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Heart and Soul: Religion in the Digital Age: Finding and losing my faith online

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Finding - and Losing - My Faith Online

13/03/2020 GMT

Finding and losing my faith online

Religion in the Digital Age

BBC World Service - Heart and Soul, Religion in the Digital Age, Finding and losing my faith online

The young faith influencers using social media to connect with like-minded others

Digital journalist Sophia Smith-Galer hears from young faith influencers using social media to spread the word and meets an ex-Muslim who can talk online about losing her faith, but hasn’t told her family.
 
Do you want to leave the evangelical church? There’s a subreddit for that. Do you want to find a practising Muslim spouse? Well, there are, at least,10 Facebook groups for that. 
 
For millions of us, social media is subverting the traditional ways we find like-minded people around the world. In faith terms, this can be taboo-breaking and revolutionary for those unable to meet others in person, but the internet also provides corners for the most conservative, hardline believers to amass. 
 
In New York, a group of celebrants of the Latin-American Brujerie are using their massive online presence to practise their spirituality. While in Texas a Tik-Tok star is making sure Hinduism isn’t forgotten 
 
But as Sophia finds out in this second part of its digital season, if social media is about finding your online tribe – that might also mean leaving your offline one. One young student tells us about her experience of losing her faith in Islam. She hasn’t told her family, but she’s using Discord and a subreddit group to help her cope. 

Presenter: Sophia Smith–Galer
Producer: Julia Paul

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Heart and Soul: Religion in the Digital Age

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