You really don’t have to go far to find a whacko world. I discovered a few in the last few days. Some were on the Internet stories and others in real life.Yesterday I wrote about “Virtual Affairs” – where men and women have entered into computer relationships that are not real… but are real in their minds as they are connecting to an unknown person that comes to them as an “avatar” – which is a computer generated person controlled by a real person.
It appears new and almost impossible to understand. Yet it is not new – the whole idea of “virtual world” is really imagination going unchecked.
Over the past ten years in this city I have found men (and women) that have found their new partners in the strangest places. The person that they entered into a new relationship with(and left the one that they had) – were from odd community settings. They meet. They connect. They exchange. They concoct a fictitious world of thinking… then have an affair… entering into some level of sexual connection with a person other than their husband or wife.
Those were real affairs that destroyed real families. Now the partners of that relationship struggle with new relationships that have their own problems.
Another virtual world is one that a young friend of mine is caught in. I say “young” in that he is younger than me. Yet there are some older than me doing it too.
This other virtual world is one of pornography. And under Porn you can enter books, movies and strip clubs. The first two are relatively hidden. The last one is pretty much community.
The young man broke and confessed his indiscretion of attending a strip club often, drinking Coke – not alcohol. Then in his confession he told me of the number of fairly well off people that I know that attend the same strip club that he does. He told me of “good church people” that he and I both knew sitting beside him and clapping loudly. It must be a Man Thing – grunt, scratch and drool….but doing it together makes it better.
I have wondered what the gal doing the dancing thinks as she dances. I wonder if she is thinking about what she will buy her dad for his Birthday. Maybe she is thinking of what she might get on her grocery list?
The fact is that in her mind is a Virtual World that is very different from the Virtual World inside the “grunt, scratch and drool crowd” in front of her.
My virtual world includes my thoughts about these folks as well.
My hardest virtual world experience this week happened as I took along a disabled person that uses only one side of his body, to an event. People at that event reacted – at least one person did – and made it clear that it was not good to bring a person like my friend to their little party (group). The objecting individual was down right upset that the two of us were in the room at that time.
The virtual world – the mind of the objector – was so disliking of a physical abnormality or disability that he could not contain himself. Anger spilled out of him. But maybe he just disliked me? Before we left the building the objecting individual had expressed his anger to at least three people that I know.
We were hated and we left. I have had enough of that in my lifetime of work and I don’t need it in my volunteer world!!!!
Now look at the gamut of Virtual Worlds that I have written about. It is hard to imagine really.
Reading the news this morning I came across a story that just happened. Joan Cunnane, 77 years old, died in her home after the excessive things that she had bought toppled over on her. Her friends had not seen her for a few days and filed a report with the police. She was under suitcases that had fallen on her. It took days to find her.
Another Virtual World gone wrong. She just couldn’t stop herself from buying.
Whether it is a young mother looking for sex – or better say it – looking for a relationship with meaning…. Or a silly old lady that could not stop buying stuff… what is the difference? Whether it is a young guy in a sleazy strip joint in Peterborough or an angry senior that doesn’t want a crippled person in their presence – the virtual world for all is whacko.
On the TV Show called the Fifth Estate it was reported that a woman left her husband and children to fly to London, England to meet her avatar person. I watched as the camera followed her all the way and listened in as she was feeling the strange things she did. HE – the man behind his avatar – was not at all like what she imagined. She left to go back home to her family… unsatisfied and unhappy with herself. Her virtual world crashed with reality.
I am sorting through all that I have experienced this week. My virtual world has been challenged.
I have come to understand better that my virtual world – my imagination and thought life sure needs something better and bigger in it. That is when God is found and is available to enter my virtual world and clean it up.
A few years ago the bracelets and other small things appeared with WWJD written on them. It stood for “What Would Jesus Do” – referring to the setting that the wearer would be in?
I am a Christian and believe in God’s guidance and presence. I believe that he is available to enter my virtual world when I allow him.
This week I have met people and read of people that certainly could use a dose of God stuff in their lives. But I am not responsible for them. I am in charge of me…. That is enough!
I would love to hear your reflection of the virtual world you have heard about – so would others. How do you cope?
~ Murray Lincoln ~
Source:
http://politicom.moldova.org/news/elderly-shopaholic-killed-by-purchases-175649-eng.html
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