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“More Americans Are Seeking Net-Based Faith Experiences”, an article published by Barna Research Online, details with the use of the Internet in finding religious and spiritual information. Currently, 8% of adults and 12% of teens use the Internet for religious or spiritual experiences. Less than 1% of all adults and 2% of teens use the Internet as a substitute for a physical church. Listening to archived religious teaching, reading on-line “devotionals” and buying religious products and resources on-line were deemed most appealing, particularly to teens. More than 9 out of 10 senior pastors use a computer at home or at church mostly for communications and study, with word processing being the main tool. While 80% of Protestant pastors have access to the Internet, half use the Internet daily. Pastors are more likely than others to use the Internet to maintain friendships, buy products and have religious experiences, but are less likely to use it to explore new media products, play on-line video games and participate in chat rooms. One out of every three Protestant churches (about 110,000 congregations) have a Web site, and 19% (about 40,000 congregations) say that they definitely will have one within 12 months. About half of the churches (representing one-third of all Protestant churches) do not have a Web site now and are not planning to add one in the future. Most church Web sites are developed and maintained predominantly for the use of congregants. – Barna Research Online
Yahoo!, the leading Internet portal, announced Apr. 13 that it was removing all pornographic products from Yahoo! Shopping, Yahoo! Auctions and Yahoo! Classifieds. The decision affects sex-oriented videos and DVDs available through sellers on Yahoo!’s network. Also, Yahoo! will no longer enter into new contracts for adult-related banner advertisements on its network. The announcement represents a major policy reversal for the Web company, which quietly expanded its pornography sales operation in early April. An estimated 185 million people access Yahoo! each month. – Evangelical Press News Service
Peggy Wehmeyer, the only full-time religion reporter on US network television news, is being laid off in October as part of a cost-cutting drive. Wehmeyer, a Christian who has covered the religion beat for ABC since 1994, was hired after “World News Tonight” anchor Peter Jennings lobbied for more coverage on religion. A spokesperson for ABC insisted that the network would “continue to focus on issues of spirituality” through specials, documentaries and regular news reports. – EPNS
The Womb Bomber, a fiction novel dealing with the issue of abortion from an anti-abortion perspective, is being published on the Books and Culture Web site one chapter at a time. Author Mary Carter has previously had two novels published, but because of this book’s anti-abortion perspective, no major trade publication would be likely to touch it. To date, 15 chapters have been posted. Books and Culture magazine and its Web site are published by Christianity Today International. – Christianity Today International
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Last modified November 5, 2001.
© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
Masthead and usage information.
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