Virtual Christian or Virtual Magazine?

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Virtual Christian Magazine Editorial
Virtual Christian or Virtual Magazine?
By John Rutis

ou are readingVirtual Christian Magazine. When the managing editor chose this title he was thinking that the word "virtual" applied mainly to the magazine, but he also caught the vision of something greater. He wrote, "In the title of the magazine the word 'virtual' modifies 'magazine.' The contributors and editors assembling VCM are all over this planet. The virtual aspect should not be limited to the word magazine. Hopefully, this product will also develop a body of virtual Christians."

Many people today are familiar with the term virtual reality. The term is often used to describe a computer generated environment that, while it closely mimics reality, is, and always will be, only a pretense of the 'real' thing. So I was, at first, a bit concerned with the title Virtual Christian Magazine. After all, the magazine is meant to be a real magazine. The Christians who are hopefully to be its product are to be Christians in every real sense of the word.

I decided to look up the word virtual in the thesaurus and see what it had to say. I was pleasantly surprised at what I found. Virtual was, indeed, a very fitting name for this new magazine. Here is what I found:

Virtual, adjective: being such in essential character; Synonyms: implicit, constructive, practical; See also: absolute, complete, unqualified, wholehearted, genuine, real

The term Christian is applied to a person who tries to follow Christ, models their life on Christ and attempts to allow Christ to live His life in them. They are trying to be "such in essential character," just as the thesaurus definition states. This is exactly what Christ wants for each and every one of His followers. He wants them to be a virtual Christ or to come as close to being Christ-like as possible.

One of the stated objectives of VCM is to reach those inquiring about answers to life's biggest questions. Isn't one of life's biggest questions how we can become more Christ-like? The folks involved in putting together Virtual Christian Magazine would like to help everyone who reads this magazine make becoming more Christ-like their goal. It is our hope to help them toward that goal.

The synonyms for virtual are very positive as well. If we are implicit Christians, anyone who has more than a fleeting relationship with us should see plainly and obviously that we are different. They should see that we are "constructive" Christians and "practical" Christians. Christians who have actually put on the mind of Christ. It's how we think which results in our good works. Christianity is a minute-by-minute constructive, practical way of life. It's who we really are. It's not just something we mimic, or put on as a show.

The thesaurus also provides words that are not quite synonymous with virtual but are similar enough to be instructive. All of these words can and should apply to Christians. A Christian should be an "absolute, complete, unqualified, wholehearted, genuine, and real" Christian.

The word virtual is derived from the word virtue. Virtue is defined as follows: Noun; moral excellence, goodness, righteousness. Synonyms includes: goodness, integrity, uprightness, justice, probity, rectitude, and prudence.

These words should also characterize a Christian.

It takes work to produce Virtual Christian Magazine. It takes work to put on the mind of Christ. As virtual Christians we are still learning, still growing. Just as the magazine will have an occasional typographical error that gets by the editors, so we, as Christians will have some sins that sneak by unnoticed. When these are brought to our attention, we make corrections and continue on. We depend on Christ living in us to bring each of us closer and closer to the goal of being a Virtual Christian.

Copyright 1999 by United Church of God, an International Association All rights reserved.

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				Virtual Christian Magazine Editorial Virtual Christian or Virtual Magazine? By John Rutis ou are readingVirtual Christian Magazine. When the managing editor chose this title he was thinking that the word "virtual" applied mainly to the magazine, but he also caught the vision of something greater. He wrote, "In the title of the magazine the word 'virtual' modifies 'magazine.' The contributors and editors assembling VCM are all over this planet. The virtual aspect should not be limited to the word magazine. Hopefully, this product will also develop a body of virtual Christians." Many people today are familiar with the term virtual reality. The term is often used to describe a computer generated environment that, while it closely mimics reality, is, and always will be, only a pretense of the 'real' thing. So I was, at first, a bit concerned with the title *Virtual Christian Magazine. After all, the magazine is meant to be a real magazine. The Christians who are hopefully to be its product are to be Christians in every real sense of the word. I decided to look up the word virtual* in the thesaurus and see what it had to say. I was pleasantly surprised at what I found. Virtual was, indeed, a very fitting name for this new magazine. Here is what I found: Virtual, adjective: being such in essential character; Synonyms: implicit, constructive, practical; See also: absolute, complete, unqualified, wholehearted, genuine, real The term Christian is applied to a person who tries to follow Christ, models their life on Christ and attempts to allow Christ to live His life in them. They are trying to be "such in essential character," just as the thesaurus definition states. This is exactly what Christ wants for each and every one of His followers. He wants them to be a virtual Christ or to come as close to being Christ-like as possible. One of the stated objectives of *VCM* is to reach those inquiring about answers to life's biggest questions. Isn't one of life's biggest questions how we can become more Christ-like? The folks involved in putting together *Virtual Christian Magazine* would like to help everyone who reads this magazine make becoming more Christ-like their goal. It is our hope to help them toward that goal. The synonyms for virtual are very positive as well. If we are implicit Christians, anyone who has more than a fleeting relationship with us should see plainly and obviously that we are different. They should see that we are "constructive" Christians and "practical" Christians. Christians who have actually put on the mind of Christ. It's how we think which results in our good works. Christianity is a minute-by-minute constructive, practical way of life. It's who we really are. It's not just something we mimic, or put on as a show. The thesaurus also provides words that are not quite synonymous with virtual but are similar enough to be instructive. All of these words can and should apply to Christians. A Christian should be an "absolute, complete, unqualified, wholehearted, genuine, and real" Christian. The word virtual is derived from the word virtue. Virtue is defined as follows: Noun; moral excellence, goodness, righteousness. Synonyms includes: goodness, integrity, uprightness, justice, probity, rectitude, and prudence. These words should also characterize a Christian. It takes work to produce *Virtual Christian Magazine*. It takes work to put on the mind of Christ. As virtual Christians we are still learning, still growing. Just as the magazine will have an occasional typographical error that gets by the editors, so we, as Christians will have some sins that sneak by unnoticed. When these are brought to our attention, we make corrections and continue on. We depend on Christ living in us to bring each of us closer and closer to the goal of being a Virtual Christian. Copyright 1999 by United Church of God, an International Association All rights reserved.