Religion in Cyberspace
Thought and Reflection
Our reading for today begins with a very interesting observation:
…[T]he presence of religious discourse in blogs calls for fresh thinking about the representation of believers and their faiths, motivations for religious storytelling, the constitution of religious practices, together with the interplay of online and offline connections among religious believers, nonbelievers, and seekers. The rise of online scribes or religiously inspired blog authors poses interesting questions about the changing nature of personal media uses and gratifications and the role of new media in peoples’ everyday lives, including their spiritual verve.
So, our big question for today explores how the Internet has impact religious beliefs and religious practices. What does religion look like in cyberspace?
Note that this article cites a study (too bad it is 8+ years old—I’ll bet the numbers have changed) that says:
…64% of “wired Americans” have used the Internet for various religious purposes, including activities such as seeking and giving religious information/advice online, downloading religious music, and purchasing religious items (Hoover, Clarke, & Rainie, 2004).
Does this surprise you? Can you describe how you have used the Internet for any of these (or other) religious purposes? Please explain.
The article suggests that the Internet may have affected religious practices in several ways:
1. Online religious experiences are replacing participation in traditional/institutional houses of worship (individual rather than community religion; we’ve talked about this before). This is consistent with Uses and Gratification Theory.
2. Resulted in a growth in online religion or “cyber-churches” and the creation of religions and online communities that only exist in cyberspace.
Here's some links about online churches:
http://alphachurch.org/
http://qideas.org/articles/can-church-happen-online/
http://www.church-on-the-net.com/
http://ministrytodaymag.com/outreach/innovation/982-the-church-in-cyberspace
Here's some links about online churches:
http://alphachurch.org/
http://qideas.org/articles/can-church-happen-online/
http://www.church-on-the-net.com/
http://ministrytodaymag.com/outreach/innovation/982-the-church-in-cyberspace
Today's readings suggests six characteristics that define cyber-churches, or at least successful one. Be sure and read through them. As you do, refer back to our discussion about the “nones.” I think you will see the connection and the appeal for the “nones.” Here are the six characteristics (I will explain them more in class):
a. Interactive, not passive
b. Networked, not hierarchical
c. Postmodern, not modern
d. Questioning, not accepting
e. Collaborative, not isolationist
f. Asynchronous, not time-bound
Next, check this one out. It is a cyber-church that even has virtual worship services:
Here’s another:
3. Use of the Internet/WWW as a marketing and proselytizing tool and as a tool to advance charitable activities.
Here are some examples:
4. Skepticism: technology (and the education required to understand and use it) leads to skeptical attitudes toward religious beliefs and loss of religious influence in our lives. This is consistent with Secularization Theory. “The Internet embodies a more secular worldview.”
5. “Blogs (however) may also represent a reintegration of religious life in the practices of the everyday.”
Next, the authors of this study analyzed the content of religious blogs. They’ve identified the most frequent themes:
1. Expressions and descriptions of personal religious experiences, including statements of devotion, witnessing, and expression of faith (about 45% of all posts). They explain:
First, the data suggest that one major use of religiously oriented blogs is
to convey and perpetuate the values of religious bloggers. Several bloggers
emphasized their role as “online scribes” who chronicle their “spiritual journey
via blogging.” A few bloggers said they were particularly motivated to
write about religious experiences in their daily lives. They stressed that they
provided unique viewpoints from the “intersection of religious faith and the
culture at large” as they “write about whatever is going on” and everyday
occurrences.
For some bloggers, religious writings online reflected their personal
mission to provide a prophetic voice, to “give others inspiration in their
lives,” “introduce the relevance of faith in Christ to current issues,” and “to
engage people in thoughtful and meaningful dialogue regarding the paradoxes
of our faith and practice and the future of the Church.”
2. Didactic/Educational content (39%). Using “authoritative” sources (citing sermons, Bible, texts, etc.) to persuade, argue, defend, instruct. The authors explain:
A few bloggers also specifically mentioned their blogs as “apologetics,”
giving a defense of their faith to “warn and edify the body of Christ.”
Two bloggers explicitly cited biblical scripture as a reason for their blog,
to “expose the unfruitful works of darkness Ephesians 5:11” and “to introduce
or clarify the saving grace of Christ Jesus, John 3:16.” These bloggers
highlighted the need for them to “defend religion against anti-religious bigotry,
or to talk about religious bigots” as they felt that their voices were
marginal and sometimes “distorted and misrepresented” in the blogosphere
and mainstream media. In the same vein, some bloggers said that the purpose
of much of their writing online was to share their beliefs with people in hopes
of providing a fair religious perspective, to help others better understand
their faith.
