A Brief History of Cyberspace by Ning Huansheng;

Author:Ning, Huansheng;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Auerbach Publishers, Incorporated
Published: 2022-02-03T00:00:00+00:00

10.3.3 The Expression of Cyber-Religion

The multimodal (e.g., visual and auditory forms, functional text, and visual data, etc.) and diversified means (e.g., hyperlinks, interactive functions, etc.) of cyber-religion presentation directly affect the effect of communication.

Churches with large-scale and high participation are mostly characterized by audiovisual culture, which simulates real and imaginary space through video editing, worship, preaching audiovisual materials, architectural visualization, and religious space interpretation, thus attracting the attention of believers, evoking believer’s association with things in cyberspace, and leaving a deep impression on believers. As the research progresses, geographers emphasize the importance of social situational expression in online communication [15]. The visualization of active geospatial spaces in reality and virtual environment becomes the research focus. The multiscale GIS environment is used to describe different space presented by real and virtual space, so as to construct visual situational space.

Functional texts play an important role in the communication of cyber-religion. Cyber-religion is mostly a combination of visual data and functional texts that reflects diverse situations such as online religious information, church worship, worship/reform (e.g., electronic prayer and virtual pilgrimage), missionary activities and religious communities [16]. What visual data and functional texts relate to each other is of great significance for the construction of religious context and the creation of goods.

Some scholars have proposed that the organization of visual data and functional text of online religion, the classification of content, the style presented on the online platform, and the creation of atmosphere are all important factors to attract the attention of believers. Artistry, timeliness, theatricality, vividness, fast pace, personalization, and celebrity effect are interpreted as the core criteria of cyber-religion [17]. Religion entering online religious platforms should emphasize the all-round presentation of visual materials in order to pave the way for special situations, dramas, and conflicts; it should meet the emotional needs of believers and stimulate their imagination space in the form of sympathetic and inflammatory expressions.

Some scholars believe that on the basis of interaction, believers provide their own real information and narration on online platform to reflect their perception of the daily activities relating to church, which can transcend the control of religious organizations and create a new space for social communication.

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