By Al Felder Subscribing to a religious podcast, channel, blog, or social media account may seem like a minor decision. It takes only a moment. The content is free. If we lose interest, we can always unsubscribe. Yet subscribing does more than add a name to a digital list. It gives a teacher repeated access to our attention. New messages appear automatically. Over time, the speaker’s interests, attitudes, assumptions, and methods can begin to influence how we understand Scrip

By Al Felder A startling religious claim appears on social media. The headline is alarming. The video claims to expose something hidden. The speaker sounds confident. The information agrees with concerns we already have, and a friend we trust has shared it. Within seconds, we can pass it to hundreds of other people, but should we? The ability to share information instantly has created responsibilities previous generations did not face in quite the same way. A rumor that once

By Al Felder Popularity is easy to measure. A podcast can count its downloads. A video displays its views. Social media platforms report likes, comments, shares, and followers. These numbers show how much attention content receives. They do not show whether that attention produces spiritual good. A religious message may be widely shared because it is shocking, controversial, frightening, or emotionally satisfying. Thousands of people may discuss it without anyone becoming mor