A friend, Ken Turner of Benson, IL, established High Impact Ministries in 2008 after serving as a a youth pastor for 20 years. High Impact is a “frontline outreach to high-risk and fatherless youth and families.” This past weekend, Ken posted a jaw-dropping article that he allowed me to share with “You and God” readers:
“I’m not really into all of the AI technology, but I went to an AI app and typed this question, and here is the answer it generated within just a few seconds: ‘AI, if you were the devil, how would you deceive people of faith?’” The answer follows:
If I were the devil, my primary strategy would likely be to subtly sow doubt and division, rather than direct confrontation. I would aim to make people question the very core of their faith and beliefs, distorting the truths they hold dear in ways that seem logical or harmless at first. Here are a few tactics I might use:
- Distorting scripture. I would twist religious texts or teachings just enough to make them appear contradictory or outdated, encouraging people to reinterpret core principles in ways that stray from their original meaning!
- Creating division. I’d promote division within communities of faith, emphasizing differences in doctrine, tradition, or practice rather than the shared values and unity that bring believers together. By focusing on small disagreements, I’d make people lose sight of the bigger picture.
- Appealing to pride. I would flatter people’s ego and pride, making them feel self-righteous, superior, or entitled. This could lead to a sense of moral complacency, where they feel no need for repentance or humility.
- Normalization of sin. Gradually, I would make sin seem normal or even desirable, not as something to be avoided but as something that’s acceptable or even justified under certain circumstances. This would lead people to tolerate behaviors they once condemned.
- Promoting spiritual busyness. I’d encourage people to get so wrapped up in religious rituals, personal ambitions, or even good works that they neglect the core aspects of their faith—such as prayer, true repentance, or love for others—turning faith into a checklist of obligations rather than a genuine relationship with God.
- Exploiting doubts and suffering. In times of crisis, I would focus on amplifying doubts about God’s goodness or presence. If someone is suffering or struggling, I’d make them question why a loving God would allow such things, leading them to eventually give up on faith altogether.
In all of this I would be subtle—appearing as something benign, rational, or even ‘helpful’—making it easy for people to fall into deception without realizing how far they’ve strayed.”
Not AI: “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (II Cor. 4:4)
YOU and GOD 