An abandoned church  Before I'm accused of delusions of
grandeur, the headline of this post is of course intentionally
ridiculous. I don't for one moment think this site is bringing
about the downfall of religion (nor would I particularly want it
to), but I thought the title provided a nice way in to the
argument of an interesting piece I just read on the US site
AlterNet, itself entitled "Does the Internet Spell Doom For
Organized Religion?"  In the piece, AlterNet writer Valerie
Tarico argues that the free flow of online information that has
come to define the opening years of the 21st century is bad news
for the old religions, because an open marketplace is anathema
to a set of belief systems founded upon dogma and control of
their adherents' consciences.  It's an argument best summarised
by this paragraph:  "Religions have spent eons honing defenses
that keep outside information away from insiders. The innermost
ring wall is a set of certainties and associated emotions like
anxiety and disgust and righteo