Later, the authors added:
Given the interactive capacity of the Internet, several bloggers said their blogs were an avenue for connecting to others and for “God to work” as “the body of Christ is not limited to being inside a church.” One respondent, who was a pastor, mentioned that the blog was “an extension” of his ministry, saying “blogs are a good way to create a place for others to know me better and connect with them more then 1–2 times a
week face-to-face.”
3. Criticism and responses to social issues (22.5%). This would include opining about institutions, dogma/orthodoxies, and current social issues (abortion, gay marriage, politics).
4. General news and info (15.5%).
5. Coordination of events, gathering, and activities (often offline and at the local level/local Church level) (7%).
Next, I want you to spend some time checking out different religious blogs. Here’s some interesting websites that provide lists of religious blogs:
And here are some interesting blog sites that represent a wide variety of religious beliefs:
https://amywelborn.wordpress.com/
Today’s Blog Assignment
Please complete today’s reading assignments. Please answer the questions from the “Religion in Cyberspace” reading and share your thoughts and feelings about what you have learned. Next I would like you to spend some time checking out religious blogs. Specifically, select a religious blog from the list at the end of “Religion in Cyberspace” (today’s reading) and spend some time checking it out. I would like you to describe its content by addressing the themes of the blog messages and your perceptions of the blog’s intended objectives. How does it match (or not match) the criteria identified in our readings for today? How does it compare with your experience with LDS blogs and LDS Church Internet sites?
I decided to read a section of a blog named "At the Intersection of faith and culture." It was an interesting blog. Basically what I got from it is there is some sort of regime out there that is trying to take over the USA. And even though people think Trump is the regime and dictator he is actually really nice compared to the real threats. I have to be honest. A lot of what this guy was saying went over my head and he wasn't very clear.
ReplyDeleteBut what I say looking at these blogs was, well a lot of them look very old and outdated. And I noticed a lot of them focused on getting money or selling things. Which I always struggle with church's that focus so much on getting money. I really don't like it. I saw a lot of very interesting ads (anyone a single christian and want to join a dating site?)
I did see these churches really try to reach out to the Nones and others online. They really tried to make people question instead of inviting to try with faith.
Overall I think the LDS church does a better job than most of these blogs. Then again our church also has billions to spend and many people whose sole job is to write blogs and make videos.
a. Interactive, not passive
b. Networked, not hierarchical
c. Postmodern, not modern
d. Questioning, not accepting
e. Collaborative, not isolationist
f. Asynchronous, not time-bound
Although the article that stated that 64% of wired Americans used the internet for religious purposes, I’m sure that number is still applicable and potentially even more than it used to be. I think this number could have increased because information is so accessible and it doesn’t surprise me at all that people are using the internet for religious purposes. I have non-religious friends who still listen to gospel music and research other religions online. Spotify has over 100 “Christian Gospel” playlists, harboring over 1 million subscribers. I am one of these 64%. I use the internet to listen to music, read and listen to devotional and general conference talks, read the scriptures, text my visiting teachers, and do family history research.
ReplyDeleteWhile I have never really used the internet as a way to fulfill my worship at a traditional church house, I do see the appeal that some people find in cyber churches. I find it interesting that these cyber churches are more interactive rather than passive because when I think of the “Nones” I think of a passive audience. But I suppose cyber churches aren’t necessarily associated with “nones” because the cyber churches are religiously affiliated.
I looked at the Velveteen Rabbi blog and found that it was not specifically religious. The past five posts have been about the election. The first of these posts being a beautiful poem about the election results. The poem didn’t take a side on which candidate but rather brought together both sides with the final words being, “may compassion prevail from sea to shining sea.” Along with the election posts, there are inspirational stories and messages. Readers have the ability to subscribe, email the pastor, follow their twitter feed. I enjoyed looking through the blog and found it very inspiring even though I am not of the Jewish faith. Although it was much different, less well produced, with different content than any LDS blog or website, I still enjoyed it. I think there are so many things we can learn from every religion and the internet is filled with spaces for us to research and learn these things.
I have been extremely impressed with how the LDS church has adopted and embraced the usage of the internet to proclaim the gospel. The stat of 64% of Americans using the internet for religious purposes has to be much higher now. Almost weekly, I am using the internet to research, read, review, or study something of our faith. Churches, definitely including our own, know that Americans are spending a significant amount of time on social media, blogs, and various other websites. Instead of discouraging the use of the internet, they tweet, gram, blog, and post quotes, inspirational messages, etc.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading the various blogs, i noticed one major difference even before diving into the messages…QUALITY. The church has dedicated significant resources to the writing and creation of these various publications. The design of the LDS blogs is modern, clean, and up to date, while many of the other ones I reviewed seemed to be created years ago on a free website creator. Of course the investment is higher, but I think it goes to show the added lengths the church is going to, to give good resources to those inside and outside of the church.
