July 28, 2009

  • Video game conundrum

    So there is was a yahoo news item that showed the distaste of a recent EA marketing ploy.  Within the article was another EA stunt that hired fake Christians against a game titled Dante's Inferno.  Here's the link.

    http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/plugged-in/ea-hires-fake-christians-to-protest-own-video-game/1323928

    The funny thing is, it's not that far of an exaggeration for some Christians.  Take for instance the old pen and paper Dungeons and Dragons.  I remember people saying it was the devil's game.  You virtually killed people.....basically did whatever your imagination allowed you to do.  I actually knew someone who had to give up D & D in order to get married.  Small price to pay if he wanted to get married, but really?  Chances are a lot of D & D was more like the following:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCge-g1MO3A&videos=SRYrxsbCUEk&playnext_from=TL&playnext=1

    ok...maybe...not...quite like that, but hardly anything Satanic....unless you wanted to.  Problem is, we only hear about the negatives of video game playing.  If someone goes on a shooting spree and people find out that they were playing violent video games, they immediately associated the two together.  Yet, here is a fake group that is trying to prevent people from playing a violent video game and people are crying foul.  Is it because Christians are really not this way?  That they are not carried away by their interpretations of the Bible?

    What about Christians who forbid dancing, drinking, sex before marriage, rock and roll music, playing card games, etc.?  What do Christians do with Matthew 5:21-28?  If mere thinking about adultry is equivlent to already committing adultry.  That being angry is liable to judgement?  Now, in these passages, the word sin is not used, but it most certainly can be inferred.  The question then is:

    If I virtually sin in gameplay (kill, steal, etc), have I sinned before God?  This isn't a simple question.  Already a Japanese man has been arrested for virtually killing a wife in an online game!  If the simplistic definition of sin is whatever is contrary to God's will, have I sinned during gameplay?  Does God will that I not play violent video games?  Hmmm....what about those "innocent" koopa troopas and goombas?  Mario and Luigi certainly had their fill of stomping on them and bringing the fiery wrath of God upon being transformed into beings of fire themselves.  Oh right....they were trying to save the princess....except when the princess turns out to be like this:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEsS6M5mBjQ

    I don't think that playing violent video games is sinning.  Most people I think would agree, but let's not hold some kind of double standard decrying the violence of video games and then decry the prevention of playing violent video games.  Sure, the latter was made up.......though......not by much.