A New Virtual Community Some Say is Modelled on Church.

Peoplehood is the name of a brand new website and it comes wrapped up in a strange novel concept. Or maybe it is more a borrowed one of sorts? It is all about creating a virtual community of people; just as the name suggests. No, this is not yet another online forum as you might have guessed. Something they call relational fitness is the name of their game.

The company offers the opportunity for people to grow together personally; providing slightly more detail of what it all entails on its Instagram page; not its web site as you would think.

They sum up Peoplehood as being the spiritual practice of connected conversation. Their sessions, or Gathers as they call it, are group conversations spanning fifty five minutes each led by trained Guides in their “digital sanctuary.”

A New York Times reporter testing out the course (the venture is still in beta) described the “gather” as a session in which “strangers discuss their deepest hopes and fears. And engage in breathing exercises and light stretches.

The Washington Post possibly hits the nail on the head by saying; Peoplehood introduces itself as a new kind of exercise. But if you look more closely it is clear that what is being sold is Church.

It is somewhat baffling that some ex- Christians claim the one thing they miss about their former faith is community. Why should that be?

Maybe Church community is seen as more of a safe space for the socially inept or lonely, meaning they don’t need a common belief system to feel engaged or to belong? They just need to be part of a crowd.

Is this why so many of them dis the idea of Church as a Club where members are required to at least unite behind something or have a common purpose.

To them it is just a social club where you don’t have to pay an entry fee at the door.

It must be all about them and their needs; but this has been a problem for as long as the Church has been open to the public.

This is where the odd ideology of inclusiveness seems to have its roots; with the premise nobody must feel left out no matter what.

Peoplehood seems to cater to the same crowd with its goal to make people feel better. Indeed they say that they are the modern medicine for the loneliness epidemic. It is a wellness venture dressed up in pseudo spiritual tones. It clearly likes the idea of Church and has no qualms about using its terms but minus the theology of course. So call it counter- productive and get done with.

Like one religious blogger puts it; I come here day after day, begging people to go to church, and then two super fit blonds show up (with this concept) and decide to charge money and the whole world thinks something clever has been invented. Like they have never heard of that idea before.

Maybe it is time to start renting out pews again.

Yes; the stupidity of the human race is unequalled.

Back to WaPO again; the ability to sell connection, after all, depends on making it scarce (not common.)

What is the point if it could be bottled and sold to everyone? It would be of null value; both figuratively and literally.

For all its trendy branding, Peoplehood’s commoditized church is merely religion in its impoverished, weakened form.

If it succeeds it’ll only confirm the depth of our collective desperation.

To which the more level-headed among us say; hear… hear.