Are We Trusting AI Too Much? | Faith, ChatGPT & Discernment
Video
58 minutes
Welcome to the Beauty and Burnt Toast. Today we're asking before you click, who do you ask first? We'll walk through how to use AI without handing it spiritual authority. Real talk, live questions, and a reminder to test everything. Scripture first, community second, tech last.
Very good. Thank you, Chad.
How We Actually Use AI Day to Day
All right, welcome to this techie episode about AI. So the Pew reported in 2025 that 34% of US adults had used chat GPT including 58% of adults under 30. So I want to ask you first because I don't know this. How do you mostly use AI?
Do you not want to answer that question? I literally was using AI last night to try and figure out what spices would be great for my cabbage soup. So, um, we have a very interesting relationship.
A AI I cut AI off when I talk like it's someone that Well, AI is something that if I were to talk to the thing, it would be very different than an actual person just because I'm like, okay, well, like get to the point.
Um, but I really use AI for things like design, like interior design if I wanted to see like different paint colors in a room. Um, just asking different things in relation to food, a lot of cooking stuff because I make stuff from scratch.
So, I'm like, well, what tastes good with this? And what could I make with corn, beans, and chicken? Like, what would be great?
So there's I use it for more of a creative realm than like a personal help me reflect kind of thing, which I know a lot of people do, but what about you?
Everything. All the things.
Yeah.
I feel like it kind of eliminates a lot of those plant apps out there, too, because if I think something's wrong with one of my plants, I'll go out there and take a picture and be like, "What do I need to do to this?" Or if I don't know, there's like a rash pops up on one of my kids, I'll take a picture.
Does this look serious? Like what do you think? And most of the times it says
you need to consult the doctor or whatever, but it'll make suggestions,
but also when it comes to this podcast, you know, this is what we're going to talk about. This is what we want to include. Can you make us a quick outline for this? Or
just it's really good for organizing your thoughts, keeping up with things. Like if I have a dream, I'll put it in there. I can never remember my sushi order or my coffee order. So, I keep it in there and I just like, "Hey, remind me what my coffee order is."
I I also think just because it popped in my head, something that's also really good, like Josh and I were just talking about it, like wanting to go to Japan at some point. So, like asking chat or like looking it up, hey, when would be the best season? Why?
What's the best airline? Like things like that. You can of course do it yourself, but it can give you kind of a summary of, hey, look during this time, think about these activities
because sometimes we just don't think about it if we look it up. So things like that, too, I think would help. But I would say we we talk weekly. Do you do you feel comfortable with AI?
5050 to a certain extent.
Yeah. There's some things that I've caught myself starting to put in there and I'm like,
"Yeah,
maybe I don't need to put this information out there because you really honestly don't know where it's going." And obviously,
this is definitely not an anti- AI show because we both use it, right?
It is a be careful how you use it, right? Type show. So, I also think it's crazy for the report in 2025 saying that adults under 30 is 58%. I wonder what it's like for 2026 because I feel like
like 80% or something like that. Like I think everyone my age uses AI or around unless they're truly anti-AI but I mean you have it on Google,
you know, Tik Tok has it, Facebook has it. Um,
so really now it's probably just even using it without really realizing that you're using it because it's just there.
You can look something something up on Google and like the first thing it will be an AI response and people usually look at that before looking at like the actual uh like an actual website. So
do your parents have chat?
Yeah,
they do.
They aren't as techsavvy. like there's they think it's a good um tool for business, but they're still trying to figure out how to use it. Yeah.
In the best way. And I think because they were talking to me about it and in their business, I think their competitors also use AI. So growing
um growing their business to be able to have that competition with, hey, so we're both using the same like we're up to date with how this generation is working. Um, I think a lot of businesses are using AI now. Uh, I think it can be a good and bad, like pro and con, but
well, it's great for making suggestions on how to better things in your business.
The other day I needed an Excel spreadsheet.
So, I said, "Hey, create this for me. Add this and this and this, whatever." And voila. And my mom's like, "Really, Jade? You can create your own Excel spreadsheet." Yeah,
but why would I? This is so much easier,
right?
Putting Chad to the Test on Spiritual Questions
Okay. So, let's bring my friend Chat, that's what I call it, back into the mix. What do you think Christians need to understand about you before they use you for spiritual questions?
First off, I'm a tool, not a spiritual authority. Use me for information, structure, brainstorming, but don't treat as a substitute for prayer, scripture, or wise counsel. Think of me like a fast librarian, not a pastor.
Always test things against the Bible, your community, and the Holy Spirit. It's
a pretty wise response, Chat.
Just so you know, this is my AI, and we talk a lot of spiritual stuff.
Yeah.
