Ultra-Orthodox Jews and the Internet

Last updated on: May 20, 2012 at 5:50 pm by Kyle Roberts

Ultra-Orthodox Jews and the Internet 2012-05-20T17:50:27-04:00 Kyle Roberts

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Today, some 40,000 ultra-Orthodox, male Jews (women not allowed) are packing out Mets Stadium to learn how to harness the internet for good rather than for evil. This was according to this Washington Post article which ran yesterday.

One can’t help but admire the collective concern for the real dangers of the internet and the ways in which it continues to alter

from Jewish Iphone Magazine

our lives, for good and for ill. All of us, evangelical Christians included, could use some intensive thought and guidance about navigating this pervasive (and invasive) element of contemporary life.

That an event dedicated to navigating the internet as a religious challenge could draw such a massive crowd reflects both the communal and the sectarian nature of ultra-Orthodox Judaism. But the threat of the internet, to ultra-conservative religious groups everywhere, is perhaps not just about dealing with pornography, gambling, and the challenge to uninterrupted prayer (challenges noted by the event’s spokesperson). The nature of the internet implicitly commends an egalitarian, de-centralized approach to knowledge and life. The accessibility of information and endless perspectives, bewildering though it might be, encourages critical appraisals of a religious community’s embedded identity and forms of life–for better or worse. As patriarchal religious groups continue to utilize the internet for their business, their information access, their commerce, their communication, etc, how long can they continue to sustain heretofore engrained assumptions–like patriarchy?

In any case, it would be fascinating to be an observer at Mets Stadium today.

Kyle Roberts

internet

patriarchy

ultra-Orthodox Judaism

Previous Post

May 17, 2012

We Might as Well Work for Justice: Ada Maria Isasi-Díaz

Next Post

May 21, 2012 Gratitude to Ada María Isasi-Díaz

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Alex Blondeau Authors Daniel Harrell Daniel Siedell Dawn Duncan Harrell Kyle Roberts Uncategorized Wyndy Corbin

Select a Month November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who refused to defile himself with the king's food and wine?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Obadiah Joel Ezekiel Daniel