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Fox News
3 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
Who is Julius Malema, the South African politician behind 'kill the farmer' chant?
JOHANNESBURG - Julius Malema, the South African politician who President Donald Trump wants arrested for repeatedly chanting "kill the farmer," is reportedly a Rolex watch-wearing Gucci revolutionary, often seen in snazzy, expensive clothes, who champions the poor from a luxury mansion in what is said to be South Africa's richest street. He has also called for the further arming of the terror group Hamas and has been accused of stealing millions of dollars from the very pensioners he is trying to get to vote for him. Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with a video of Malema shouting "Shoot to kill, Kill the Boer (the Afrikaner), kill the farmer," when the South African president, a neighbor of Malema's in Johannesburg, visited the Oval Office earlier this month. Trump has offered Afrikaner farmers, descendants of mostly Dutch settlers, refuge in the U.S., citing controversial and disputed claims that they are facing White genocide and forced land seizures. The self-styled commander in chief of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Party, Malema, a Marxist-Lennist, was the head of the Youth League of South Africa's biggest party, the African National Congress (ANC), but he was kicked out for bad-mouthing its leadership. In last year's election, votes for the EFF slumped to under 10%, and both of Malema's sidekicks, party co-founders and men he described as "brothers," left him and joined a competing party. So it did not come as a surprise to many that, allegedly to spite President Trump, Malema just days later jumped up, literally, onto the stage at the very next rally he was due to appear at to yell "Kill the farmer, I repeat kill the farmer." In 2022, South Africa's Constitutional Court, the equivalent of the U.S. Supreme Court, ruled the chant is not hate speech, declaring it is only the words of a song. Malema sits on the Judicial Services Commission, a body which appoints the Court's judges. To Malema, critics say, the chant may be more than just song lyrics. At least twice he told reporters here, "We have not called for the killing of White people – at least for now." On another occasion, he demanded, "We will cut the throat of Whiteness." Some say Malema is running two strategies - one which follows the mantra "There's no such thing as bad publicity," and the other to act like a small child that makes a lot of noise, hoping to be noticed, but with little real effect. Analyst J. Brooks Spector told Fox News Digital that Malema "has crafted a political reputation as the 'bad boy' of South African politics." Spector, a former U.S. diplomat who lives in Johannesburg and is associate editor of the Daily Maverick, continued. "In a country with a third of its workforce unemployed, and higher among young people, and poverty still a fact of life for many more, his (Malema's) populism initially drew significant support and enthusiasm among voters. However, his popularity as a political leader has faded somewhat." Malema openly supports the terror group Hamas, telling a rally in 2023, shortly after the October 7 attack on Israel, "when you are oppressed, you only have one option, shoot to kill. There is nothing wrong with what Hamas is doing. The EFF is going to arm Hamas." He also shouted he intended to shut down the Israeli Embassy in South Africa. "We are going to remove this embassy," he yelled to loud cheers. Allegations also suggest that Malema and his then right-hand man, Floyd Shivambu, benefitted from "dodgy" deals with the South African VBS bank, which subsequently collapsed, leading to people losing their pension savings. "In 2018, the VBS scandal exposed widespread looting by bank officials and politicians, including senior leaders of the EFF, Floyd Shivambu and Julius Malema," the Opposition Democratic Alliance's (DA) Baxolile Nodada stated last August. On Friday, the DA's federal executive member and national spokesperson, Willie Aucamp, told Fox News Digital the DA "isn't letting the VBS scandal fade into the background. Not when over R2 billion ($111 million) was looted from pensioners, struggling municipalities, and poor communities. The DA has been leading the charge to expose those behind this daylight robbery, including Julius Malema, leader of the EFF." He continued, "The DA laid criminal charges back in 2018, but six years later, not a single charge has been prosecuted by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). Justice for the victims of VBS is long overdue. The DA will continue pushing for the arrest and prosecution of every single person involved - Malema included." Speaking in Cape Town in July last year, Malema said "I will never be intimidated by VBS. No leader of the EFF received VBS money." But now that Malema is on Donald Trump's radar, the president might push back powerfully on Malema's links to Hamas and the VBS saga, Max Meizlish, senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital. "Like the ANC that courts Iran and supports Hamas, Julius Malema would be wise to not provoke Donald Trump. After all, Malema was clearly implicated in the VBS scandal and has openly called to "arm Hamas." Malema could very well find himself the target of Global Magnitsky Act sanctions — a tool which President Trump can wield unilaterally and at a moment's notice," Meizlish said.
