The Internet is having the same sort of democratizing effect on religion as it’s having for publishing, music, and politics. Not only is it possible now for any person’s ideas about religion to quickly gain a following, it’s also possible for anyone to become a minister over the Internet, or even to start his own fringe or parody religion.
Today, there are a plethora of choices available to anyone looking for just the right religion to fit his beliefs and lifestyle. Here’s my quick survey of a few of the more notable alternative and parody religions with large presences on the Web.
Universal Life Church has been around for almost 50 years. The beliefs of the church are simply that followers should “do what’s right.”
Universal Life became popular as a result of its policy of ordaining anyone for free, without any requirements. Today, you can simply fill out a form on its Website to become a minister. The church also grants more advanced degrees -- including Dr. of Divinity and Dr. of Metaphysics -- which require the payment of small donations.
Another one of the older alternative religions on the Internet is the Church of the Subgenius, which started with a pamphlet in 1979 and became an underground movement in the pre-Internet days. With the help of BBS systems, email, Usenet, and, later, the Web, it became the first, largest, and most well known of the Internet’s parody religions.
The Church of the Subgenius is often seen as a parody of cults and evangelical Christianity. Like other religions that started as a parody, however, it also has dedicated followers. At the center of the church’s beliefs is the pursuit of Slack -- a mystical substance or quality that is generally defined as freedom, or original thinking, or the ability to get what you want without working at it.Becoming an ordained minister in the Church of the Subgenius (a proudly “for profit” religion) costs $30.
A more recent parody religion is the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM). FSM was started by Bobby Henderson in a letter he wrote to the Kansas School Board when they were deciding whether to teach Intelligent Design in schools in 2005. The letter threatened legal action unless equal time was also given to the “Pastafarian” theory of creation, which says that a Flying Spaghetti Monster created everything.
The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster doesn’t currently seem to have ministers. However, you can buy merchandise at the religion’s online store.
The Church of the Invisible Pink Unicorn (IPU) states that their goddess is both pink and invisible. This paradox is meant to mock many such paradoxical religious beliefs. The IPU is often used by atheists to illustrate their point that supernatural beliefs are arbitrary. By replacing the name of a deity with the Invisible Pink Unicorn, the argument is made that there’s just as much proof of the IPU as there is of any other supernatural being.
The IPU also doesn’t offer ordainment. However, like the FSM, IPU has a variety of products available for sale through its Website.
Perhaps the most uniquely Internet-centric parody religion is the Church of Google, which offers Google (Nasdaq: GOOG)'s omniscience and omnipresence as proof that Google is a God.
The old saying about not discussing politics and religion absolutely doesn’t apply to the Web. Whether you’re a believer, a non-believer, or just confused, you can find all sorts of religion on the Web -- for a very reasonable price.
The basic idea of religion is to give something for someone to
believe in, isn’t it?
So, I am not surprise by what Mr. Minnick shares with us. In
addition, many people use internet to look for something that they can be part
of or belong to anyway; I think if there is a second life network, there will
be the alternative Internet religion for sure.
Another fine example of how the Internet is a global stage
for those wanting to present to the world their ideas, beliefs, and creative
products/services.
Those churches of the latter days are motivated by personal gain and the internet just gives them the means to acheive their goal, that is to deceive people and entice them to believe what they should not believe.
Hounhosp, according to you Catholic Church should serve only in the name of God and rejects all the material things but this is one of the richest institution in the World- richer than Microsoft:). Of course, there are other people who waht to shear sheep and they are in much tougher situation that the first christians because "most of the seats are taken". I think it's just interesting to see new ways of " the right preaching" people use to make more people involved in their faith- for making money or something else.IMHO, it's really fasinating to see how the newest technologies are used for the oldest deeds!
p.s.
I know that religion is a very personal topic and I don't mean to be rude or disrespectful.
Hey, Chris! Your post is absolutely amasing( as usually:) and I am starting to think about becoming a first minister of The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster or if they don't let me do this, I will create my own church- Interent Evolution Temple, for instance- sounds not bad, doesnt't it?Or Ktulhu Church( if it doesn't exist yet)
But I was suprised by the reaction on your post! All these serious thoughts about God and Church!!!
Paul,Hounhosp- come on, guys- that's about fun and Internet opportunities- not about the religion!I think it's great, that people could go on-line and experiment with the religions...Rigid norms don't bring any good.Ever!!!Anybody! The God has the best sense of humor! Look at platypus(c).
Hail to you Chris! You are like the Internet- try people's boundaries:)))))
Those churches of the latter days are motivated by personal gain and the internet just gives them the means to acheive their goal, that is to deceive people and entice them to believe what they should not believe. But as it is writing, "You should know them by their fruits". The name they give themselves and their comportments is a tangible proof of "what they are" and people should be aware of how dangerous it could be to "put their souls" in the hands of those dangerous people. I do believe that everybody has the right to find the truth about one's destiny. But I also believe that there is a TRUE WAY to heaven and the true seeker will definitively find it.
There are "WOLVES in SHEEP'S CLOTHINGS" all around us. They profess to give happiness, when their motive is to earn money; they present themselses as "prophets", when they receive nothing from God, and they even present themselses as Gods. But they are mere "spaghetti monsters", that will eventually "vanish and go for jugement and damnation", the Scriptures say.
Man has always been in the quest to find a God and there is nothing surprising about the few non-traditional religions you mentioned. With the internet now at their disposal, it makes it easier for them to get world recognition. I believe that people should always have the liberty to choose who or what to worship. If peolple can choose to have a god who is fallible and inconsistent as they are, then why not proclaim themselves as god instead of wasting time building one.At least they can ask their kids and sibling to worship them!!!
I t's true that with the internet you can find whatever would satisfy your soulish cravings but i doubt whether too many people will fall for such human-made gods. I may be wrong but for the fact that this is the first time for me to hear about these 'religions" means they are having minimal impact. May be their only influence will be to provide 'ministers" who can join people:
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