The Internet, not gay bishops will kill off the churches

Story by CHARLES ONYANGO-OBBO
Publication Date: 7/3/2008

ON SUNDAY, CONSERVATIVE Anglican leaders ended a rebel summit without formally breaking away from the global Anglican Communion which they criticise – those that consecrate openly gay bishops and priests. A columnist in the Ugandan Sunday Monitor thought the sight of African bishops breathing fire and taking a hardline against homosexuality was comical, to say the least. He wondered whether their priority should be what is happening far away in Europe and North America, or the poverty, corruption and hunger which are wasting the lives of millions of Africans. Besides, how could the ‘‘men of God’’ forget the scandals of  bishops, priests, and all manner of pastors snatching their parishioners’ wives, or robbing them of their hard-earned money with promises of  “miraculous” cures? These, he argued, are far more important than the fact that Gene Robinson, a gay churchman, was consecrated bishop by the US Episcopal Church. The Anglican and, indeed, Catholic bishops, however, have a bigger problem to their churches’ future beyond the threat of homosexuality.  For the last two decades, both the Anglican and Catholic churches have been losing their flock to the multitude of  independent  “saved” churches. In the US, these new evangelical churches pushed a very conservative political agenda, sweeping  George Bush to power. But now, their clout is in decline, with a lot of  alternative and progressive trends challenging their hold. It would seem that, finally, a new religion is challenging all churches. This religion is information and communication technology (ICT) in the form of the Internet, mobile phones, iPods, and video games. Even in the most religiously conservative societies, more people are spending more time on the Internet and with their mobile phones, than they do in church. Research has also shown that too often, more people make a call or send an email message as a going-to-bed ritual, than say their prayers. An increasing number of people are becoming more distraught by the loss of their mobile phones than of their relatives – or parish priests. The fate of the heroes of many video games and interactive sites are more important to more young people than Jesus Christ.

The Internet, not gay bishops will kill off the churches
Daily Nation, Kenya -