The Internet's Effect on your Beliefs in God and Religion

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How has the Internet effected your beliefs in the current Religions, and of God?

Did it cause you to leave one Religion for another, or to drop out of church going, or even start attending a church, where you havent considered God before?

What have you learned from this Non-Catholic forums here?

Part of the reason for this Topic, was that I am curious on how the Internet has changed peoples lives, on the Topic of God, and the Religions around us.
 
Heres my reply:

The Internet has opened my eyes about much of the World’s Religions, like Islam, the Catholic Church, and that the Mormon church does have defects. I used to be pretty strong in the LDS faith but have fallen from it, becoming inactive.

From this forum I had learned that there were some Mormon forums, now called Mormon apologetics, and from there somebody linked to New Order Mormons, which are people who had fallen away, but for some reason will still attend with family or their husband/wife.

The Internet has not hurt my beliefs in God, but has helped, and also, having read tons of Near Death Experiences, this has helped me to become far less fearfull of Death, and to know that their is a God, also from here I learned that people don’t have to be 100 percent perfect upon their death, and that ther is a purgatory like process on weeding out their problems on entering Heaven itself, whether it be instant or a drawn out process.

I have been looking at being catholic myself.
 
Geocacher said:
How has the Internet effected your beliefs in the current Religions, and of God?

Did it cause you to leave one Religion for another, or to drop out of church going, or even start attending a church, where you havent considered God before?

What have you learned from this Non-Catholic forums here?

Part of the reason for this Topic, was that I am curious on how the Internet has changed peoples lives, on the Topic of God, and the Religions around us.
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The internet definitely led me to information about Mormonism that helped me determine the untruthfulness of Mormonism. That’s why I am Catholic today.
 
I think that the internet has made folks more open about beliefs that are other than that which surrounds them geographically and made them somewhat less willing to “pass” as something they are not just to find spiritual community. Geographic proximity is no longer a criteria for developing a spiritual community of like-minded folks to provide mutual support, discussion and learning opportunities. Discussion with like or similarly minded folks can help one sharpen and refine one’s position.

This is not just about “fringe” religions. The internet can make it easier for someone, for instance, to be a Catholic in an area where there are very few, if any, other Catholics, no priests or Catholic churches. It can make it easier for someone to stay Episcopalian rather than switch to the Methodists just because there are no Episcopal churches in the area. It can apply to any religious path (or branch thereof) at all, but especially those with low concentrations of population in a particular area. It can provide a lifeline of communication and connection for someone who is physically unable for whatever reason to be part of the daily life of a religious community (elderly, ill, caring for someone who is housebound, working odd hours, etc).

Conversely, this removes some of the pressure for someone to convert to something just because it is geographically convenient. If someone doesn’t like the local particular preacher, church, etc even of his own denomination, he now has an additional avenue to pursue for support. It may weaken the physical support aspect of religious community (folks bringing food when you are sick, etc) and put more emphasis on the intellectual support (sharing ideas).

In terms of emotional support, it makes it easier for those who feel they have been wronged to find emotional support----the folks on the internet do not have access to the “other side of the story” nor are they familiar with the history or particular circumstances of the poster, the physical community in which s/he resides, mitigating factors, etc. They also don’t have to live with the consequences of their advice, as they might if all parties resided in the same worship community.

It is easier to start up a new religion or branch of an existing religion because you are more easily able to find a pool of like minded folks. It is also easier for that new branch to snap off because of the lack of physical support and connectedness, the difficulties of emotionally nuanced communication online, etc.

Like anything else, the internet has a definite effect and that comes with positives and negatives.
 
The Internet has helped me gain a better understanding of other religions, especially Catholicism and Protestantism; and in the process it has helped to strengthen my faith and testimony in the LDS Church greatly. If I had any doubts about it before, I don’t have one now!

zerinus
 
This is my first post. I have been reading other posts for a long time, but get very nervous at responding. But when I saw this question I felt I had to respond.