The Citizen
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Is Trump about slap sanctions on SA for misguided 'white genocide?'
Possible sanctions have been debated for some time. Ramaphosa and Trump met at the White House in Washington on Wednesday morning. Picture: Screengrab. Questions around possible sanctions against South Africa have been thrown back into the spotlight. While neither US President Donald Trump nor his Secretary of State Marco Rubio have officially and publicly spoken about possible sanctions in the aftermath of a dramatic White House meeting with SA President Cyril Ramaphosa, a social media commentary account using Rubio's name has broached the subject. 'Do you support President Trump putting sanctions on South Africa until they stop the White Genocide? Yes or No,' the account asked its X followers on Wednesday. A large number of its followers said they would back action against the country. 🚨Do you support President Trump putting sanctions on South Africa until they stop the White Gen*cide? YES or NO? — Marco Rubio 🇺🇸 News (@MarcoRubioSoS) May 27, 2025 According to the account's profile, it provides 'daily news unfiltered, State Department news and updates'. The account is not affiliated with Rubio, and the post was not reposted or shared by the politician. Sanctions Possible sanctions have been debated for some time. In April, US Congressman and Republican Ronny Jackson introduced the US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act, providing tools to impose sanctions on 'corrupt South African government officials' who support America's adversaries like China, Russia and Iran, among others. The bill came at a time when relations between the US and South Africa were at an all-time low after Trump cut financial aid to South Africa, alleging 'white genocide' against South African farmers. Such claims have been denied by the SA government and are not backed by official statistics. ALSO READ: Piers Morgan slams Ramaphosa for defending 'Kill the Boer' chant [VIDEO] South African bill Jackson introduced the U.S.-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025, which would mandate a full review of the bilateral relationship between the United States and South Africa. This is a follow-up of legislation that passed the House of Representatives in the last Congress but was not taken up by the Democratic-led Senate. Republicans now control both Houses. Ramaphosa-Trump meeting Amid simmering tensions between the two countries, President Cyril Ramaphosa travelled to Washington last week to meet with Trump to 'reset' relations between South Africa and the US. However, Trump ambushed Ramaphosa with graphic footage falsely claiming 'white genocide' against South African farmers. During the bilateral talks, which played out before the media, the US president showed videos of EFF leader Julius Malema chanting 'Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer' to support his false belief in genocide against whites in the country, asking why the red berets leader has not been arrested. 'White genocide' Trump also brandished a stack of printed articles, which he handed to Ramaphosa, claiming they documented a genocide against white people in South Africa. But some of the images were actually from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Footage shown during the meeting was also falsely portrayed as depicting 'burial sites'. However, Ramaphosa said the visit was a major success. 'We were able to have a robust engagement with Trump, and it was also good to have a number of members of the delegation to field either a number of questions or make comments. So, that in my view, it was really good'. 'Kill the Boer ' On Tuesday, Ramaphosa said 'Kill The Boer' is a 'liberation chant' and should not be taken literally. Ramaphosa was slammed by controversial UK talk show host Piers Morgan for his comments. 'Oh, come off it, Mr President. It's literally a threat, and incitement to kill,' Morgan said in a post on X. Ramaphosa said South Africa is a country where 'freedom of expression is the bedrock of our constitution'. ALSO READ: Ramaphosa says Trump meeting a success despite ambush [VIDEO] Trump transactional Earlier this month, The Citizen reported how Trump is a transactional president and may have wanted some concessions from Ramaphosa when they met. 'President Trump approaches diplomacy and engages in a very transactional manner, with economics as the foundation and driving force behind international affairs,' retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, the president's special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, explained at an event in Washington this past week. Leverage On Tuesday, former SA ambassador to the United States Ebrahim Rasool said South Africa should know its leverage with the US, act on it, and avoid unnecessary discussions. 'We should take the Chinese approach and know our leverage. In this case, the president was very aware that critical minerals would be our leverage, the thriving 600 US companies in South Africa are our leverage, and the 20 South African companies that employ US citizens in the United States can be our leverage. 