This week: Faith in the Digital Age Edited by: Kit  
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How has the Internet helped or hindered you in your faith?
Our online world brings with it many opportunities for people of faith, but it can be tricky to navigate.
This week's Spiritual Newsletter, then, is all about faith in the digital age.
Kit
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The Internet is, in many ways, a scientific miracle. I am old enough to remember a world without personal computers, and the only phones we had were landlines and telephone boxes. This wasn’t all bad – there is a certain sense of freedom in not being contactable 24/7 – but we’re now in an age when we have masses of resources right at our fingertips, and that’s pretty amazing. We can also talk with people from around the globe and get first-hand information about different cultures and different faiths.
I have always been interested in what life is like for people who live in other countries, and I am happy to share what it’s like over here. I also love to learn about the various religions and spiritual paths that exist, and have existed in the past. Over my years on the Internet I have spoken with people from many different backgrounds, and I certainly hope to learn more in the future. I have found that there’s a beauty in many faiths and beliefs, and I find it fascinating to explore the differences and similarities between them.
Mostly, there’s a call for peace. An urging to be good and kind to one another, and to look after the world around us. Life is special, and needs to be cherished. We shouldn’t do harm, and if we do so unintentionally, we must learn from this and make things right.
The conversations between people from different faiths don’t always go smoothly, though. I have seen many an Internet debate that begins with friendly curiosity and ends with lines firmly drawn in the imaginary sand, with some less-than-kind words flung back and forth. The same goes for conversations between people of faith and atheists and agnostics. Some go well, others… not so much. It is a shame, because whilst of course it is fine to have different beliefs, nobody learns anything worthwhile when debates turn into insults.
It is because of these unpleasant exchanges that people tend to stick to their own communities and online spaces. These certainly have value, and can be excellent sources of support. As it’s often agreed, however, that politics and religion are conversation topics to avoid in shared spaces, the opportunity to learn from one another is limited, and I cannot help but regret this.
It is not the duty of others to educate me, but I do value what I have learned and I admire those who are shining examples of their faith. It is these exemplary people who have inspired me to keep on pondering my own beliefs, and to search for a closer relationship with God. This is, admittedly, a long-term project. Some people experience a calling, or have a personal connection with their Higher Power; I’ve just always had a kind of feeling that there is a God, but I don’t really know what He wants from me, nor which religion or path is the right one for me. Private faith community spaces, then, do a good job at protecting their members from online abuse, but they also keep out those of us still looking for a faith-based home.
As technology advances, each church’s reach expands, at least potentially. I remember how, during Covid, faith communities took to the Internet to hold their services. My grandparents’ church had quite a few elderly and at-risk members for whom it wouldn’t have been safe to attend in person even when lockdown was lifted. The ability to stream online, and to gather through platforms like Zoom was ideal – nobody was left truly isolated. Even better, those who couldn’t be there at the time could watch/listen back later! This actually drew in a larger audience for some faith communities.
The downside of this is that wherever there’s an opportunity there will be those ready and willing to take advantage. Scammers, who prey on those searching for a spiritual home and take financial advantage. There are fake preachers of a variety of faiths, spreading awful messages and sowing discord. They don’t have sympathy, nor empathy, and will take a poor person’s last penny without the slightest twinge of guilt.
It’s not always easy to navigate this digital landscape. It is still relatively new. We have never before been this connected. We have never before had this much access to information, nor have we been this exposed to sources of misinformation and disinformation. I consider myself to be a reasonably clued-up person, but as AI progresses I confess that it’s becoming ever more difficult to determine what is correct or incorrect, real or not real.
It’s something that we’ll have to figure out together. No matter what your faith, or what path you travel on, it’s important that we keep ourselves safe, but also keep on reaching out for one another. If each community builds too high a wall, it becomes all too easy to believe those incorrect sources and, therefore, the worst of any faith not our own. As we mostly want the same things, it’s much better to build bridges where we can – just make them safe and secure, and maintain them well as technology evolves.
I hope to keep on learning, and sharing. And I hope that you’ll keep on sharing with me. I always appreciate everyone who stops by my digital doorstep. I’ll even put the kettle on.
Kit
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Spiritual: April 09, 2025 Issue [#13068]
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