The Mystical Mythologies in the Virtual Space of M.M.O.R.P.G. An Expression of Experimental Theology

Abstract

The present paper aim is to tackle the contemporary issue of the transformation of religious beliefs and theologies, in their particular form of mystical beliefs, under the pressure of the world spread phenomenon of virtualisation of the ontological sensitive space of humanity. Therefore, we are interested to approach the manner in which the peculiar case of Massive Multiplayer Online Games, as a global virtual space, creates the favourable environment for the transformation of the secularized mythologies, with all their inherent mystical elements, into a proto-religious phenomenon. We want to put into light, starting from the fundamental religious dogmas and deconstructing them into their core mystical-magical forms, the emergence of a new form of mysticism, deeply rooted in the already pre-existent religious beliefs, endowed by a new, syncretic magical substrata, itself emanating, as well, from previously real-world archaic existing magical human expressions. The main issue at hand is represented by the coherence and theological validity of this post-modern, pop-culture influenced, type of theology, which takes the form of an „experimental theology†within a human predefined virtual world (that of M.M.O.R.P.Gs). To arrive to a possible conclusion regarding this question, we will try to analyse this new type of theology under the scrutinising eye of the already existing theologies (and their common validity elements in the ontological space). The secondary issue, which emerges and will be analysed in the present paper, is the possibility of global acceptance of this new form of virtual theology (as an evolution of particular human theologies) as well as its possible moralising power, descending from the virtual world to human living reality.