FREE ESSAY ON RELIGION AS A CYBER SOCIETY

RELIGION AS A CYBER SOCIETY

The exponential growth of the Cyber society and Cyber culture within the Internet has not
gone unnoticed by the "religious community." As I write, church web sites are being
published and electronic prayer groups zip by in modems and wire networks across the
globe. Even isolated monasteries like the Monastery of the Christ in the Desert (see
sidebar) are able to send their Benedictine messages from their cloister in New Mexico.
New age religions also use the [virtual] soil of the Internet as the center of their
"virtual church" (see end of the Cyber society Observation for links on religious web
pages). With these in mind, it is safe to write that Religion has seamlessly incorporated
itself within the realm of Cyber society. 
The presence of Religion in Net Culture is not an unforeseen trend. Although Religion and
Modernity does not have the best relationship, Religion has learned that they need to
conform with the current trends of technology to survive. Religion sees Modernity (in
hand with secularization) as a threat to spiritual well-being and existence of its
churches. Today for example, membership in Christian denominations is decreasing and the
number of priests is on the downward slope as well. The declining trends are placed on
modern individual's tendency to think of religion as "neither good nor bad but simply
irrelevant." (Encarta "Religion") Another reason lies in the prestige appropriated to
science, the body of knowledge that made no reference to spiritual gods and the
foundation of all the technologies that made human life easier. 
The religious organizations recognize the decline in membership and religious passivity
of the general populace. Instead of going condemning the technology, they adapted to it
and used it to perform their evangelical work. Evangelicalism originally means "personal
commitment to Christ and the authority of the Bible (Encarta "Religion")." Evangelicalism
can also mean the spreading of God's word. History witnessed the churches' efforts to
"convert" people with the help of discovery and innovation. For example, the invention of
the movable press type by Johann Guttenberg in Germany changed the painstaking effort of
copying the bible by hand. Anyone can now access a bible anywhere they need it. With the
invention of the television and radio came the TV and radio evangelists, spreading the
"word of their God" and converting the masses. Many churches actually own stations and
record studios that would help establish the stability of their religion. The birth of
the Internet, however is a whole new platform altogether. As a cyber deacon in one the
new-age religions puts it (with exaggerated confidence and modulated voice), "The
Internet has the potential of evolving into the greatest communication tool of all time
(Busch 1)." 
The Internet is sometimes scorned as the menace and heralded as the savior of society.
How has the Internet worked for Religion? The Internet, for one, has become the primary
breeding ground for New-Age churches and religion, usually creating a "virtual church" in
the confines of their web pages. 
New Age Movement: 
"A new form of spirituality that offers individuals the opportunity to reconnect with
mystical dimensions of the self and thus the wider cosmos-relationships that are
typically obscured by secular culture and often are not addressed in biblical
traditions". 
(Encarta "Religion") 
Some of these New Age Churches include Cosmosofy, Digitalism and The First Cyber Church
of the Scientific God. Most, if not all of the cyber churches try to create a church that
combines love for God as related to science. For example, Digitalism is a modernized
religion based on the wonders of technology and Buddhism. The First Cyber Church
advocates a love for God and mankind with good science as foundation. As a whole, these
new religions try to meet anybody's spiritual needs. 
Traditional Churches and denominations have also taken advantage of the Internet. Many of
these religions have established web pages, like the Vatican, Qabalah (for insight on
Jewish Mysticism) and Anglicans Online to name a few. A list of traditional churches and
their links are found at the end of this paper. The old religions like the New age
religion uses the Internet to spread their message of faith with the aid of the
technologies associated with it. For example, John Fredenburgh, rector of the All Saints
Church in Valley Cottage NY has found a way for his congregation to participate in prayer
groups without the inconvenience of time restraints. He was able to organize 
http://www.sikhs.org 
Is a well maintained and organized website about Sikhism. This religion began in India
500 years ago. It showcases many images sacred to their religion.
prayer groups through emails, chat, and web postings for people who need spiritual need,
the physically sick who need spiritual advice. He believes that in this Internet society,
people are getting more concerned with their private space. He added that he has been
trying to get his group together but has never successfully done so until he tried doing
it the "Internet Way." For Reverend Mark Cyr of the Episcopal Church in Warwick, people
who are not affiliated to a religion may stumble to a religious web page by accident or
serendipity. The chances are good that these people may get interested and go through the
information in the web pages. People who experience difficulty going to church may
suddenly find themselves praying with their church/congregation online as well.
Furthermore, he asserts, there is not "RIGHT" or "WRONG" way of worshipping or
meditating. Going to church on a Sunday morning can satisfy a person just as if he or she
was physically present in his/her church. 
Of course, Religion in society not only involves a belief in a God but a disbelief in an
Almighty being as well. Many websites exist in the Internet that deal with atheism and
agnosticism, helping atheists and agnostics come in terms with their belief (disbelief or
confusion). Although no prayer groups of religious chat rooms are established,
intellectual thesis, information, articles are available for any disbelieving atheist. 
These services however are not without shortcomings. A church is a religious community
that requires connection with people. Because the Internet society is revolves around
personal space and privacy, isolation is often a problem, especially if it becomes an
obsession. There is something wrong if a person's exclusive exposure to society (and
religion) is through the Internet. Moreover, it is essential to realize that not all the
facets and services of a religion can be done over the Internet. Confession for Catholics
is bound by a vow of secrecy. E-mailing a confession may not be a great idea. 
The information age may benefit industrial countries where Christian denominations are
dominant. But in poor countries in Africa and Asia, Online churches are currently not
feasible. India for example, the center of Hinduism does not have as much Internet Access
as the United States and would not benefit greatly from online Hindu churches. The same
would apply to the ethnic religions found in Africa. The gap between industrialized and
non- industrialized countries are widening in regards with the assimilation of
information and technology. 
Religion is a part of almost every known society on earth. With the arrival of the cyber
society and cyber culture in the post- industrial era, it has become an essential part of
this "new virtual society." Although I am neither able nor qualified to predict the
outcome of Religion's presence in the Internet, I am confident that Religion would always
be present in any society. Humans may think of themselves as modern creatures who have a
firm grip on scientific evidence and reality, but there will always be some who will seek
spiritual side of the truth. This is where Religion works best.