Machine Poet got Religion by its thinning, frail, white hair and dragged it in the AI shit ditch where everyone is struggling to reinvent their wheel. And we're all for it, what's the worst it can happen?
Faaaaark that is a clever piece of writing. It was an expression of pure creativity.
If those words didn’t issue forth as a stream of consciousness, I’d be very surprised. It’s the sort of prose where a fellow-writer knows that no stopping and head-scratching was involved. A writer has to be “in the flow” to produce something like that.
Flavoured Communion wafers, ChristTok, fog machines… all made me chuckle.
The theme was brilliant too. Crashing attendance numbers have become an ever-increasing headache for Christian churches. I’m sure they hold regular brainstorming sessions about how best to draw back parishioners.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses are an example of modifying practices and rules to make them more “accessible”: Women can now wear pant-suits, men can grow beards, young people can go to University, and there is no longer a requirement to log witnessing hours. But it’s only window-dressing.
Your piece pushes the window-dressing to the ridiculous, and demonstrates the risk of stepping over the line. I suspect that’s the very dilemma congregations are facing.
And on the metaphorical front, things that were once held sacred have been corrupted by the profane - or soon will be. Where can the pure still be found?
The answer is through creative expression - while in “the flow state”, where there is no sense of conscious volition, and the true source of the content is a mystery.
This is absolutely haunting. The transition from "the original influencer" to a literal digital apocalypse was wild, but that bit about the puppy on a Roomba out-trending the end of the world felt way too real. You captured the corporate rot of tech and the quiet beauty of actual faith perfectly. Incredible work
Holy shit this is brilliance. Absolutely brilliant. You nailed so many details so many will never see. I cannot even begin explaining how amazing this is or I might write a new bible on accident. WOW🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
'Story'... prediction right? 😉 You have a keen eye for extrapolating our current cultural and technological existence into an entirely possible future. Thanks for yet another incredible piece of writing!
Happiest of holidays to you. Thanks for sending it directly to me. Life has been unkind. I’m behind on my reading. That was truly inspired writing. I’m proud and jealous.
Machine Poet never lets you down. I’m consistently amazed at how you blend satire and speculative / science fiction into these incredible works. As always, this new one has twists and turns, deep dark humor and a story that sticks with you after you’ve read it. All in a bite-sized 15 minute read.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if you’re on Substack for cutting-edge, adventurous fiction, Machine Poet should be your first stop. I guess you might say I’m a fan. ;) Thanks, MP, and happy holidays. I'll be waiting hungrily for your next drop.
This is what happens when you mix 2000 years of tradition unhampered by progress with Silicon Valley AI bros. Let this cautionary tale live on and be taught to each generation, the most important universal rule ever divined. “What can go wrong, will go wrong.”
This is awesome, genuinely unsettling. The satire never cheapens the stakes—you let the language stay elegant while the world slowly hollows out around it. I love how the tech jargon creeps in almost imperceptibly until it becomes the theology itself, and how Mrs. Gallo anchors the whole thing. That final image, faith as the oldest algorithm still running is fascinating. Really impressive control of tone, pacing, and moral weight all the way through. I love this work! You are an amazing writer!
I loved this movie. OG influencer JC is quite the character. And the marketer in me didn’t know if I should be horrified by Plank or low key amazed 😏
Machine Poet got Religion by its thinning, frail, white hair and dragged it in the AI shit ditch where everyone is struggling to reinvent their wheel. And we're all for it, what's the worst it can happen?
Faaaaark that is a clever piece of writing. It was an expression of pure creativity.
If those words didn’t issue forth as a stream of consciousness, I’d be very surprised. It’s the sort of prose where a fellow-writer knows that no stopping and head-scratching was involved. A writer has to be “in the flow” to produce something like that.
Flavoured Communion wafers, ChristTok, fog machines… all made me chuckle.
The theme was brilliant too. Crashing attendance numbers have become an ever-increasing headache for Christian churches. I’m sure they hold regular brainstorming sessions about how best to draw back parishioners.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses are an example of modifying practices and rules to make them more “accessible”: Women can now wear pant-suits, men can grow beards, young people can go to University, and there is no longer a requirement to log witnessing hours. But it’s only window-dressing.
Your piece pushes the window-dressing to the ridiculous, and demonstrates the risk of stepping over the line. I suspect that’s the very dilemma congregations are facing.
