Anyone else disturbed by the idea of Left Behind Games?

[alaurie]

I'm pretty much horrified.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-godgames10may10,0,1546594,full.story?coll=la-home-business

"We're going to push this game at Christian kids to let them know there's a cool shooter game out there," said attorney Jack Thompson, an author and outspoken critic of video game violence. "Because of the Christian context, somehow it's OK? It's not OK. The context is irrelevant. It's a mass-killing game."

...Not surprisingly, Left Behind Games' attempt to make Christianity accessible to youngsters through the use of lethal firepower has its critics. Thompson, for instance, said he severed ties with Tyndale House in a dispute over "Eternal Forces."

"It's absurd," the video game critic said. "You can be the Christians blowing away the infidels, and if that doesn't hit your hot button, you can be the Antichrist blowing away all the Christians."

http://www.leftbehindgames.com/pages/the_games.htm

· Conduct physical & spiritual warfare : using the power of prayer to strengthen your troops in combat and wield modern military weaponry throughout the game world.
· Recover ancient scriptures and witness spectacular Angelic and Demonic activity as a direct consequence of your choices.
· Command your forces through intense battles across a breathtaking, authentic depiction of New York City .
· Control more than 30 units types - from Prayer Warrior and Hellraiser to Spies, Special Forces and Battle Tanks!
· Enjoy a robust single player experience across dozens of New York City maps in Story Mode – fighting in China Town , SoHo , Uptown and more!

I thought of Mere Christianity while reading about this. CS Lewis says about war...

"...It is therefore in my opinion, perfectly right for ...a Christian soldier to kill an enemy. I have always thought so, ever since I became a Christian, and long before the war, and I still think so now that we are at peace. It is no good quoting, "Thou shalt not kill." there are two Greek words: the ordinary word to kill and the word to murder. And when Christ quotes that commandment He uses the murder one in all three accounts, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. And I am told there is the same distinction in Hewbrew. All killling is not murder any more than all sexual intercourse is adultry. When soldiers came to St John the Baptist asking what to do, he never remotely suggested that they ought to leave the army: nor did Christ when He met a Roman sergeant-major--what they called a centurion.
...We may kill if necessary, but we must not hate and enjoy it."

Emphasis mine

How is playing a video game about killing in Christ's name not enjoying it?

 

[Melethiel]

I was kind of hoping that was a joke.

 

[+RubiesFire+]

Wow?!

 

[megg]

I recently heard about this and found it very disturbing. I don't believe I will let my child play this game. I have heard its up there with Grand Theft Auto.

 

[NeoScribe]

As a fan of the Left Behind series a was appalled when I read about the game. You can be sure I'll never play it nor will I let my brothers play it.

 

[Quick]

I don't know. There were certainly times when God called the faithful to wage destruction on the unfaithful. Shall that ever happen again? I guess the authors of the book "Left Behind" think so. There certainly is Biblical precedent for such possibilities:

Deuteronomy 20:16-17 (New International Version)
In the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you.

Deuteronomy 7:16 (New International Version)
You must destroy all the peoples the LORD your God gives over to you. Do not look on them with pity.

Deuteronomy 13:6-10 (New International Version)
If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, "Let us go and worship other gods" (gods that neither you nor your fathers have known, gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), do not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity. Do not spare him or shield him. You must certainly put him to death. Your hand must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people. Stone him to death, because he tried to turn you away from the LORD your God.

Joshua 10:40-42 (New International Version)
So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes, together with all their kings. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded. Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon. All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.

Leviticus 20:13 (New International Version)
If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

Matthew 10:34-36 (New International Version)
"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn " 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her motherinlaw— a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'

Luke 12:49-53 (New International Version)
"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.

Luke 14:26 (New International Version)
"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple."
​

 

[kamikat]

I find this game horrifying. How is this any different from any other first person shooter besides the story? If our children shouldn't be exposed to bloody shooter games, we shouldn't let them play it just because the story has a different focus. I certainly hope that the so called family-friendly activist groups come out against this one, too.

kamikat

 

[Stan53]

Anyone else disturbed by the idea of Left Behind Games?
No. Being left behind scares me witless. And that isn't about to happen. But a game? Not likely. It is just a game. Next we will be scared of our own shadow. Seems we might need to think about growing up a bit.

 

[kamikat]

It is just a game. Next we will be scared of our own shadow. Seems we might need to think about growing up a bit.

It's fine if adults do want to play first person shooters, but our kids should not.
From the company's website

We anticipate our titles will be classified as both action, strategy and adventure genres, and will likely receive either an "E" rating (appropriate for ages 6 and up) or a "T" rating (appropriate for ages 13 and up).

What this means is that Christian parents looking for a "nice, wholesome game" will see that it's rated for 13 and up or possibly 6 and up and think that because the storyline is "Christian", that it will be safe for thier kids to play without supervision. We should not expose our children to first person shooters no matter what the storyline is.

kamikat

 

[alaurie]

I don't know. There were certainly times when God called the faithful to wage destruction on the unfaithful. Shall that ever happen again? I guess the authors of the book "Left Behind" think so. There certainly is Biblical precedent for such possibilities:

​

Didn't quote all your scriptures becuase I've read them, know that it's necessary for God's adult children sometimes to go to war. I'm fairly certain I made that clear in the OP; did you read it, or just the thread title?

But you can't dig up a single verse where scripture says "go forth and create interactive games for financial gain in which children are to kill as appropriate play".

