GOD.COM

Millions of 'online faithful' use Internet for religious info, e-mail (DAVE NEWBART, April 11, 2004, Chicago Sun-Times)

A report released last week by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that 64 percent of Web users reported going online to further their faith. That translates to nearly 82 million Americans, the report's authors said.

The range of religious activities done online is broad, but using e-mail to spread the gospel is most prevalent. Nearly 40 percent of all Internet users say they have sent or received messages with spiritual content, the report found. Some 35 percent say they have sent online greeting cards celebrating religious holidays. And 32 percent say they seek out news about religious events and affairs.

In a Pew survey in fall 2002, just 30 percent reported using the Internet for religious reasons. However, the authors said they asked more detailed questions in this survey, which could account for more people reporting religious uses than in the past.

The numbers do not surprise Steve Waldman, editor in chief of Beliefnet.com, a New York-based "multi-faith e-community.'' His Web site has seen a huge jump in the number of visitors per month, from 700,000 a year ago to 1 million now. The site has seen an even bigger jump in subscribers to its religious newsletters since it began e-mailing them three years ago. With 10,000 to 15,000 new subscribers daily, the number of subscriptions has jumped from 5.5 million last year to 7.1 million currently.

"In addition to being good for stock trading, box scores and porn, it turns out the Internet is also good for spiritual nourishment,'' Waldman said.

And really, what more does a man need?

Posted by Orrin Judd at April 11, 2004 10:53 AM