How Did the Internet Affect Religion?


The Internet is arguably one of the greatest wonders of modern technology; great visionaries of the past were able to predict many things, but no one could even think of a virtual, non-physical network of information, so enormous that it transcends the borders of countries and continents, envelopes the whole planet, and makes a world in itself. Nobody was prepared for what was to come when the Internet started becoming popular, and every aspect of modern life had to conform and adapt to it – that’s how we have online classrooms, online movie streaming platforms and even online lottery that many play using offers on lotto-bonus-code.com; and of course, religion was no exception to this rule.

Religion never changed, right?

The basis upon which religion stands has not changed since ancient times, and it cannot change, or else religion loses its quality and purpose. However, religions have been known to adjust, more or less, to the spirit of the current times. A good example of adjustment can be noted in the United States, where, to appeal to more people, concepts like megachurches or even televangelism have appeared. Before that, throughout history, ministers were prone to abandon their church posts and preach in the streets, or town squares, so that their message can be heard by more people.

However, it must be noted that, despite these adjustments to suit the church members, the core of religion is unchangeable.

Preaching over the Internet

The development of the Internet has opened many new possibilities for preaching, in one way or another. Online churches have come to be –not only regular churches that started offering online service, but also entirely online-based ones, like iChurch. Although this may sound like sacrilege, online and virtual churches can be vital for people who are unable to regularly attend service. In that way, broadcasting over the Internet is a sure way to extend the reach to the masses.

Has the content changed?

The content that churches present has not fundamentally changed, as we previously explained, but the development of Internet and technology has made it possible for new and more interesting forms to be created in order to present that content as best as possible. Various blogs, cartoons, music, and informational videos about religion are available to both young and old people, at the click of a button. This is not the only benefit –creating such material is incredibly cheaper than it was only half a century ago, so there is virtually no limit to how much new material can be created and presented to people.

What does the future hold?

For a concept that has such old origins, religion has survived the digitalization of the world quite well. There is no danger that technology will make it obsolete, as it has successfully proven that it has no trouble adjusting to any way of life. We should not worry; there is nothing else to do but wait and see what technological innovations churches will implement in their work in the near future.