Is Minecraft Evil or Spiritual Dangerous? Can Christians Play Minecraft?

[Solomons Porch]

I am asking this question in regards to a lady whose son loves this game. He has posters on his wall in his bedroom of this game. I have no clue at all if this game has evil intentions or good, it's hard to know these days. I tried looking it up on the internet and got various answers. Some are saying it's inviting evil spirits into their home and others seem to not be bothered by the game. So I am looking for "advice" as to anyone out there that may know for sure if this game can open doors to evil or not? Again, this is not my child and I am seeking answers for his mom. She has been dealing with terrible things happening in her home for 9 yrs and is trying to get to the root of the problem. Her daughter is suicidal and does self harm. The mother is deeply depressed and sometimes suicidal. The teenage boy is suicidal and the father sleeps in seperate bedroom from the wife and has for 9 years and the marriage is failing. Everyone there is always fearful and they only experience "some" relief when they are outside of the home. There is alot more detail to this story but I am trying to keep it brief. So any info about this game would help me, thank you.

 

[All4Christ]

I see no problem with it personally. I doubt those problems (though very serious) are due to Minecraft. It's a building game...

 

[Left]

Minecraft has zombies and skeletons in it. That's not exactly fortifying. And is a very addicting game and a bit nonsensical. My nephews play it all the time and I worry about them.

If someone were to ask me if it was a fun game, I would say yes. Fun and addicting. But it certainly isn't Christian. There tend to be better games to play - there is a game like Minecraft but more lighthearted coming out today called Lego Worlds. I cannot guarantee it has no bad content, but I just think it will be a tiny bit better to play.

 

[DeerGlow]

Mainly it's a plain game. Everything in the world is made of blocks (except the water and is very square. The only "evil" thing I can think of is the Ender or the Nether. The Nether is a place you take a portal of fire and obsidian to get to, and it is all lava and red pieces with some other materials. Things that spawn there are these zombie-skeleton things, maybe bats, and giant ghosts that spit fire. This is only in survival mode I think.

The End(er?) I have never gotten to myself but the portal is this arrangement of blocks with an eye of ender. In the End (may be) wolves, yetis, a dragon and giant snakes. There are also castles that you need a scale of the snake to enter that are indestructible without one. The boss is usually a shielded wizard who summons other monsters to fight you.

Edit: Most players cannot get to the End, and the nether is unusual. Players will probably spend most time in the regular world.

 

[All4Christ]

This is a photo of the "zombie"...



Creative mode doesn't have the zombies or survival elements though (I think).

Creative – Official Minecraft Wiki

 

[Left]

I get the feeling I'm going to lose the "argument" in this thread that Minecraft is a questionable game. I just wish you could hear my nephews talking about Ender dragons and I thought magic and all that stuff and see what I mean.

 

[All4Christ]

I get the feeling I'm going to lose the "argument" in this thread that Minecraft is a questionable game. I just wish you could hear my nephews talking about Ender dragons and I thought magic and all that stuff and see what I mean.

I'd say that any game can become a problem if some becomes addicted to it. Inherently, I don't think it is a problem though. That's my opinion. I don't have a problem with Lord of the Rings - or Chronicles of Narnia. I don't see them as inherently bad. However, if someone becomes obsessed with them, it can become bad. It's the same concept with Minecraft.

That said, once we have kids, I plan to limit their gameplay to a reasonable amount of time. I've seen kids addicted to video and computer games, and I'd like to avoid that, especially when they are young.

I'd also say that very young children are extremely impressionable, so that should be considered as well.

 

[Solomons Porch]

I get the feeling I'm going to lose the "argument" in this thread that Minecraft is a questionable game. I just wish you could hear my nephews talking about Ender dragons and I thought magic and all that stuff and see what I mean.

Theory I must say I got your back so please share. Some people see and feel things that others dont. So please share I find this helpful. I do not have any children in my home and this game is foreign to me. Anything insightful is good and for those that have different opinion, thats ok. I will take all things given to me and let the Holy Spirit reveal truth or lie. So please continue

 

[Solomons Porch]

Mainly it's a plain game. Everything in the world is made of blocks (except the water and is very square. The only "evil" thing I can think of is the Ender or the Nether. The Nether is a place you take a portal of fire and obsidian to get to, and it is all lava and red pieces with some other materials. Things that spawn there are these zombie-skeleton things, maybe bats, and giant ghosts that spit fire. This is only in survival mode I think.

The End(er?) I have never gotten to myself but the portal is this arrangement of blocks with an eye of ender. In the End (may be) wolves, yetis, a dragon and giant snakes. There are also castles that you need a scale of the snake to enter that are indestructible without one. The boss is usually a shielded wizard who summons other monsters to fight you.

Edit: Most players cannot get to the End, and the nether is unusual. Players will probably spend most time in the regular world.

When you separate the 2 words mine and craft it for some reason, cant explain why, that it suggests the "mind" to become "crafty" if that makes sense, i dont know?? And possibly not in a good and fruitful kind of way, your thoughts?

