Internet's newest trend: Millions "getting religion" online
UNITY VILLAGE, Mo. - Millions of people start their
day with a prayer. Today, more and more of them are doing
it with a partner - their computer.
Thanks to the Internet and a proliferation of religion-based
Web sites, anyone with a computer can quench their spiritual
thirst with the click of a mouse - any time of the day
or night.
And they are. Eight percent of adult Americans and 12
percent of teenage Americans currently use the Internet
for religious or spiritual experiences. That's approximately
three million people each day. By the end of the decade,
50 million Americans will have their spiritual experience solely through
the Internet, rather than at a church; and upwards of
100 million will rely on the Internet to deliver at least
some aspect of their religious experience.
"Unity has recognized and experienced the same trend," says
Tim Ipema, vice president of marketing and development
for Unity, a transdenominational center of prayer, publishing
and education. "In fact, we now recognize that our heaviest
traffic comes during the first hour of the business day."
Ipema says that's not surprising. "People want to start
their day refreshed - both physically and spiritually.
Today, they can log on to unityonline.org as soon as
they awaken to hear a guided meditation, or access prayers
and affirmations, even post a prayer request."
Unity recently spent months conducting research as part
of its "Virtual Gathering Place" (VGP) Study whereby
the primary research came from Unity's own constituents.
"Our research tells us that spiritual seekers want and
need a resource that is both easily accessible and supports
their spiritual growth - literally, a virtual gathering
place."
In response to those findings, Unity revamped its Web
site to make it reflective of people's needs and to prepare
for the increased demand.
"The Web presents a valuable opportunity to serve people's
needs today because it is interactive," says Ipema. "Web
sites give people choices that allow them to focus on
whatever serves them best for wherever they are in their
spiritual quest."
"In the development of our new site, we have created
a truly interactive, virtual gathering place where people
can have an impactful spiritual experience," Ipema says.
One of the most important features of both Unity and
its site is the transdenominational focus, allowing Unity
to respond to the most common concerns of all spiritual
seekers. Unity frequently refreshes the site with new
and helpful themes.
"Again, this reflects what we found through our research," Ipema
states. "People are most interested in healing, harmony,
prosperity, inner peace and guidance. Those are the desires
people express most often through the thousands of prayer
requests we receive each month."
Visitors also benefit from many more options on the
new site. They can submit prayer requests; view and listen
to guided meditations; attend Unity classes online and
earn continuing education credits; read Daily Word ,
Unity's pocket-sized monthly magazine offering spiritual
inspiration; read reviews of books available in the Unity
bookstore; purchase helpful spiritual products; and even
check for job openings.
People are responding. Visits to Unity's Web site have
increased by 51 percent over the past year.
Unity also recently launched a Spanish version of the
site, www.unityenlinea.org .
A transdenominational organization, Unity is dedicated
to supporting people of all faiths on their spiritual journeys
and to helping them apply positive spiritual principles
in their daily lives. Unity helps people use the power
of affirmative prayer through its prayer ministry, "Silent
Unity," which receives two million prayer requests each
year. Unity also publishes Daily Word ,
an inspirational magazine circulated in approximately 175
countries around the world. Unity's world headquarters
is located at Unity Village, 15 miles southeast of downtown
Kansas City, Mo. |
