Monasteries Get Wired

Buddhist monks in Burma aren't the only religious brethren getting the word out on the internet these days: many American monasteries are so wired they not only correspond via email and sell-hand-crafted products over the internet, they use it to recruit new brothers. One web site, VocationsPlacement.org, matches religious communities with individuals drawn to the contemplative life, Reuters reports.

A Kentucky monastery reports having located seven monks through the service; once inside they are allowed to surf the web every afternoon from 1 to 5. The site’s founder says monks are especially keen on email, which they find less intrusive than the telephone. "There are certain orders and more contemplative houses that won't even talk with a woman, but they'll answer an e-mail." (More internet stories.)