I think TikTok is merely a symptom of the problem. Religion had solutions to a lot of recently rediscovered problems, like impulse control and lonelieness, it's just that moderns abandoned religion.
TikTok is just filling a hole.
TikTok is just filling a hole.
Places of worship provide more than a dissemination of views and beliefs. They are a communal place where mostly like-minded folks have a consistent opportunity to connect (or at least feel connected) to others around them. Under ideal circumstances, the beliefs in place also assure there is both encouragement of this behavior and means by which discord can be resolved.
Mind you, I also believe this breaks down considerably in larger places (i.e. 'megachurches' in the states) as you hit an inflection point of being able to become anonymous again.
I don’t want to throw all religion out with the bathwater so to speak, there are definitely good religions that comfort people out there.
It does seem that, for example, there is a bit of a parasocial, or para…community(?) aspect to televangelism.
Putting humans in the wrong religious grouping leads to more persecution.