How has the invention and growth of cyberspace affected Orthodox religion? On this topic I found this quote, “The findings reveal that ultra-Orthodox [Jews] are less inclined than religious and secular users to use application [computer] for cross-communal activities, such as e-commerce and e-mail. […] On the other hand, ultra-Orthodox use to the same degree, or greater, online activities that can be exercised only internally, within the specific virtual community.” (Cultured Technology, Page 13, 2005)
This quote provides a framework for the Orthodox view of technology and communication in cyberspace. It leads me to believe that these people are not afraid or against technology, but rather are concerned with how this technology is used. While this study was conducted using Jewish participants, these observations would hold true in examination of other religions Orthodox sects. There is even an entire religious group based around interconnection via the Internet, the Kemetic Orthodoxy (Kemetic Orthodoxy, Wikipedia) I see these types of observations as being very important to easing the conflicts between the new and old world and helping humanity unify as we become more and more interconnected.
Refrences
Barzilai-Nahon, Karine, and Gad Barzilai. "Cultured Technology: The Internet and Religious Fundamentalism." Information Society 21.1 (Jan. 2005): 25-40. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. 30 July 2009 <http://search.ebscohost.com.dml.regis.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=15631577&site=ehost-live>.
"Kemetic Orthodoxy." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 2 Aug 2009, 01:36 UTC. 2 Aug 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kemetic_Orthodoxy&oldid=305557304>
2 comments:
Clever title Stephen - I wonder if cyberspace might present a less threatening medium to discuss 'touchie' religious issues than meeting face-to-face with a Rabbi. Good topic.
Janet
A large part of what is communicated, even in low context cultures, is non-verbal. A person's tone of voice, their body language and other physical indicators can drive a discussion far more than what is actually said. In cyberspace we lose this, as everything is just text, so I'm not sure if it would cause more problems or solve more.
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