Tis very real, friends!
Our church on Lake Austin has been there for 4 years and has a thriving church family. There have not been any rival churches built yet there.
Many years ago, before I started construction of the church on Lake Austin, I sent an email to EA asking permission to do such a thing. They emailed me back giving me permission to do so, and wished me luck. After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I started construction, and thus started the UO ministry.
Why does EA allow the church and the ministry to exist and continue?
Well, firstly I believe it is by the grace of God that this is allowed to continue, because He truely loves us. As a result, through His grace we are allowed to do what we can to reach others in His name, as long as we do not bash the beliefs of others (which we have never done).
Second, I have heard, a couple or so years back, a story another player related to me one day while I was witnessing on onother shard. This person said she paged a gm about my witnessing, and the person and the gm had a chat. This person asked the gm what if a rival church was put up, like for satanic worship. The gm threatened to action her (I believe it was a her, was so long ago) account, but she backed off right away saying it was only a hypothetical question. The gm continued in saying, according to her, that only Christianity is allowed in this game because of what it teaches... something no other religion can even come close to.
This is a very interesting story for sure
. I do not know if such an incident really happened, but there you have it. So, if it is a true story, there is no worries of rival churches etc. If anyone ever did intend to do so, I suggest they email EA and ask permission as I have done.
Have a blessed day.