h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

There’s been a lot of debate here recently about religion and it’s place in our lives and laws and it set me wondering about my own beliefs. I’m an atheist and have been all my life. I’ve never felt that I’m missing out by not having some sort of faith in my life and, to be honest, I’ve always been very sceptical when people talk about their need for spiritual meaning in every aspect of their life.

Then I was watching Newsnight earlier in the week and they brought up the concept of spirituality and the internet, particularly as written about by Margaret Wertheim in her book “The Pearly Gates Of Cyberspace.”

I read this back in 2000 and at the time was very cynical about her ideas, to my mind the internet was simply a tool, and had no more importance than that. On re-reading it now, I can’t help but wonder if perhaps she was right. More and more people are spending their free time here in cyberspace, they are having relationships, learning new things, developing new personas and generally living their lives here at the expense of real life experiences.

In one section she talks about the parallels and differences between her idea of online spirituality and Christianity.

"Orthodox Christianity has always affirmed the value of the flesh. Humanity was created in body as well as soul, the great medieval theologians asserted, and the duty of the Christian is to live life well in body as well as in spirit. Unlike genuine religions that make ethical demands on their followers, cyber-religiosity has no moral precepts. Here, as we have noted, one gets the payoffs of a religion without getting bogged down in reciprocal responsibilities."

So I suppose what I really want to know is, have we all un-wittingly become worshippers in a new religion? Does our time spent here fulfil an often overlooked need for spiritually in our lives? Or is the idea of the cybersoul just another crutch for people to cling to?

Is this one for the nighthoover thread ?

"More and more people are spending their free time here in cyberspace, they are having relationships, learning new things, developing new personas and generally living their lives here at the expense of real life experiences."

Wouldn't strike me as a definition of religion. The internet is a social place, a place to learn, a place to have interests and hobbies.

All of that can be true about religion, but I wouldn't have said that these things are what religion *is*.

I think the Internet fulfils many of the functions of religion, but I do agree when you say it isn't a religion in itself.

I did not mean to suggest that people were worshipping the internet, and i apologise if i wasn't clear. What i was trying to say was that it had taken religion's place as the so-called 'opium of the masses.'

There have been analogies made about the ritualistic nature of the internet, and the way we interact with it.

One of the big examples about the similarities between the cyberworld and religion came from the gaming communities and the language they use. Players follow the rules (commandments) and complete a series of tasks, then they ascend to a higher level, where they become stronger, faster, better.

Also there has been a lot of discussion about the nature of the avatars people use in places like second world. The creators of sw have even taken to calling those avatars meta-souls.

It's not a concept i'm comfortable with, as i've never felt the need for that kind of spirituality in my life, but i'd wondered if others did.

Serious question: Why do some people need a religion so much? Why, if they are unhappy with an old or current one do they feel a need to find or "define" a new one? Why do people need a set of values created by someone else to live their life by?

Incidentally, I'm not talking about religious fundamentalists and the like: people for whom their faith is an identity. I'm talking about people who flit between religions, are unsure what they believe. I don't understand why some people feel a need to "settle down" in a faith and, given that pretty much all faiths insist that it's a God, not people, who determine the laws we live our lives by, why some people choose a religion that "makes the most sense" to them.

Its a good question Zagreb, and religions will tell you there is a "God shaped hole in each of us."

I would suggest that amny of are sold on the belief that we are entitled to more out of life than we are getting. More than the old life, liberty and pursuit of happiness - people think they are entitled to happiness. Alas this isn't always what you thought it would be - so when you're rich and successful and still unfulfilled you look for other things.

Sex - drugs - religion. Whilst the first two might make you feel good, the last carries the added bonus of salvation and eternal life (or re-incarnation, or elevation to a higher plane) and doing a good deed can make you feel good.

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This last is unconnected with religion, but forms the basic foundation stone for all religions

I'd be inclined to add to that that religion often entails belief that however badly you behave now, you can express repentance to gain forgiveness/a rosier future/afterlife.

"I'm talking about people who flit between religions, are unsure what they believe"

I think that sometimes people feel that there is something inherently wrong with their life. For one reason or another they are not happy or content, so they go looking for something to fix that feeling. When one religion doesn't have all the answers, they go and try out the next one, continually searching for an external solution to what is in fact an internal problem.

I also don´t see how religion and internet are similar. Opium of the masses perhaps, but then you could probably say that about TV. As for meeting new people and having relationsships, well I think they did that over the telegraph as well back in the 1800s.
In a way the internet works in the way church does for many, gives them a chance to meet new people and be part of a community. But going to church was never the same as being religious in the first place.

And avatar is an embodiment of someone, so is a fine description of those little online characters. Jesus and other saviours have also been described as avatars. Not due to the religious aspect, but because they are also meant to be an embodiment of someone else.

Other way around. An avatar is literally an incarnation of God. The internet borrowed the term.

For some, internet is the new religion; creating your own space and adept everything to your own wishes, with real emotions.

By the way; I don't think it's not OK. It's a new "religion"

Loosely speaking, for some soccer is a religion.

I would hardly call it an opiate, although rare individuals apparently become addicted, and vast numbers engage in diversions of questionable taste, I suspect significant numbers treat it at least as new form of communication, with the implied potentials for science, education, knowlege, political reform, co-operation, etc..

The Internet itself may be viewed as a social contract, or an accord. It is at once democratic and anarchistic.

The Internet appears to be mostly about freedom, in one form or another

Most religions seem to be about intellectual and spiritual bondage to one thing or another

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I suppose the 'electronic frontier' isn't an inapprorpriate description when it comes down to it. I find it can be quite a nice way to get out the feeling of general dissatisfaction at being a productive member of society.

I suspect that, since some people are investing their internet projections of themselves so heavily with value, it may eventually get some rules as people equate internet damage with real damage. I kind of hope not though.

Can't see any simularity between the internet and religion at all Now toothpaste and god thats a differnt matter.

Says the guy who has started an online cult.

I didn't start it! nighthoover did! But, seriously, having a 'religion' or 'cult' which is based on the internet, in the same way 'encyclapedia' or 'shopping' websites are on the internet, doesn't mean that the internet is* 'shopping', or is 'cult' or 'religion'... hang on ... I didn't put that at all well, and I'm not sure if I've made any sense now, I'd ask the badgers what they think but htey've gone off to a sacrificial ceramony to the diety petunia...