Read this last night. Take out the religion bit and read issues. AIBU to think this is just what we do on this site and sites like Facebook? Scared me a little anyway. It was written by Brian Aldiss in 1999, an addition to a story written in 1969. It chilled me as I read it. It's us! Here's the part from the book:
The clock on her Ambient chimed five and switched on. She turned to the machine and was soon networking. All round the planet, other people, mainly women, began to discuss religious issues. Some dispatched their electronic thoughts to arrive on paper. Others showed photomontages they had made.
"I need God because I am alone so frequently," said Monica to the multitude. "My baby died. But I don't know where God is. Maybe he doesn't visit cities."
Answers poured in.
"Are you mad enough to think God lives a country existence? If so, forget it. God's everywhere."
"God is only a prayer away, wherever you live. I will pray for you."
"Of course you are alone. God is just a concept, invented by an unhappy man. Get a life, darling. Check up on the neurosciences."
"It's because you think you are alone that God cannot get to you!"
She worked through the answers, recording them, for two hours. Then she switched off the Ambient and sat in silence. Silence prevailed upstairs also
One day, she was determined, she would make an analysis of all the messages she had received. A synthesis would be valuable. She would compose an Ambproduction of the results . Her name would become known.
Yikes!