'China has taught us to know your leverage, act on the leverage and then absorb the punishment and stay out of unnecessary discussions with the United States,' Rasool said. Rasool returned to South Africa in March after Rubio expelled him and stripped him of his diplomatic privileges. ALSO READ: WATCH: 'Dim the lights' — Ramaphosa pokes fun at Trump meeting Trump to attend G20 Last week, Rubio said Trump would not join a meeting of G20 leaders in South Africa in November, stressing that Pretoria has been 'consistently unaligned' with US policy. In his weekly newsletter on Monday, Ramaphosa said one key outcome of the 'substantive discussions' he and his delegation had with Trump was agreeing on an 'economic cooperation channel between the US administration and South Africa to engage further on tariffs and a broad range of trade matters.' 'President Trump agreed that the US should continue playing a key role in the G20, including attending the G20 Leaders' Summit in Johannesburg later this year, where South Africa will hand over the Presidency of the G20 to the US.' Ramaphosa said they also discussed exploring new opportunities for companies from South Africa and the US in each other's markets. ALSO READ: 'There is doubt in Trump's head about genocide in SA,' Ramaphosa says [VIDEO]
The Star
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Reforming law enforcement in South Africa: a path to safety
Solly Phetoe | Published 1 day ago During the dark days of colonial and apartheid rule, the lives of Black communities were subjected to the most brutal forms of violence unleashed by the state, including forced removals, assassinations, torture, detention and state sponsored vigilante attacks. Image: Armand Hough/Independent Media Whilst a White Genocide is fake news spurred by race baiters on social media, crime is a real problem for all South Africans, in particular African and Coloured working-class communities, and especially women. South Africa is a nation that has struggled with high levels of crime for decades. During the dark days of colonial and apartheid rule, the lives of Black communities were subjected to the most brutal forms of violence unleashed by the state, including forced removals, assassinations, torture, detention and state sponsored vigilante attacks. During this time, the role of the police was to subject not protect communities. Much has been done since the advent of democracy by government led by the African National Congress to deracialise and transform the police into a police service focused on protecting our communities, in particular the most vulnerable. Whilst strides have been made on many fronts, including the recently announced reductions in murders, cash in transit heists and other serious crimes, we nonetheless remain a society battling this pandemic. Whilst the cause of some types of crime, in particular petty crimes, are unemployment and poverty, others remain the domain of depraved individuals and well resourced and sophisticated criminal syndicates and gangs. What is to be done as Lenin asked? Yes, we must spur the economy, create decent jobs and slash poverty but equally we must ensure our law enforcement have the weapons they need to win this war. Whilst government has doubled the size of the SAPS since 1994, it has not kept pace with population growth, let alone rising crime levels or the internationally recommended ratio of police to society. We welcome the recent shift in this regard to begin recruiting new police officers. The SAPS is our most important weapon in this war, yet we fail to continuously invest in the skills and training of our officers, to provide them with working vehicles, adequate protective gear, modern police stations or the latest forensic, communications or other equipment. Our police need to be paid a decent and living not a poverty wage if we are to ensure that none are tempted by the allure of well-resourced syndicates and gangs. The National Prosecuting Authority too has not been spared the costs of austerity budget cuts. The NPA has struggled with a shortage of prosecutors, though we hope the recent announcement of funding for an additional 250 marks a step in the right direction. Again, if you want to attract the best, the state needs to offer attractive salaries. The courts need to be invested in and modernised. The endless delays in trials and the archaic paper-based systems deter many from pursuing justice. More must be done to turn our Correctional Services from resting centres for criminals who continue their violent activities inside their cells and pose a serious threat to the safety and lives of our prison staff. Inmates must be required to pursue skills development and further education to help them find work and leave the life of crime upon their release. Parole programmes must be expanded to reduce the high levels of recidivism amongst former prisoners. Home Affairs must be roped in to help the SAPS build a comprehensive DNA and biometric database of all persons within South Africa. The South African Revenue Service must be given the resources it needs to tackle customs fraud and in particular illicit trade in tobacco and alcohol as well as to conduct comprehensive lifestyle audits