Why the Internet is slowly strangling religion

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Why the Internet is slowly strangling religion
OP - November 18, 2014, 05:43 PM

http://www.salon.com/2014/11/14/why_the_internet_is_slowly_strangling_religion_partner/
Quote
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In recent months, this sense that the Internet is the key for atheist outreach has started to move from “hunch” to actual, evidence-based theory. Earlier this year, Allen Downey of the Olin College of Engineering in Massachusetts examined the spike in people declaring they had no religion that started in the ’90s and found that while there are many factors contributing to it–dropping familial pressure, increased levels of college education–increased Internet usage was likely a huge part of it, accounting for up to 25 percent of the decline in religious belief. While cautioning that correlation does not mean causation, Downey did go on to point out that since so many other factors were controlled for, it’s a safe bet to conclude that the access to varied thought and debate the Internet provides is persuading people to drop their religions.

But in the past few months, that hypothesis grew even stronger when a major American religion basically had to admit that Internet arguments against their faith is putting them on their heels. The Church of Latter Day Saints has quietly released a series of essays, put together by church historians, addressing some of the less savory aspects of their history, such as the practice of polygamy or the ban on black members. The church sent out a memo in September telling church leaders to direct believers who have questions about their religion’s history to these essays, which they presented as a counter to “detractors” who “spread misinformation and doubt.”

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- osmanthus
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Why the Internet is slowly strangling religion
Reply #1 - November 18, 2014, 05:57 PM

Yes I saw an article about the problems the Mormon church has been having. They've had to officially admit that Joseph Smith was polygamous, which is something they had been officially denying for ages. This has apparently caused a bit of a crisis for many Mormons.

I found it highly amusing, of course.

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Why the Internet is slowly strangling religion
Reply #2 - November 18, 2014, 07:29 PM

Dawahgandists have also had to backpeddle and issue apologies/amendments to supposed claims fo scientific foreknowledge and other such miracles due to a backlash from the internet community, mostly certain youtube channels.

Some dawahgandists openly admit this.

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Women must write modestly and all men must lower their case.

http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?425649-Have-some-Hayaa-%28modesty-shame%29-people!
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Why the Internet is slowly strangling religion
Reply #3 - January 11, 2015, 10:54 PM

I know the Jehovah Witness hate the internet. Naturally its the work of the devil.

Or it might be that it exposes the years of lies regarding the end of world. I think the world was meant to have ended 5 times and counting. Although, they have now stopped giving dates and just say very soon, which can be anywhere between a few minutes and never happening. In fact there is a vast amount of lies and issues they could bury before the age of the internet.

I think knowledge and education are key to bring religion under control but it will still take a very long time. People tend to believe what it suits them to believe.
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Why the Internet is slowly strangling religion
Reply #4 - January 12, 2015, 01:21 AM

I think the Internet might strangle religion, but especially regarding Islam it even promotes it.
YouTube and the hole Internet is full of religious videos about Islam and I think they have a good internet presence.

Since I have watched some atheist videos on YouTube, I now get many suggestions to watch Islam videos, and why atheists are wrong.

Yes, I think the Internet more promoted Islam, than it harmed it.
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