Missionary alert

The London Times carries the story that Roman Catholic missionaries are being exhorted to come into SL and start working with the fallen here.

I believe that we all have our own paths to follow.  I believe in the freedom to choose what you believe, and so although I am not a Catholic and  I don’t believe a lot of the things they purport to believe, I am happy to defend other people’s right to believe them.

What I hate is the idea that anyone believes that they know what is right, not just for themselves, but also for other people, and that it is right to preach to them. I don’t think it is possible to know what is right for another person, because it is obvious that what is right for one person (being a celibate priest, for example) is not necessarily right for another.

The best and silliest example of this that I have ever heard, was when Graham Norton, before he was famous on TV, interviewed Audrey Eyton, developer of the F-plan diet, and famous Christian, on Loose Ends, a radio programme.   (This is culled from ancient memory and is therefore not word-for-word.)  Graham asked her about her faith, and she explained that it was very important to her, and that she felt God wanted her to do the things she had done, which have helped so many people.  He then said.  “It’s funny though.  Here you are believing that God is telling you to put people on a healthy diet, cut out the cream cakes and get some exercise.  And there’s Delia Smith, who I interviewed a few weeks ago.  God talks to her too, and presumably he’s telling her to make cream cakes and help others by giving everyone the recipe.”

Setting up a centre in SL and making it known that people who want to know more, or feel in need of guidance can get it there - fantastic.  Going out into SL and telling them to give up sex, drugs and rock and roll?  No, thanks.