One of the criteria discussed is “Interactive, not passive”. One of the main differences I noticed in LDS blogs was the invitation to comment and start a conversation. Many more people contributed to the article’s subject and participated whether through simply “liking” the post or providing another perspective or alternate commentary.
I think religions have two ways they can react to the movement of Religion in Cyberspace. They can resist and alienate members, or embrace and spread their message even farther. I think the LDS religion has done a great job in finding good media, images, and writing, to share with the world and show who we are as a people. Done in a positive light, this can be one of the best tools to help others understand our religion and foster an atmosphere where people can converse about religious topics.
When I first saw that 64 percent of American's used the internet for religion purposes, I was kinda shocked. At first for some reason I thought that the percentage would have been lower. When I think of people using the internet, my first thought doesn't go to for religious purposes. When put in perspective, from everything we've discussed in class and from the readings, it makes a lot more sense. The internet as evolved into being a part of every day live. Its natural and it only seems fair that religion would be incorporated through our uses of the internet as well. I thought of my own uses of religious uses on the internet and could see how much I rely on the internet and social media to keep me informed on the latest news with the church and what the prophet and apostles say. In my ward, my calling is the ward communications co-chair and I have used Facebook as a necessary platform to inform and promote our ward's upcoming events.
ReplyDeleteThere has been numerous times that I have used the church's website whether it be to look up a talk, scripture, lesson, or video. It has been a key resource to guide investigators to research more about our beliefs. It was interesting to browse through the different cyber religions and how they have created a platform for members to view church from their own home and at the same time being uplifted and feeling a apart of a community through online resources. Today, I went with a Catholic friend to mass in Orem. Just attending a church service of another faith was very eye opening. It showed me how people can feel of God's love in many different ways which makes sense that it is possible even through the internet.
One of the blogs I read was on beliefnet.com. It was called, "A Reason to Smile," and the blog entailed the election and dealing with the results and Hilary's loss. He incorporated his own dialog between a regular guy and the author. The dialog went back and forth between an angry man who wasn't willing to accept Trump as president and the progression of coming to terms with it through the passive discussion with he author. He discuses and uses religious ideals like, "Remember, he who angers you, masters you. Don’t let this temporary defeat change who you are," to help this man calm down an realize that everything is going to be okay. This blog was different than what I have seen in regards to LDS blogs and website although it presented a response to a social issue and expressed a experience he had.
I think that way more than 64% of Americans use the Internet for religious purposes, especially during the holiday season! In particular, I think that as members of the church, we use the Internet to share our religious beliefs, download music, watch general conference, read the scriptures, etc. The Church has done a great job in using the Internet as a medium through which we can gain knowledge and information. Last class period we talked about the Church’s PR and advertising, and I think that goes hand-in-hand with the Internet. Church leaders have made LDS.org is a great tool for members and non-members to come learn about our faith. Our church isn’t “online” but we have so many resources that can inform people the truth on our beliefs. I think the church has been really smart to promote our beliefs online because it is a medium that so many people use today
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with the two suggestions the author made about religion online: (1) online religious experiences replacing traditional worship, (2) cyber-churches. I took a look at some of the websites listed on the blog that were solely for “cyber-church” and I was really intrigued. I think it is sad that people would rather learn about religion online rather than through face-to-face interaction, but I understand that that is one of the problems with living in such a digital age.
I thinking blogging has become a big medium for Mormons especially in sharing their beliefs. Especially in Utah, there are quite a few mommy bloggers that post about their experience being an LDS mother, and what it is like tor raise kids in this generation. A girl in my homeward had a blog where she posts about what “light and happiness” she saw in the world that day, she has also had two miscarriages and blogs about how her faith in the gospel keeps her going everyday. I think that it is really cool that people create blogs and share about their faith in such a vulnerable and public setting.
I'm definitely surprised that 64% of Americans use the Internet for religious purposes, because that makes it seem like not all is lost in our country that seems to be headed in a scary direction as far as morality and religiosity are concerned.
ReplyDeleteI do think the internet can be used as a positive tool with sites like LDS.org and other religious sites and “cyber-churches” that help bring people to Christ, but I think we also should be aware of the dangers of being too absorbed in cyberspace no matter what our reasons may include. I read a talk by Elder Bednar for another class recently called "Things as They Really Are" where he talks about how important our physical bodies are and how through them we have experiences with a depth and intensity that we can't get online. He also states that, "One of [the adversary's] most potent tactics is to beguile you and me as embodied spirits to disconnect gradually and physically from things as they really are. In essence, he encourages us to think and act as if we were in our premortal, unembodied state." Though there are plenty of great websites that can enrich our lives, we need to be careful not to use them as an excuse to disconnect from reality and neglect other, more important things.
