The following are excerpts from an excellent article entitled "Nearly
half of online users use Internet for religion", written by Jeff Kunerth and
published in the Orlando Sentinel, May 17, 2012.
"Almost half of all American adults who are online are
using the Internet for religious purposes, according to a new study from Grey
Matter Research in Phoenix, Ariz. The research shows a variety of ways online
Americans use the Internet for spiritual purposes:"
- Nineteen percent (19%) have, in the past six months, visited the website of a church or other place of worship they are currently attending
- During that same time frame, another 17% have visited the website of a church or place of worship they were not attending
- Nineteen percent (19%) have visited a website designed to provide religious instruction or learning during the last six months
- Seventeen percent (17%) read religion-oriented blogs once a month or more
- Fourteen percent (14%) have a pastor or other religious leader as a friend on Facebook or a similar social network site
- Eleven percent (11%) have visited the website of a group or organization from a religious faith that is different from their own during the last six months
- Eight percent participate in religion-oriented discussions online (e.g. bulletin boards or forums) once a month or more
Among online Americans, Internet use for religious purposes
is particularly common among the young. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of
online adults under age 35 use the Internet for religious purposes. But its not
just the younger crowd. Consider these other age groups - 48% of people who are 35 to 49 years old, 36%
who are 50 to 64, and 31% who are 65 or older are also using the Internet for
religious purposes.
If you want to find information and links to some of the
many great, high quality free resources available on the Internet for religious
organizations and individuals, check out the non-profit COSI Open Religious
Technology & Tools web site at http://religion.cositech.net
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