Virtual Worship: Is it Real?

Published June 9, 2007 IN THEORY Virtual Worship: Is it Real? Q: In a new online world called Second Life, users can participate in their own virtual universe — everything from seeing a favorite rock band to buying and selling land. Religious communities have also grown in Second Life. That is, participants who create virtual identities in Second Life take part in the cyber practice of religion, complete with other identities, rituals and practices. There are virtual synagogues, virtual mosques — you name it. For many, Second Life is a pivotal chance to practice their faith while creating a diversity among worshipers that might not be seen in real life. But some say that though the site promotes communication with others, it doesn't necessarily promote communication with God. What do you think? A: In 1977, I went to Armenia — then a Soviet Republic — to continue my graduate studies. Just out of college, my worldview was shaped by the textbooks that spoke of principles and ideas that inspired a young seminarian's dream. Soon after I began adjusting to life in the Soviet Union, it became apparent that it was very different from the classless society Marx outlined in his manifesto. We'd sit at study halls, and even in coffee shops, discussing what went wrong. Was it a flaw in the theory? Or was it the human nature variable that caused the problems? Later, when I became a priest and saw the workings of the church from the inside, I remembered those earlier conversations. Where does the message of Christ fit within the church? Is it only natural that the church would evolve the way it has, given the set of variables of divine message, human frailty and time? In this sense, the idea of playing, and therefore evolving, in a virtual environment gives another dimension to the study of religion that we might not have otherwise. In other words, we can tweak the variables to influence the outcome. I find simulations such as Second Life exciting for this reason. We might find that problems are intrinsic to the religious systems they evolve in, or we may find that it is possible to have a religion that is consumed with and by love. In either case, a virtual church gives us yet another opportunity to think about our actions and how important our sense of responsibility is to the world. FR. VAZKEN MOVSESIAN Armenian Church In His Shoes Mission

Examining the UFO Question

Published June 2, 2007

IN THEORY

Examining the UFO Question

Q:

City officials in Roswell, N.M., want to establish a UFO-themed amusement park, given the area's history — some believe a UFO crashed in the area. Do you believe in UFOs and alien life?

A:

Of course I do. What a fun thing to believe in.

Whether a person is religious or not, there is an element of logic that cannot be ignored. Namely, the universe is so large and so vast that it is logical to assume that we're not the only people in it. And, in the same vein, because the universe is so big and distances so far, we probably have not been visited by ET.

However, I enjoy this topic because it motivates us to wonder. We open our minds to possibilities. We can't regurgitate the standard lines because there are no standards. And so our thinking and expression are fresh.

Belief in alien existence gives us a chance to contemplate existence in general. Why are we here? Where are we going? What does this all mean?

And if you can't think outside the box, you have a lot of explaining to do because the Bible certainly has enough occurrences of life forms coming from heaven to sustain a belief in extraterrestrial existence.

So maybe the big question is, do they believe in us? If so, did that belief warrant a trip to our planet? And if not, then what?

FR. VAZKEN MOVSESIAN
Armenian Church
In His Shoes Mission