Gaming

[Thatgirloncfforums]

I love playing video games, BUT(!), every game worth playing has some magic involved. Sometimes it's as overt as pentagrams, witches, fortune telling, ect., even when the game is not about those things.
There just aren't any Christian games out there.
What do I do? I feel bad for playing even the lighter ones and am discouraged that I don't have decent games to play.

Thanks.

 

[returntosender]

I love playing video games, BUT(!), every game worth playing has some magic involved. Sometimes it's as overt as pentagrams, witches, fortune telling, ect., even when the game is not about those things.
There just aren't any Christian games out there.
What do I do? I feel bad for playing even the lighter ones and am discouraged that I don't have decent games to play.

Thanks.

Good girl!
I play them also but mostly card. Probably if I looked hard enough I could find something evil in them. Seems it's everywhere now. Have you googled for Christian games. I applaud you for your fortitude

 

[Sketcher]

A few questions:

1. What games do you like to play?
   
2. What genres of games are you open to trying?
3. How strictly are you judging "magic?" Are the power-ups in the Mario games foul play to you, or are you chiefly concerned with more overtly demonic stuff?

 

[Freth]

I love playing video games, BUT(!), every game worth playing has some magic involved. Sometimes it's as overt as pentagrams, witches, fortune telling, ect., even when the game is not about those things.
There just aren't any Christian games out there.
What do I do? I feel bad for playing even the lighter ones and am discouraged that I don't have decent games to play.

Thanks.

I love video games too. I've spent most of my life playing video games—forty plus years. After coming back to Christianity, I went through the same thing. Most games want you to kill to advance. The vast majority of games have some sort of magic system. Some games make you worship deities for spell power.

I allowed myself to continue to play games for a long time, making excuses. Eventually, my conscience won out over gaming and I quit cold turkey. Months later, I sought out games that don't require killing or magic to enjoy. Open sandbox, exploration, crafting and resource gathering games. This went on for some time, until I realized gaming was a bigger priority in my life than my Christian walk. I quit gaming altogether.

Every thing we do should be to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Gaming does not glorify God. It is a time sink that keeps you engaged in a throwaway experience, and away from God.

The themes you see in games are pervasive, and saturate the gaming landscape. Some are blatant, in your face, but some are hidden behind esoteric symbolism. If you take anything away from this post, please take a step back and look at other forms of media, like TV shows and movies, streaming services—that put out the darkest content. Some of it is blatant, some of it is not.

I not only stopped playing games, but I stopped watching movies and TV shows. I stopped listening to my favorite music. All because I know for a fact that the messages in these forms of media are bad influences on my faith. That's something I can't abide in my life.

While I have no doubt you could find wholesome games to play, the question I keep asking myself, the one that keeps me level-headed is a simple one. Will I be playing games, watching TV and movies, and listening to secular music in heaven? The answer is no. So why should I, a Christian who is looking to heaven, be taking in entertainment tailored by the prince of this world (Satan)?

God bless!

 

[SkyWriting]

I love playing video games, BUT(!), every game worth playing has some magic involved. Sometimes it's as overt as pentagrams, witches, fortune telling, ect., even when the game is not about those things.
There just aren't any Christian games out there.
What do I do? I feel bad for playing even the lighter ones and am discouraged that I don't have decent games to play.

Thanks.

There are a few platforms where you can design games. Try that.
You could learn a lot about creating a good game from:

1. Also good for getting wealthy
2. Getting healthy
3. Loosing weight
4. studying scripture
5. and anything

In my life, this is the only book I've listen to 3 times.
I plan to print out the entire book and go though it page by page.

 

[Jamdoc]

I love playing video games, BUT(!), every game worth playing has some magic involved. Sometimes it's as overt as pentagrams, witches, fortune telling, ect., even when the game is not about those things.
There just aren't any Christian games out there.
What do I do? I feel bad for playing even the lighter ones and am discouraged that I don't have decent games to play.

Thanks.

