On September 4, 1998, the world witnessed a pivotal event—the founding of Google, the world’s most renowned search engine.
While the story of Google’s founding and its rise to dominance is well-documented, this article focuses on a peculiar phenomenon that emerged in celebration of its anniversary: “Googlism,” or the so-called “Worshippers of Google.” This term has become a slogan for a group of people who, surprisingly, have turned Google into a form of modern-day religion. It is unlikely that Google’s founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, envisioned during their PhD research that their creation would achieve such global influence—or even inspire a belief system.
The Origins of Googlism: A Tech-Inspired Religion
Googlism, or the cult of Google, began as an idea promoted by a group of atheistic young individuals. They argued that Google, as a non-physical, unseen entity capable of answering virtually any question, most closely resembles their conception of a god. According to their claims, Google transcends any traditional means of assistance: for instance, if you’re feeling stressed, simply type “stress relief” into Google, and countless solutions appear at the press of a button. This group conveniently overlooks the fact that Google is nothing more than a sophisticated tool invented by humans, much like mobile phones or other technological advancements.
These young individuals went further by attempting to spread their ideology online through the creation of a website they named The Church of Google.
A Modern “Faith” Built on Technology
The creators of this website didn’t stop there. They sought to mimic the structure of religious teachings, compiling a set of “Ten Commandments” for their followers. Among their most notable “commandments” was the decree that no “Worshipper of Google” should use any other search engine, such as Yahoo or others.
They also prohibited the design of alternative search engines by their members, citing the reasoning that “Google is a jealous god” and does not tolerate its followers seeking solutions elsewhere. This mirrors the Biblical phrase, “You shall not make for yourself a graven image.”
A Misguided Movement or a Clever Marketing Stunt?
Googlism, the so-called “religion” adopted by the Worshippers of Google, is merely another manifestation of atheism and a misuse of time that should not be taken seriously. Others speculate that this phenomenon may simply be an ingenious marketing ploy for Google. However, critics argue that Google, being as dominant as it is, hardly needs such gimmicks for promotion.
From an Islamic perspective, this behavior is categorized under apostasy, which removes a person from the fold of faith. Turning a human invention into an object of worship contradicts the principles of monotheism and underscores the dangers of elevating technology to divine status.
