Technological advances are encompassing all areas of daily life, including religious practices. For example, in the case of Hinduism, for a few years, robotic arms have already been implemented for rituals. There are those who agree with this introduction of technology and those who fear that this will replace believers.
Worshippers debate whether or not to continue allowing technological innovations to creep into religious practices. The concern of Hindus and Buddhists is that the advancement of these practices could lead to automation.
Anthropologist Acebo Walters published an article in Religion News analyzing this decades-old situation. Some of the research on his part explains the history of this inclusion to innovate the religions of Asia. He explains it in the following paragraphs:
“Ritual automation, or at least the idea of robotic spiritual practice, is not new to South Asian religions.
Historically, this has included anything from special pots that continuously drip water for the bathing rituals that Hindus routinely perform for their deity icons, called abhisheka, to wind-driven Buddhist prayer wheels, the kind often seen in yoga studios and supply stores.
Another point that Walters touches on is the fear of the decrease of faithful in the wake of automation. But also, there is a dialogue about the feasibility of using robots or AI in rituals. Since they are incorruptible structures and therefore can make religion better than a human.
You can continue reading about this analysis in this article.
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