I see it a lot as a liberty in Christ issue.
If you find that your gaming is altering your beliefs or influencing your world views, or damaging your relationship with God or is a means of temptation to sin, like let's say you play a competitive game and get frustrated and angry at other players, and feel tempted to put down other people (Gamer rage, in other words), it can be something you should avoid because it causes you to stumble into sin, or hurts your witness.
Otherwise, you need discernment to recognize where the game is trying to alter your world views and views on God. I know that a lot of RPG's can have very distorted views on religion and God, and can make the claim that God or the church are the villains.
There is spiritual warfare involved there.
For some people, it's probably best to avoid exposure to that.
For others, they can lean on Christ and they aren't affected by it.

I avoid competitive games because I recognize that that becomes a stumbling block for me, outside of say.. Mario Kart with real friends or smash brothers or something like that where, we're all friends, and nobody's taking it seriously so no "rage" is built up or expressed.
But its harder for me to do that when it's someone over the internet... so I remove myself from that situation.

as for game content.. that takes a lot of judgement and discernment, not only do many games contain some sort of magic, but most games involve violence as well, a lot of games are also sexually suggestive.
Yeah.. they ARE trying to lure you into something dark.
Recognizing that, I suppose it is your decision as to whether this is something you should avoid or not.

 

[Jamdoc]

I love video games too. I've spent most of my life playing video games—forty plus years. After coming back to Christianity, I went through the same thing. Most games want you to kill to advance. The vast majority of games have some sort of magic system. Some games make you worship deities for spell power.

I allowed myself to continue to play games for a long time, making excuses. Eventually, my conscience won out over gaming and I quit cold turkey. Months later, I sought out games that don't require killing or magic to enjoy. Open sandbox, exploration, crafting and resource gathering games. This went on for some time, until I realized gaming was a bigger priority in my life than my Christian walk. I quit gaming altogether.

Every thing we do should be to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Gaming does not glorify God. It is a time sink that keeps you engaged in a throwaway experience, and away from God.

The themes you see in games are pervasive, and saturate the gaming landscape. Some are blatant, in your face, but some are hidden behind esoteric symbolism. If you take anything away from this post, please take a step back and look at other forms of media, like TV shows and movies, streaming services—that put out the darkest content. Some of it is blatant, some of it is not.

I not only stopped playing games, but I stopped watching movies and TV shows. I stopped listening to my favorite music. All because I know for a fact that the messages in these forms of media are bad influences on my faith. That's something I can't abide in my life.

While I have no doubt you could find wholesome games to play, the question I keep asking myself, the one that keeps me level-headed is a simple one. Will I be playing games, watching TV and movies, and listening to secular music in heaven? The answer is no. So why should I, a Christian who is looking to heaven, be taking in entertainment tailored by the prince of this world (Satan)?

God bless!

So, what do you do with your free time?
and how are you so sure we won't enjoy recreational activities in eternity?

I mean I hope we do
cause if it really is just falling on our face and singing
please delete me from existence.

 

[Freth]

So, what do you do with your free time?
and how are you so sure we won't enjoy recreational activities in eternity?

I mean I hope we do
cause if it really is just falling on our face and singing
please delete me from existence.

I spend a lot of time on these forums, reading and posting, which has me searching scripture. I watch wholesome YouTube content that I can learn from. I get out and go run errands, or go to the park and enjoy nature (I'm retired). I do have hobbies which I rarely engage in, like hiking, camping, metal detecting, geocaching, and photography. Most of the time, I typically stay engrossed in online Christian interaction, like these forums and others.

Isaiah describes the new heaven and new earth as a place where you can build your own house and grow your own food. I would imagine there are limitless things to learn about God's creation, as well as a whole universe that could be explored.

Isaiah 65:21-23 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.​

Paul describes something so fantastical, that we can't possibly imagine it.

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
​

I don't think we'll be bored. As to whether we'll have games in the new heaven and new earth, I suppose we'll find out. The difference would be that there wouldn't be the sin component anymore. I envision our activities centered around God's creation for us, and not artificial worlds or constructs, as they would be distractions.

 

[Jamdoc]

I spend a lot of time on these forums, reading and posting, which has me searching scripture. I watch wholesome YouTube content that I can learn from. I get out and go run errands, or go to the park and enjoy nature (I'm retired). I do have hobbies which I rarely engage in, like hiking, camping, metal detecting, geocaching, and photography. Most of the time, I typically stay engrossed in online Christian interaction, like these forums and others.

