You're not alone. Congregations are dwindling worldwide and it's not all the result of religious apathy. Some people simply just don't have the energy or willpower it takes to get themselves inside of a church to worship.
Thus, the invention of virtual religious services, such as Church of Fools. Church of Fools is a UK Methodist-sponsored online religious service developed to give individuals an opportunity to worship in cyberspace.
Church of Fools is an example of how religions are using the internet to reach a larger audience. Scarcely any religions are exempt from it, including our own.
When I first began preparing this post, I was going to ask the question, "Do you think someone can have as much of a religious experience online as they can attending the service in person?" I thought it was a no-brainer, until I started thinking about it.
Twice a year we watch/attend/listen to General Conference. Do we not all have a religious experience as we watch or listen--even if we're not at the Conference Center? I think we do. The Church of Fools thinks they do as well. The following quote explains their stance when asked, "Can you really have true, meaningful church online?"
We're more concerned that many of the people coming to Church of Fools are not getting "true, meaningful church" offline.
So I ask you...
Can one have a religious experience if the focus of their worship is online?
-Hannah Gibby
The short answer to your question is, in my opinion, "Yes." It seems to me that religious/spiritual experiences are different for everybody. For example, as members we are taught that the Spirit speaks to everyone differently and at different times. I could find a talk in sacrament meeting particularly moving while others didn't consider it very touching. On the other side of the coin, Dr. Randle had a spiritual experience with a country song. I don't think there are limits on what makes an experience spiritual or religious.
ReplyDeleteThe interesting part of the above question is the word "focus." For me, virtual and physical experiences do not yield the same sensations. I feel the Spirit the most when I am a physical part of an experience. While I do find listening to conference talks or reading articles in the Ensign uplifting, my most sacred experiences have come from live, in person sacrament meetings, devotionals and temple sessions. Since I find sacrament meeting and temple attendance especially spiritual, I don't think they would be as uplifting or meaningful if they were virtual. The physical barrier of a computer screen and the distractions of my "world" would limit my ability to glean inspiration from a special presentation or talk (my living room just doesn't have the same feel as the House of the Lord).
So, while I do believe one can have a religious experience online, I feel that people who physically participate in religion have stonger experiences than those who do so virtually.
I think the question is too broad. Of course someone "can have A religious experience" if the focus of their worship is online. Anyone can have a religious experience anywhere and if that person's only means is through the internet, God is not going to cheat him out of having the spirit. Of course limiting oneself to only the internet is also limiting oneself to other experiences that may provide a religious experience but there are many ways one can have a religious experience using only the internet. Scriptures are found online, audio and video clips, religious blogs and better yet, information about other religions is also found online. Many people learn more about their own religion as they learn more about other religions. This is something not really offered in individual churches or at least not in the same depth as can be found online.
ReplyDeleteWhile I think there are better ways than the internet of worship, like meeting in an actual congregation, I still think it's better for someone who is too lazy or scared to go to the internet for their feed instead of not doing anything at all about religion.
Maybe a better question would be "does the presence of online worship and virtual realities such as "Church of Fools" encourage people to stay at home or give people an excuse to do so when they normally would be at church. Is this a main cause of congregations dwindling in attendance?"
I think one can have a religious experience while on the internet. I am a firm believer that spiritual experiences do not simply come from prayer and scripture reading. I think people can have spiritual experiences anywhere, even in cyber space.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do not believe some one can live religiously simply online. There are some things you need to do to be religious that cannot be done online. You need to give service, you need to put your beliefs into action, you have to better your fellow man, etc. All these things can be done on the internet, i guess, but we are supposed to be candles that are not put under the bushel of our own four walls. we need to get outside.
So, in conclusion, i feel people can be spiritually edified online, i just don't see how that helps them if they don't apply that cyber spiritual experience outside in the real world. So, what does the spiritual experience profit them?
I think using the internet to add to your methods of worship can be very spiritually uplifting. As mentioned above, the internet offers a wide variety of media and we can access music, video and the written word all with religious and spiritual content. I've listened to conference online. I reread talks online. It's definitely possible.
ReplyDeleteNow, if using the internet as our actual church attendance and/or our only method of worship? I'm not as sure. I think again about my own church, which I know has broadcast Sacrament meeting on the BYU channel. This isn't a mockery (although the 70's outfits and haristyles are mildly entertaining.) In fact, for someone who is homebound, watching church services might be the only connection with church, and is therefore a very good thing. Maybe the church of fools has a similar draw and experience for people?
You mentioned in class that one woman leaves her avatar praying for three hours while she does other things. This is where it gets cloudy for me. She is not really praying, she's doing other things. I don't think it counts for your spiritual benefit or blessings if you're avatar prayed today, and you didn't.
So yes. And no.
Cecily Lemmon
Agreed. While I believe that spiritual experiences can happen almost anywhere, seeking should be far from exclusively or focused online. We do need to get out of our cave connected to the world via some screen name. Church online can be spiritual but nothing like actually being there.
ReplyDeleteI went to the snowboard halfpipe in the 2002 olympics, I've been to the X games in Aspen snowmass and the grand prix in park city. While watching the olympics or other things on tv or online is "better" as far as replay and angles. it doesn't come close to the atmosphere created at the actual event. There is something more about just being there physically that tv and internet will never be able to replicate.
One can have a spiritual experience now and again, even with their focus online but they might be far less and more infrequent than physically attending church services.
It is possible to have a spiritual experience and grow closer to Christ through any medium. Internet, TV, radio, Print etc. Any where you see truth and are seeking God, the Holy Ghost will bear whitness to you of the validity of the truth and enlighten your understanding. Therefor it is possible to feel the spirit and have spiritual expierences online. You can read the Book of Mormon on line. You can watch general conf on line. You can read all the missionary lessons online and teach yourself all the missionary lessons. But there are somethings you cannot do through any communication medium, such as receive ordinances, blessings, etc. to be baptized you have to have someone literally baptize you. And to be baptized you have to meet the requirements the Prophet has set and or the mission president in your specific geographical area, which consists of physically attending church among other things. therefor it is impossible to have the same religious experience on using online resources.
ReplyDelete