• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, May 2, 2004

Americans Are Using the Internet for Religious or Spiritual Purposes

According to a recent release of the Pew Internet & American Life Project, nearly two-thirds (82 million Americans) of those who attend religious services weekly use the internet for personal religious or spiritual purposes.

"There has been much speculation about the impact of the Internet on religion, particularly as increasing numbers of Americans have been turning to sources other than their own traditions and clergy," said Prof. Stewart Hoover of the University of Colorado at Boulder, the lead author of the Pew Internet Project report.

Hoover goes on to say, "The survey provides clear evidence that the majority of the online faithful are there for personal spiritual reasons, including seeking outside their own traditions. But they are also deeply grounded in those traditions, and this Internet activity supplements their ties to traditional institutions, rather than moving them away from church."

Among the most popular and important spiritually-related online activities measured in a new national survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project:

• 38% of the nation's 128 million Internet users have sent and received email with spiritual content.
• 35% have sent or received online greeting cards related to religious holidays.
• 32% have gone online to read news accounts of religious events and affairs.
• 21% have sought information about how to celebrate religious holidays.
• 17% have looked for information about where they could attend religious services.
• 14% have used email to plan church meetings.
• 11% have downloaded or listened to religious music online.
• 7% have made or responded to online prayer requests.
• 7% have made donations to religious organizations or charities.

The report, "Faith Online," says that those who use the Internet for religious or spiritual purposes are more likely to be women, white, middle aged, college educated, and relatively well-to-do. In addition, they are somewhat more active as Internet users than the rest of the Internet population.

In sum, 64% of Internet users said they had done at least one of these things online and many had done more than one. This figure represents a substantially higher number of online faithful than the Pew Internet & American Life Project has measured in the past.

Top Sites in the Religion Category Audience: All Persons at U.S. Home/Work/College-University Locations

	Week Ending 3/28/04	Month of February
Total Active Internet Population	128,374	152,056
Religion Category Visitors	3,051	9,998
Gospelcom.Net	387	1,405
Beliefnet Network	206	972
Lds.Org	191	639
Christianitytoday.Com	186	585
Christianbook.Com	167	821
Theinterviewwithgod.Com	156	611
Christianet.Com	111	426
Heartlight.Org	111	340
Christiansunite.Com	94	309
Bible.Org	89	159

Source: comScore Media Metrix

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