The blog that I looked at was The Pope Blog (thepopeblog.blogspot.com). The blog has a lot of video content of the Pope and updated information on his messages and whereabouts. It’s definitely didactic and educational with lots of information on Pope Francis, but it’s also really plain to look at and dry to read. I think the most useful and interesting part of the blog are the videos that they post that include news broadcasts and live feeds of Pope Francis himself speaking. The blog could definitely use a lot of help to make it more successful.
I'm not really a fan of blogs myself so I'm not too familiar with any LDS (or other) blogs, but I know that lots of people like to read them (especially women), and I'm sure that bogs like the "Tattooed Mormon" have done a lot of good in spreading uplifting gospel messages to non-members and members alike. The Pope Blog also tries to spread uplifting messages from the Pope himself, but it is definitely not as relatable, well-made, or as interesting to read as the LDS blogs I’ve seen.
Growing up in the digital age, I have a positive outlook on the use of the internet and its use by religions. Before social media, blogs, and other sources became popular many of the brethren of the LDS church came out and said that internet is for the use of spreading the Gospel. It is a huge tool that the Lord has given us for missionary work and has helped scripture to be fulfilled in hastening the work. I gained a testimony of the internet to be used for good several years ago but it has led me to study communication studies and to always strive to share positive messages in the world.
ReplyDeleteBecause I have this outlook, I am also more aware of how other people are using social media: whether to share good messages or to not make the best decisions or to just kind of use it passively not with the intentions for good or bad. Nevertheless, I think it's use from religions has been one of the best ways that it can be used.
I want to talk about three points that I see the most of when people use the internet for religious purposes that the authors talked about.
1. People use the media to find what they want. It is more of an individual experience rather than a traditional experience of going to an actual church and socializing with others. The internet provides an alternative for any social setting, allowing people to socialize with a wider range of people that they have more control over. Furthermore, because there is so much information out there, people are more likely to find information that resignates with them.
2. The authors said that religion uses tools online to market or proselyte. I was on my mission right at the time when Facebook started to be used to teach the Gospel. It was so interesting to sit on a computer with my companion and have a chat box open with an investigator. We did a prayer, taught them a lesson, asked them questions, and invited them to do things just like we would have in any normal lesson that was face to face.
3. The use of blogs as a way to express oneself and ones beliefs. I am actually least familiar with content of religious blogs. Though I do know of a few that have become famous in the Mormon community through their blog like the Tattooed Mormon. I read "My Scientology Blog" and found it to be uplifting, kind of what I would imagine a religious blog to be. I liked this blog because the author of it seemed to just want to be a voice of direction for those of his faith. It is sad though when religious blogs turns into bashing other religions. I think those kind of blogs is where you can find anti-Mormon stuff.
For the first one, skepticism is a huge part of online religion. The more there is availed, the more there is to interpret and find flaw. Every religion has had skeletons in its closet, it’s just more available today. The article says, “… technology (and the education required to understand and use it) leads to skeptical attitudes toward religious beliefs and loss of religious influence in our lives.” With all the information out there, it’s easy to forgo faith. Faith, after all, is much harder to obtain than information—information is quick and easy. The consequence is that people become disinterested in religion. No wonder. All the facts in the world couldn’t keep me interested. It’s about faith.
ReplyDeleteHowever, religion online does provide a lot of positives for the faithful. Two things happen: people feel connected with genuine messages on blogs and it becomes a daily lifestyle. For the first one, when bloggers express their feelings online about religion, it makes it easier for people to connect with others. I like this point made: “Blogs (however) may also represent a reintegration of religious life in the practices of the everyday.” This strengthens their faith. Secondly, when people get to view religion online, it can become a part of their daily life. I loved this point: “Given the interactive capacity of the Internet, several bloggers said their blogs were an avenue for connecting to others and for ‘God to work’ as ‘the body of Christ is not limited to being inside a church.’ This means that religion can be practiced and thought about more than just once a week at church on Sunday.
About the six points, I’d have to agree with another student on this! I know this is biased, but I do think the LDS church does do a much better job at reaching out to people online. The other websites and blogs posted seemed distant and insincere. I think something that most blogs and websites could do better, though, is to make it more interactive. Aside from this, I really think the LDS church does a good job making things modern and allowing room for questions. It’s also not isolated—it relates to things in this world and outside of its own religion box.
Everything is online now so I'm sure that more than 64 percent of people have used to internet at some point to look for religious material. Whenever anyone has a question, their first instinct is to Google it or go online to find the answers. The LDS church has embraced the use of the internet and has done a great job at connecting with its members and people outside of the church. As a member of the church I use the internet to get on YouTube and watch LDS videos, look up religious songs, I get on the LDS website to find talks, the scriptures, pay my tithing, schedule out a church, prepare a lesson, and do family history work. I can almost do everything I need to do online. It's just so easy to filter through so much information online which is why I think it's great that religions are using the internet. Although I think the internet is wonderful, I don't think it can replace the benefits of going to a social church and personally connecting with people. One thing that I love about the LDS church is how connected we are encouraged to be; to lift others up who stand in need and be a friend. I don't think relationships like that can be developed virtually.