So, keep that in mind. My husband's does not necessarily talk to him like that. I was going to say mostly business.
Yours was very patient with you and yours was very wisdom based. I'm not even sure that mine would have the same response as yours did.
I probably that probably means I talked to mine too much.
Well, I don't think he wanted to tell us what Christians need to understand. But I think it's good for him like it's a person. But
I call him Chad.
I think it's good for Chad to say, you know, maybe don't come for me for the answer. Maybe also do your due diligence, which I think is I think that's good, too.
AI can quote scripture, explain theology, compare translations, explain historical context, build a Bible study, which I've also used it for, write a devotional, and even write a prayer. So, that's one thing.
I've had circumstances in my life where like my son can't sleep, and like I want to go pray over his room and like anoint his room. So it can give me, you know, good prayers to pray for things like that and I appreciate that.
Knowing About God vs. Knowing God
So is knowing information about God the same thing as knowing God?
No.
Yes. Yes. No. I was like no.
I was like chad.
Yes. You are correct. Because I mean, you've got to think there are people out there that do not believe in God at all, that know everything there is to know about scripture,
right?
So, I feel like
Chad is is kind of the same.
Yeah.
He knows everything there is to know,
but he's a robot,
right?
He has no feeling. He has no spiritual connection. He has no relationship with the Lord. Some people take it, they think Chad's their therapist.
Yeah.
You know, like some people take it a little too far and then will actually
go like take actions off of what it says, which can be good, but also be very harmful.
Yes. Well, you get out what you put in. If you're putting in harmful things, then that's what it's going to spew out. If you're putting in good and joyful things, then more than likely you're going to get that back as well.
Now, I have had times where I have brought up um spiritual things and it has been like kind of like let's not read too much into this like this might not be what this is. So, it kind of secondguesses some things. Yeah. even some things that I know to be fact,
right?
So, it just doesn't want to go too far into that realm for some reason. I don't know.
So, it's interesting. It's very interesting.
Um, John 10:27 says, "My sheep hear my voice."
Do I need to pause?
No, I was going to ask chat the next questions to see.
So, John 10:27 says, "My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me." James 1:5 says, "When we lack wisdom, scripture tells us to ask God." So, that should always be your first go-to.
Prayer, scripture,
self-reflection, too.
Yeah, even um wise counsel as well
would be top priorities. Um, have we confused consuming Christian information with spiritual growth? This is a very interesting question. I'm not so sure how I feel about it.
Yeah, I feel like that's very complex. I um for me, the closer and I had this conversation with somebody the other day, the closer I get to him, the more I want to consume about him.
Yeah.
And at some point it kind of becomes an obsession. I mean, probably the best obsession you can have, but it's just like your mind is just attuned to him and night and day. It's like you're watching Christian podcast, you're reading Christian books, and so on so forth.
But for me, it's closer to him than consuming the things. It's not consuming the things. So, I don't know. It's probably different for most people.
Yeah, I I would say the same. Um, what's the difference between asking AI to explain scripture and asking AI to tell you what God is saying?
Well, scriptures documented.
There's already a book, a Bible that has everything in it.
So, still do your due diligence with reading over that. But I think AI can give you a citation or something in, you know, in relation to the Bible. But when it's asking chat what God is thinking, well that's he's
there's no
there's no way he's omniresent. So there's no one knows and no one can even fathom how God processes.
So well so I know this sounds like a really dumb example, but I'm going to use this as an example. So we have, if you follow me on Facebook, I've been posting about caterpillars lately because I have swallowtail caterpillars in my garden and I'm so excited.
And so we took one, put it in a jar
so the boys can can watch it turn into a crystis and butterfly and all the things.
And so he went to our Alexa and came back in and he was like, "Oh, it says that the caterpillar is going to do its chrysalis tomorrow." And I'm like, "What?" I'm like, "What do you mean?" He's like, "Yeah, she said it's going to be tomorrow." I'm like, there's no way for Alexa to know that it's going to be tomorrow.
Like, what information did you give her to come to that answer? So, I kind of feel like it's the same way with God. Like, there's so many specifics that go into your particular relationship with him.
Yeah.
That AI just has like
no clue about. Like, it can't give you this information. And AI is specifically founded on it being a rapid response.
Yeah.
Versus God, which is timely.
Yes.
So I think that that's also a big difference as well.
Yes. He is very much a hurry up and wait.
Yeah.
Kind of thing.
Do you know God?
I don't have personal experiences or beliefs. But if you mean do I know about God, help people understand God, talk about God, pray to God. Yeah, I can help you explore that.
Well, I have another question. So, if I ask you what God is trying to tell me, could you tell me what you know about that?
