Hosted by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and supported by the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, the dialogue was held as a side event during the meeting of the United Nations Group of Government Experts on Emerging Technologies in the Area of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, taking place 26-30 August.
Speakers representing Christianity, Islam, Soka Gakkai, and the Baha’i faiths, highlighted the sanctity of human life as a fundamental value across all religious traditions – and a human responsibility to respect and protect it.
“Since the WCC joined the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots we have issued statements with partners from other faiths, expressing a unified concern over the insidious development of weapons systems that lack meaningful human control and reduce people to a set of numbers,” said Jennifer Philpot-Nissen, WCC programme executive for Human Rights and Disarmament.
“In the world where technology is rapidly shaping every aspect of our lives, it is more crucial than ever that we stand together to ensure that these developments are aligned with our deepest values—to protect human dignity, to promote justice, and foster global unity,” said Simin Fahandej, a representative of the Bahá’í International Community’s United Nations Office in Geneva. “How can we harness a collective wisdom of our diverse traditions to build this framework?”
Raza Shah Khan, chief executive of Sustainable Peace and Development Organization from Pakistan, stated that autonomous weapons systems can’t understand the value of life and human dignity – especially in a very complex conflict environment. “States should work together to build consensus and trust towards a legally binding instrument on autonomous weapons systems,” said Shah Khan.
Simin Fahandej, a representative of the Bahá’í International Community’s United Nations Office in Geneva speaks at the interfaith dialogue on lethal autonomous weapons at the United Nations in Geneva on 27 August. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC
Violating the sixth commandment
Intentional killing of human beings is a violation of human dignity and the 6^thcommandment in the Bible, “You shall not kill” (Exodus 20:18), reminded Rev. Kolade Fadahunsi from the Methodist Church in Nigeria, director of the Institute of Church and Society in Ibadan, Nigeria.
“Murderers and those who cooperate voluntarily commit a grave sin which cries out to heaven for vengeance. So, if a machine kills without any human control – who is responsible to carry this sin?” asked Fadahunsi.
“We cannot watch and let AI to be weaponized into a global threat. It is not to be left to the machines to decide who lives or who dies. As people of faith we must stand besides those who are vulnerable,” said Fadahunsi, who is also a member of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs.
“Given that autonomous weapons systems are designed to target and kill based on data inputs and preprogrammed algorithms, we are extremely concerned about the algorithmic bias and discriminatory impact,” said Hayley Ramsay-Jones, representing Soka Gakkai International, a global community-based Buddhist organization.
“Not only do we think that autonomous weapons will exacerbate existing inequalities, but they will also pose lethal consequences for marginalized groups. As a global association of Buddhists committed to upholding the ultimate respect for the life of oneself and others, with a rapid pace of change in emerging technologies and their serious implications for humanity’s future, we are compelled to take a strong stand against the autonomous weapons systems.”
Among the 40 participants of the dialogue was also Illés Katona, a youth activist with the Hungarian Activist Network of Stop Killer Robots Campaign.
“Even when wars occur and nations want to defend themselves, we have a natural instinct, sort of conscience towards peace. We can make that part of discussions and we can direct war towards peace. But if machines are making decisions during war—this human element is left out of the processes, and wars ultimately are not directed at peace, but at more wars,” said Katona.
In November 2019, the WCC executive committee of the WCC adopted a minute on lethal autonomous weapons systems, affirming the grave concern of the ecumenical movement for implications of the development and deployment of such weapons and calling upon the member churches to advocate with their governments to support an international ban on lethal autonomous weapons systems. A Churches guide to Killer Robots is available on the WCC website in several languages.
