Are "certain" video games unholy?

[mont974x4]

ahhh, well, there's always someone trying to do away with something that they have no right to make a decision on for other people whether it be games, books, alcohol, food etc. It is highly unbiblical, however, I doubt they intend it to be an act against society/being social.

 

[david_x]

ahhh, well, there's always someone trying to do away with something that they have no right to make a decision on for other people whether it be games, books, alcohol, food etc. It is highly unbiblical, however, I doubt they intend it to be an act against society/being social.

I'm not sure if it is contiously anti-social, but it still is.

 

[Nottingham40]

Look, the root issue is do inputs affect our ever day action. I think they do. Now their is obviously a divide between fantasy (books,tv, games) and Reality. The way my Churhc teaches it is that todays kids are unable to tell the difference. The current generation is just far more immoral then all previous ones.

 

[mont974x4]

There is nothing new under the sun. Every generation seems to think the next is morally worse than the previous.

 

[chris777]

Heck, I know people that are against the veggie tales.

i do wondr about something that claims to be Christian, yet has NEVER mentioned the Christ.

jewish sure, its all non offensive ?OT stories, but to call it Christian, when they have never even acknowledged Jesus in passing, its a stretch.

 

[chris777]

I don't think its our problem if people can't diferentiate between playing a game and doing an act in real life.

yet we are not to be a stumbling block to others especially children

 

[mont974x4]

True, so I discuss such things openly with my kids.

 

[david_x]

Look, the root issue is do inputs affect our ever day action. I think they do. Now their is obviously a divide between fantasy (books,tv, games) and Reality. The way my Churhc teaches it is that todays kids are unable to tell the difference. The current generation is just far more immoral then all previous ones.

Many of these games are made to trap people and keep them there were as old books like the cronicles of narnia and LOTR take you somewere and then bring you back.

 

[mont974x4]

It seems to me that people are looking for issues and conspiracies where there is none.

As I said earlier, people are free to choose on these issues. If you are convinced on your own heart and mind to draw a line on these for yourself then I fully suport you, if they are an issue for you then it is wise to draw those lines. However, at the same time, you are not free to force me to draw the same line. The reason for this is because these issues are neither commanded nor denied in Scripture and we really don't have any similar issues in the Scripture to look at for guidance.


Yours are questions that most parents do have to ask themselves, God, and other mature beleivers and prayerfully decide for yourself and for your own home.


God bless
Jay

 

[SymphonicaX]

After reading through peoples' responses, I still do not understand one thing:

"How can the imitation of sin for the purpose of entertainment not be sin regardless of whether we are directly affected by it or not?"

Would any of you watch porn for entertainment, but not lust and touch? If not, then why not? Isn't it the same as playing video games that makes you murder people for mafias? See this is where I am lost! lol

Paul mentioned in Corinthians that our consciences are not judges, God is, so whether we believe something is right or not doesn't matter as much on disputable issues, only God knows what is right or not and the bible is the place to start. But I hope God will forgive us, because many of us are on different sides of the issue. But again my bolded question above is where my sole confusion takes place.

 

[david_x]

After reading through peoples' responses, I still do not understand one thing:

"How can the imitation of sin for the purpose of entertainment not be sin regardless of whether we are directly affected by it or not?"

Would any of you watch porn for entertainment, but not lust and touch? If not, then why not? Isn't it the same as playing video games that makes you murder people for mafias? See this is where I am lost! lol

Paul mentioned in Corinthians that our consciences are not judges, God is, so whether we believe something is right or not doesn't matter as much on disputable issues, only God knows what is right or not and the bible is the place to start. But I hope God will forgive us, because many of us are on different sides of the issue. But again my bolded question above is where my sole confusion takes place.

Most all of the games are not that bad at all. (Just the popular ones)

 

[Digit]

Paul mentioned in Corinthians that our consciences are not judges, God is, so whether we believe something is right or not doesn't matter as much on disputable issues, only God knows what is right or not and the bible is the place to start. But I hope God will forgive us, because many of us are on different sides of the issue. But again my bolded question above is where my sole confusion takes place.

Paul again was talking about justification of sin. In that our conscience is not the authority there.

Playing games is not inherently sinful, and as such we don't need to try and justify it and as such we have no worries about worrying if we are playing at judge and jury.

It really isn't that difficult SymphonicaX.

When you play BF2, do you feel that you are playing a murder simulator?

Cheers,
Digit

 

[Nottingham40]

Ok what I really feel is this, people who yell at video games as immoral are just scape goating. They take all the problems that they created and have decided to dump them on something easily targeted.

 

[SymphonicaX]

Paul again was talking about justification of sin. In that our conscience is not the authority there.