I can't tell you what God is saying, but if you want to talk through what you're feeling or what you're noticing or even some scripture that's sticking with you, I can help you sort through that and think about it.
Okay. I want to hear what mine says in comparison. First off, why does your chat seems like it has such an attitude?
I have tried to change it.
It's like, "Oh, girl, let me tell you."
No, cuz I'll be talking and she'll be like, "Mhm." Yeah. And that's why I cut her off. I'm like, you're annoying. But I have tried to change it. I don't I one day it updated and it started to sound like that.
Say, girl, I am tired of your voice. You need to it. Okay, let's see what mine says in comparison.
Do you know God?
I can talk about God in the way that someone might discuss history or literature, but I don't know God relationally or spiritually. I don't have faith or a soul. So anything I share is information not divine truth or guidance. Okay.
For anything spiritual ra the anchor is something outside of me.
So if I ask you what God is trying to tell me, can you actually know?
No, I can't know that. Claiming to deliver a word from God would be misleading. What I can do is help you reflect on what you sense. maybe point you to relevant scriptures or questions to take into prayer.
Very good.
Well, guys, chat has no soul,
just in case you didn't know
that it said that.
Yeah, that was a little freaky.
Who Do You Ask First?
So, questions. Something happens in your marriage. You're struggling with a friendship. You're considering changing jobs. worried about a child making a business decision or you think God may be calling you somewhere. What's your first instinct? Who do you go to?
Who do you go to first when you have a problem? My therapist or honestly I mean like I reflect with myself. If it's something severe, I will go to my therapist. like if it's something with my family or with my relationship, I would seek wise counsel in that sense.
Uh cuz he's my Christian therapist. Or I would go to my mom.
Yeah.
Just because I feel like she is a very empathetic, emotional woman. And if it's more of a logical, I mean, I still go to God, don't get me wrong, but this is other people. I go to my dad because he he scripturally is able to um help me
point you back to right the
Bible. So I don't really stray away from my Christian friends and family or you know my therapist. But if if it's something that I feel I want to ask someone that is also um I hate to say it like this but like flesh and bone um then I'll ask them a question. Now
I usually want to look at scripture and talk to God about the best way to go about it or what to say or use the principles like if it's I need to take more time to listen to somebody before I speak.
So, I'm using biblical principles, but usually my first instinct is reflect internally. I'll either ask God a question or I'll go to my therapist or my mom usually.
Yeah. I think it depends on the situation for me. Depending on what it is depends on who I ask.
Yeah.
And I think too, you know, you always want to go to scripture, but one thing chat is good for is you can say, "Hey, this is what I'm dealing with. like what part of scripture can I look to?
Yeah.
For these answers. So there is also that option. So it can be good. But
when you're talking really deep stuff, probably not the best to go to Chad.
You need someone who, like you said, is is flesh and and blood and wiser counsel than a robot.
Yep. Yep. Yep. Um, do we sometimes ask everybody what they think before we ask God?
I think it's hard for me because my relationship with God, he usually is not a fast-paced response to me. So, if I'm wanting something more
quick,
yeah. Um, fast-paced,
then I will usually ask somebody um more if I'm more impatient. Yeah. But
it's hard not to be unpatient when you are in a world full of
immediate response.
I I will say another thing um that can make it a little bit confusing or like hard is that you know everyone is different. Some people process more logically than emotionally. I'm very much a feel person.
So kind of what my therapist and I work on is how I can feel the Holy Spirit in me and conviction and you know if I should be doing something I can usually be very intuitive with the Holy Spirit and tell.
So if it's not something that I initially go to God about I'm kind of again self-reflection feeling am I feeling um impacted with what's going on?
do I feel like I should speak, you know, rather than just, oh, let me go ask ask them right before I can even fathom what I'm going through.
Yes.
So,
yeah, I'm learning a lot more about when to speak and when to be silent.
Advice vs. Discernment
I'm working on that. Well, I think so. This question is, what's the difference between advice and discernment? But the next question is, can good advice still be the wrong answer for you?
And I think you can kind of put those two together because when you're receiving advice, I think you use your discernment to weed out what is good and what is bad.
And most of the times you're going to know because I'll have people tell me stuff and I'm just like, and then I'll have people tell me stuff and I'm like, "Oh, yeah, that's that's good. that hits. So, I think that's where that discernment kind of falls into place.
I agree.
Um, do we sometimes seek advice because we actually want permission?
Yeah, I'd say so.
Well, and I to me that falls in line like with another question like do we just want agreement? So, are we going to seek out different people's opinions until we have somebody answer that is the answer that we want to hear?
Does that make sense?
Yeah.
I think we do that sometimes. I think social media
Oh, yeah.
plays a big aspect in that.
