how will the internet impact religion?

Question

I'm one of those people who think the reformation was caused by the printing press, not by Martin Luther. Before him there were many other dissenters also, but they were generally quenched very easily. When Luther went to the Diet of Worms many people along the way had already read his work, and people cheered and booed him all along the way. He was the one of the first stars of the printing press age. And at the same time his ideas spread many other ideas spread as well, like never before. If every pamphlet the reformers wrote would have had to be copied by hand, they would never have been able to spread faster than they were persecuted.

So now everyone with an opinion can just create a youtube channel and speak to a worldwide audience directly. And if you say something that really speaks to people that message will not go around the world in years or months, but in days or hours. Can we expect a second reformation? Will opinions divide even more? Or will we be able to see the

similarities between normal adherents of different creeds? I have found various youtube channels lately I was tremendously impressed with the makers for their candour, straightforwardness and conviction that they would decide for themselves. I'm learning more from them about what it means to be a muslim or a christian then I could from any priest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYLqy6atd2c&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/user/ummahfilms

Answer 1

it will diversify it some. now everyone has information about all religions at their fingertips. kind of exciting.

Answer 2

I do not agree with some of what you said, the Reformation was certainly an aid to it though.
This is a double edged sword- on one side, news of the Gospel can be spread rapidly. Printing press, radio, television, all the new devices...and that's great!
On the other side, it is a horrible bad thing because, if there's a heresy somewhere, it is no longer locally contained as it had been. It gets spread all over very rapidly too.
Consider how huge that T.V. evangelist's work became, but compare his words with that of historical, biblical, Christianity.
A big difference.
I like the point you made about opinion. That's so common now.
The truths of scripture do not change, yet it is popular to only go by one's own opinion, rather than learning what scripture really says. The truth is not what we can make up, it is only something we can discover.

Answer 3

Sudden impact when it comes to major topics that receives objection and criticsm from unknowledgeable people or non-believers. However, the internet is best for people who want to learn about religion and share their thought in good faith besides they can't throw away just like written papers where holy books are prohibited because it is not ours eventhough its being written or translated by man. The most grave sin than we thought and there are always two sides of a coin.

Answer 4

It already has. Bigotry can only live in isolation.

Personally, I think the internet is just about the most important human innovation in a LONG time. Information is becoming more readily available to everyone, everywhere, all the time.

This seems to be upsetting to people who lie for a living, hence the rampant technophobia from politicians and the clergy.

Answer 5

It has been very useful in exposing certain cults and religions to be the fraud they are. It is also excellent to confirm for the masses what I have suspected for a long time. That most people in this world do not have the intelligence or the brains to know when a fairy tale is a fairy tale.

Answer 6

The internet is a great tool for communication but communication alone will not spread Christianity. The internet has impacted this world-wide society for decades. When it was first developed it was not appreciated for what it has become. Massive amounts of communication are sent across the internet daily.

When trying to assimilate all of the information provided in religion or any other subject one must filter it. The intelligence community describes this as validation and confirmation. Who will validate and confirm the religious content being presented in such a large capacity over the internet? The Church is the only authority with the capacity and delegation from Jesus Christ Himself to do this.

To write that the Church must validate and confirm all Christian content is not popular. Christianity is not a popularity contest. Christianity is the hardest way of life on Earth only made easy by the spiritual assistance afforded by the Holy Spirit. Jesus lost most of His disciples when He told everyone they must eat His body and drink His blood in order to have eternal life. We should not and cannot expect popularity spread by word of mouth alone. Jesus never got it. The ones who stayed with Him ate His body and drank His blood.

Even without popularity we have great hope. Our hope is in our Faith and love. Jesus told us to die for Him. He told us to die for each other when He said that we are to love each other as He has loved us. Popular approval will never be gained by mere communication over the internet to do such extraordinary acts of love. It will take the personal act of communion through the Church to acheive this. Nothing else will suffice but eating His flesh and drinking His blood as Jesus Himself has said.

Yours in Christ Jesus, Grace

Answer 7

I think there is enough now. But I think it will be a part of the one world order as the Bible says will happen.

Answer 8

Personally I think the internet will help kill religion, and high time too.

With all these tools available for fact-checking superstitious nonsense and hearsay stories hopefully get nipped in the bud.

Answer 9

I think diversity of belief will increase as people have access to more information. I think and hope that fundamentalism will be less likely to gain or hold adherents as people have access to facts and information outside their congregations and families. I think non-belief and nontraditional belief systems will gain most.

Answer 10

It's definately a helpful tool for spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I use it to do so daily......praise God