Is Social Networking A New Religion or Cult

I would not blaspheme the canons of organized faith, not purposely at any rate. Please forgive me if what I say offends. It has come to my attention lately that something has been going on in our society that has begun to usurp our lives.

Religion: a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons.

Cult: an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers.

Social Network: A social structure tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as values, visions, ideas, financial exchange, friendship, sexual relationships, dislikes, conflict or trade.

By understanding the above definitions, can we then presuppose that being part of a social network is akin to being part of a religion or cult?

Each has astounding similarities.

1. All have followers. This is self-explanatory.

2. All have a leader. Each Religion or Cult has a founder or titular head of its organization. Each Network has a founder or administrator.

3. All are practiced on a frequent basis. Faith based Religions or Cults have traditions and guidelines for daily living. Networks become addictive to keep up with less you become unpopular.

4. All are lifestyle choices. Again this is self explanatory.

5. All have rules and consequences to breaking said rules. With Religions and Cults if you do not follow the tenants proscribed you will be disassociated from the group. The same applies to Networks.

6. All were founded as a means to fill an emotional or societal void. History shows that Religions and Cults were begun to answer society's questions as to why we are, who we are, how we should act and when we should do something. Networks were founded so that people could connect universally in ways you could not face to face.

7. All practice prayer. Truly! The meaning of prayer is a petition or emotional entreaty. How many of us have gotten on to one (or more) of our networking sites and prayed we had heard from a "friend", "contact", "connection" or "member"?

Social networking has taken over our lives. We spend hours every day "connecting" with people we know and many we do not. Why? What is lacking in our days that we feel we must belong to such things?

Someone once asked me how I found the time to be a single parent when my oldest child was young and yet get everything done in a day. How did I clean, shop, help with homework, guide, teach, love and play? How was I able to give her direction and morals while still working and taking care of a home? As I began to recite the ways it came to me. I didn't have the internet then. I wasn't "connected" like I am now. I took the time to actually BE with my child. Television watching was limited. We talked. We experienced life together. There were no play dates or organized sports. We did things as a family. Now our time is fractured between so many things, we lose sight of what is important. Personally, I would rather spend my time with my spouse or children. Talking, laughing, playing and debating the hours away are a great way to connect. I do not need the internet for that.

Technology is a wonderful thing. I cannot remember what life was like without cell phones, home computers, the Internet, IPhones, IPods and cable. We used to read books and visited the library to look up information. We wrote in journals or diaries to know what appointments we had. Music was listened to on the radio. Movies were watched only in the theater. Do I want to go back to those times? No, I do not want to go backwards. What I would like to see are people, parents especially, not making a Religion out of technology. Take a walk. Visit a neighbor. Volunteer at a shelter. Connect with people face to face.

Do not worship at the altar of the Internet.