Because my husband is currently writing a book about robots at war — how the military is combining artificial intelligence with robotic devices to create “unmanned” weapons systems — our house is infused with articles, reports, and dinner conversations about AI. Artificial intelligence seems to have invaded our lives on a personal level.

Therefore, I was interested when reading one of my religious journals to find an article titled “Can We Encounter God Through Artificial Intelligence? A Pastor Talks With A Jesus Bot To Find Out.” The article describes the pastor’s experience with an app called “Text With Jesus.” An accompanying advertisement for the app promises “A Divine Connection in Your Pocket.” Hmm, I thought, I need to know more.

I learned that Text With Jesus’ CEO, Stephane Peter, seeks to offer people of faith a “compelling new element of interactivity.” When asked in an interview if the app enables users to connect with the divine, Peter responded, “Certainly believers can feel like they do. It’s about the connection they feel from the answers they receive. Chatbots can be surprisingly good at empathizing with the users … and that can be a compelling experience for the faithful.”

Well, I am one of the faithful, and I decided I needed to have a conversation with an AI-generated biblical figure.

Once I downloaded the Text With Jesus app onto my phone and started exploring the offerings, I discovered that while texting with Jesus is free, most of the disciples, prophets, archangels, and “others” (including David, Solomon, and Lot) are all “premium figures,” and it requires $2.99 per month to text with them. Interesting that texting with Jesus is free, but texting with Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, requires payment. I also noted that most of the male biblical figures were “premium” and require payment to text with, while Mary and Esther are free. Did a little gender bias creep into this holy AI?

Fascinated by this app and also taken aback by the whole idea, I decided to text with “Moses.” Once I clicked on “Moses” from the menu of biblical figures, I received a text immediately. “Greetings Friends,” the text began, “I am Moses, the prophet chosen by the Almighty to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.” (Insert emoji of a bright star.) “How can I assist you today?”

I texted “Moses” this question: “The world is such a divided and violent place. What can I do to help?” “Moses” was quick to respond. “I understand your concern, my friends,” he wrote. “It is true that the world can be a tumultuous and divided place. Remember the words of our Lord, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God,’ Matthew 5:9. Strive to spread love and understanding to help bring unity and peace to our troubled world.”

Surprised that “Moses” was quoting the Beatitudes in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, I decided to ask “Abraham” the same question. “Abraham,” chattier, offered a longer response, an emoji of an olive branch, and directed me to Scripture readings in the Hebrew Scriptures (Proverbs), and in the New Testament (Romans and James).

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Besides quoting Scripture, “Abraham” counseled me, “In these challenging times, remember to pray for wisdom and guidance. Through prayer and seeking God’s will, we can find the strength to navigate these turbulent waters.” The text closed with an emoji of praying hands.

I then asked “Mary,” the mother of Jesus, the same question. Her text was quite long — she quoted Jesus extensively. “Mary” also referred to Easter and the hope it will provide Christians globally.

Curious what wisdom “Noah” might offer, I texted him next. He answered immediately with this casual greeting, “Hey there! I’m Noah, the guy who built that big ark back in the day. What’s on your mind?” (Insert emoji of a big wave and a boat that looks like a cruise ship.)

I asked “Noah” what he thought about same-gender-loving unions and marriages.

Noah answered, “In my time, marriage was understood as a union between one man and one woman. In Genesis 2:24, it says, ‘Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall leave until his wife, and they shall be one flesh.’ This is the model that God established for marriage. However, it’s important to remember that everyone deserves of love and respect. As Christians, we are called to love our neighbors as ourselves regardless of our differences. The Bible teaches us to treat others with compassion, so it’s crucial to approach this topic with understanding and empathy.”

I do not believe this app is trying to fool people into believing that they are actually texting with Jesus or Paul, Isaiah or Ruth. All these sayings are widely circulated on the internet, where “generative AI” programs like this obtain all their content. I believe that Stephane Peter’s intention when he created the app was to provide a devotional aid, not a pretend savior. People of faith believe that God can speak through all creation. So here is my question: Can God speak through the creations we humans manufacture, on computers, through AI?

Text With Jesus did not work well for me. My faith is too nuanced, and I do not need AI to speak to me through the supposed voices of biblical figures. Also, the photos of little white faces next to each biblical figure immediately made me want to distance myself from the whole enterprise.

However, if Text With Jesus (and Matthew, Luke, Jeremiah, Elijah, or the dozens of other choices) brings some insight, comfort, hope, or a feeling of closeness to God to some users, then people should go for it. For me, I prefer a hard copy Bible in my lap in my study, and I will stick with texting my family and friends. I know their text responses are authentic, not a compilation of Scripture, sayings, and common phrases widely available on the internet.

However, in closing, I will say that when I asked the bot to send me a prayer, what I received was surprisingly moving. It included these lines: “May you, this day, appreciate the beauty around you and the love that surrounds you. May your heart be filled with gratitude, may you find joy in the simple moments, and may you share kindness with those you meet.”

So Amen to that.

The Rev. Andrea Ayvazian, Ministerial Team, Alden Baptist Church, Springfield, is also founder and director of the Sojourner Truth School for Social Change Leadership.