Playing games is not inherently sinful, and as such we don't need to try and justify it and as such we have no worries about worrying if we are playing at judge and jury.

It really isn't that difficult SymphonicaX.

When you play BF2, do you feel that you are playing a murder simulator?

Cheers,
Digit

I apologize for this Digit, but I am still confused beyond confused and undecided whether any Christian should be participating in these types of games.

I say this because I still haven't found a clear answer to this:

"How can the imitation of sin for the purpose of entertainment not be sin regardless of whether we are directly affected by it or not?"

now with that said, I don't understand what the difference between a porn game and a violent game is, if it's more mere entertainment purposes and with intentions of never sinning.

Now I can understand that people like you and I are not influenced to sin when playing Battlefield 2 or Oblivion, but some may be. But what if you and I were not influenced to sin when playing a porn game, would that be ok? Because in God's eyes, sin is sin, murder and lust is an equal sin to God. Why should we avoid the porn game, yet play the murder game?

I know I've said this a billion times already, but I'm still confused. lol

 

[Digit]

Hey Symphonica,

I thought this thread had finished and wasn't subscribed to it anymore. Sorry about that, btw as much as your question has gone, you believe, without answer, you didn't answer mine.

Quite simply put:
"When you play BF2, do you feel that you are playing a murder simulator?"

Yes/no and why.

Cheers,
Digit

 

[MtSugarloaf]

But how is it right to play a game such as Battlefield 2 where you are killing the opposition to gain victory? There is no good in killing our enemies. God calls us to love our enemies, so why do we play a game that glorifies killing the enemies?

Come to think about it, I'm not even sure why I play FPS games. I guess I do it because of the challenge that comes with war ... a chance to show skill in avoiding the enemy attacks and in taking them out. I believe that the fact that it * isn't * real is what makes it fun. That's how you can joke with a friend when you set a trap and they walk over it and it sends them literally five metres or more in the air. It's also how you can find Force Persuading two thugs to jump over the railings on Nar Shaddaa to an untimely demise amusing. lol.

What if there was a game called porn journey or something, where you were a pornstar and had to go around doing immoral acts to win the game? You wouldn't play it right? Because you feel it's immoral. But what's the difference between that and the violent games that make you win the game by killing your way to victory? They are both fantasies. Our intent in porn is to gratify ourselves which is sinful. What is our intent in a game such as Battlefield 2? To win, and how do we do that? By killing the enemies. But why would winning by sinning be any better morally than porn?

How can the imitation of sin for the purpose of entertainment not be sin regardless of whether we are directly affected by it or not?

You raised some good points, but killing the enemy in war is not 'murder'. Think about it, how many thousands if not millions of enemy combatants did God lay waste to in the Old Testament when they came up against His people in war? If such action is 'wrong' or murder, then God would be contradicting Himself.

The difference between a porn-based game and war-based games are that killing is justified in war, but immoral behaviour never is.

I would never even consider buying and playing GTA and other like games because there is no justification and it is just plain cruel. I mean, fleeing police, killing old grannies, etc. I know that if I played enough of those type of games that the chances are it would at the very least, indirectly affect me and my attitude.

I do agree with you, however, to some degree. I also believe that playing games does have an effect on people, sometimes bad, other times good.

 

[Followers4christ]

1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."


In other words, subjecting yourself to anything contrary to God's word can hurt you spiritually.Bad company can be a person,an activity,a place,music,a movie,a TV show, and yes, it can also be a video game.Here's one for you-the next time you're going to play a game,invite Jesus along.Pretty tall order,huh? If this is a problem area in your life,pray about it.Talk with a fellow brother-in-Christ or your youth pastor.I'm not suggesting that we all go cold turkey and never use a controller again.it's simple, just be selective about what you call entertainment.You need to steer clear of certain titles, any of the Grand Theft Auto titles for instance.God Bless

 

[Digit]

1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."


In other words, subjecting yourself to anything contrary to God's word can hurt you spiritually.Bad company can be a person,an activity,a place,music,a movie,a TV show, and yes, it can also be a video game.Here's one for you-the next time you're going to play a game,invite Jesus along.Pretty tall order,huh? If this is a problem area in your life,pray about it.Talk with a fellow brother-in-Christ or your youth pastor.I'm not suggesting that we all go cold turkey and never use a controller again.it's simple, just be selective about what you call entertainment.You need to steer clear of certain titles, any of the Grand Theft Auto titles for instance.God Bless

Argh!

Why? Why any of the Grand Theft Auto titles? Honestly I'm going to go insane about this. Please, explain why GTA is not something we should play?