This forum has been very good for me. I have been questioning my faith for a long time. I spent my childhood in Catholic schools, 3 years in boarding school and my mother would never have me baptized. I knew the latin mass by the time I was 8. When I was in my twenties I became a Baptist and felt pushed into it. After two months I never went back. In the early 80’s I became a Mormon, but I am now inactive. It was this forum that gave me the truth about so many religions. I am studying Catholicism again by myself as I am too nervous to attend RCIA. (Don’t do well in groups) So I don’t know were all this will lead. Hopefully to a good place.

I find myself on this forum day and night and look forward to the information that I will receive. There are so many intelligent and well versed posters. I miss it when some of you don’t respond for a while. I do want to say that I believe there is good in all of us. I miss my friends at the Mormon church. I felt great love there. I am hoping to find that love and support again.
 
It helped me network with other folks in the Episcopal Church who were going through the same struggles I was. I was able to discuss, debate, and listen to them and their particular stories, problems, ideas, and solutions.

I’d say having that “fellowship” certainly helped me deepen my faith, despite the collapse of the church in which I was raised. It also led me to read more history and theology to try to understand WHY we believe what we do, and that eventually led me into the Catholic Church.
 
When I had my conversion (from atheist to believing in God), I needed to know what I was suppose to do after that. Belief is only the start, I knew I had to put that belief into some sort of action.

It was throught the Internet that I found where God wanted me to be. It was through the study of ALL (ok most) of the Protestant Christian faiths on the net that finally lead me straight to the front door of the CATHOLIC CHURCH:thumbsup:

So for me, the internet was of tremendous help in my faith journey.
 
I’m not sure the internet has changed any of my beliefs…but it certainly has opened my eyes to what others believe and has shown to me we all live within our “religious myths” in our respective faith traditions. We tend to “believe” what our religious body tells us, I guess that’s why we have apologetics. Apologetics really hasn’t phased me too much…it has just strengthend my understanding that we all seek to understand and explain the Eternal and Unknowable, and to comfort ourselves we all feel we have the “inside” scoop on God…or our leaders do or our respective churches do…what has confirmed to me is we have a very narrow view of God and a very limited understanding of others faith traditions…as I said in another thread…I’m just now learning to speak “Catholic”…I have yet to learn to speak “Mormon” or “Muslim” or “Lutheran” or “Baptist” and we each confuse our respective faith languages and try to impose the meanings of concepts and words that is foreign to that faith traditions.

What the internet has shown me…even though we all claim to be different and possess the fullness of truth…we each really do muddle through the Holy Mystery that we call God and none of us have a “clue” regardless of what our faith tradition tells us…myself included.
 
am someone who likes to read a lot and the internet is the fastest and cheapest way to gather info from here and there. I did learn much more about the Roman Catholic Church (am Eastern) as well as other beliefs. I enjoy the family and parental forums here so i always check what other Catholics around the world are doing and how they’re living…i learned about other beliefs and found out they all have roots in heretical Christian sects which gave me a better understanding of how heresies started and developed to our time. And i got to know great intermet-friends 👍 both of whom are Christian reverts from Islam.
 
Also, the internet has shown me how easy it is for us to maginalize other faith traditions by calling them…“heretical”…we tend to throw out that word with the least bit of provocation…and the “heretics” are always…“Them”…never “Us.”

Interesting.
 
CA provides me with the outlet to vent about Catholic things that only other Catholics will understand. I can also ask my questions without feeling stupid. I can follow the links other posters have provided to help deepen my faith and further my study.
I have found the parish and school I hope my family and I will be apart of in the near future.
I have learned how to tactfully address issues occurring within the Church that are contrary to Church doctrine, and how to lovingly deal with those Catholics who are cultural or not well catechized.
I have learned to stop and listen, rather than just hear. I have learned patience.
Yep, it’s helped a whole bunch 👍
 
How has the Internet effected your beliefs in the current Religions, and of God? It has made research faster. If someone makes a claim about the Catholic faith and provides a source, it is easy to look at the source to see it in context and then line that up with the remarks of the person making the claim. But the internet has had zero effect on my faith.

Did it cause you to leave one Religion for another, or to drop out of church going, or even start attending a church, where you havent considered God before? No, to any of the above.