And on the metaphorical front, things that were once held sacred have been corrupted by the profane - or soon will be. Where can the pure still be found?
The answer is through creative expression - while in “the flow state”, where there is no sense of conscious volition, and the true source of the content is a mystery.
Thank you for this fantastic response and your insights, Elizabeth-Jane.
I hope you'll visit me again.
This is absolutely haunting. The transition from "the original influencer" to a literal digital apocalypse was wild, but that bit about the puppy on a Roomba out-trending the end of the world felt way too real. You captured the corporate rot of tech and the quiet beauty of actual faith perfectly. Incredible work
Thank you so very much, Nick.
I hope you'll come visit me again.
Season's greetings.
I certainly will. Merry Christmas 🎄
Holy shit this is brilliance. Absolutely brilliant. You nailed so many details so many will never see. I cannot even begin explaining how amazing this is or I might write a new bible on accident. WOW🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
Thank you, my friend.
I'll be awaiting your accidental bible.
lmaooo don’t tempt me!
You made this up, right?
I'm calling it, DEUS is the anti-christ. We didn't see it coming. lol
Great story. Haunting, electrical and a warning to all with dramatic flare. So another win.
Thank you so much, E.R.
I always appreciate your take.
Wish you the happiest of holidays.
And Happy Holidays to you! I look forward to reading more of your stories. It fills the void of Rod Sterling’s Twilight Zone episodes.
Scary! And very possible!
Sin terminology: rebrand as ‘growth challenges…. 🤯
Jesus Christ beta-tested resurrection so we don't have to."
Mind blowing stuff! I loved this!
Thank you, Regolith.
Very much appreciated.
Happiest of seasons to you.
And you too! 🎄
'Story'... prediction right? 😉 You have a keen eye for extrapolating our current cultural and technological existence into an entirely possible future. Thanks for yet another incredible piece of writing!
Thank you for reading it, Sol!
Appreciate you very much.
Always my pleasure!
Excellent satire! More!
Thank you so much, V. Tracer.
I hope you'll dig around my archive.
24 more where this one came from.
That was remarkable. I couldn’t quit reading. 👏👏👏👏👏
Thank you so much, Gerald.
Really appreciate it.
Happiest of holidays.
Happiest of holidays to you. Thanks for sending it directly to me. Life has been unkind. I’m behind on my reading. That was truly inspired writing. I’m proud and jealous.
Very sorry to read that life has been unkind, my friend.
Here's to an excellent holiday and a fresh start in 2026.
Machine Poet never lets you down. I’m consistently amazed at how you blend satire and speculative / science fiction into these incredible works. As always, this new one has twists and turns, deep dark humor and a story that sticks with you after you’ve read it. All in a bite-sized 15 minute read.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if you’re on Substack for cutting-edge, adventurous fiction, Machine Poet should be your first stop. I guess you might say I’m a fan. ;) Thanks, MP, and happy holidays. I'll be waiting hungrily for your next drop.
Thank you, Rudolph.
Your feedback and comments have been one of the brightest spots of my year.
I appreciate you.
Exceptional work. You're my new favorite writer on Substack.
Wow. Thank you, Ellie.
I'll try to live up to that sentiment.
This is what happens when you mix 2000 years of tradition unhampered by progress with Silicon Valley AI bros. Let this cautionary tale live on and be taught to each generation, the most important universal rule ever divined. “What can go wrong, will go wrong.”
Indeed, my friend.
Wishing you the happiest of holidays.
It's been a true joy getting to know you and your work this year.
"DEUS grew agitated during Psalms. Calm during Revelation." That pretty much sums this story up. For AI, it's all noise.
Nail on the head, Matthew.
Thank you for giving it a read.
Very much appreciated.
This is awesome, genuinely unsettling. The satire never cheapens the stakes—you let the language stay elegant while the world slowly hollows out around it. I love how the tech jargon creeps in almost imperceptibly until it becomes the theology itself, and how Mrs. Gallo anchors the whole thing. That final image, faith as the oldest algorithm still running is fascinating. Really impressive control of tone, pacing, and moral weight all the way through. I love this work! You are an amazing writer!
Thank you so much for this incredible response, my friend.
I appreciate it and you so very much.
Here's to an exceptional 2026.