Online Religion

Soul Surfing

This week I will look at the concept of Online Religion in regards most notably to the lecture slides and information provided by guest lecturer Francesco Gimelli and the case study and reading from Tim Hutchings on Evangelical online movement IaS or I am Second.

Firstly, before I look closer at the case study I am Second and Hutchings commentary, I would like to draw attention to the 'Cyberpunk's Prayer by Bill Scarborough which Francesco showed us today. It is as follows:

"OUR SYSOP,

WHO ART ON-LINE,

HIGH BE THY CLEARANCE LEVEL.

THY SYSTEM UP,

THY PROGRAM EXECUTED

OFF-LINE AS IT IS ON-LINE.

GIVE US THIS LOGON OUR DATABASE,

AND ALLOW OUR RANTS,

AS WE ALLOW THOSE WHO FLAME

AGAINST US.

AND DO NOT ACCESS US TO GARBAGE,

BUT DELIVER US FROM OUTAGE.

FOR THINE IS THE SYSTEM AND THE

SOFTWARE"

“The Cyberpunk’s Prayer” by Bill Scarborough (not copyrighted), cited in Højsgaard & Warburg (2005).

I love this 'prayer' for it's creativity and clever word puns. However on looking closely at online religion yesterday in class it became apparent that for many this prayer could be closer to reality than many might first assume. The questions were raised in class: Is online religion as moving as something experienced in 'real life' such as visiting a church service or going on a nature walk? What flocks to my mind when considering religion is the concept of community and connection and immediately I think of the sensory elements: laughing, crying, talking, hearing, singing, feeling, touching, jumping, dancing...and so what I might struggle with in regards to online religion is the idea that without the physical connections where is the community? Where is the fulfilment? Where is the sacred? But while it may not be there for me, certainly doesn't mean its not there for many. In class ideas were raised to suggest that community and connection is equally as valid and apparent online and for some the loss of the physical connection makes the emotional or mental connection all the more stronger. The notion of judgement was put forward in class discussion. For many, not seeing the other person they are talking to, or not being seen in return (at least not initially) may not be a loss at all. It may be a gain. It may be what is sacred to them. And it that's the case then there is proof enough for me that online religion is alive and real.

According to Hutchings (2012) I am Second (IaS) is an Evangelical Christian movement that uses short films involving adherents who are both unknown to the wider public and of celebrity status. In these films the adherents share their stories and experiences as a method of conversion or testimony for other adherents or for anyone in the wider community while also being an act of devotion and commitment to God and Jesus Christ (Hutchings). As Hutchings suggests the use of the "conversion narrative" is not new to these Evangelical movements but rather used throughout the decades and often used to empower the powerless (75). Famous novels such as Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe emerged in the seventeenth century alongside "purist stories" (Hutchings) as the male hero and protagonist found strength and purpose through finding Jesus and by consequence salvation. So what is not surprising then is the development of the conversion narrative with the tools of the internet. The narrative and the message is the same, the deliverance just updated to the 21st Century! No longer in print these narratives are "constructed, circulated and received online" (Hutchings).

I wanted to draw attention to this change from print to short films on the internet as I beleive it captures the way online religion can be quite powerful and effective. Unlike a church's or religious school's website that might just provide information on hierarchy or times for church services, IaS is going one step further to use the internet and media to provide followers and cyber-surfers with a religious experience. IaS wants Christians to "use the videos as evangelism tools and to watch them as devotional practice" (Hutchings 76). The '22 Day Challenge' which is a "course for Christian individuals designed to inspire life challenges" (76) involves the participant receiving an email that outlines a set of tasks (76). The recipient then watches the film, forwards the film to someone who has 'come to their mind', undertake a 'task of the day' and then undertake prayer for those who need direction (Hutchings 76). And to think I questioned where any possible connection and community could be formed online!

Image from http://www.e3partners.org/iamsecond 

 References: 

Hutchings, Tim. I Am Second: Evangelicals and digital storytelling [online]. Australian Journal of Communication, Vol. 39, No. 1, June 2012: 71-86. Availability:<http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.library.uq.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=775177112022985;res=IELHSS> ISSN: 0811-6202. [cited 18 Apr 13].

Gimelli, F 2013, Religion Online Online Religion, lecture slides in Writing and Spirituality at University of Queensland, 17 April 2013