Eileen Baker: New challenges to religious authority and control as consequence of access to the Iternet

First of all, the title of this essay is very interesting and it got my attention right away when I skimmed this book for the very first time. It is indeed, the use of internet could be very useful in one faith community's mission and yet it could harm to one faith community's members. Eileen mostly discussed on the new religious movement or extreme religious sects how they maintain the authority over their members because these groups have distinguish rules and regulations of being a member of these groups. For examples, strict enforcement of celibacy, constant exchange of partners, having at least one member accompany when you go out side, leader institutes divorce and remarriage to more reliable partners. By doing these thing, they are maintaining their otherness and see themselves holy, the vast of the world is evil. In these kind of religious group the authority of the leaders are very important and vital in order to survive and keep functioning as a group. In order to have the community running smoothly, the authority of this religious groups has to deal with the use of internet because it could bring both good and bad to the group. Some ban using the internet and computer, ban websites, other limiting the time of using computer, they have their member installed special software so that they can monitor the usage of the internet. Since, NRM groups are structured by hierarchical authority setting, it is important to have the vertical kind of discussion within the group. Eileen pointed out in her essay that there are two type of discussions going on the internet. One is vertical and one is horizontal discussion. In horizontal discussion setting, the local members could talk about their likes and dislikes about the group and they could talk about the authority and leaders. This type is conversation is unusual and unappealing for the NRM leaders but this is the change that they have to deal with in this information technology age.

On the other hand, the leaders of NRM could use the internet to manipulate and control theirs members. Eileen said, "the effects of the internet for new religious movements are not confined to strengthening or weakening authority and communications structures" in the end of her essay. I am not surprise that I am not clearly convinced by her essay if internet is challenging the authority of NRM leaders since I do not know much about NRMs. Even though her conclusion is a bit ambiguous to me, I do understand that it is the internet which could be a harmful medium for NRMs' member as well as useful tools for leaders to control their members. I believe she said in her essay that the old religion or mainline churches' practices and doctrines are not being challenged by internet as it does to NRM. It is true on some levels but one thing that I have noticed while I was reading her essay that the NRMs movement could be the challenge and forces to resist for the 'old religion'. These challenges for both sides lead them to shift the next gear and have them ready and prepared to face the new things and alternatives.