Second Life, First Faith – A Sampling of Virtual Religious Communities

by

Noorah Halaan

When I joined Second Life almost a year ago, I only had a vague notion of what I might find. An episode of CSI:NY had piqued my curiosity. Flying avatars, humans, animals, fantastical worlds. Sex, lots of sex, no doubt, because, after all, this was the Internet. But maybe I could avoid the virtual Tenderloin district and find some people who shared my more conservative values. As a mostly homebound wife and mom of four kids, I needed a bit of a respite from my daily routine of finger paints and diaper changes. I decided to give it a try.

I chose a name, downloaded the Second Life viewer, and poofed into my new persona. Noorah Haalan, Muslim woman. Many people create avatars that are quite different from their real-life personalities. The clean cut, conservative IT professional becomes the spandex-clad wild party animal. The Midwestern housewife becomes a sexy escort. I made a conscious decision to stay true to myself and my religious beliefs when I entered this world, and if it was not for me, I'd leave without a backward glance.

After stumbling about for a few days trying to figure out how to change clothes, fly, walk without bumping into walls, and avoid seeing naked people, I suddenly had the brilliant idea to click on the search button at the bottom of my screen and type in “Islam”. Bingo! I teleported to a wonderful simulation (SIM) that had a re-creation of the Holy Places in Arabia, including a virtual Pilgrimage complete with the Ka'aba itself. I met other Muslims there and I was hooked. I had found my home in Second Life.

Over the months, I visited other SIMs, but I always returned to Islamonline.net as my base of operations. I also joined Ummah of Noor, a related Islamic SIM, and ultimately became a teacher there. I met Muslims wanting to know more about their faith, and non-Muslims curious about Islam. I talked to members of different religious groups in SL and realize there were quite a lot of us non-porn-seeking God-fearing avatars flying around, and I decided to do a bit more searching to see what other faith communities had found homes here.

I found that Christian SIMs abound. Just about every denomination is to be found, from Roman Catholicism to fundamentalist Baptist. Jews are well represented as well, with Temple Beit Israel serving as a place of worship and study, and Jewish neighborhoods where people can rent or buy homes Hindus and Buddhists will find traditional ashrams and temples in which to practice. And the Far East is not neglected; type the word “Shinto” into the search box and almost thirty locations pop up.

These religious and spiritually-oriented locations are not just gathering places for periodic worship. They are paces of refuge in an often amoral, anarchic virtual world where some men and women behave quite badly. Like the little church on the corner in a bad neighborhood, the religious places in Second Life serve as a reminder that God is watching us, even when we are pretending to be someone else.

I am comfortable here in Second Life. I stay away from the “bad places” and counsel others on how to be good Muslims on and off the computer. I volunteer at Help People Island, a non-religious but very safe place full of wonderful dedicated volunteers who help new residents find their footing. I occasionally don the shape of a dragon and fly around the spacious Isle of Wyrms to stretch my wings. Lately, I have decided to try being a furry; my friends and students are still getting used to the sight of Sister Noorah in the guise of a white wolf with librarian glasses perched on the end of my muzzle. I feel fully Muslim here while being something other than my real-life, mundane self. I enjoy meeting other people of faith who do not abandon their belief in moral behavior when they sign on. At the relatively ancient age of forty-something, I embrace the mind-boggling technology that makes it possible for me to “pray” next to Muslim men and women who are in Turkey,. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Germany, and even China. I move easily in this virtual world while my children play around me. I try to maintain the balance between my real and Second lives, more or less successfully, and I look forward every day to meeting people from diverse cultures who nonetheless are very much like me. I will offer them “salaam” and a cup of virtual tea, perhaps some dates, and some friendly conversation. This is the best type of diplomacy, sharing beliefs and overcoming stereotypes one person at a time. If you happen to be inworld, feel free to visit me or drop me an instant message – I'll be happy to help you learn your way around. Just don't ask me where to find the nearest virtual massage parlor.