Isaiah describes the new heaven and new earth as a place where you can build your own house and grow your own food. I would imagine there are limitless things to learn about God's creation, as well as a whole universe that could be explored.

Isaiah 65:21-23 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.​

Paul describes something so fantastical, that we can't possibly imagine it.

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
​

I don't think we'll be bored. As to whether we'll have games in the new heaven and new earth, I suppose we'll find out. The difference would be that there wouldn't be the sin component anymore. I envision our activities centered around God's creation for us, and not artificial worlds or constructs, as they would be distractions.

There's a lot I can't physically do, because of disability, and because the disability also involves immunosuppressive medication so the vaccines wouldn't really help me, I'm kind of just stuck at home a lot.
so I basically have to figure out things I can do within the 4 walls of my home, that don't require a lot of physical activity (even standing and walking), I even had to give up guitar because my fingers.. just can't do it anymore, they go numb and tingly frequently and sometimes have muscle spasms that make my fingers tense up out of my control.

I get bored really frequently, even WITH video games as an option sometimes I stare at what I have and feel like I don't feel like doing anything that's in front of me, I've already read the bible enough that I had been getting bored and my mind started wandering there (Its easier for me to get bored of something I can't interact with, I can't even watch a movie in 1 sitting because I get bored partway through, unless I'm watching with someone else and then I watch for their sake).

When every time I've prayed asking what should I do, the answer is always wait..
So.. even something that just wastes time has value in that.

 

[Freth]

There's a lot I can't physically do, because of disability, and because the disability also involves immunosuppressive medication so the vaccines wouldn't really help me, I'm kind of just stuck at home a lot.
so I basically have to figure out things I can do within the 4 walls of my home, that don't require a lot of physical activity (even standing and walking), I even had to give up guitar because my fingers.. just can't do it anymore, they go numb and tingly frequently and sometimes have muscle spasms that make my fingers tense up out of my control.

I get bored really frequently, even WITH video games as an option sometimes I stare at what I have and feel like I don't feel like doing anything that's in front of me, I've already read the bible enough that I had been getting bored and my mind started wandering there (Its easier for me to get bored of something I can't interact with, I can't even watch a movie in 1 sitting because I get bored partway through, unless I'm watching with someone else and then I watch for their sake).

When every time I've prayed asking what should I do, the answer is always wait..
So.. even something that just wastes time has value in that.

There are countless things you can do inside to keep busy, but I can understand how things would get boring. I have that problem myself sometimes.

I've found watching people make miniature scenes (dioramas) on YouTube quite fun. If I had the patience for it, it would be something I would be doing something similar, but I have too many other interests and I've never been a hands-on kind of person, more the computer geek.

 

[aiki]

Does it ever occur to you not to play games? Would you be able - or even willing - never to play a video game again? Have you ever tried? If not, you have been brought under the power of video gaming, you are a slave to it, and are in disobedience to God in remaining in such bondage.

There is nothing wrong with gaming - now and then. But if it is a daily practice and well in excess of the time you give God every day, and if you can't imagine enjoying life without gaming, well, your problem isn't finding a game to play, but that you have an idol in your life that is competing with God - and winning.

You'll have to give an account one day to God for the life you've lived - and wasted. Gaming is entertainment; it has no eternal value whatever and is, actually, an enormous distraction from far, far more important, more lasting and useful things.

You exist to serve God. It's why He made you. You don't have life so you can spend it in the empty, futile noise and colors of a digital fantasy.

 

[Jamdoc]

Does it ever occur to you not to play games? Would you be able - or even willing - never to play a video game again? Have you ever tried? If not, you have been brought under the power of video gaming, you are a slave to it, and are in disobedience to God in remaining in such bondage.

There is nothing wrong with gaming - now and then. But if it is a daily practice and well in excess of the time you give God every day, and if you can't imagine enjoying life without gaming, well, your problem isn't finding a game to play, but that you have an idol in your life that is competing with God - and winning.

