Fox Entertainment has bought beliefnet, the largest online faith and spirituality network.
The site is a portal that includes interviews with celebrities and politicians, social networking tools, blogs, inspirational stories, sacred text searches and views from teachers and preachers. Discussion boards carry topics such as “Can inter-faith dating work?” and “Extreme abstinence”.
Beliefnet was founded in 1999 and the company claims to have 3 million unique visitors a month and nearly 11 million subscribers to a daily email newsletter. Beliefnet provides content across a broad range of faiths.
For the undecided, it offers Belief-O-Matic, a questionnaire that helps to find which religion best defines people. One question seeks to establish the reader’s view of God; is there only one God (corporeal or incorporeal), a supreme force or multiple gods? Another poses a question about the origins of life – the six options include a literal interpretation of Genesis, that God created the earth in seven days; a non-literal interpretation; and Darwin’s world view of evolution.
Rupert understands how much profit there is in superstition.
BTW, the Belief-O-Matic test doesn’t include Flying Spaghetti Monster.
SALE-SALE-SALE.. Sins forgiven on-line.
* Forgive 4 standard sins for the price of 3.
– restrictions apply
* Homosexual sins : $3.00 each occurrence
– Unlimited plan : $500 per year
PayPal accepted.
http://www.forgiveyoursins.com
As astute a businessman as Rupert Murdoch is, I’d never bet against him. Apparently, God is a growth industry that may very well have been undervalued by leading analysts.
When it comes to finding new ways to increase shareholder value, “In God We Trust.”
Gee, I wonder what Jesus would do if saw a bunch of merchants and money-changers in the Temple?
#3 – I don’t know… what are you saying “the Temple” is?
SUPERSTITION? Is there no limit to “dvorak..org/blog’s” religious bigotry? Why not put a sign up on your splash page that says Believers not wanted here?!
#5 – Find religious bigotry in this thread or shut up.
http://cectic.com/078.html
#5
“SUPERSTITION? Is there no limit to “dvorak..org/blog’s” religious bigotry?”
Religion is probably the only superstition a PHd. won’t get rid of.
#5 Matt, if I could presume to offer you a bit of spiritual advice, I would only echo these words of the disciple Matthew…
“Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”
—Matthew 5:12
I enjoy observing the dynamics of the persecution complex, so don’t leave yet, Matt. Besides, our lions are starting to get hungry 😉
…wonder if he’ll spin off the Belief-o-Matic to Ronco….
This particular bit is good evidence of the kind of credulous, knowledge-free sheeple they hope to profit from:
“Another poses a question about the origins of life – the six options include a literal interpretation of Genesis, that God created the earth in seven days; a non-literal interpretation; and Darwin’s world view of evolution.”
As Archie Bunker used to say, “That’s nice.” Except Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection has exactly bupkes to say about the origin of life. It does not address it, nor does it in any way presume to. But promoting that falsehood, whether out of ignorance or willful deception, sure ain’t gonna help anyone seeking anything resembling the truth.
“There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed by the Creator into a few forms or into one”
~ Charles Darwin
America’s ongoing credulity crisis.
Murdoch buys beliefnet so as to monetize it. Isn’t that precious?
Attn: Belief is NOT something to be proud of.
3 million unique visitors a month. There’s a believer born every minute.
You mock that which you don’t (won’t) understand. Still…. John at least got rid of the Horoscope ads… almost….which makes him somewhat less of a hypocrite. Somewhat.
#3. You know not of what you speak. The money changers were the 0 century equivalent of those old arcades that would make you change your money to “tokens” and then not refund the left over. Even worse… they would overcharge for animals that they stole from the previous fellow when they told him “oh, that one won’t work here… you need to trade it in for one of ours”.
>>Rupert understands how much profit there is in superstition.
Have you actually been reading Beliefnet? Calling it superstition is a cheap shot.
It’s not my favorite, personally, but its obviously a pretty cool site. (or was, maybe)
#14 – Greg… As one of the more in your face atheist voices around here, I have to agree with you.
I poured over beliefnet (not exhaustively or anything, but still) and found a great deal of interesting articles on everything from illegal immigration to movie reviews.
What I didn’t find was the lockstep hive mind sheeplevision rhetoric I expect from http://www.welovepatrobertson.com or http://www.deathtononchristianbabykillers.com. Instead, I found reasoned and reasonable discussion from a wide swatch of differing peoples of many faiths… all civil… all smart.
Bottom line… NOT preachy… NOT hateful… as I expect from religious sources with a decidedly right wing attitude.
Of course, there is an idiot population there, like there is on every interactive site whether its about religion, politics, or model plane building. That doesn’t discount the worth of that site.
Now I don’t know how Murdoch will ruin it, but to cast aspersion of beliefnet just because one doesn’t share that site’s faith driven vision is short sighted.
Hey, Ohfortheloveof!
Thanks for throwing me a bone on this issue! It shows your intellectual honestly.
I have to wonder how a touchy-feely, accept-everybody site like Beliefnet will fit into the Murdoch big picture.
I would guess that right-winger Christians like Bill O’Reilly hate the sort of religious perspective which predominates Beliefnet.
PS:
I got curious about how Beliefnet dealt with Bill O’Reilly insanely paranoid “war on Christmas” campaign.
They have a whole section on it,
http://tinyurl.com/3yqlmc
including a mildly amusing video.
http://tinyurl.com/3yqlmc
Needless to say, it doesn’t toe the Bill O’Reilly/Fox News line.
I seriously have to wonder how News Corp is going to deal with this.