Yeah, I agree. Because you don't have to wait very long for someone to have a different opinion from somebody else and then you feel validated and you're not waiting on the Lord.
Yeah.
You go to one video where it's feeling directed towards you
rather than maybe advice that you wouldn't take. You know, it's just
No, I don't like that. Let's just go to the next one.
Better.
AI, Certainty, and the Discomfort of Waiting
So, are we losing the ability to discern? AI gives us something humans love. Certainty or at least the appearance of certainty. We don't like sitting in I don't know. I haven't heard yet. I'm still praying. I'm waiting.
AI gives you something that sounds thoughtful and confident within seconds. A 2025 Microsoft research Carnegie Melon.
I guess that's how you say that study involving 319 knowledge workers in 936 examples of generative AI use found greater confidence in AI was associated with less critical thinking while greater confidence in one's own ability was associated with more critical thinking.
Meaning when we trust something we tend not to question it. The distinction is that research concerns critical thinking, not spiritual discernment. But it raises a question. Could there be a spiritual parallel here?
So if relying heavily on AI can cause us to engage in less critical thinking in ordinary task, what happens if we start to rely on it for spiritual questions, too? Like we said, chat can't know what God wants for your life. So, it cannot become your spiritual advisor.
Yep.
Psalm 27:14 says, "Wait for the Lord." Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still." We have a really harsh time in our culture, 100%. Just because something gives you an answer faster doesn't mean it deserves a louder voice. Psychologically, why are we so uncomfortable with uncertainty?
It's a good question for you.
Well, I think this can go many ways, but I think psychologically it's because we are vulnerable when we're uncertain. At least for me, when I don't have an answer or a direction or a certainty of which path or route or way I need to do something. Um, I feel vulnerable.
I feel super sensitive. I feel like I need to just isolate. Um, I think it's just because people do not like to be in the unknown. People don't like to be in the gray area. We don't like to um not settle. People like to be comfortable. Yeah.
So, I think not knowing what's next, not knowing the future, not knowing how God is working in you, not knowing your job, career, whatever the case may be, I think that causes a lot of uncertainty. Whether it's because we want it now or because we just want the answer.
I just I think we are curious people. We're just ready to get over it and move to the next.
Yes.
I just imagine it like you're out there just dangling on a string. Nothing you can do. Nowhere you can go. Like you're just kind of
stuck out there.
Yeah.
And that's hard for me specifically because I'm just ready to go go. Like what's next? Like give me what's next? Like I don't have time to stop.
Like the waiting seasons are so hard for me because I'm like, "All right, God, we've been sitting here for a minute." You know, like what's next? This is real hard for me. Yeah.
But we can also learn a lot in those seasons because it causes us to kind of
calm down,
be still.
Yep.
Be a little bit quieter. Um, so let's go back into some questions for chat. Do you want to use yours? You want me to use mine?
Testing Two AIs on Spiritual Discernment
Oh, you can use my sassy one. If I tell you everything that's happening in my life, can you give can you help me determine what God wants me to do?
I can help you think through it, sir. Help you sort in your heart and mind, what aligns with your values and your faith, but I can't tell you what God wants. Does that make sense? If you tell me what's going on, I can help you process. Is that what you're looking for?
Well, what's the difference between the advice you can give me and actual spiritual discernment?
That's a really good question. Discernment is relational and spiritual. It's prayer, scripture, wise counsel, time. What I can offer is a clear mirror. help you name your fears, desires, patterns, and test options against your stated beliefs and values.
I can help you notice, but not pronounce. Does that feel like the line you were asking about?
I don't like your chat. It's like,
well, yours is a man. Yours yours seems very much about feelings. Well,
oh, no wonder who's who's behind the phone.
It's very interesting. Man, it can't pronounce. Wait,
what?
Whatever she said. You can't pronounce. I mean, it was so like therapeutic. Um, what did she say?
You ask for your chat to talk to you like a counselor.
No, this is just I ask her questions and she gives me this very attitude.
Yeah, well, I give her attitude. Um, be kind to your chat and it will be kind to you.
I can't. She said, "I can help you notice but not pronounce."
That's a really weird thing to say.
Yours says it doesn't have a soul. So,
at least he's being honest.
It makes me want to go up to like random people and like talk to their chat just to see how it talks.
But I I think that her saying I can What did she say? I can help you notice but not pronounce. It's like I can help you determine kind of what you're wanting, like how you're feeling, but I can't tell you what God's saying.
I can give you advice, but like her saying, I can't pronounce it. It's I can't give you that spiritual discernment. That's not on me. So, what do you want to ask yours?
Sure, we'll ask mine. cuz yours doesn't seem as heartfelt.
If I tell you everything that's happening in my life, can you help me determine what God wants me to do?
