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You’ve all probably heard about the ChatGPT A.I. system and seen some of the amazing things it can do. I’ve played with it a little and laughed having some fun with it like asking what kind of dog different Lord of the Rings characters would have (a few fun answers below), but yesterday I thought I would ask a deeper question and see how it would respond. Check out it’s answer that it literally made up and starting typing as soon as I hit enter. This is an A.I. responding to my question like a human would speak, literally a second after I hit enter. This is a pretty amazing response.
Me: “In Alma 17:3 it says ‘But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.’ What is the difference between the spirit of revelation, and the gift of revelation?”
ChatGPT: “The spirit of revelation refers to the influence of the Holy Ghost that can enlighten a person’s mind and heart to understand the truth and receive personal guidance from God. It is a general influence available to all people who seek to follow Jesus Christ and live righteously.
The gift of revelation, on the other hand, is a specific spiritual gift that is given to some individuals in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to receive revelation for the benefit of others. This gift may be manifested in various ways, such as receiving visions or specific insights about others’ needs, but it is not necessarily a constant presence in the recipient’s life.”
Me: So then what is the difference between the spirit of prophesy, and the gift of prophesy?
ChatGPT: The “spirit of prophecy” refers to the influence of the Holy Ghost that can inspire a person to testify of truth and communicate messages from God. This influence can be available to all people who seek to follow Jesus Christ and live righteously, regardless of whether they hold any specific calling or office in the Church.
The “gift of prophecy,” on the other hand, is a specific spiritual gift that is given to some individuals in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to receive and share prophetic messages for the benefit of others. This gift may involve receiving specific revelations, visions, or insights about the future, or it may involve speaking under the influence of the Holy Ghost to provide counsel or guidance to individuals or groups. This gift is often associated with specific callings in the Church, such as a prophet, seer, or revelator, or as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Me: Technically, anyone can seek for and have a gift of the spirit such as the gift of revelation or the gift of prophecy. They are predicated upon righteousness and faith in Jesus Christ.
ChatGPT: Yes, you are correct. The spiritual gifts, including the gift of revelation and the gift of prophecy, are available to all individuals who seek to follow Jesus Christ and live righteously, regardless of their position or calling in the Church. As the Apostle Paul taught, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal” (1 Corinthians 12:7). These gifts are not exclusive to any particular group, but are available to all who desire them and are willing to live in accordance with the principles of the gospel.
Me: Correct.
ChatGPT: Glad to be of help. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.
Dang. That verse in 1 Corinthians was the exact verse I was thinking of and it referenced it, keeping in context that this was a scriptural conversation, and that I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, solely because I asked a question that involved a verse in Alma in the Book of Mormon. [Jaw drop]
That’s a stunning response distinguishing as best it could between these nuanced terms.
This A.I. has the ability to learn. You can give it corrective feedback which it will thank you for, and restructure it’s thought processes. Right now, people are trying to break it. The company that created it has given it access to the internet. Two things come to mind.
Dr. Ian Malcolm from Jurassic Park: “Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should,” and “I’m sorry Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that,” (HAL from the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey).
The “man has a creator” vs. “man is the creator” argument is now a fundamental part of our society. Those who won’t follow God’s laws become a law unto themselves. They talk about ethics and morality in terms of what they deem right and wrong and create things in their own imagined image. However, there is no morality without being based in God’s law. All moral law can be traced to the core of what God gave ancient Israel. It’s what the Founding Fathers of America relied on most in creating the Constitution.
There is also a fundamental difference between the highly intelligent novel answers of a piece of software, and answers that come from God through the Holy Ghost as an all-knowing, all-loving parent communicates with offspring.
While a tool like the one above can obviously be powerful as an assistant and do a lot of good, which is where this tech is supposedly heading, there is no substitute for divine tutoring and answers. There is no substitute for effort, particularly when it comes to understanding the scriptures and obtaining revelation.
It’s also an incomplete answer which requires a careful reading of the scriptures by doing searches for things like:
spirit +(prophec* or prophes*) spirit +revelation
“The Spirit of” something, is often an actual spirit, for good or evil.
The fulfillment of the Spirit of Prophecy is a personal testimony from Jesus Christ. It is the ultimate manifestation which we can be privileged to receive. (Ex. Rev. 19:10)
The fulfillment of the Spirit of Revelation, is having Jesus Christ reveal to you in a specific way what you must do. (Ex. D&C 8:2-3)
The gifts of the Spirit are in a sense like training wheels that help us build our ability to take part in divine tutoring, and help us move toward climactic and constant experiences. The Book of Mormon is especially full of these promises. (Ex. Alma 9:21)
OK, just for fun one night, we asked ChatGPT a few questions about what kind of dog various Lord of the Rings characters would have. Pretty random question, right? I was trying to think of something that wasn’t written somewhere it could just draw on. Now as you read these responses, think about the analysis this A.I. did to create these answers. It had to think about in an instant, the attributes about each character. Where they roamed, their character traits, and even what they were capable of. These are highly intelligent responses, particularly the last one.
ChatGPT: Aragorn, a fictional character from J.R.R Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” series, is a skilled ranger and warrior. It’s likely that he would have a dog that is strong, loyal, and able to withstand the harsh wilderness. A breed that fits those characteristics and that have been historically used for hunting, tracking and as a companion for warriors is the GSD (German shepherd dog), which is known for its intelligence, trainability, and versatility. Other breeds that could fit that role would be breeds like the Belgian Malinois, the Australian Cattle Dog, and the Border Collie.
ChatGPT: Arwen, a fictional character from J.R.R Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” series, is an elf and one of the main characters of the story. She is portrayed as beautiful, wise, and compassionate, so it’s likely that she would have a dog that is elegant, intelligent and friendly. One possibility could be the Saluki, which is known for their elegance, intelligence and gentle nature. They are also known for their endurance and stamina, which would be useful for the long journey Arwen may undertake in the story. Other breeds that could fit that role would be breeds like the Afghan Hound, and the Greyhound, which are known for their elegance and grace, and also their friendly nature. They are also known for their good stamina and endurance.
Me: What type of dog would Gimli have?
ChatGPT: Gimli, a fictional character from J.R.R Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” series, is a dwarf and a skilled warrior. Gimli is known for his strength, loyalty, and fierce determination. It’s likely that he would have a dog that also possesses those traits and would be able to keep up with him in rugged, wild terrain. One possibility could be the Bulldog, which are known for their strength, loyalty, and courage. Other breeds that could fit that role would be breeds like the Boxer, the Rottweiler, and the Doberman Pinscher. These breeds are known for their loyalty, bravery, and protective nature.
ChatGPT: It is unlikely that Gollum, a fictional character from J.R.R Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” series, would have a dog as he is portrayed as a lonely and isolated creature, fixated on the One Ring and his own twisted desires. Gollum is not depicted as having any companionship, and it’s not clear that he would have the capacity to care for another living being. Additionally, Gollum is portrayed as a small and emaciated creature, and a dog would be much larger and require more resources than Gollum would likely be able to provide.
I hope you’re not in church reading this or others may wonder why you’re laughing so hard… Tsk-tsk. :)
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