NET WORTH - RELIGION, CYBERSPACE AND THE FUTURE

The evolving technology of cyberspace, prefigured at present by the In ternet, will have an impact on religion both as a social institution a nd in the spiritual life of the individual. The decentralized contact and conflict among followers of different religions that 'the Net' enc ourages may represent an end-run around institutionalized religious le adership, although those same hierarchies may reassert themselves onli ne if the Net evolves in directions primarily favouring content provid ers with substantial financial and organizational resources. Usenet an d the World Wide Web present two arenas where these competing tendenci es can be seen, with alternative spiritual orientations (such as neo-p aganism and the New Age movement) and opinionated individuals most act ive and visible at present. While technical innovations on the Net are likely to encourage the development of new forms of ritual and other interactive religious innovations, it is also likely that the ready av ailability of taboo material, competitive worldviews, and addictive en tertainment in cyberspace will trigger spiritual crises for many peopl e. Ultimately, the spiritual inner life of individuals may atrophy as the Net's commerce in readymade images and virtual realities increases , exacerbating a tendency already present within Western culture.