In The Time Of Coronavirus, God Speaks Through Apps
Religion Embraced Digital Technology Faster During Pandemic
When coronavirus started spreading in February this year, religious congregations all over the world were became the reason of anxiety spots. Governments banned the public meetings though hesitatingly. Religious activities were soon under lockdowns. They were asked to vacate their buildings and follow social distancing norms. But this was not an easy task.
The core of the religions has been the promotion of togetherness and physical closeness. Religious leaders had to accept and comply with these norms half-heartedly. In many countries of Asia and Africa, they resisted. But increasing death toll made it clear that God was not helping those who were not complying with the mandate of medical science.
When virus compelled people to leave their worship places, they sought the support of the technology.
Google Trends shows that searches for keywords’ prayer’ and ‘God’ multiplied during the worldwide lockdowns. People turned to YouTube to cope with anxiety and uncertainty. YouTube highlighted that people searched for videos related to yoga and guided meditation most.
