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OH...MY...GOD!

I'm reading this thinking, "is this for real?" I can't believe that church is coming to this...

...and then I started thinking, "hmmm, actually, this is kind of cool, you'd DEFINITELY know what kind of church you were stepping into after just one message with a virtual pastor (assuming she/he'd been there long enough to be properly formed into their own image...waitaminit, that sounds like we're talking about someone else here...)

What I want to know is, how far can this go? How about producing a "gender-neutral" pastor - you know, a "Pat" pastor...
Hell, I want my pastor to be a siberian husky...any chance of that?

I guess the old "shake hands/hug the pastor" is out the window, though...

http://www.myspace.com/ashvajenny

I suppose one could attend the virtual church (http://churchoffools.com/enter-church/index.html) to hear a virtual sermon and pray to a virtual God.

On another thought, if the church is divided over what the pastor should be, perhaps he or she would be virtually schizophrenic

alan

Talk about telling people what they want to hear! Ouch.

Although I suppose a Virtual Pastor could be an interesting exercise for a church seeking a new pastor--a way of finding out what's important to them. Any real pastors applying for the position could check out the Virtual Pastor as a self-portrait of the congregation.

Sermons, etc. are "scavenged from the internet," huh? Where from? Is credit given?

Carrie

But a pastor doesn't just preach.

A sign of the times which I find disheartening. Why not get avatars in place for mothers and fathers too? Why don't we just hand everything ~ all of it ~ over to entertainment, self-satisfaction and technology?

Oh! My. That's hillarious and disturbing, all at once--hillarious that it exists, disturbing that there are churches who actually think it's a good idea! How would you feel about being the associate pastor to an avatar? Talk about humbling yourself! It also feeds the perception that the pastor only works on Sunday. Bet they miss hospital visits from Pastor Avatar..... I'm just sayin'.

(Are you sure that wasn't from the Onion?)

wow. thats just...disturbing. i kind of think it leaves something to be desired...

"People like surprises as long as it doesn't impinge on their basic control of the pastor and his message." Wow! What an interesting statement! Sadly true in too many places.

you've got to be kidding. I'm going to tell Rick right now that he's replaceable. Sweet.

kel

I want to know if you can clone the virtual paston for more staff or do you have to buy another license? Church budgeting made simple.

OldPoet

OOPs, Pastor not paston.
OldPoet

WOW Hate to be a real pastor...
paul

We can make the ULTIMATE PREACHER! We take a little Buechner, some Lewis, maybe a dash of Yancey,and throw in a touch of Borg just to make it interesting... and you have FRANKENPREACHER!!!!!!

holy "virtual" shit! that's some funky stuff.

*sigh* If only that would work for President.

dang - i think it sounds like a great idea - and while we're on this, doesn't he look a bit like GWB? how 'bout a 'virtual president'?

WEll, I fell for it. I didn't even LOOK at the source of the story. I just read it, and my mind went numb. Virtual pastors.

Do I ever feel foolish, NOW!

And, as to Bobbie's comments... a virtual president couldn't POSSIBLY do any worse than the current one.

For the record, I knew was LarkNews was before I read this post.

That said, this method actually seems, sadly, doable. Isn't this what the average American evangelical really wants, deep down?

great, just great...before the satire warning was added, i shared this article with people...lots of people... my bad, stupid me once again, for swallowing this hook line and sinker....

I'm sorry for those who who thought this was serious and then felt dumb. Let me assure you that it will only be a matter of time before someone tries this. This wouldn't even be the strangest thing that churches have done. That's the tragedy - This thing is not far from being plausible.

i just got an email from a member of the journey imperfect faith community with this link, simply stating, "you could be replaced."

that's good news for a pastor to hear.

rick