icarus | Spirituality on the internets: A poll. (Reply)

I have a poll. It's to cheer up a friend and settle an argument about spirituality on the internet.

A lot of spiritual teachers have discovered the internet. Hey, even the Dalai Lama Tweets (it's confirmed: it's really him).

There are a lot of phonies out there as well.

I'm of the opinion that people are smart on the internet. I know, I know, I may be overestimating people. But the internet is mostly porn and bullshit, and people know this. Everyone knows that dirty old men masquerade as teenage girls. Everyone knows that a Neo-Nazi can put up a fake "Jews Against The Holocaust" website. People surf with their bullshit detectors on full.

I see people following phonies on Twitter, and I may be mistaken, but I don't believe that they're actually looking for spirituality. I think they're just playing with spirituality, not serious enough to be suckered.

But I could be wrong.

Poll #10488 Which teacher are you more likely to take seriously?

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: Just the Poll Creator, participants: 21

These spiritual teachers teach on the internet. Which one do you take more seriously?

One who teaches at a real life building, church, temple or whathaveyou.
19 (90.5%)

One who solely teaches on the internets.
1 (4.8%)

One who who teaches out of his or her living room.
0 (0.0%)

One who teaches out of a rented space.
1 (4.8%)

These spiritual teachers have students on Twitter. Which one do you take more seriously?

One who mostly has students who've met him or her in real life.
17 (89.5%)

One who mostly has students who haven't met him or her in real life.
2 (10.5%)

One who has entirely online students who haven't met him or her in real life.
0 (0.0%)

Several spiritual teachers have blogs. Which one do you take more seriously?

One who teaches various similar faiths (example, several different forms of Buddhism).
3 (15.0%)

One who teaches one specific faith.
16 (80.0%)

One who teaches various historically unrelated faiths (for example, Islam and Buddhism).
1 (5.0%)

Several spiritual teachers do outreach on the internet. Which are you more likely take seriously?

One who runs charitable organizations (animal rescue, feed the poor, prison outreach, etc.).
16 (80.0%)

One who does not run charitable organizations.
2 (10.0%)

One who periodically aims his or her online followers to help a specific individual.
2 (10.0%)

Several spiritual teachers have collected followers online. Which do you take more seriously?

One that has had the same RL students/members/followers for more than twenty years.
18 (90.0%)

One that has sporadic RL students/members/followers for brief periods.
2 (10.0%)

One that has solely online students/members/followers.
0 (0.0%)

Several spiritual teachers of the same faith are on the internet. Which do you take more seriously?

One that has no formal or official credentials in the faith they teach (whether education or acknowledgement of authorities of the religion).
0 (0.0%)

One that has formal or offical credentials in the faith they teach from the religious order they represent.
16 (80.0%)

One that has educational credentials through a university.
4 (20.0%)

Several spiritual teachers present their own writings on the internet. Which spiritual teacher do you take more seriously?

One that solely has blog posts containing their teachings.
2 (10.5%)

One who has published books containing their teachings.
17 (89.5%)

One who has self-published books containing their teachings.
0 (0.0%)

Several spiritual teachers on the internet know of political controversies within their traditions. Which spiritual teacher do you take more seriously?

One that regularly criticizes other spiritual traditions and leaders.
0 (0.0%)

One that refuses to discuss any political content or criticize other spiritual traditions or leaders.
2 (9.5%)

One that takes a personal stand but does not criticize any other spiritual tradition or leader.
19 (90.5%)