[...] Jesuits urged to take God’s word to ‘Second Life’ [Reuters via GamePolitics] [...]

I was educated at a Jesuit school and now even though I'm an athiest and a dectractor of organised religion, I still feel great affection for the Jesuits; they're the only order of priests that have been kicked out of the Catholic Church *twice*.

They're significantly more educated than any other order; they're fair, considerate, forward thinking and great educators.

I know that if the Society of Jesus do set up a mission in 2ndLife that they'll be helpful, considerate and will not interfere; it's the custom of the Jesuits to learn the local culture of any play they send a mission.

kurisu7885

I wouldn't worry too much - SJ are too academic to try anything too drastic. They'll probably take their time studying the locale first before making a move.

Then again...we're talking about the same order that's famous for ideologies like "Liberation Theology," a well-meaning but bizzare mishmash of humanitarian philosophy, Catholic Doctrine, and Karl Marx.

It really depends on which guys they plan to send in to set up shop in SL - every church order (and every group for that matter) has its own share of extremes.

@ Kirisu
My thoughts precisely. They're perfectly welcome to set up shop in a new area, but the moment they get bombard by a mass-flying-wangs nuclear missile, if they begin to get whiny... well, they should've researched that.
And it's jensaari kajex on AIM. =)

I see nothing wrong with the idea of these people setting up shop so that they can offer a place where people who ARE looking for a little religious environment (however many or few that may be) can come to. I'm amusing myself with what it'll consist of, though.... what if a dude with a female macro dragon furry model and oversized DD-cups goes into the confessional for a serious discussion with one of the people that resides there? That... might just be a little awkward. My point being that there are probably going to be things that these people may not anticipate, and a dude with with a macro dragon furry model sporting DD-cups is just the tip of the iceburg. >.>;

Why are Christians so focused on recruiting members into their cult? What if I want to play my video game and ignore you? Go worship your imaginary friend and leave me alone.

I don't play second life (nor does it even remotely interest me), so I can honestly say I don't really know what truly goes on there beyond what has been recently reported here. However, it is interesting (and the cynic in me would say, "inevitable") that one religious group would find something like that to be a good platform for thier preaching and other tasks. I'm kinda curious how the other religious interpretations would see that act. In any event, I don't care where they are just so long as they don't interfere with what I am trying to do, whatever that may be.

For the record, I have nothing against religion itself. I personally don't believe in any of them (it isn't really accurate to call me an athiest either, but that's a moot point right now), but, I don't see anything wrong with the religions themselves. What I don't like is people using it as an excuse to do terrible things. I personally see that falling on the shoulders of the person who did it, and not the theocratc doctrine used to justify a desicion already made. I see them as a teaching, a moral guidebook to help ones life out and something one can turn to if one needs the aid of a larger entity to help shoulder life's burdens. What is more important, the letter of the "law" (so to speak), or the essence of it. Oh yes, I'm not fond of people trying to convert me or blab to me in a holier than thou art attitude either (and I have taken folks of the sort down several pegs in the past, heh heh), but that's more of a personal gripe.

Interesting concept. I don't play Second Life but if I did I would hope they don't start spamming religious crap in my game. I don't like the fantasy taken out of my fantasy worlds.

Otherwise, if this priest isn't intrusive to other gamers I think it's cool.

I'm close minded to religion in general because it's the cause of most problems in today's society. Believe in a God if you want, but religions are scams that justify doing wrong things, like hating homosexuals.

Everyone has the right to believe what they want to believe. Nobody should step on that.

@ash2dust

This site just seems to draw in the college educated set.

"What’s with the anti-Christianism on this site?"

Because being closed minded about Christianity gives the illusion of being open minded. Very popular at Hot Topic.

I wonder how rich the Church can get offa second life?

Look, religon is already deeply entrenched in the real world. And despite what militiant atheists say (I'm an atheist myself, albeit a more moderate one), it will be a part of our society for many generations to come. If SL already has political protests, campaign offices, and businesses making real-world money, is it that big a leap for people to start setting up houses of worship there?

And thank God - Fr. Spadaro didn't utter any needless superlatives. I dunno why, but that was weird...

The founder of Second Life has something of a god complex himself, doesn't he? I wonder if he could stand the competition.

@BmK

I was kinda kidding, my bad, I should have made that clear, sorry.

