Perspective on Religion

Was the religious tradition with which you are most closely associated at or near the top of the list of traditions that were selected for you?

Belief-O-Matic makes the serious practice of choosing a faith into an experience that resembles online dating. Answer 20 questions on a Web site and the tool spits out a list of religions or faiths best suited to your answers. The digital religion engine? which is part of the popular? multi-faith religion web site Beliefnet? welcomes guests with the one part mystical? one part pop-psychology greeting? "Even if YOU don't know what faith you are? Belief-O-Matic knows." (www. beliefnet.com)

Were there any other traditions at or near the top of the list that surprised you?

Like online dating surveys? users can identify what they believe and rate their beliefs according to their importance. But while online daters seek compatibility with complete strangers? Belief-O-Matic is more like choosing a date from a line-up of old flames. (www.beliefnet.com) For a question about life after death? one answer includes a reference to the final judgment? another to resurrection and another to rebirth. If people with spiritual experience answer truthfully? the idea is they will likely end up matched to the religion they already practice. So? what is the algorithm/equation that determines one's belief system? and what? exactly? is the point? Is it just a fun game? or is it an attempt to confirm and bolster the religious identities that site visitors bring with them? (www.beliefnet.com)

Explain whether or not you feel you have been matched up to the correct faith

Belief-O-Matic tries to help you find out what religion or faith best suits you. It asks questions like? "What are the origins of the physical universe and life on earth?" and? "Why is there terrible wrongdoing in the world?" The ...