ReplyDeleteI know that blogs are one way people can connect with each other and I have heard a lot of good things about bloggers and those who follow them, but I have never gotten into blogging or reading a lot of blogs. So this was a fun experience to go through and read through some blogs and get other people's points of view. The blog I read over was the evangelical outpost and it was not what I expected, simply because the LDS blogs and articles I have looked at are more doctrinal and testimony based, but I still think was pretty good. They reviewed mainly talked about current happenings, like new movies and TV shows, or political events that were happening, and then reviewed and stated their opinions on them. It was interesting to read through some of them because they tried to review issues in light of evangelical beliefs and reflect on all the positive and negative aspects of the film or the event. The reviews were pedantic and bias, but what can you expect with blogs? Overall, I think blogs are a fun and exciting way to hear other people's opinions, as fun and exciting as that is, and helps people connect to other people by looking at their views of current issues.
Like most politically-correct answers to deep questions, I would say that the answer to the question “What does religion look like in cyberspace?” is “it depends.” Some of the online religious websites, like the virtual church example and a few others, look like they were created in the 90s and never updated. Others use an article or blog-based approach and are more modern and appealing to site visitors. Messages also varied between websites. Some encouraged visitors to attend church online and downplayed the importance of attending in-person to take the sacraments of the faith, while others were simply resources that members of the faith could access online. Something that really struck me was how secularized the content of many religious sites is. Entering such a site, one would almost think that it was a business journal. Obviously, such a feel is effective in the world we live in where there are so many “nones.”
ReplyDeleteI thought that the article by Jonathan Merritt was interesting. He wrote, “In the end, promoting an internet community as a “church” is problematic. An important part of church is sharing common life with spiritual siblings, and it’s hard to see how this can happen with little more than a laptop.” While many of our social interactions happen online, clearly some (and perhaps many) still believe that a literal gathering is the way God intends for His children to meet for worship. I was impressed with the statistic that 64 percent of Americans use the internet for various religious purposes. However, the more sites I looked at, the more I believed it. There are many resources for believers on the internet. I am a fan of the way the LDS Church maintains their online presence. The church posts relevant articles and resources for its members, but still says that attending church and social activities are crucial. Compared to other blogs, LDS blogs focus mainly on Christ and religious imagery, while other blogs focus more on secular themes.
I have only ever used the internet for religious purposes through lds.org. I have downloaded talks, found videos, and even bought a new book of Mormon once. I hadn't ever thought of it in this way though- as religious cyberspace. I can see though, how this could make someone feel like they no longer need to attend an actual service due to the fact that all the resources for "worship" are right at their fingertips.
ReplyDeleteThis makes me think back to earlier in the semester when we talked about how technology was changing the way people worship God. We talked a lot about that virtual game where you can create your own world and reality- and a church had created an online worshiping service for users. Those playing the game need no longer leave their home because they can worship from home. I see this is a very appealing idea to the "nones" who are still looking to feel the Spirit in some form, but don't see the need or have the time to go to an actual church. To me, it's sad because it takes out the entire human aspect of worshiping.
I checked out a few of the blogs, but I spent the most time on rightchristians.org. I knew these kinds of blogs existed, but I have never seen the internet as a place to find "truths" so I don't normally spend a lot of time on them, even the ones that are written by Mormon members. I understand the use of a blog- I have one myself- but I have never seen them as a vessel for spiritual thought. I feel that these can mean well, but I feel like they can play into the thought process that a lot of the "nones" have. They think that they can find everything they need online, and don't need to go and worship inside of an actual church. I mean, if I hadn't grown up Mormon with the understanding of church service and why we need to attend, I would rely on religious blogs too. Three hours on a Sunday is a lot of time to carve out, especially if someone works 6 days a week and only has Sunday's off. If I didn't know God expected me to worship him in a church setting, why would I? I probably wouldn't to be honest. So, in essence, the view of the "nones" makes a lot of sense.
Religion in cyberspace sounds and feels very similar to what it is like in real life. In my tour of ALM cyberchurch, I actually found it to be pretty cool. I listened to an audio clip from the church and found it to be good quality. It was nice to just be able to pull it up and begin listening immediately, but the convenience of it all makes me a little skeptical. ALM does sermons every Sunday, and broadcast through both the website and on Second Life. It’s a little strange, but overall I was impressed by the ability of the website to make me feel comfortable and accepted. I could see it being a fun and easy way to worship and feel inspired without having to go anywhere or meet anyone.
