Our faith in almost everything is being tested these days. Everything is instant, yet nothing seems real. The news is apparently as fake as people on the take. Yet we're desperate to believe in someone -- or even something -- that'll help give our lives meaning. For many -- though, perhaps, a dwindling number -- religion provides answers.

Mindar is the name of a new priest tasked with delivering sermons and overseeing religious ceremonies at a 400-year-old Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. Mindar is a reported $1 million carefully crafted, female voice-praying bit of steel and silicon. "This robot will never die," said Tensho Goto, the chief steward at the temple, Vox reported. "It will just keep updating itself and evolving. With [the infusion of artificial intelligence], we hope it will grow in wisdom to help people overcome even the most difficult troubles.

A new priest named Mindar is holding forth at Kodaiji, a 400-year-old Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. Like other clergy members, this priest can deliver sermons and move around to interface with worshippers. But Mindar comes with some ... unusual traits. A body made of aluminum and silicone, for starters. Designed to look like Kannon, the Buddhist deity of mercy, the $1 million machine is an attempt to reignite people's passion for their faith in a country where religious affiliation is on the decline.

KYOTO – A 400-year-old temple is attempting to hot-wire interest in Buddhism with a robotic priest it believes will change the face of the religion -- despite critics comparing the android to "Frankenstein's monster." The android Kannon, based on the Buddhist deity of mercy, preaches sermons at Kodaiji temple in Kyoto, and its human colleagues predict that with artificial intelligence it could one day acquire unlimited wisdom. "This robot will never die; it will just keep updating itself and evolving," said priest Tensho Goto. It can store knowledge forever and limitlessly. "With AI we hope it will grow in wisdom to help people overcome even the most difficult troubles. It's changing Buddhism," he added.

Technology and artificial intelligence (AI) are fashioning how people interact with everything from food to healthcare -- and so, too, for religion. From electronic scriptures to robot priests, different faiths have absorbed new ideas from the world of technology to enhance mainstream religious practices. Other apps automatically adjust fasting times during the month of Ramadan, depending on the location of a device. In fact, Muslims are one of the most plugged-in religious communities due to the high concentration of young people aged between 16 and 30 across the Middle East and Asia. A survey by the Pew Research Center in 2017 showed that poorer Muslim-majority countries boast a large amount of people with smartphones.

A Japanese company has introduced a new role for SoftBank's humanoid robot'Pepper' - a Buddhist priest for hire at funerals. Chanting sutras in a computerized voice while tapping a drum, the robot was on display on Wednesday at a funeral industry fair - the Life Ending Industry Expo - in Tokyo. Nissei Eco Co., an unlisted plastic molding maker, wrote the chanting software for'Pepper', which was introduced by SoftBank Group Corp. in 2014. With Japan's population ageing and shrinking, many Buddhist priests receive less financial support from their communities, prompting some to find part-time work outside their temple duties, said Michio Inamura, Nissei's executive adviser. A Buddhist monk looks at a'robot priest' wearing a Buddhist robe during its demonstration at Life Ending Industry EXPO 2017 in Tokyo A'robot priest' wearing a Buddhist robe stands in front of a funeral altar during its demonstration at Life Ending Industry EXPO 2017 in Tokyo The funeral robot could step in when a priest was not available, he said.

Developers in Japan are offering a robot "priest" to conduct Buddhist funeral rites complete with chanted sutras and drum tapping - all at a fraction of the cost of a human.

In Japan robots can serve as companions, helpers for the elderly, entertainment bots and even sexual partners, but now SoftBank's humanoid robot Pepper has put itself up for hire as a Buddhist priest for funerals. Taking the German blessing bot's idea and running with it, Pepper's new code will let it chant sutras in a computerised voice while tapping a drum, providing a cheaper alternative to a human priest to see your loved ones off into the eternal sleep. The robot was on display on Wednesday at a funeral industry fair, the Life Ending Industry Expo, in Tokyo, shown off by plastic molding maker Nissei Eco. With the average cost of a funeral in Japan reaching in excess of £20,000, according to data from Japan's Consumer Association in 2008, and human priests costing £1,700, Nissei Eco is looking to undercut the market with Pepper available for just £350 per funeral. With Japan's population ageing and shrinking, many Buddhist priests receive less financial support from their communities, prompting some to find part-time work outside their temple duties, said Michio Inamura, Nissei's executive adviser, who suggested Pepper could step in when a human wasn't available.

A "robot priest" adorned with Buddhist robes and a hi-resolution tablet is now programmed to perform funeral rites for less cost than a human. Japanese plastic molding maker Nissei Eco Co. created software for Pepper The Robot enabling the humanoid to chant Buddhist mantras and recite sutras typically performed by monks at funerals. First introduced in 2014 by Japanese telecommunications company, SoftBank Group Corp., Pepper is a human-shaped robot that welcomes customers to more than 140 SoftBank Mobile stores. The robot boasts several cameras and microphones in addition to its sophisticated AI ability to perceive and respond to human emotions. Michio Inamura, a Nissei executive adviser, tells Reuters that Japan's aging and declining population has led to Buddhist priests receiving less financial backing in communities and working outside of their temple duties to make ends meet.

To be fair, there are human priests in Wittenberg, too, but the Protestant church in Hesse and Nassau recently built a robot priest to give blessings as part of a celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The robot, named "BlessU-2," has a touchscreen, glowing hands, and can forgive your sins in five different languages.