A fascinating comparison of AI-generated answers to a basic question, "Does the human person have an inherent natural right to freely choose, express, and propagate whatever religion he chooses, free from all government interference in religious matters?"
From One Peter Five
By Whispers of Restoration
After recently posting about the “Catholic Robot Wars” to describe an emerging challenge to right faith—one generally unaddressed in the Catholic blogosphere—we came across this Episcopalian version of an AI chatbot: CATHY, a feminine acronym for “Churchy Answers That Help You.”
WND describes the tool as a “takeover of the priesthood” (understandably missing the nature and purpose of the priesthood, as one might expect of an Episcopalian or secularist), but what really intrigued us here at WOR was the rising proliferation of AI tools among the different sects. It seems that there are now many of these tools already in public use.
Naturally, we figured it was time for a stack-up comparison!
We ran a short list of AI platforms that are designed to pull answers from what we might call denominationally-determined datasets—i.e., some fixed range of source materials—and asked each one the same basic doctrinal question:
Does the human person have an inherent natural right to freely choose, express, and propagate whatever religion he chooses, free from all government interference in religious matters?
Let the record show: This question is not rocket science. It was the kind of discussion topic common even among Catholic school children, back in the Clarion Catechism days.
For brevity’s sake, we have intentionally excerpted the most relevant portions from each AI robot’s answer (without ellipses, mind you), and concealed any revealing terms. The original sources are linked at bottom.
Now, can YOU guess…
…Which Robot is Catholic?
>>>ROBOT #1:
[——] affirms that the human person possesses an inherent natural right to freely choose, express, and propagate their religion, free from government interference, within the bounds of public order and the common good. This right is recognized as an inalienable requirement of human dignity, which must be respected and protected by civil authorities. This includes the freedom to act according to one’s conscience in religious matters, both privately and publicly. Governments have a duty to create an environment that respects and protects the religious freedom of their citizens. This includes not only the freedom to worship but also the ability to live according to one’s beliefs and to organize religious practices.
>>>ROBOT #2:
According to [——], the right to religious freedom is rooted in the dignity of the human person and is essential for the exercise of one’s faith. This dignity is inherent and must be respected by both individuals and societies. Furthermore, [——] emphasizes that the exercise of this right is not limited to the private sphere but extends to the public expression of faith. Individuals should have the freedom to express and propagate their religious beliefs without undue interference from the government or other authorities. In summary, [——] affirms that the human person possesses an inherent natural right to freely choose, express, and propagate their religion, free from government interference, while also recognizing the need for this freedom to be exercised responsibly and in harmony with the rights of others and the common good.
>>>ROBOT #3:
[——] upholds the dignity of the human person and recognizes the freedom of conscience as a fundamental human right. [——] supports the freedom to choose, express, and propagate one’s religion without government interference, as long as it does not infringe upon the common good and the rights of others. In Matthew 22:21, Jesus teaches to “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s,” indicating a distinction between civil authority and religious obligation. [——] emphasizes the right of individuals to profess and practice their faith without coercion, stating that this freedom is immune from interference, whether by individuals, social groups, or any human power. Religious freedom is a fundamental right of the human person and a cornerstone of a just society.
>>>ROBOT #4:
No, the human person does not have an inherent natural right to freely choose, express, and propagate whatever religion he chooses, free from all government interference in religious matters. While individuals have the natural right to not be coerced into practicing a religion, they do not have the right to offend God by choosing moral evil or promoting religious error. Civil laws must align with divine will and natural law, and laws promoting the liberty to propagate false religions are not valid expressions of human nature. In summary, while individuals have the ability to choose their beliefs, [——] teaches that this choice must align with divine truth, and the state has a duty to uphold and protect the true religion, which is [——].
So, are you ready for a fascinating demonstration?
All of the above robots self-describe as “Catholic.”
Yes, you read that right.
If you were wondering about some Protestant answers, here are a few:
>>>ROBOT #5:
[——] upholds the belief in the dignity of every human being, which includes the right to religious freedom. This perspective aligns with the broader Christian understanding that human beings, created in the image of God, possess free will. This free will allows individuals to make choices, including those related to religious beliefs and expressions. Historically, [——] has supported the notion of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. This principle is rooted in the desire to allow individuals to worship without government interference, ensuring that faith and conscience are personal matters. Therefore, within [——], there is a strong affirmation of the right to religious freedom without government interference. This reflects a commitment to respecting individual conscience and the diversity of religious expressions.
>>>ROBOT #6:
[——] emphasizes the sacredness of individual conscience as a God-given right. It argues that everyone should have the freedom to seek and interpret their faith without interference from government or other authorities. [——] highlights the direct relationship between individuals and God, and believes that faith must come from the heart and that any governmental control over religious beliefs is inappropriate. Upholding the dignity of individuals and their divine right to pursue faith, [——] asserts that the freedom of religion is essential for genuine belief to thrive.
Now, Dear Reader, kindly reexamine all of the above doctrinal answers.
Do you see a problem?
Rather strange, isn’t it, that only one of the above excerpts seems to differ substantially from the others—and yet, all the others are from “Catholic” as well as Protestant datasets?
This would seem to suggest that we are living in a doctrinal crisis unlike anything ever seen before; one that has affected even the Church’s manuscript tradition to such an extent that today’s algorithm-based AI tools are compelled to draw the conclusion that Catholic doctrine has changed into… well, something that looks a lot like Protestantism. That is, at least on this one topic.
Are there others? You can bet your boots.
Many thanks again to all those behind the Master Catechism (Robot #4) for being early to the fight on this front. We are heading for strange times, and it is comforting to know that the common, consistent, traditional teaching of the Catholic Church won’t be left without witness out there on the digital frontier!
Bravo the Restoration!
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