July 28, 2007
Jesuits evangelize in Second Life
In a fascinating move, the Jesuits’ official paper, La Civilta' Cattolica, reports that they are entering Second Life as missionaries. And it makes sense as Father Antonio Spadaro explains:
This virtual Second Life is becoming populated with churches, mosques, temples, cathedrals. synagogues, places of prayer of all kinds. And behind an avatar there is a man or a woman, perhaps searching for God and faith, perhaps with very strong spiritual needs.
He makes a great point: each “resident” of Second Life is an actual person with an actual soul. And we have an obligation to evangelize those people in whatever way we have the opportunity – or in whatever world we have the opportunity. I also love this line:
Therefore any initiative which can help the souls of residents should be considered positive.
You can read more details here. Let’s pray that they can help bring the Second Life residents closer to God in their real life.
God bless,
Jay
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That's actually a clever idea. I had never heard of Second Life, but it makes sense that you would go there to evangelize. Its just like Catholics in the blogosphere.
Posted by: Chris at July 28, 2007 03:13 PMI don't understand what is news here, actually. Christianity on the internet? Am I missing something?
Regardless, the internet presents excellent opportunities to bring the Gospel to those who normally wouldn't take the time. Much like this blog, information is accepted and processed in a unique fashion - people are less defensive than in person and may be more open to Christ's love.
In addition, mission work via the internet is perfect for the Jesuits - because nation-states, for which Jesuits hold a special contempt, do not directly govern that terf.
Michael O.
Posted by: Michael O. at July 29, 2007 02:41 PMMichael O wrote:
I don't understand what is news here, actually... Am I missing something?
That is often my reaction to various "bombshells" coming out of the Vatican. The latest uproar with "wounded Churches" and not really "true churches" as they lack essential elements was covered in first year ecclesiology class. With more snoring than uproaring if memory serves correctly.
Anyways, kudos to the Jesuit for bringing the message of hope to an area that would be an occasion of sin for me to enter.
I think Burnt Marshwiggle makes a point, even if he does so unknowingly. There is a real temptation in such environments where there is no accountability. One can do just about anything within Second Life, if I understand it correctly, without any legal, moral, and natural ramifications. A dangerous playground...
I would hope that the Jesuits are being extra careful about who is going and what is done within the realm of Second Life.
But I must agree that it is admirable to evangelize in such an environment.
In Christ,
Joe
Maybe there is something to be gained from this, but I don't think there is much of it. The internet is not a good tool for evangelizing. It is not personal enough and there is no way for the goodness and strength of spirituality of an individual to reach through the computer. You cannot be inspired by the glimmer of love in the eyes of an avatar. Only that of a real person. The internet is at it's best spreading knowledge, and so it is more naturally suited to affirming and confirming areas of faith to those who are already Catholics, or for clearing up misunderstandings about us amongst non-believers, but still, our faith is living, not facts and words and arguements. I hope that the Jesuits thought this through before doing it, and that I'm sorely mistaken.
Posted by: Ben at September 9, 2007 01:01 PMBen
Nice post. Only 1 question...do the Jesuits ever not think about anything?
in Love
wwwo
Posted by: when we were one at September 10, 2007 10:29 AM