ReplyDeleteI’m not surprised by the 64% statistic given the ease of use of technology and the efficiency it offers. Many people that are my age especially are used to having information ready at a moment’s notice, so why not do the same with religion? Like the other blogs have noted, I’m sure the percentage is even higher now. In my own experience, I have probably used the internet most for the conference messages as well as LDS news. I also use Youtube to listen to church and EFY music, and to hear different versions of the same church songs. I think it’s interesting though how many missionary moms/dads (those whose son or daughter goes on a mission) can find just about any information they need to know about a specific mission from various Mormon blogs and online forums. My mom joined a blog that hosted the parents of the missionaries in my mission so that she could stay updated on our safety, our progress, and other news. My mission president’s wife also created a blog specifically for our mission to document everything that happened while they were mission presidents.
The blog that I viewed was the one about Scientology, and I thought it was very well done. The website itself and other tools used on it were not particularly sophisticated, but the content was pretty good. The intention of the blogger was to inform others about major news in scientology, as well as answer any questions that people had about the religion. I thought it was similar to other religious blogs in that the content was good, but the graphics and other tools were not too impressive.
I think that there are a lot of people in today’s world that uses the internet to search for truth and religion and to even express/ worship in their religion. With the ease of access that the internet gives, to literally just about anything, it’s no wonder that it has encompassed religion as well. I think that there are a lot of people who feel that online is a more comfortable and safer way to express their religion. As far as blogs go, I think they give people a unique look at a religion that you wouldn’t necessarily get directly from a church. I say this because a lot of religious blogs are done by ordinary people who worship in that faith. While there are some that are an official religion’s blog, there are a lot that aren’t and I think that makes people more comfortable, because they’re reading the words of someone like themselves. In essence I think blogs can tend to feel more personable and provide a way for people to express themselves in a “safe” space.
ReplyDeleteI think that the church has done a wonderful job integrating the gospel with the internet. There are so many tools and resources that are readily available that are so helpful and gives ease of access to people. Of most religious websites and online presence that I’ve seen, I’d have to say that the LDS church generally does it better. All of our websites are incredibly user friendly and easy to navigate, which is a huge problem with lots of websites today. The church specifically employs people to make sure that all their websites and social media sites stay up to date and provide the best user experience. I’d also say that the church does a good job of having lots of FAQs on all of their websites, to help people better understand the church.
Specifically on the subject of blogs though, I honestly think it all depends on who writes them and how much time/effort they put into it. Looking through these blogs, I noticed that there were a lot that aren’t officially linked to a religion, but rather written by a single person, or a group of a specific faith. I know that this is also the case with Mormon blogs that many are just written by members, but are not officially linked to the church. On the other hand there are blogs that are done by/ or officially linked to the church, like the “Tattooed Mormon” for example. Also going through these blogs, I’m noticing that those which are done by groups and/or religious officials, tend to have a higher quality in terms of aesthetic, user friendly layout, clearer defined FAQs, etc.
I think the amount of people using the internet to look up religious content is not surprising. I would think that number has since increased. It seems that almost everyone has internet access through laptops, desktops, smartphones and tablets.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of Church on the internet gives people the option to look up specific subjects. I like that some websites have video lessons given by someone on certain topics. It’s kind of like General Conference online and we get to choose which talks we watch. I see a lot of similarities to lds.org (videos, scriptures, ability to pay tithing, etc.) I can see how a mobile generation such as ours would prefer this type of religion. It’s easy to log on and find what we want to learn specifically. There’s even places we can ask questions and someone will respond. It gives people the ability to research however long they want wherever they want. It takes televangelism to the next level.
The blog posts seem like they could be good, uplifting reads that include real life experiences from people about faith, repentance, or finding Christ. I feel that many LDS blogs are like this. On the other hand, I can see how religious blogging can get out of hand. People can take their opinion way too far and try to combine religion with everything. The Revealer Blog had a lot of random posts talking about things that I didn’t think really went together (blogs talking about chronic fatigue, lab grown meat). Not your typical religious discussion.
I was checking out the evangelicaloutpost blog and it was a lot of really non-religious topics mixed in with some religious-based reflection/introspection. I felt like it was honestly a little disorganized because one minute I was reading about the author's opinion of the recent Walking Dead episode, and then it was a post about how to use mild language and the effect of our words on other people. But in any case, to me it had a very mommy-blog feel to it. Kind of cutesy, hsaring your opinion in a creative way. I actually have a friend with a religious blog (dearmissmormon) and I actually really like her blog because she uses a very honest and open approach to discuss religious and faith building topics without being overbearing. I would say she uses a combination of the most common blog styles for religious blogs that were listed above, but her goal is to just promote faith and answer any questions that people might have about mormons along the way.
