More is better Many cyber-supplicants praise prayer chains and say they help so many souls precisely because they have a multiplier effect. Some regard the Web as more confidential than their local communities, reasoning that nobody nearby will ever see an Internet posting. She sought prayers on behalf of someone close who was accused of impregnating a former girlfriend. But some clerics recoil. Others are plainly nondenominational.
Some sites used in chains delete obviously sensitive material or keep identities anonymous.
But many don't, nor do they verify the accuracy of submissions. For the most part, lawyers say it is the poster and not the site that is liable for any defamatory information. The sites are multiplying fast, and marketers have already spotted the commercial potential. Ric Alonso, a co-owner, says Ekra receives a commission ranging from two per cent to 25 per cent of sales every time a user clicks on a commercial link, plus two cents every time a user clicks one of the listed search engines. A portion of the profits goes to charity, Mr Alonso says.