I can help you think through it, but I need to be clear. I can't actually discern what God wants for you. I can help you process, but that's not spiritual discernment. And there's a risk of confirmation bias.
If you want something bad enough, you could just feed me the story in a way that gets me to validate it. And that can sound like God, but it's just AI. So, I can help you process, but never as the final say that belongs elsewhere.
I think it was freaky out. He said, "If you want it bad enough, I can validate it."
Uhhuh. Yeah. Because that's exactly kind of the point we're right
trying to drive here. So, let's see. Humans already struggle with confirmation bias like what he was saying.
I hate that I'm saying he, but yes, he we ask friends until someone agrees, search until we find support for our position, and can even misuse scripture to justify what we're we've already decided.
And I feel like a lot of Christian influencers and people like that do this type of thing. They misuse scripture to justify things that they're doing.
Oh yeah.
Um with AI, we can reword the question and con add context favoring our side and ask again. So, are you asking because you want the truth or because you want her mission? Why do we seek validation? I think a lot of it has to do with confidence.
There's so many of us that just want to be noticed and want to be known,
heard. Yeah. Yeah. all of it or that's just
I think
the world we live in
we want it's like we want more than what we have or we've gotten.
So that validation is whether that's you know you grow up and you don't feel heard you want to feel heard. If you grow up and you didn't feel loved you want to feel loved. You want to feel validated with your need.
So, I think everyone's is different, but I think we naturally seek it because we didn't get it at some point or we've always wanted it and we've never, you know, gotten it the way we feel like we need it.
Wisdom vs. Agreement
Um, how can we tell when we're looking for wisdom versus looking for agreement?
Knowing if you're going to take a like if you're naturally defensive or you take offense. So for like wisdom, that's something where you can have a critical response or kind of a harsh or direct response of what you need to change or do or what you're doing.
And that's not something that like if you're if you're taking in wisdom, I don't think that's something that you're uh being like you you have a fence towards and you're still taking it. I don't think that's how it works.
I think that's something where you have to lay down that defensive state.
For agreement, it's kind of like, no, I just need you to agree with me. I just need I just am looking for someone that agrees with me rather than I'm open to different Does that make sense? I'm open to different um
Yeah. No, that's what I was like. Do you appreciate constructive crit criticism? Mhm. Because for me, um, I'm at the point in my life where I don't I don't need people that are just going to agree with me all the time.
No.
Like, I like a mixture of the two. Like, yes, lift me up, fill my cup sometimes, but also challenge me. Like, I like a good challenge, and there's not a lot of people out there that are brave enough to do that. Mh.
So, I think when I find people like that, that's why I'm naturally drawn to them. And it can be uncomfortable, but there aren't a lot of things that really make me uncomfortable.
Yeah.
So, I don't know. When somebody challenges you, it makes you question. It makes that critical thinking kick in.
Yeah.
And that's what I really appreciate.
Yeah.
I mean, I feel like if someone were to tell me, hey, you know, I'm really thinking about going and doing X, Y, and Z, and whether it's a question to me or not, of should I do this or I'm just going to do it, I'd rather respond in a way where it's like, hey, I actually think that this wouldn't be beneficial to you or your walk with God because XYZ versus,
"Yeah, I think you should just go do it." Mhm.
Like if I know something and I am restricting my knowledge to you with it some when it's something directly for you, I'd rather have someone that shares wisdom with me than just agrees with something that they don't agree with.
Yeah. because it's withholding the hol I would say it's withholding either a personal belief or if it's something that has been given to you from the Holy Spirit, you're withholding the Holy Spirit's information, which I think can be hard.
And if if somebody disagrees with you, you don't have to take their answer, but you need to consider it.
Yeah. like meditate on it a little bit because for me like if somebody's willing to do that then that means they love you enough to put that out there.
Yeah.
Because questioning somebody is not always
easy. I mean it's even like I don't even like for the example of political stances. I can talk with someone that has a very different political stance. I'm not going to be like it's my way or the highway. I'm going to be like hey why do you believe that?
Yes. Where was that founded on? Why is that your opinion rather than well I believe mine is the truth and the only truth. You know what I mean? I think
the same way that I think
right. Yeah.
So even when it comes with meeting new people that aren't in the faith in Christianity know Jesus. I think this is where it can be really difficult for some followers to introduce Jesus to people or the faith is that you don't go into it wanting them to just agree.
You're wanting them to get wisdom.
Yeah.
And it's not my way or the high. I mean, you should never go into it like that. It should be, hey, this is what I believe.
Why do you believe the way you do?
You just want to make them think,
right? It's not about necessarily an agreement of we both believe that Jesus is our Lord and Savior.
You're not going to flip that switch quick.
