How might 'online churches' affect religion & worship in America?

[Philosoraptor]

Would you worship God on an online church? I remember the advent of drive in churches, and drive through churches, and some people get all the church they need on t.v. every Sunday morning.

The concept of attending church without actually being there physically is a strange notion. Think of all the money that could be saved by not using a giant cathedral or massive, sprawling mega church, instead of passing the donation plate, you just click in your visa numbers.

Confess your sins or get guidance in a chat room, like this one!

No need to get the kids up and get them dressed and head out into the snow and sit in uncomfortable pews, just gather the kiddies around and worship a laptop.

Is online church a bad thing, or is it inevitable? Is the world wide web a gift from God? Will the www become the new God?

Now if you'll all go to the church page and click on 'hymns' and raise your voices toward heaven with a rousing rendition of 'What a friend we have in Bill Gates'....

[zbdent]

1. one word ...

freeped ...

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Collections via Paypal?

[mwb970]

3. I thought part of the purpose of church services was to bring the flock together.

The purpose of online churches seems to be to prevent the flock from coming together. What is the exact difference between "going to church" online and simply sitting alone reading websites for an hour?

:shrug:

[customerserviceguy]

6. AFAIK, churches can get the flock out of here!

It's part of the devolving of religious institutions, which is good for human social evolution.

[Ian David]

4. Socialization and community is the one good thing people get from religion.

An online church would do nothing more than feed them their religious dogma talking points for the week.

Here's a better idea:

Keep the churches, but outsource the clergy to India.

Have an Indian pastor conduct services via television to a brick-and-mortar church in America.

He could take confession, do pastoral counseling, etc., all through an internet connection.

[customerserviceguy]

5. Your topic reminds me of a scene from a movie from 35 years ago

Anybody remember the scene in Woody Allen's "Sleeper" where people two centuries from now will confess their sins to a robot, and receive a Kewpie doll along with their absolution?

Online church is really not much different from that.

[BolivarianHero]

7. Drive-through Churches are disgusting...

If they were to exist in my neck of the woods, they would be subject to an endless parade of ridicule and vandalism.

[Odin2005]

8. Well that defeats the whole fucking purpose!

I'm an Atheist, but am part of a Unitarian Universalist Congregation for the community and the intellectual discussion.