ROME (Reuters) – Catholic missionaries have always trekked to dangerous parts of the Earth to spread the word of God — now they are being encouraged to go into the virtual realm of Second Life to save virtual souls.In an article in Rome-based Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica, academic Antonio Spadaro urged fellow Catholics not to be scared of entering the virtual world which may be fertile ground for new converts wishing to better themselves.”It’s not possible to close our eyes to this phenomenon or rush to judge it,” Spadaro said. “Instead it needs to be understood … the best way to understand it is to enter it.”Second Life is a simulation game where players can create a virtual version of themselves — an avatar — and interact with other people in the three-dimensional world.According to its Web site, it has a population of more than 8 million residents and millions of dollars change hands there every month.”Is there (cyber) space for God?” Spadaro aaka in his article which says there are already virtual churches and temples serving countless religions. He quotes a Swedish Muslim who says his avatar prays regularly as he prays in real life.Spadaro warns the uninitiated that “the erotic dimension is very present” in Second Life, that people can buy genitalia for their avatars in a world that is “open to any form of erotic stimulation from prostitution to pedophilia”.
Yeah. Better watch out for those temptations, preachers! Seriously. Doesn’t that last sentence remind you of reverse psychology? Freud could write a book here.
Good grief. You can’t even play a game without Jesus pushers showing up.
Yeah, that last paragraph shows their paranoia and need to control everything sexual.
That last paragraph ensures catholics should feel right at home in Second Life. I’v never been there, myself. Have no desire, really. Think I might just have to purchase a copy and go online so I can open up a virtual abortion clinic in the shape of a confessional.
Will the Evangelicals be next or is there not enough profit in it?
They will go to no end for their self-appropriating shamelessness. Now theey’re pestering people in games. The sad thing is the bigger fish seek power while the littler ones do the dirty work of brain-washing.
It makes sense when you think about it. The game is make-believe, after all.
The whole idea of Second Life has always struck me as bizarre. There’s this huge, amazing, real world out there to explore!
And instead of spending time, effort, and money to make your avatar better, aren’t all those resources better spent trying to improve yourself?