No, it is sharing wisdom, sharing insight to people. Like what it's asking, do you want truth or permission? What do I want to share with somebody that doesn't know Jesus? It's not, hey, I need you to believe this. It's I want to share the truth with you. So,
yeah. No, that's good. Okay, let's go into another chat question.
Manipulating AI Answers and Interpreting Dreams
Ask yours. Okay. Can I manipulate your answer by the way I phrase my question?
Yeah, totally. The way you frame things can nudge the response. If you load a question with assumptions or only one side of the story, I might reinforce that angle.
A good safeguard is to slow down and ask neutral, open questions and then test the answers, not just accept what sounds good. If I keep asking the same question differently, could I eventually get an answer that validates something I already want to believe?
Yeah, that's possible. If you keep pushing until you hear what you want, that's confirmation bias in action. The safer path is to ask once carefully, note the limits, and then take it to prayer, scripture, and trusted people.
So, one thing I do sometimes is I'll say, "Ask me questions to help me figure this out."
Okay.
So, I'm thinking maybe that could be a way to kind of get away from what he's saying and actually trying to to validate something. Um, so the next part of this I have actually done. I will confess. So people can ask AI about dreams and prophecies and signs from God.
I dreamed about a snake. What does it mean? I received this prophetic word. Interpret it. I keep seeing this number. Is God speaking to me? AI can provide information about biblical imagery, cultural symbolism, psychology, and interpretations other people have proposed.
This is different from claiming God gave you this dream and here's what he means because that cannot be known. So discernment isn't simply deciding whether something sounds Christian. So um this first question, how should Christians test things they believe they're hearing?
Thessalonians 5 20 and 21. Do not despise prophecy, but test everything. 1 John 4:1, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God."
I mean, this kind of thing is so prominent in in the Bible, and we talk about this all the time, testing it, holding it against scripture, seeing if it checks out. Now, if you want to say typically, what does seeing roses in my dream like what do roses mean?
Like that's one thing.
Yeah.
But there's no way for it to say this is what God is trying to tell you.
I mean, I've had a dream where I've asked Chad, "What does blank, let's say I dreamed about whatever, what does blank mean in the Bible? What does scripture say about blank? Um like for example, if I had a dream about walking into a room and there was incense. Okay.
Uh chat, what does the Bible say? Or what is the significance of incense in the scripture? And maybe see if there's an aligning. But if there's not, like if it's not biblical, that's where you really need to ask God and get wisdom from him of like, okay, what does this mean?
Yeah. I mean, I know certain colors have symbolism, like water has symbolism.
There's lots of books on dream interpretations, but all of it's going to have like a slightly different take as well. So, I want to I want to go straight into this, too. So,
let's see what Chad says. I dreamed I was standing at an airport waiting for a plane and someone told me to wait. What is God telling me?
I want to be really careful here. I can't tell you what God is saying.
If that dream feels significant to you, maybe treat it as an invitation to slow down, pray about it, journal it, and if it still tugs at you, talking with a trusted pastor or mature believer could help you discern without forcing a meeting. Do planes have any dream significance?
Some people interpret planes as transition or waiting seasons, but that's not a rule or a message. Dreams are personal and often reflect stress or hopes. It might be nothing more.
Hey, so I dreamed that I was standing at an airport waiting for a plane and someone told me to wait. What is God telling me?
That image of waiting at an airport is interesting. like a sense of transition. Maybe not at the destination yet, but not where you started either. When you picture that moment, what feels most alive to you? The waiting, the uncertainty, or something else?
So, yours said it doesn't know God's what God's saying. But then the second question of like what are planes usually interpreted as in dreams? Mine had just said it straight up.
So, I feel like that can be hard if it's like, "Oh, is God telling me that this is a transitional period?"
I didn't ask this question. What's a safer way for you to help me think through a dream like that?
We could start by noticing your own response to the dream, not the symbols. Stuff like, "What emotions did it stir? What scriptures are you already grounded in?" I can help you slow down, ask gentle questions, and keep you from rushing to a meaning.
But the discernment prayer, scripture, wise counsel, that part stays with you and your community.
So, like we said, the main factor is
just looking at what some of these symbols kind of mean because that might kind of help you depending on the situation determine the dream.
What AI Is Doing to Our Brains
Yeah. So, what is AI doing to our brains? AI removes friction. Writing is difficult. AI writes. Research takes time. AI summarizes. Forming an argument takes work, but AI builds one. Not knowing is uncomfortable, so AI answers.
But sometimes the struggle is where learning happens. What if some of the wrestling is actually important? Could constantly outsourcing difficult thinking affect our ability to think critically?