What have you learned from this Non-Catholic forums here? I have learned that if I were trapped on a desert island with the rest of the Non-C forum members present, most likley I’d be taking over the duties of head fire keeper, and someone else would cook.
 
How has the Internet effected your beliefs in the current Religions, and of God?

I’ve come to learn more about my faith and to want to learn even more.

Did it cause you to leave one Religion for another, or to drop out of church going, or even start attending a church, where you havent considered God before?

No. I want to spend more time with the Church, the parish; however, one time, I wanted to stop by the Methodist church to see what it looks like inside the church. I was just curious to see how similar it is to Catholic. I haven been inside yet.

What have you learned from this Non-Catholic forums here?
Try to control my temper. It is the most difficult thing to do.
 
In some ways (after over a decade of internet discussions), I think it’s been a rather dispiriting experience – partly because so many of us on religion discussion boards are a bit like me – there isn’t really any ‘give’ in our central positions and discussions almost automatically home-in on those central positions.

Luckily, most people in society aren’t as intransigent as most members of discussion boards, heaven knows how many civil wars there would be otherwise!
 
the internet helped open my eyes to the observation that when it comes to religion: one religious christian is just as deluded as a religious muslim, a religious hindu and a religious neopagan. and so I gave up christianity. no more religion for me, just faith in God.
 
Geocacher said:
How has the Internet effected your beliefs in the current Religions, and of God?

Did it cause you to leave one Religion for another, or to drop out of church going, or even start attending a church, where you havent considered God before?

What have you learned from this Non-Catholic forums here?

Part of the reason for this Topic, was that I am curious on how the Internet has changed peoples lives, on the Topic of God, and the Religions around us.
Click to expand...
I left mormonism before the internet. My path after that was largely influenced by “The Power of Myth”, the PBS TV series and later the book.

One of the first purchases I made on the internet was a book that outlined the historical facts about Joseph Smith. Things that I had never heard before let alone was taught. More like, I felt like they had been carefully hidden from view.

That still did not have the profound effect that would come later, when I decided to really investigate mormonism. Wondering if I could go back. I had never had so much information at my finger tips as that and I was an information junkie. I read and read and read.

The internet also provided a path to actions and justifications of those actions that are totally opposite of God and religion. There is no way I would have gotten what I was into without the existence of the internet. (Nothing illegal.)

It was a combination of the two that brought me to the internet to learn about Christianity. I used the internet, almost exclusively, to read and learn about what people believed and thought. It is where I spent hours and hours, reading and reading and reading. Where I read the Catechism. Where I found the location of the nearest parish. What time Mass starts.

All of that was important. And I am glad it was here. But it still does not replace the doing. Going to Mass. Reading books (including the Bible). Talking and meeting with Catholics, for real, in person. There is much that cannot be conveyed in writing. And much that can be misunderstood. Eventually I needed the “real world”.

CaF in particular…I came here because I didn’t understand or know how a person lived as a Christian. Particularly a Catholic. So I went looking for people who are living it every day.
 
It’s challenged my thinking and strengthened my faith (improved my typing too:). I have been through a lot of emotional changes learning what other people believe. I have had a good laugh and some frustration and anger at the difficulty of reasoning with people who just don’t care whether they make any sense. That’s not often a problem here. Most people here are really good at civil, sincere conversation.👍 I thank you for your companionship. But there are sites out there that seem to be just tantrums against reaon, and most of them think they are the skeptical, rational ones. :hmmm: I guess I’ve learned about what others believe and more about how easy it can be to defend what I believe. Maybe that’s because I came to my beliefs through years of study, research and experience, not doing the easiest thing but going against the flow.
 
I’ve been an atheist since way before I became an internet junkie so I can’t say its effected me much in my “religion” but I can say I’ve gained a LOT of knowledge about religion and have been able to talk to more people about religion (this forum is a case and point) than I would have without religion. Because of the knowledge I’ve gained through the internet I’m a lot more secure in what I do and don’t believe. I now have more than “just a gut feeling” to back up, explain and defend my stance on religion.
 
I think the internet is responsible for spreading lies about other religions - the seemingly endless islamophobia. Makes me wonder who funds these sites and is there a link to the war on terror?
 
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