 

[alaurie]

bump

...because I'm still disturbed about this

 

[woobadooba]

I'm pretty much horrified.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-godgames10may10,0,1546594,full.story?coll=la-home-business



http://www.leftbehindgames.com/pages/the_games.htm



I thought of Mere Christianity while reading about this. CS Lewis says about war...

"...It is therefore in my opinion, perfectly right for ...a Christian soldier to kill an enemy. I have always thought so, ever since I became a Christian, and long before the war, and I still think so now that we are at peace. It is no good quoting, "Thou shalt not kill." there are two Greek words: the ordinary word to kill and the word to murder. And when Christ quotes that commandment He uses the murder one in all three accounts, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. And I am told there is the same distinction in Hewbrew. All killling is not murder any more than all sexual intercourse is adultry. When soldiers came to St John the Baptist asking what to do, he never remotely suggested that they ought to leave the army: nor did Christ when He met a Roman sergeant-major--what they called a centurion.
...We may kill if necessary, but we must not hate and enjoy it."

Emphasis mine

How is playing a video game about killing in Christ's name not enjoying it?

The whole thing was a money making scheme from the very beginning.

Most people don't want the truth. They want fiction and lies.

So the author gave them what they wanted--a distortion of the truth, so that he could get what he wanted--fame and fortune! What a compromise! And now the true colors are coming out! Yuck

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

Sounds like a good way for these folks to make a dollar. Not exactly the way I imagine we are supposed to 'let our little light shine.'

If we're told not to be a part of this world, why does more and more of 'christianity' creep into the world (or vice versa)?

 

[RenHoek]

1Co 9:22 - to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

To the gamer, I become as the gamer...

 

[woobadooba]

1Co 9:22 - to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

To the gamer, I become as the gamer...

You have taken this verse out of context!

OK, so what are you saying then, but that to the rapist the Christian must become a rapist, or to the murderer the Christian must become a murderer, or to a thief the Christian must become a thief in order to save some?

Can you now see how absurd it is to apply/interpret this verse in the way that you did?

What Paul was referring to when he said that he was all things to all men is that he sought to get to know people on a personal level for the sake of winning them over to Christ. Thus he, unlike the religious leaders during his time (the Pharisees), didn't allow personal biases or racial prejudices stand in the way of fulfilling his purpose in ministering to their needs out of love, and for the sake of their salvation.

He didn't mean to say that he did what they did in terms of subjecting himself to their immoral behavior for the purpose of winning them over.

 

[RenHoek]

You have taken this verse out of context!

And you have applied my point in an incongruent manner. All things you listed were clearly sin. If you can demonstrate the sinful nature of video games, please do.

Have you ever played games with a kid or friend? It can be a very good means of getting to know someone. How many life-long friendships are forged in the competitive arenas of the world?

 

[woobadooba]

And you have applied my point in an incongruent manner. All things you listed were clearly sin. If you can demonstrate the sinful nature of video games, please do.

Have you ever played games with a kid or friend? It can be a very good means of getting to know someone. How many life-long friendships are forged in the competitive arenas of the world?

It is always best to stay on topic!

We are talking about the Left Behind game as described in this thread, not playing UNO, Monopoly, or some other harmless game; and my post was given within this context.

You see, you can get to know things about people on a personal level by showing an interest in what they do, even by playing games; but you don't have to subject yourself to their immoral behavior in order to win them over to Christ. Those who promote the Left Behind Game seem to think that it is OK to do this. In fact, they are probably attempting to justify this by using the same verse that you quoted.

By the way, some games do promote immoral behavior, and are replete with innuendos into the occult. Even you, a Gamer, can't deny this. Games that promote such things should be avoided.

 

[RenHoek]

We are talking about the Left Behind game as described in this thread,

Again, Can you demonstrate why this is congruent to sin? I should have been more specific in saying video games being played with kids/friends

You see, you can get to know things about people on a personal level by showing an interest in what they do, even by playing games; but you don't have to subject yourself to their immoral behavior in order to win them over to Christ.

How are they immoral exactly?

By the way, some games do promote immoral behavior, and are replete with innuendos into the occult. Even you, a Gamer, can't deny this. Games that promote such things should be avoided.

I think you use promote when I would say depict. It is all fiction, and should be taken in that context.

 

[woobadooba]

Again, Can you demonstrate why this is congruent to sin? I should have been more specific in saying video games being played with kids/friends



How are they immoral exactly?



I think you use promote when I would say depict. It is all fiction, and should be taken in that context.

I believe I made my point very clear on this matter, and for the simple fact that you are continuing to question me on this in a debative manner, it is evident that you don't agree with what I said.

Thus it is obvious that we don't foster the same ethics. Therefore, this discussion is useless in my opinion. For, Christians ought to be on the same page when it comes to ethics.

By the way, if you can't see how games that promote violence, sexual immorality, sorcery, etc..., are contrary to the teaching inculcated in Phil. 4:8, then you really need to spend some more time reading your Bible.

Please note: It doesn't matter if it is fiction or not! Games that promote these things are not inspired by God, but by the devil.

It would do you well to understand that behind every idea, there lies a worldview that propels it. And where there is a worldview there is an influential factor that will either draw us closer to Christ, or drive us away from Him.

 

[alaurie]

1Co 9:22 - to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

To the gamer, I become as the gamer...

"weak" and "play killer" somehow aren't equating to me