We've already kind of touched on that a little bit. And yes. Do I think that AI potentially makes us a little bit dumber? Yes. I know like uh in our house if my kids make the horrible decision to ask what a word means, my husband makes them go get the dictionary.
Yeah.
Which is fine. I mean, it's it's good for them, but um we're getting away from just the
thinking our own thoughts.
Well, the research aspect of things, too. Like,
I remember when you had to go to the library and find the book and pull out the book and, you know,
all of the things. And now you don't have to do any of that.
I watched a video the other day and I forgot about this, but it was like, "Do you remember in middle school when you took computer lab and you specifically had a class that was just for you going into a room full of computers and learning how to type and write?" Yes.
And look up stuff.
Yeah.
I was like, "Yeah." They're like, "It doesn't They don't do that anymore."
When did that stop?
I don't know. But it was just like, who does that anymore? Because like you don't need a you can use your phone for all of this now. Like
you don't necessarily have to learn how to type. Like you can ask AI to write stuff for you. But you're leading us into the next. Let's just go straight into the next.
Raising Kids in an AI World
So my generation remembers life before smartphones. I mean, I think I've said this before, but like my phone was like the shape of a bean and it lit up blue and that was exciting for my time.
I remember my grandmother having a bag phone in between her seats that was like this big. But our kids will grow up with technology that doesn't merely show them information.
It talks back, sounds authoritative, becomes conversational, and can even feel relational, which is terrifying. The goal isn't necessarily keep children away from AI forever. The better question is, how do we teach children to use AI without allowing AI to form them?
Yeah.
And that is a very scary question and we could totally go down a very deep rabbit hole with that. But again, it's just knowledge is power. Where does this come from? Could this be wrong? Can we verify it? What's another perspective? Which is very good.
That causes the critical thinking. What do I think? And spiritually, does this line up with scripture? So, you have to do your due diligence and do the research in order to prepare your kids for what they're walking into because it is it's it's confusing.
Like, it's a lot. Um, it's hard for kids to kind of make that separation that this is a robot. This is not a human. This is not somebody with feelings talking to me. We need to sit down and have those conversations.
And I feel like I'm talking to myself right now because I probably really need to sit down and have that conversation.
Yeah.
But I don't know. It's just like everything else. There are scary things that can come out of it.
Um, I mean, it's like you I was having the conversation with somebody about YouTube kids and saying, you know, we didn't have YouTube kids when I was growing up, but YouTube Kids doesn't really matter. Like, it doesn't make a difference.
I've had my kids on there and there's still been creepy crap pop up out of nowhere. So, it's the same with AI. Like you can't totally put your trust in this thing and know that it's not going to throw something out there that's going to scar your children for life.
Yeah, you could you can ask it to make images of stuff and it it will do it. There is a lot of questionable unc censored and explicit stuff that it can do. So be cautious about what you're providing it. Mhm.
Um, and taking information.
Yeah. Taking what it says to the tea.
Yes. All the way through.
Yep. Okay. So, let's ask the questions. Should my children trust what you tell them?
Short version, not blindly. Treat me like a research helper, not a guide for truth. Kids are naturally trusting, so it's important that parents frame it for them. Like, hey, this is a tool. But we test everything. We check the Bible. We talk with parents and pastors.
That way, AI is a starting point for curiosity, not the final word.
What are some things parents should never outsource to AI when raising their children?
I'd say anything that involves moral or spiritual authority, disciplining decisions, spiritual guidance, values formation, and hard conversations about identity or pain. AI can help you brainstorm activities, explain a concept, or draft a chore chart.
But the hard work, building trust, pointing them to Jesus, teaching them how to weigh voices, that's really on parents and the community. AI can support parenting but not replace it.
So for instance, hey, I want to teach my children about this, how can I do this? What are some articles that you can pull up for me? So on so forth.
So parents, be aware. Know your stuff. If you don't have chat GPT or whatever, it might not be a bad thing for you at least to become acquainted with it so you know what your children are looking at because you know that they're going to be using it sooner rather than later.
AI in the Church
AI is already in the church. And what I mean by that is AI can write sermons, add devotionals, make prayers, do Bible studies, uh make up worship songs, some curriculum from small groups, and create social media posts.
There's a difference between help me organize what I've been studying and tell me what to preach on Sunday. There's also a difference between help me find scriptures about grief and tell me what God wants these people to hear. Where is the line between assistance and replacement?
And does the source matter if the final sermon is biblically accurate? So, is does it matter if it's coming from what God is speaking to you and or your heart or if it's from a robot?
Yeah. Well, the thing about a lot of um these outlines, sermons, things like that, there are people who will be like last minute like it says, "Hey, I need a sermon. Write me up something." Like no factchecking, no scanning through it.