ReplyDeleteI am all for using the internet to spread, talk about, and study religion. I definitely use the internet for most of my religious needs outside of Sunday worship (which I don't love the idea of that being online because it's creepy just like second life). I read the scriptures, look for talks, find and share uplifting messages, share my own opinion, and reach out to people who need a helping hand on the internet (I also keep in touch with converts and missionaries from my mission), so I would actually consider the internet an integral part of how I live my religion. Of course I can and have lived my religion without the internet, but in my opinion, it's a fantastic and convenient way to share, learn, and support. Two thumbs way up.
I think that these online churches are so strange. I just don't get how people get the same thing out of a video post as they do in real life. I didn't feel that the videos were personal. I just thought they were very general for everyone. This is so different from our church because our church is so personal to everyone. Everyone can relate and take advice from our religious leaders every Sunday.
ReplyDeleteSo I explored the viral world of church. I wasn't able to attend church because it was held Sundays at two eastern time. It was so weird. I made myself into an avatar and walked around the church as if I was going to attend. I felt weird. It is a video game. I felt like it was something I would have messed around with when I was twelve. The graphics were very out of date too. I would think that the church would really keep the graphics up to date if they want people to enjoy attending their church in this digital world.
I think the internet is a great way to spread your religious beliefs, but I don't agree that spreading your religious beliefs should be through a video game. It just doesn't make sense. If you're going to create a sermon only for people playing the video game to watch, there can't be a large expectation that many people will watch your sermon. To get your religious views spread further than just a viral game, the sermon needs to be posted on the internet for everyone to watch. If only a certain amount of people are signed up to play the game, only a certain group of people are going to watch. I just don't think that watching church through a video game is the way to attend a sermon.
I know there are a lot of Mormon blogs out there, and although I don’t follow any, I do know that the most popular ones deal with how to incorporate Mormon doctrine, principles, and practices into daily life. These types of blog could apply to anyone from returned missionaries to childless families to teenage converts. And honestly, I kind of think of LDS.org as a sort of blog for news and doctrine and uplifting articles – the only difference here is that it’s run by the church itself rather than an adherent. But it’s definitely structured like a complex blog, and I love reading the articles I can find there. To compare and contrast, we have blogs from other religions – the two I was drawn to were “The Pope Blog” (a blog covering news on Pope Francis) and “Velveteen Rabbi” (such a cute name! This blog is run by a rabbi named Rachel Barenblat and she posts hopeful messages about Jewish daily life). I’d say The Pope Blog definitely falls under the definition of a “general news and info blog,” as discussed in the reading, while the Velveteen Rabbi could be considered by a “criticism and responses” blog and a “expressions and descriptions of personal religious experiences” blog. In the few blog posts I read, Rachel Barenblat spends just as much time giving her fellow Jews advice about how to deal with Trump’s election as she does writing about her own experiences, and I think she achieves a nice balance between the two.
ReplyDeleteI did have a hard time finding validity in the cyber-churches, especially the one website that I spent a lot of time on, alphachurch.org. It seemed like nothing more than a nice supplement to real-life worship – I don’t think I would ever be able to feel truly fulfilled with just a website as my access to worship. I think, however, this is because I was raised in the church and I’ve never had inclinations to do things online that can more easily be done in real life. Internet church makes it pretty easy to feel fulfilled, I’d say, if you weren’t raised in a situation that placed a lot of value on real-life worship and religious community interaction. I can see the appeal – everything you need is right there, like on alphachurch.org the sidebar is full of convenient links like “Inspiration Bits,” “Newsletter,” “Visual Worship,” and so on and so forth – but I just don’t think it’s for me.
I would be very surprised if the 64% claim still holds in this day and age. I believe at this point the number would be much higher and in my lifetime I feel that I have seen the massive shift. I was never much of a wired in person until about 5 years ago. I wasn't one to use the internet for my religious interactions either until about 2 years ago. Now, I can't imagine keeping up with most of my obligations without the use of my ward Facebook page, or attending Sunday school with a physical copy of the scriptures over the one I can easily pull up on my mobile device.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that I try to remind myself is that the internet is simply a tool. It's a piece of information infrastructure. I doubt we made a fuss about the advent of roads in assisting our participation in churches. We didn't make a fuss about the employment of radio broadcasts and magazine publications with a religious content. So on the one hand I think it would be good to treat this new technological approach as just another tool to embracing the same message. Unfortunately I also know that the internet carries a much more powerful cultural message than a radio broadcast or a magazine, which both may filter out the unnecessary noise. The distractions on the internet are just a click away after all. That's why it is important to see these things as tools and remind ourselves that they are tools, not reality. There is still a strong need to go be part of that physical activity, because we are here on Earth as physical bodies and we learn our most important lessons through the recognition that we have been given bodies to experience. If worship can be assisted by information technology, it's an awesome instrument to make it all the more easy for us to be engaged. If the information technology becomes the religion, it's a scarier thought.