Everything else you said is great, and I wholeheartedly agree. I do question us superimposing all those things on bad company in Corinthians though. I don't think we have liberty to do that and it borders on making up scripture as we are expanding upon a meaning which is not present from the original reading.

But that's neither here nor there. The rest is great, well done and kudos and *golf clap* etc.

Cheers!
Digit

 

[Nadiine]

Argh!

Why? Why any of the Grand Theft Auto titles? Honestly I'm going to go insane about this. Please, explain why GTA is not something we should play?

Everything else you said is great, and I wholeheartedly agree. I do question us superimposing all those things on bad company in Corinthians though. I don't think we have liberty to do that and it borders on making up scripture as we are expanding upon a meaning which is not present from the original reading.

But that's neither here nor there. The rest is great, well done and kudos and *golf clap* etc.

Cheers!
Digit

Hay Digit!!!

Good to C U again, I was away for a few months and came back to check things out around here

to the OP, I draw the line at the demonic/pagan/witchcraft-warlock games entirely. I actually had a horrific experience when I first played those types of games.
It was overly obvious that it threw me into massive spiritual crisis where my life spun out of control within months of having them.
I won't go near that stuff anymore - even tho I still do miss the "fun" I had playing them.
I just consider it a 'sacrifice' - God calls me to be a living sacrifice and there are some things I have to lay down in order to keep strong & spiritually healthy with the Lord.

I don't have as much a problem with the fake violence in some of the games tho. IMO, we do have liberties in Christ, and where one person draws a line, another might not and might not be as affected as someone else would be by it.
ie. music, clothing, jewlery, tattoos, food, gambling, etc.

We need to stick to our personal convictions, but the demonic games where you actually participate in casting spells or using demonic items (crystal balls, seances, etc.), I think all Christians should stay away from that stuff - you're dabbling where God warns us not to go.

I have yet to see a seriously involved Christian in heavy ministry and a close, serious walk with the Lord who plays demonic/sorcery games.
In fact, I've seen marriages & families fall apart not long after Christians started playing them and those Christians leaving their ministry positions in their churches.
That's my 3 cents.

 

[Digit]

Hay Digit!!!

Good to C U again, I was away for a few months and came back to check things out around here

to the OP, I draw the line at the demonic/pagan/witchcraft-warlock games entirely. I actually had a horrific experience when I first played those types of games.
It was overly obvious that it threw me into massive spiritual crisis where my life spun out of control within months of having them.
I won't go near that stuff anymore - even tho I still do miss the "fun" I had playing them.
I just consider it a 'sacrifice' - God calls me to be a living sacrifice and there are some things I have to lay down in order to keep strong & spiritually healthy with the Lord.

I don't have as much a problem with the fake violence in some of the games tho. IMO, we do have liberties in Christ, and where one person draws a line, another might not and might not be as affected as someone else would be by it.
ie. music, clothing, jewlery, tattoos, food, gambling, etc.

We need to stick to our personal convictions, but the demonic games where you actually participate in casting spells or using demonic items (crystal balls, seances, etc.), I think all Christians should stay away from that stuff - you're dabbling where God warns us not to go.

I have yet to see a seriously involved Christian in heavy ministry and a close, serious walk with the Lord who plays demonic/sorcery games.
In fact, I've seen marriages & families fall apart not long after Christians started playing them and those Christians leaving their ministry positions in their churches.
That's my 3 cents.

Hey Nadiine, welcome back. *waves*

Personally I love RPG games, with the magic and whatnot. I mentioned earlier I think it all comes down to the reason why we play something like that, and if we feel there is an inherent risk in it. Just because I play it, doesn't mean person A should, or Bob, Bob may not be able to take it. Just as we all have weaknessed in life, so do they manifest themselves in games that can impact us. Sex, drugs, alcohol, food, lying, anger, hate, lazyness and so on. All these things can have drastic consequences on someone who is weak to them, yet on someone who is not, it has no effect. I don't battle to combat an alcohol addiction, whereas Bob may. I struggle with pornography, yet Bob doesn't even feel the pull.

So the point I am trying to get through in this thread, is that it depends on what we feel is the reason why we play them. Do we, as Symphonica mentioned play BF2 as a murder simulator, that is, to get entertainment from killing someone over and over, or do we have other reasons?

I tend to stray from games with themes I find offensive. Anything with a hell setting, or where the player takes on the form of a demon and so on, I will put aside and not play. Yet games like BF2 and the such, GTA as well (I hear the groans) I don't feel effect me in any way.

If SymphonicaX answers my question earlier, as to does he feel he is playing a murder simulator when he plays BF2, he will have his answer as to whether he should continue playing it or not.

Cheers!
Digit