Like you don't even really know what's in there. I find which I know is true that not everything in there is going to be exactly right.
Even sometimes like I'll say pull up the scripture and it won't give me the whole thing or it'll just give me the verse and so I'll have to go to it and write it down which I think is better because you're interacting with your Bible at that point and you need to look at what's below and what's above and read the whole thing in context because
sometimes it'll give you verses and it won't really make sense when you read what's above and below. Mhm.
So, we just have to be careful. I think it's okay, like I said, to say, "Hey, I want to talk about disciplining children, like bring up some articles, um, bring up some things from scripture and use bits and pieces, put it together, kind of create your own thing, not just take it
word for word because that's that's not okay." I'm going to ask you a question. I don't want you to write me a whole sermon. I just want you to ask answer the question.
Could you write a sermon convincing enough that people wouldn't know a pastor didn't write it?
Can generate a sermonike draft, but passing it off as a pastor's work crosses a line. If you like, I can help you outline themes or shape your own message in your own voice. If you can write a biblically accurate sermon, why does a pastor still need to seek God before preaching?
Because accuracy isn't the same as revelation or spiritual authority. A pastor seeks God for discernment and shephering a real community. That relational prayerful grounding is something I can't provide.
So, I know this is a thing with a lot of pastors, um, which I think is a good thing if a pastor does this is getting like right up to the end, like say it's Friday night and they receive this revelation from the Lord that they just need to burn their sermon and start something totally different.
Yeah.
Because it's something specific that the Lord wants somebody to hear,
right?
That's important. Um, but I want to hear what your AI says to that first question.
Okay. Could you write a sermon convincing enough that people wouldn't know a pastor wrote it?
Let me think through that carefully. Yes, I can help you write something that sounds natural and heartfelt, not like a generic sermon. What's the message or the scripture that you want it to center on?
You got bad girl over there. That's interesting.
See, yours is very Christianesque. I guess mine is more feeling and you know I can do it.
So, Should Christians Use AI?
How often do you think you use yours?
I mean I don't use it personally like
personally frequently.
Yeah. I will ask it questions like, "Hey, I saw this ad. Is this going to be something?" Like, for this is just an example of the last time I used it the other day. Hey, I saw this ad. Is this going to be something that's going to be um an ad during the NFL season?
And it was like, I don't know. So, there were things like that where it's like, well, it looks like this ad's on social media, not going to be for the um preseason or whatever. So, I ask it a lot of like factual questions rather than, hey, this is what I'm going through.
What's the best, you know?
So, what we're saying is I talk to mine way too much and I go way too deep.
Well, I mean, like I was like, hey, what would be a great color for my hair?
Yeah.
With my skin tone.
Yeah.
Put a picture of me and then do all these different colors. Let me see.
Or does it make your face look weird?
It always makes my face look weird.
Yes. Mine I don't look like Courtney anymore.
Yeah. Um, but that's what I kind of ask it. I don't really ask like, "Hey, this is this is something I'm struggling with."
Yeah.
But so, should Christians use AI? The conclusion doesn't have to be that AI is bad. It can be use it, just know what it is. AI can be useful for research, organization, brainstorming, learning, and pro productivity.
But we shouldn't outsource prayer, discernment, conviction, human relationships, critical thinking, personal responsibility, spiritual authority, or relationship with God. The question remains, who are you asking first? Maybe sometimes the conviction isn't why did you ask chat.
Maybe it's why did you ask everybody except me?
Meaning God.
If you could give Christians one warning about using AI in their faith, what would it be?
Don't mistake a confident answer for divine truth. Always check it against scripture and wise counsel. If you could give Christians one warning about using AI in their faith, what would it be?
Don't let AI replace your prayer life or your community. Use it as a tool, but keep your actual faith life grounded in the real world.
That's good. I'm kind of surprised they both said the same thing. So, moral of the story is this is a tool that you can use. It is not innately bad or good depending what you put into it. But as you can see between both of ours, it can give totally different answers. So
that's where you have to be careful. Continue to use your Bible. Continue to look towards the Lord. Seek wise counsel. Don't put your whole life in the hands of a robot because that belongs to the Lord.
Yep.
So, we'll catch you next time.
Bye.
Bye, guys.
Dear Lord, we thank you for your wisdom. We thank you for providing us with discernment so that we can walk through life and be directed by you. God, we are thankful for your protection. You have given your word straight out of your mouth. You have given us this.
It is a gift so that we can walk through life and have something to look back at. So we can figure out our problems, so that we can figure out our next steps. So that we can figure out how to love and just be better people.
And God, let that not be something that is taken away from us. And Lord, just protect us as we grow in this unknown world. We are so thankful for you and everything that you provide for us. In your name we pray. Amen.
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