Watching the story that is Second Life mature over the last 3 years has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I’m amazed by the rich, innovative, vibrant interactions being pioneered by residents on a daily basis, throughout the world. That said, I still believe there’s a long way to go in terms of cultivating these stories within the mainstream media, and 2007 finds us all working hard towards this goal.

One issue PR has received growing interest in is that of religion and spirituality in-world. Is there a spiritual element inherent in the virtual experience, or are the two things mutually exclusive? Should there exist a parallel between RL religious beliefs and SL conduct? What intangible, metaphysical qualities do virtual worlds hold? Are you using Second Life as a way to explore and express your spirituality with other like-minded residents? What are the greater philosophical implications associated with all this?

We’d love to hear from residents actively negotiating these issues; folks who are using Second Life in the pursuit of religious or spiritual ends and would like to speak to the press about it.

If you think you have some insight to share on these, and other related issues please get in touch by emailing me directly at catherine@lindenlab.com. I’m turning off comments because I won’t be able to respond to them individually.