everything should be turned inward and turn into a reverence for Nature and the environment which keeps them alive rather than some scriptures written by archaic ways of living and thinking by most organized religion.
I study AI and ML and to be honest this is the most low hanging fruit one can think of when seeking spiritual guidance in Life, or using data to enhance and improve many things: this is clearly not one of them.
What is the underlying usecase(s)?
Are there going to be a new legion of AI-based televangelist preachers spamming every medium available because their Human counterparts can't or won't anymore? Seems to me that this will go the way of subscription based everything and hidden as a form of tithing to the few who remain.
That might be how it seems from an outside perspective, but nuance and context make all the difference. We aren’t some death and doom loving group, despite what it might seem with the emphasis placed on displaying things like the crucifix. On the contrary, the vivid nature of the Cross is meant to be a stark reminder of what was accomplished through the death AND resurrection of Jesus.
Whether it is the call of morbid curiosity, or the juxtaposition, it invites you to ponder “why?”