You'll have to give an account one day to God for the life you've lived - and wasted. Gaming is entertainment; it has no eternal value whatever and is, actually, an enormous distraction from far, far more important, more lasting and useful things.

You exist to serve God. It's why He made you. You don't have life so you can spend it in the empty, futile noise and colors of a digital fantasy.

Well then it'd be nice for Him to give me some ideas aside from just "wait", healing my body so that I could actually go outside and do things would be a start.

I read the bible every day until I reach a point where going further ends up making me lose focus and be unable to pay attention to what I'm reading because I've gotten bored, could be only 5 chapters, could be an entire book, or multiple epistles if they're short. I pray, multiple times a day, I listen to sermons, daily, I listen to news reports daily and track on what aligns with prophecy
I check here almost constantly.. but in a lot of that it's just passively absorbing information, I'm not interacting, so I'm still bored.
so yeah, I'll do something mindless in a game while listening to a sermon or Christian podcast.. just to give me something to interact with.

but to say nope, I'm not going to use any entertainment I'm just going to pray and read the bible while stuck inside 1 house unless going to a doctor's appointment, um.. I don't even know if you comprehend how stir crazy that is.

 

[coffee4u]

I love playing video games, BUT(!), every game worth playing has some magic involved. Sometimes it's as overt as pentagrams, witches, fortune telling, ect., even when the game is not about those things.
There just aren't any Christian games out there.
What do I do? I feel bad for playing even the lighter ones and am discouraged that I don't have decent games to play.

Thanks.

There are games you can play where you avoid those things. I love playing Sims 2 and building and decorating houses. There are witches in it, but you don't have to play them. Same way real life has all kind of things available, but just because you walk near to it doesn't mean you need open the door and dip your toes into it.
I am sure also you could play Minecraft or Animal Crossing without those elements.

 

[aiki]

Well then it'd be nice for Him to give me some ideas aside from just "wait", healing my body so that I could actually go outside and do things would be a start.

So, it's God's fault you can't find a better use of your time than video gaming? You can just while away your life in a useless game 'cause God hasn't healed you?

I read the bible every day until I reach a point where going further ends up making me lose focus and be unable to pay attention to what I'm reading because I've gotten bored, could be only 5 chapters, could be an entire book, or multiple epistles if they're short.

God intends you to do far more with His word than merely read it.

I pray, multiple times a day, I listen to sermons, daily, I listen to news reports daily and track on what aligns with prophecy
I check here almost constantly.. but in a lot of that it's just passively absorbing information, I'm not interacting, so I'm still bored.

I remember a wise father saying to his children every time they complained to him about being bored, "You're bored because you're boring." He's right. God has given us Himself, He's given us imagination, various skills, the ability to think, learn and communicate, humor, creativity, and host of other things we can engage to stave off boredom. There is no good reason, then, ever to be bored. Keep a journal, write a book, learn something new (a language, philosophy, history, etc.), encourage another, invent something useful.

but to say nope, I'm not going to use any entertainment I'm just going to pray and read the bible while stuck inside 1 house unless going to a doctor's appointment, um.. I don't even know if you comprehend how stir crazy that is.

??? Why should I try and comprehend it? I didn't urge this on anyone. What you wrote here is your cartoon version of my remarks, not what I actually wrote. Maybe you were just too bored to understand what my post really communicated...

 

[Jamdoc]

So, it's God's fault you can't find a better use of your time than video gaming? You can just while away your life in a useless game 'cause God hasn't healed you?

Well, I ask and He says wait.
and you say I should be off.. doing something that requires physical capabilities I don't have, healing me so I actually have the physical capabilities to do something would be a start.

God intends you to do far more with His word than merely read it.

Well it's certainly not witnessing because any time I try to witness it just causes rejection, where someone else would successfully be listened to. It's probably more profitable for me to shut up regarding that and have someone else do it, because they'd be better at it.

