Test Case For Religious Communities Across the U.S.?

(New Jersey - WABC, November 22, 2005) (WABC) -- There's a warning to kids: use the Internet at home and you may get kicked out of school.

That warning is coming from religious leaders in a New Jersey community.

Rabbis in Lakewood say they're trying to protect children from sexual images on line.

Eyewitness News reporter Anthony Johnson has the story.

For many people out there, this may appear to be a radical move. But for the people who live in this ultra orthodox Jewish community in Lakewood, there's no controversy at all. In fact, most folks have already gone off line.

"There is too much filth on the Internet and we don't allow it in our community."

Leaders of the orthodox Jewish community have gone all out to protect their children from the harmful Web sites that are easily accessible on the Internet.

Resident: "Those of us who listen to the leaders here are going to follow them and do what they ask of us."

All 43 Yeshiva's in Lakewood are complying with the edict that came out in September. Residents of the orthodox community overwhelmingly support unplugging the Internet.

Resident: "You have to draw the line somewhere when it comes to allowing all the outside garbage and we want to protect our kids."

Many in this community don't own televisions or computers. They insist that their children read and study and participate in many activities that are not associated with going on line.

But if you must go on line for business, you have to get permission from your rabbi and detail the reasons you must remain on line.

"People have to explain to their rabbi the safeguards they have taken to protect their children from access to the Internet."

Security measures would include locking doors to the computer room when you're home and using special passwords. And most believe using parental controls won't be full-proof.

Resident: "They are too smart and they know how to get through every loophole, so the smartest thing to do is to not allow a computer in the home."

Now religious leaders here in Lakewood believe this is a test case that will spread throughout other religious communities all over America.

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