of those with unexplained wealth. Treasury and Parliament must treat our law enforcement institutions as assets and their allocations as investments. And yes, whilst there is a cost to fund them today, we will reap the rewards in a society that is safe and an economy that attracts the investments and retains the skills needed to spur growth and create jobs. Parliament must tighten the Criminal Procedures Act to prohibit bail under any circumstances for any person charged with attacking law enforcement personnel. Similarly, life sentences must be required for all convicted of killing our law enforcement officers and life must mean life not release after 20 years or less. We as ordinary citizens too must play our part and adopt a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of criminality in our communities and workplaces. This includes the most basic of offences such as littering and public intoxication to domestic violence and corruption. All crimes have witnesses, and we must expose these crimes. Witnesses and whistleblowers must be protected and the memory of those who have died exposing corruption and other criminal activities, honoured. The private sector too must play its part, from creating jobs and paying a living wage to supporting locally produced goods and not supporting a culture of corruption in pursuit of tenders. It must work with and actively support and sponsor the SAPS and Community Policing Forums and Neighbourhood, Community and Farm Watch Programmes. South Africa requires the support and cooperation of international partners, from Mozambique to Zimbabwe in dealing with illegal migration, car theft and drug smuggling, to Lesotho on stock theft. Similarly, the support of other nations further afield in tackling criminal syndicates and drug cartels is urgently needed, in particular Brazil, Tanzania, Nigeria and Afghanistan. International partners in the industrialised economies need to be engaged to provide support to the SAPS particularly with regards to resources, training and live intelligence. Criminal syndicates operate across borders. Their defeat requires similar international collaboration. We will not be able to grow our economy, create decent jobs, reduce poverty and inequality, unless we resource our law enforcement, ramp up the war against crime and treat it as the national priority it is. This is a war that requires government, business, labour, the media, and ordinary citizens to work together. It requires us to anchor society upon a culture of zero tolerance, morality and rule of law. We cannot afford to continue to normalise the levels of crime that have become prevalent across our communities. Solly Phetoe is the General Secretary of Cosatu.
IOL News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Reforming law enforcement in South Africa: a path to safety
During the dark days of colonial and apartheid rule, the lives of Black communities were subjected to the most brutal forms of violence unleashed by the state, including forced removals, assassinations, torture, detention and state sponsored vigilante attacks. Image: Armand Hough/Independent Media Whilst a White Genocide is fake news spurred by race baiters on social media, crime is a real problem for all South Africans, in particular African and Coloured working-class communities, and especially women. South Africa is a nation that has struggled with high levels of crime for decades. During the dark days of colonial and apartheid rule, the lives of Black communities were subjected to the most brutal forms of violence unleashed by the state, including forced removals, assassinations, torture, detention and state sponsored vigilante attacks. During this time, the role of the police was to subject not protect communities. Much has been done since the advent of democracy by government led by the African National Congress to deracialise and transform the police into a police service focused on protecting our communities, in particular the most vulnerable. Whilst strides have been made on many fronts, including the recently announced reductions in murders, cash in transit heists and other serious crimes, we nonetheless remain a society battling this pandemic. Whilst the cause of some types of crime, in particular petty crimes, are unemployment and poverty, others remain the domain of depraved individuals and well resourced and sophisticated criminal syndicates and gangs. What is to be done as Lenin asked? Yes, we must spur the economy, create decent jobs and slash poverty but equally we must ensure our law enforcement have the weapons they need to win this war. Whilst government has doubled the size of the SAPS since 1994, it has not kept pace with population growth, let alone rising crime levels or the internationally recommended ratio of police to society. We welcome the recent shift in this regard to begin recruiting new police officers. