Garret Bernal along with his family skipped a Sunday church service recently as they were in quarantine amid the exposure of COVId-19. However, he used his VR headset and tried out worshipping in the metaverse for a change.
Exploring Metaverse for a spiritual journey
Bernal did not step out of his residence in Richmond, Virginia. However, he floated in a 3 Dimensional outer space, rivers, rocky cliffs, and wonderland pastures. A pastor’s avatar guided Bernal and his family members through illustrations of Biblical passages generated by a computer, which appeared to have got life while they prayed.
Several religious denominations today provide interactive digital locations for supplementing traditional services. However, it also means there is now a unique chance to experience spirituality in a truly immersive 3-dimensional environment through VR or virtual reality technology.
NZ Herald reported the news of Bernal’s absence from the church service first. Incidentally, he is a member of a church and one among several Americans who are using virtual reality to follow their spiritual journey. While some of these people are religiously unaffiliated, others are traditionally religious.
One of the emerging spaces is the metaverse, which has witnessed incredible popularity amid the coronavirus pandemic. These range from conventional Christian worship services featuring virtual sacraments to meditating in a fantasy world.
According to Bernal, the most crucial aspect for him was that he experienced a closer connection with the Lord during that very short time. VR Church hosted the service that he attended. The church was founded by D.J. Soto in 2016.