As long as it doesn't get as bad as driving down a highway in Missouri... if id DOES, I suppose I'll be pissed, but still, it's their choice.

Wait, I'd be pissed if I PLAYED Second Life.
/goes back to conquering Europe in Midieval 2

@MaskedPixelante

God, a deity? HA!! try dictator.

well this should be..... how we say? interesting? with all the messed up things that go on in second life it's only a matter of time before it get out of control. But until then I'll remain optimistic about it and just say, good for them.

@SchemeMonke

The chans had a furry death camp set up, that speaks enough about them. Actively trying to suppress anyone's rights are wrong, despite that person's mindset.

@Kajex

Glad to see you've done your research ^-^

@Kajex

To right there about the blanket statments

It's as if people can make thier decisions about a broad group of people based on the actions of the most extreme and visual members of that group. Go figure.

Furries on Second Life have more to deal with than preachers, how about intolerant greifers from the various "chans" who are out to clense the world of the furf*gs.

The Jesuits wold be a welcome change, atleast they won't try to crash a sim using multipul accounts they made that afternoon, with penis spawning weapons of mass stupidity. Just so they can inconvenence them for lols.

More on topic tho, its good to see relgion mixing with technologies instead of shunning them... its an evolution in a way of thinking that hopefully one day will be more helpful than harmful.

Just watch.

They're going to catch a whiff of the furries before they get attacked by a horde of sex-hungry funny-animals smiling and "=3"ing at them, until the catholics freak out and start denouncing furs.
... Not to say all furs fit that criteria, but it's easy to make a blanket-statement on such a subculture.

The fanatical militant atheist scum are just as intolerant, bigoted and arrogant as the religious fundy-dudies are. They are the same people on the exact opposite side of the sectrum. I find asshole like Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and Chistopher Hitchens no better then Osama Bin Ladin, Pat Robertson, Jerry Farwell and Rev. Phelps. They're all extremist, militant pricks who make both of their sides look bad to others. Hell, even South Park who makes fun of religion all the time totally blasted Richard Dawkins in the Cartman Nintendo Wii episodes.

I can honestly say I haven't seen a lot of bad stuff in my tenure in SL. Then again, I'm just a DJ in there and turning my tips into real dollars. I do however recall an instance a friend of mine had on his land where he was attacked via shoving by an angry mob of, I kid you not, mimes with protest signs.

So they'll get the cat lady, robot and giant walking penis to accept Jesus? You know, one could make a Jesus avatar who walks around doing miracles.

The word of God? Oh, you mean the fact that he okays the degradation of women, okays slavery, okays killing people for believing in another God, okays killing people for working on the Sabbath, okays selling your daughter, etc. The Bible is nothing but a disgusting book written by primitive people, in primitive times to control primitive minds. No sane intelligent person should believe in it in this day and age, and most people who do haven't actually read what horrors you can actually find in that so called "good book".

Believe in it if you want, but don't go preaching to me about it and your beliefs. I also don't mind if you believe in a God, but no one should believe in the religions themselves, they're what cause most problems in today's society.

Ok, I sincerely apologize for my statement, my bad, I meant no harm.

I'm not saying this is a bad thing. A virtual confessional may help some get things off their chests. I have no initial problems with this, but, that said, my statement was made in regards to those who take it too farm which I hope to see none who do. If I see a virtual pastor who is friendly and just wanting a chat, I'll be cool with that, but if I get messages where I'm going to hell fur to my avatar being furry and demonic looking then I'm going to take issue with that.

Again, that said, looking back, this doesn't seem that bad and hopefully will be regulated to keep extremists from making themselves known and ruining it.

...

maybe it's just me, but isn't that what a game named "SECOND LIFE" would aspire to become?

Although I would rather not be preached to, I must admit "It’s not possible to close our eyes to this phenomenon or rush to judge it." is a huge improvement over "we must ban teh gamez"

Oh gods no....

Just when I thought I would never have to deal with this crap, they infiltrate an online game.

Maybe they'll be frightened off after a couple weeks,or a week.

As long as the option to grief the chruch remains, it's fine with me.

[...] Jesuit Sees Second Life as Mission Territory(from http://gamepolitics.com/2007/07/29/virtual-salvation-missionaries-set-up...) [...]