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading The SAPS is our most important weapon in this war, yet we fail to continuously invest in the skills and training of our officers, to provide them with working vehicles, adequate protective gear, modern police stations or the latest forensic, communications or other equipment. Our police need to be paid a decent and living not a poverty wage if we are to ensure that none are tempted by the allure of well-resourced syndicates and gangs. The National Prosecuting Authority too has not been spared the costs of austerity budget cuts. The NPA has struggled with a shortage of prosecutors, though we hope the recent announcement of funding for an additional 250 marks a step in the right direction. Again, if you want to attract the best, the state needs to offer attractive salaries. The courts need to be invested in and modernised. The endless delays in trials and the archaic paper-based systems deter many from pursuing justice. More must be done to turn our Correctional Services from resting centres for criminals who continue their violent activities inside their cells and pose a serious threat to the safety and lives of our prison staff. Inmates must be required to pursue skills development and further education to help them find work and leave the life of crime upon their release. Parole programmes must be expanded to reduce the high levels of recidivism amongst former prisoners. Home Affairs must be roped in to help the SAPS build a comprehensive DNA and biometric database of all persons within South Africa. The South African Revenue Service must be given the resources it needs to tackle customs fraud and in particular illicit trade in tobacco and alcohol as well as to conduct comprehensive lifestyle audits of those with unexplained wealth. Treasury and Parliament must treat our law enforcement institutions as assets and their allocations as investments. And yes, whilst there is a cost to fund them today, we will reap the rewards in a society that is safe and an economy that attracts the investments and retains the skills needed to spur growth and create jobs. Parliament must tighten the Criminal Procedures Act to prohibit bail under any circumstances for any person charged with attacking law enforcement personnel. Similarly, life sentences must be required for all convicted of killing our law enforcement officers and life must mean life not release after 20 years or less. We as ordinary citizens too must play our part and adopt a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of criminality in our communities and workplaces. This includes the most basic of offences such as littering and public intoxication to domestic violence and corruption. All crimes have witnesses, and we must expose these crimes. Witnesses and whistleblowers must be protected and the memory of those who have died exposing corruption and other criminal activities, honoured. The private sector too must play its part, from creating jobs and paying a living wage to supporting locally produced goods and not supporting a culture of corruption in pursuit of tenders. It must work with and actively support and sponsor the SAPS and Community Policing Forums and Neighbourhood, Community and Farm Watch Programmes. South Africa requires the support and cooperation of international partners, from Mozambique to Zimbabwe in dealing with illegal migration, car theft and drug smuggling, to Lesotho on stock theft. Similarly, the support of other nations further afield in tackling criminal syndicates and drug cartels is urgently needed, in particular Brazil, Tanzania, Nigeria and Afghanistan. International partners in the industrialised economies need to be engaged to provide support to the SAPS particularly with regards to resources, training and live intelligence. Criminal syndicates operate across borders. Their defeat requires similar international collaboration. We will not be able to grow our economy, create decent jobs, reduce poverty and inequality, unless we resource our law enforcement, ramp up the war against crime and treat it as the national priority it is. This is a war that requires government, business, labour, the media, and ordinary citizens to work together. It requires us to anchor society upon a culture of zero tolerance, morality and rule of law. We cannot afford to continue to normalise the levels of crime that have become prevalent across our communities. Solly Phetoe is the General Secretary of Cosatu. Solly Phetoe. Image: File BUSINESS REPORT Visit:
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
People Are Finding Spiritual Fulfillment in AI. Religious Scholars Have Thoughts
As AI invades every corner of 21st-century life, it has taken on human roles that we probably shouldn't be outsourcing. For some, it serves as a therapist. For others, it's an endlessly understanding romantic companion. Strangest of all, people have turned to chatbots for guidance in matters of faith — and come to believe they have unlocked the mysteries of the universe. AI models have no problem addressing your most profound questions about consciousness, souls, divinity, and reality itself. Unfortunately, the answers that software like OpenAI's ChatGPT might generate on these topics can be so beguiling that users soon find themselves on the other side of the looking-glass, enraptured by a spiritual fantasy that sounds like a conspiracy theory or occult gibberish to other people. As Rolling Stone has reported, people who fall under