My first thought as I was reading this blog post was that there are some very extreme examples of cyber churches to be talked about. For example, the most extreme kind of cyber church is where you can literally go online and visit a "cyber church" as a virtual avatar. However, religion in cyberspace doesn't always have to be that extreme. I use my online scriptures all the time, I visit lds.org to look at general conference talks and find any information on our church that i need. People use the internet to do family history and find names to bring to the temple. To me, religion in cyberspace is really cool and not as crazy as it seems.
ReplyDeleteThe blog I chose to look at and explore was thenakedpastor.com. #1 - the name was weird and seemed like kind of an oxymoron to me. (had the shock factor) So that drew me to it. #2 - this guy is a graffiti artist who uses his cartoons to spread his beliefs (another shock factor). I thought it was actually a really cool blog. He has this community called the "lasting supper." He has a place on there where people can look at courses and lessons he teaches. But the main page is full of funny or cute cartoons that illustrate his values and beliefs. It is a really cool unique way to do that. IT follows the 6 characteristics of cyber church. He makes it very interactive, very networks, very postmodern, allows for questioning, very collaborative and not time-bound at all. All 6 of those characteristics seem like they would be very appealing to the "nones" of the world.
While I still think that religion in cyberspace is cool and has its benefits, there are times where it goes to the extreme and is a little questionable. To me, the face to face and personal interaction that comes with being a member of the church is a huge factor in why this church works for me. So the thought of trying to practice a religion on my own and through a computer is something I know wouldn't work for me.
From both reading these blogs suggested and seeing blogs like this in real life, I’ve never been a real fan of the “religious blog.” Maybe my opinion comes from an extreme case of Mormon hat on—or maybe its because I’ve seen the church’s professional religious campaigns that has heightened my expectation—but either way I can’t find validity in most of the blogs I read. I looked into “blog.belife.net” and I felt very confused on their sight. First of all, it was way over the top in their opinions, and second I felt religion was sorely missing from the main content of the site. I didn’t really see anything that stood out as being centered on religion, but rather centered on how the world was corrupt. They didn’t offer solutions or positivity, which is something I feel necessary when dealing with religion. That’s something about the LDS church’s online resources that appeals to me—I feel that I always walk away feeling like I’ve gained answers to something I did/didn’t know I needed. I also don’t agree with the argument that people are fully satisfied with an online experience. A major part of the appeal of church and religion is the aspect of community. Everyone wants to feel involved in a cause, accepted by peers, and like they belong somewhere. That is why the church structure was developed, and with out that structure religion at large loses its appeal.
ReplyDeleteI think one thing that makes cyber-religions and cyber-churches so very different from what we are used to as members of the LDS church — which is a very large and universalized church — is that these cyber-churches tend to be very narrow and very unique. If these churches were created in a town, they would likely not find enough like-minded thinkers in their geographical location. But because in the cyber world, the creator of these churches can target any other like-minded thinkers accross the world, they are able to have a church based on something very not universal, but there are enough unique like-minded thinkers in the world to grow these cyber-churchers. For instance, I read about the Velveteen Rabbi. (I mostly chose it because of the interesting title). I found it was collaborative because it talked about subjects such as politics: Trump's position as president-elect, or other things about the election cycle. This could bring others, who may not have even been interested in the religious side of the blog, to the blog to read and partake in this cyber-religion.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, it is not costly to create a cyber-church. Anyone can jump online and create a website. It doesn't cost much to buy a domain for the site. Then in a few hours you can have a simple website or blog where you can share your content with almost everyone if they can find you. Having a website replace a physical church building (or in the case of the Velveteen Rabbi, a Synagogue) also makes a cyber-church very asynchronous. The website becomes a virtual place for a follower to go at any time and any place. And people can "tune in" to multiple websites or cyber-churches at one time. Their devotion level does not make them higher or lower than anyone else (networked; non-hierarchical).
Cyberspace and the internet has given people a platform to explore, record and promote their own personal religious beliefs. This platform, in my opinion, actually encourages individuality and puts religious belief and practice on a similar platform.
ReplyDeleteIn the past, religion was practiced and discussed in person - at home or at a physical church. Now, all sorts of religious beliefs and perspectives can be shared in a global way with a click of a mouse and these beliefs can be validated by others in this global community.
In all, cyberspace and the internet encourages individuality in religious belief and practice. While religous communities would before gather to a specific location to be unified physically and spiritually -- the internet encourages division and provides a platform to promote that division.
This is not always the case though. There are blogs and online resources that are used to unify and promote good will while still recognizing differences. This is seen in the "Coming home" campaign of the Catholic church and the I'm a mormon campaign.