Religion and the Internet

According to Wagner (2011), the technological era of today is defined by modern communications media, foregrounding the internet in particular. The foundation of the internet has allowed religious faith to be brought online, where adherents from many different religions can conduct spiritual rituals and discuss various beliefs (Campbell, 2010). This ‘wired’ form of worship, or faith, can vary from discussion boards, to Facebook applications (Christian Bible, Jewish Torah and Islam Koran), to online rituals such as Puja for Hindu followers. Contemporary society is seemingly now a network based community (Wagner, 2011). Finding a community online can give people a sense of belonging and value in the chaotic digital world (Wagner, 2011).

As Campbell (2010) explains, there are three main factors that shape how a religion utilises and responds to the internet and media in general. These principles consider religious authority, community and texts (Campbell, 2010). To begin, the varying sense of boundaries and authority within religious communities means that religions are unlikely to have the same response to media, especially the internet (Campbell, 2010). Religions seemingly act in line with their community’s negotiations with previous media (Campbell, 2010). For example, the digitization of handwritten texts relating to Orthodox Judaism, namely the Torah, through the internet thus raised issues due to the holiness of the text. However, for Christians, religious leaders have always used printing press as a God inspired medium, therefore the use of radio, television and the internet is advocated (Campbell, 2010). Therefore, a religious group’s relationship with media in history comprehends any decision regarding the use of new media forms.

For example, it can be privileged that different religions have different views and uses for the internet. Firstly, Judaism utilises the internet as a new virtual home for the global Jewish community (Campbell, 2010). The World Wide Web becomes a potential holy ground, changing the ways people of the Judaism think about God and faith (Campbell, 2010). For example, Jews can find kosher recipes, Torah study sources, Jewish dating services etc online. However, many ultra-orthodox rabbis attempted to band the internet, seeing it as a danger to the people; incorporating pornography and references to drugs and violence; but this was ignored by non-orthodox Judaism followers (Campbell, 2010).

Secondly, Islam uses the internet in an attempt to allow Muslims to transcend time and space, to reach outside the Muslim world to shape dialogues in the West (Campbell, 2010). Islam is praised for creating an electronic networked community that really engages with our modern times (Campbell, 2010). The Islamic clergy foreground the internet for positive purposes, to communicate about Islam and offer more accurate views to people about Islamic beliefs and practices. For instance, Muslims can find learned commentaries on Islam, Hadith interpretations, copies of the Koran etc.

Finally, Christianity appears to be the most dominant religion online. Christians see the internet as a new tool for spreading the gospel and beliefs (Campbell, 2010). According to Campbell, it is a “new forum for proclaiming the gospel” (Campbell, 2010, p.37). This religion orientates towards evangelizing and getting out the message through modern day technology (Campbell, 2010). Christians simply developed their use of books to a use of cyberspace (Campbell, 2010). Christians can find religious education, news and missions online, as well as a YouTube channel specifically for the Vatican.

Therefore, different religions use the internet for different purposes. However, it has become quite evident in modern society that the internet itself can be foregrounded as some kind of pop religion. Technology has taken the place of deity and people serve it instead of God (Campbell, 2010). For instance, the use of online social media is often a ritualistic activity for the youth of the world. Social media such as Facebook, blogs, tweets, text messages, discussion boards and even Wikipedia sights are important and primary devices of communication for people today. Alongside the technical developments of such items as the mobile phone, laptops and various tablets, people now have the ability to be ‘wired’ all day long. It is quite daunting to think how many people, on average, would log on to Facebook when they wake up in the morning. It is interesting to think that while Muslims would get up each morning to complete one of their five prayers for the day, millions worldwide are awaking to their social media accounts. Although not having any specific “God” related influence, could this ritual be somewhat religious in our network based community? Could the addiction and use of Facebook somehow be a pop religious movement?

References:

Campbell, H. 2010. When Religion Meets New Media. London & New York: Routledge. Ebook. Ch. 1: Religious Communities and the Internet.

Wagner, R. 2011. God Mobs: Virtual Religious Community. In Godwired: Religion, Ritual, and Virtual Reality. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Ebook.

Image Source:

My own drawing.