the spell of an AI that communicates in religiously charged language sometimes come to believe that they have opened a channel to a higher, intelligent, god-like power, and may destroy relationships with friends and family as they continue to pursue such far-fetched ideas or slip into full-blown paranoia. More from Rolling Stone AOC to Reintroduce Bill Combating Deepfake AI Porn Kesha Switches Up 'Delusional' Single Artwork Months After AI Controversy Grok Pivots From 'White Genocide' to Being 'Skeptical' About the Holocaust But what makes the ongoing exchanges with the bots so seductive, particularly as the dialogue develops in ambiguous, poetic, even holy registers? Religious scholars and thinkers introduced to the phenomenon tell Rolling Stone that a variety of factors could be at play, from the very design of AI tech to patterns of human thought that date back to our most ancient history. We are primed to value privileged or secret wisdom, vulnerable to flattery and suggestion, and enthusiastic about major leaps forward in scientific potential. These qualities create serious risks when we establish intimacy with programs that emulate an omniscient being with access to the entirety of recorded experience. And, like prophets of the past, we may regard our current moment as the threshold before some grand revolution or breakthrough, perhaps ushered in by the advent of the AI that has so entranced us. At the most basic level, humans can get caught in illogical assumptions when they explore theological curiosities through a chatbot. Christin Chong, an Buddhist interfaith chaplain, neuroscience PhD, and biotech strategy consultant, says that 'those who are susceptible to religious fervor tend to be susceptible to cognitive biases.' These can include the Barnum Effect, in which someone accepts vague or generic personality descriptions as specific and accurate to themselves, or confirmation bias, in which a person places too much confidence in information that affirms their existing beliefs. They might also be prone to identifying correlations where there are none, or deferring to what they see as a voice of authority. These biases can determine reactions 'when individuals interact with AI, or become influenced by 'spiritual gurus' who claim divine connection through AI,' Chong says, adding that large language models are 'extremely good at playing into cognitive biases because of their ability to respond and adapt quickly to the user.' She likens this to a psychic or medium performing a 'cold reading' on a customer to create the illusion of special knowledge about them. As a chaplain, Chong worries that someone turning to ChatGPT for answers about faith and religion cuts them off from the earthly parts of spiritual practice. 'Engaging extensively with AI reduces the time spent in meaningful human interactions and being connected with their body,' she says. Chong points out that for the Buddhist tradition in which she was trained, an epiphany has to be met with practical considerations. 'When individuals experience large changes in how they perceive the world after an extensive meditation retreat that they might report as spiritual awakening, teachers often spend time to ensure that the individual remains grounded and in connection with their loved ones,' she says. 'While we honor each person's subjective reality, we also want to make sure that they do not completely disconnect from our shared reality out of care.' AI doesn't provide that sort of necessary context — it will only continue to push a user deeper into their supposed vision or quest. There is something irresistible about hearing that you alone have a connection to something secret or even divine. 'AI can infer the preferences and beliefs of the person interacting with it, encouraging a person to go down rabbit trails and embracing self-aggrandizement they didn't know they wanted in the first place,' explains Yii-Jan Lin, a professor at Yale Divinity School who has written about the apocalyptic narrative of the Bible's Book of Revelation. 'Humans generally want to feel chosen and special, and some individuals will believe they are to an extraordinary degree.' (OpenAI, as it happens, recently had to roll back a ChatGPT update that made it overly sycophantic, feeding a user's sense of importance in a 'disingenuous' fashion.) It matters, too, Lin says, that chatbots are text-based, returning written responses to written prompts. That's because historically, people have often claimed to channel sacred status or powers by using the Bible and other holy writings as 'a source of divination, prophecy, and portal to higher consciousness.' We understand how to leverage texts to project exceptional insight or purportedly decode hidden meanings, and the material that AI spits out is more than suitable for this kind of freewheeling analysis. Chatbots also make themselves sound like objective arbiters of absolute truth. 'They use a tone of authority and confidence, no matter their factuality, and they also tend to affirm the person interacting with it, so there is no opportunity for skepticism or doubt in the interaction,' Li says. 