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Editor's note:
Aarti is the most profound part of my Hindu religious rituals. It's when I circle an oil lamp several times before the image of the deity while chanting or singing hymns. But of late a number of Indian tech firms have prototyped a robotic arm that can perform the aarti in the place of the devotee.
It’s not just the aarti. In several part of Asia, a variety of religious robots are being used to do the work of the priest or worshippers, leading to concerns among Hindus and Buddhists over the changes the technology could bring.
Anthropologist Holly Walters, who specializes in religion, writes that for some people such automation could mean a future with perfect ritual practices, while for some others, it could bring fears that robots might be able to do their religion better than they can.
For me, asking the divine for forgiveness for the imperfections of my rituals is part of my daily prayers – and a robotic arm is not likely to replace it.
Religion News
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Commentary and Analysis
Native Americans are struggling to find sage for their spiritual practices as the plant is being overharvested for sale to the wider public. By Helen A. Berger for The Conversation
A scholar of Jewish history explains how the term 'pogrom' lives in Jewish collective memory and why its use can be highly contentious. By Joshua Shanes for The Conversation
Francis has opened windows that are difficult to close. By Thomas Reese/Religion News Service
Two social scientists explain how caste-identities are pervasive in not just Hinduism but other South Asian faith groups as well. By Aseem Hasnain and Abhilasha Srivastava for The Conversation
Members of the congregation sing and chant during a church service in which they prayed for the country ahead of elections and against the forces of evil, at the Celestial Church of Christ Olowu Cathedral on Lagos Island in Nigeria, Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. Nigerian voters went to the polls Saturday to select a new president following the second and final term of incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
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- This Week in Religion is a publication of the Global Religion Journalism Initiative, a collaboration among the Religion News Service, The Associated Press and The Conversation U.S.
- The three news organizations work to improve general understanding and analyze the significance of developments in the world of faith.
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