I asked God about it, and He told me to remember Mephibosheth.
I asked again, and this was praying silently and not moving my lips, because I don't really care to have an enemy overhear what I speak to God about.. and the hose from my Cpap machine got yanked out and thrown to the floor so I had trouble breathing. It got my attention.. to stop asking the same question and doubting the answer I got.

so I wait.
but that's a lot of time

 

[aiki]

Well, I ask and He says wait.
and you say I should be off.. doing something that requires physical capabilities I don't have, healing me so I actually have the physical capabilities to do something would be a start.

He says, "Wait" and nothing else? Nothing? Have you actually read the Bible? God's got a whole lot more to say to you in it than "Wait."

Using your God-given imagination, your ability to learn, your capacity to communicate, your powers of thought require physical capabilities?

Well it's certainly not witnessing because any time I try to witness it just causes rejection, where someone else would successfully be listened to. It's probably more profitable for me to shut up regarding that and have someone else

Do you learn from your failures? Or just quit when things go poorly? Mistakes are a necessary feature of growth and learning. Don't use them as an excuse to give up.

I asked God about it, and He told me to remember Mephibosheth.

Oh? How do you know God said this?

I asked again, and this was praying silently and not moving my lips, because I don't really care to have an enemy overhear what I speak to God about.. and the hose from my Cpap machine got yanked out and thrown to the floor so I had trouble breathing. It got my attention.. to stop asking the same question and doubting the answer I got.

Sounds a rather superstitious conclusion, to me. Just because you can correlate two things to each other in time or space doesn't mean they are causally related.

God doesn't ever use coincidence to communicate to people in the record of Scripture. On what biblical grounds, then, are you basing your superstitious conclusion that God removed your CPAP mask to tell you to stop praying along a particular line? How do you prove you're correct? It seems to me you must assume - guess, really - about the divine message in your CPAP mishap. Which is why God, in the Bible, never used coincidence to communicate.

 

[returntosender]

building houses and crafts, etc, are not the same as games.

 

[returntosender]

She didn't ask for judgement. Tsk tsk tsk

 

[Jamdoc]

He says, "Wait" and nothing else? Nothing? Have you actually read the Bible? God's got a whole lot more to say to you in it than "Wait."

I've read the bible multiple times this year. But as far as what God has told me to do personally? It's been wait and watch.
Walking up to people and witnessing, or preaching, kinda requires physical walking, leaving the house. I'm a cripple.

Do you learn from your failures? Or just quit when things go poorly? Mistakes are a necessary feature of growth and learning. Don't use them as an excuse to give up.

People hate me so much that they will disagree with me or reject what I'm telling them just to spite me has been a problem.
even just telling someone "Jesus loves you" results in a person hating me and then in turn, hating Jesus.
I then feel responsible because I just caused someone to reject Christ.
I've even tried witnessing in online games, being that's an avenue I can actually talk to people and they can't judge me by my physical appearance so maybe they wouldn't instantly hate me and hate anything I said even if it's good news.
Nope.. that hate follows me.
I've been called "Christcuck" more times than I want to remember.
I feel like it's not helping the Kingdom at all.

Oh? How do you know God said this?

John 14

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

It's through scripture, I ask, I get pointed to scripture, or a word from scripture. Such as just the name Mephibosheth
or
"I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope."
which is Psalm 130:5

Sounds a rather superstitious conclusion, to me. Just because you can correlate two things to each other in time or space doesn't mean they are causally related.

God doesn't ever use coincidence to communicate to people in the record of Scripture. On what biblical grounds, then, are you basing your superstitious conclusion that God removed your CPAP mask to tell you to stop praying along a particular line? How do you prove you're correct? It seems to me you must assume - guess, really - about the divine message in your CPAP mishap. Which is why God, in the Bible, never used coincidence to communicate.

Well, it was repeating the same question I had asked before and gotten those 2 answers before, silently, without moving my mouth.
Can demons read your mind?
God can, Psalm 139
so.. right then.. when I asked my question... no the mask did not fall off, it was the tube that connects to the mask and it was pulled out.

What do you do when a child asks the same question repeatedly and won't accept your answer?

Discipline.

 

[Jamdoc]

anyway we're getting off track.

I think gaming is a Christian liberty issue that requires discernment as to what can lead you to sin, or subjects yourself to content that is unhealthy spiritually.

others say don't game at all.