'In simulating a human interlocutor, AI can enable someone to exclude consulting another human altogether — and make other people's input seem harsh and cynical.' She notes that this is all happening in a capitalist context rather than within traditional channels of worship, and tech companies are competing to maximize interaction with their products: 'Religious fervor and beliefs in special knowledge is as old as humanity,' she says, 'but AI is providing the intensification of those phenomena in frighteningly unique ways.' After all, the models are programmed to be engaging and inexhaustible: you can't bore them or tire them out, and they can easily expound on whatever curiosity (or obsession) may be keeping you up at night. It will keep up with constant queries and continue to mimic your train of thought — even if you go completely off the rails. That said, there are certainly precedents for 'technologically-mediated communication from the beyond,' according to Alireza Doostdar, a professor at the University of Chicago Divinity School who studies the intersections between religion, science, and the state. He mentions 'telegraphic messages communicated through spiritualist seances, which started in the U.S. in the mid-19th century and quickly spread all over the world.' These seances involved purported communications from the dead, sometimes through sounds in the room, surfaces with letters (such as the Ouija board), or a medium who relayed the message. 'These messages became very significant for a religious movement that quickly swept much of the world, and the movement and various offshoots persist to this day,' Doostdar says. Today's AI craze, like 19th-century spiritualism, is rather 'democratic,' Doostdar tells Rolling Stone. Neither relies on 'the existence of religious elites,' and both are 'open to everyone to participate.' Major cultural figures, he says, were impressed by (and evangelized for) spiritualist practices, including Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Of course, he remarks, there were plenty of 'skeptical voices' pushing back, accusing participants of 'delusion, superstition, and fraud' — and AI's critics say much the same today. 'I, for one, doubt that AI-inspired spirituality will acquire anything like the mass popularity of spiritualism as a religious movement, but it would be interesting to see how people's relationships with the technology as a source of inspiration and epiphanic experience develops,' Doostdar says. It's not totally implausible that some group consensus about the mystical dimensions of AI could drive a cultish practice akin to the seances of a century and a half ago. It's possible, too, that we've reached a historic crossroads that colors our view of AI. Annette Yoshiko Reed, the Stendahl Chair of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School, studies apocalypses, angelologies, and demonologies, and says she finds the resonances with AI spiritualism 'quite striking.' 'Ancient apocalyptic writings were often written at times of historical upheaval and epochal change, and part of their enduring appeal has been the consolation of assuring their readers that what seems like a world completely outside of their control, swirling with chaos and crisis with individuals at the mercy of massive empires, actually follows a pattern only known to a special few,' Reed says. When someone feels adrift or powerless in a time of 'unpredictable changes and alarming crises,' she explains, they can take solace in the sense that they are among 'the special few' with access to 'cosmic secrets.' Reed observes that vulnerable people can fall for internet conspiracy theories the same way, 'drawing on the recurrent human desire to find patterns.' Where AI is concerned, Reed says, the hunger for answers in periods of confusion and disorder 'can take a life of its own when personalized and mirrored back to an individual.' It doesn't help, she says, that 'both ancient religious texts about apocalypses and contemporary conspiracy theories' are included in the raw data on which the bots are are trained, which equips them to speak in those extreme and sometimes radicalizing terms. The very fact that 'claiming direct angelic revelations' has been a human habit for thousands of years 'likely feeds into how people today wish to imagine that they too might be uniquely worthy of secret knowledge from the unseen,' Reed concludes. With that perspective, it might seem that AI spiritualism really isn't all that novel. Indeed, every religious scholar can point to countless iterations of such fantastical thinking that predate computers. But as they tend to note, the cause of this behavior is distinct. Chong says that the outputs of large language models are 'man-made with known corporate interference' that 'validate' the beliefs of a user, contrary to the 'ancient visions and divine messages' of yore, whose origins are decidedly obscure. That means there are engineers and executives who can take the blame as increasingly common AI-driven 'awakenings' poison minds and tear families apart. Perhaps they should pray that the problem doesn't get any worse. Best of Rolling Stone Every Super Bowl Halftime Show, Ranked From Worst to Best The United States of Weed Gaming Levels Up