 

[All4Christ]

When you separate the 2 words mine and craft it for some reason, cant explain why, that it suggests the "mind" to become "crafty" if that makes sense, i dont know?? And possibly not in a good and fruitful kind of way, your thoughts?

If I may...

It's because you get resources from the mines and you craft buildings...

You could conceive it to have a different meaning, but that is not the origin of the name. It also seems to be reading into the name.

 

[Goodbook]

Minecraft..witchcraft?
Just looking at the wiki..says in the game you do things like teleport, the soundtrack is ghostly, you end up in 'the nether' and you fight hostile creatures. Oh and you get points for killing other players.

Sounds like, waste of time to me..

Are the family concerned christians?

 

[Solomons Porch]

If I may...

It's because you get resources from the mines and you craft buildings...

You could conceive it to have a different meaning, but that is not the origin of the name. It also seems to be reading into the name.

Ok I see your point in that. I suppose I like to dig for deeper meaning on alot of things to test or discern what is good or bad. My thoughts are that satan has been extremely clever is "sneaking" his ways slowly into the hearts and minds of others by means of making something "seem" very innocent in the beginning for it to only turn into something greater later on, for it is his job to deceive and manipulate the truth. He has become more (crafty) if you will at manipulating issues to seem pure and innocent when in the long run it was just a "kindergarten" trick of his to eventually graduate a person to a higher level of "craftiness" therefore "graduating" his crafty class.

Again, I am not saying the game is evil or not, because I truly do not know. Thats why I am here asking so that I can gain knowledge of the game. BUT I will go ahead and state my (opinion) that Lord of the Rings is a yes to evil on my radar. But I am still questioning Minecraft at this point. No thoughts or opinions are being dismissed thats for sure I am considering all.

 

[Left]

Theory I must say I got your back so please share. Some people see and feel things that others dont. So please share I find this helpful. I do not have any children in my home and this game is foreign to me. Anything insightful is good and for those that have different opinion, thats ok. I will take all things given to me and let the Holy Spirit reveal truth or lie. So please continue

My nephews, age 14 and 7, were normal individuals before a family member of theirs bought them a $20 Minecraft game for Christmas. They spend 4 hours a day playing it and more time watching it on Youtube. The 14 year old nephew is now grades behind on schoolwork (he homeschools). He developed something called Aspergers, but I'm not going to call it the game's fault, at least not entirely. Whenever I see them play the game on TV, I see skeleton pictures with candle lights on the screen. I cannot understand a word they are saying sometimes as I don't play Minecraft. And I worry about their spiritual state.

 

[Solomons Porch]

Minecraft..witchcraft?
Just looking at the wiki..says in the game you do things like teleport, the soundtrack is ghostly, you end up in 'the nether' and you fight hostile creatures. Oh and you get points for killing other players.

Sounds like, waste of time to me..

Are the family concerned christians?

That is interesting I will go to wiki and look it up, thank you. The mom (claims) to be christian but I am weary to the claims and really dont wanna speak wrongly of her at this point. I personally hear "witchcraft" in this game, but I cannot say for sure yet, digging for answers.

 

[Solomons Porch]

My nephews, age 14 and 7, were normal individuals before a family member of theirs bought them a $20 Minecraft game for Christmas. They spend 4 hours a day playing it and more time watching it on Youtube. The 14 year old nephew is now grades behind on schoolwork (he homeschools). He developed something called Aspergers, but I'm not going to call it the game's fault, at least not entirely. Whenever I see them play the game on TV, I see skeleton pictures with candle lights on the screen. I cannot understand a word they are saying sometimes as I don't play Minecraft. And I worry about their spiritual state.

Wow I cant understand someone playing a game for that amount of time. The mind kinda seems like it would become unfruitful in anyway EXCEPT for the game itself. This causes me concern.

 

[Solomons Porch]

Minecraft features two alternate dimensions besides the main world—the Nether and the End.[22] The Nether is a hell-like dimension accessed via player-built portals that contains many unique resources and can be used to travel great distances in the overworld.[27] The End is a barren land in which a boss dragon called the Ender Dragon dwells.[28] Killing the dragon cues the game's ending credits, written by Irish author Julian Gough.[29] Players are then allowed to teleport back to their original spawn point in the overworld, and will receive the "The End" achievement. There is also a second boss called "The Wither", which upon defeat drops a specific material needed to build a placeable beacon that can enhance certain abilities of all nearby players.

This is an excerpt from wiki on Minecraft, thank you Goodbook. Others thoughts upon reading this??

 

[Left]

I believe this is a picture of the Netherworld:

 

[Solomons Porch]

I believe this is a picture of the Netherworld:

Oh my goodness! Is this like a pit and a lake of fire? STRANGE

 

[JCFantasy23]

I find it positive - great for creativity.

 

[Solomons Porch]

I find it positive - great for creativity.

What do you think of the above post from Theory?