Likewise, it can be suggested that religion is always already technological in some regard. In his philosophy of technology, following Martin Heidegger and Jacques Derrida, Bernard Stiegler (1998) proposes an ‘originary prostheticity’ to the human, which challenges the idea that technology is extrinsic or ‘unnatural’ to being human 3. With this notion of an emergent inhuman digital religion the position of the heretic is underscored: blessed are the heretics! 2 This leads to the possibility of a new religious movement of ‘dataism’ on the horizon usurping other forms. Finally, consideration given to how the digital itself is emerging as a religion. There is focus is on the Heaven’s Gate ‘cult’ and Sloterdijk’s approach to religion. Attention turns to Baudrillardian motifs and notions of potlatch, defiance, and challenge as they might inform the developments of certain elements of religion. The possibility that a form of religion somewhat influenced the advancement of the internet is outlined with focus on Unitarianism and Tim Berners-Lee.

Against a somewhat utopian vision and drive, the poverty of a networked digital religion is advanced. It indicates how Baudrillard’s work might contribute to this configuration and methodology with a consideration of the academic field of ‘digital religion’ and ideas from Marshall McLuhan. This paper discusses the notion of digital religion and attendant theoretical approaches. Indeed, religion itself might often be regarded as mediation between god(s) and man, the heaven and earth, the sacred and the profane, and so forth. The recent coupling of the terms digital and religion, brought about by the merging of the digital, internet, and forms of religiosity, attests to this. Whether it be it be oral, notches on bone, clay engraving, handwritten scrolls, codices, illuminated manuscripts, print books, audio recordings, or more recently, software and mobile applications, religion has been continually mediated by technologies to various degrees. The consideration of religion, especially when entwined with technology, has as Bloch suggests, spawned much heresy, and this paper considers the constructive heresies of Jean Baudrillard, as well as Ernst Bloch, Byung-Chul Han, and Peter Sloterdijk.

The best thing about religion is that it spawns heretics.

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