Second Life

In recent years there has been an explosion in 3-D virtual world reality games played on the computer . I quote from the website of one the most popular games Second Life :

        ' Second Life is a 3-D virtual world created by its Residents . Since opening to the public in 2003 , it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by millions of Residents from around the globe .

        From the moment you enter the world you'll discover a vast digital continent , teeming with people , entertainment , experiences and opportunity .Once you've explored a bit , perhaps you'll find a perfect parcel of land to build your house or business.

        You'll also be surrounded by the Creations of your fellow Residents . Because residents retain intellectual property rights in their digital creations , they can buy , sell and trade with other Residents.

        The marketplace currently supports millions of dollars in monthly transactions . This commerce is handled with the inworld unit of trade , the Linden dollar , which can be converted to US dollars at several thriving online dollar exchanges . '

        There was a news report a few weeks back about a couple , Amy and David Taylor who had divorced because of Mr Taylor's adultery with another player in the virtual game . This had not actually happened in real life but Mrs Taylor considered it enough grounds for divorce . In effect she believed that Second Life was real . Their story was on the television and in the newspapers and everyone had a good laugh at them . The problem with this attitude is that if they were stupid to believe in the reality of Second Life , then the whole of the World is just as stupid . Because nothing we see in this world is real – it is only imagined . We are at the controls of a game and have convinced ourselves that this is ' Real Life ' . There is no physical matter .In reality everything is non material and it is our addiction to the physical world that keeps it going and it is only through our Minds do we see what we see . We are not suffering or in pain of any kind unless we think so .