Christianity and Bioshock Infinite

HeyAndy · Apr 3, 2013

If anyone has played Bioshock Infinite what do you make of the Christian aspect incorporated in it?

I played the game and I wasn't comfortable with the direction they took with Christianity. It just seems that the game is antagonising Christianity for the events that happened in the game.

Gadarene · Apr 3, 2013

It would hardly be the first game to do so, and nor would it be the only revered institution playing the antagonist.

Assassin's Creed 2 had the RCC as the antagonist, but the previous game had both the Christian and Muslim crusader forces as the antagonists. The primary antagonist was technically an atheist. Doesn't bother me.

The modern-day antagonist in the Assassin's Creed series is a corporation. It's not a problem to have Christians being the villain when it's historically relevant, and Infinite's exploring turn of the 20th century American exceptionalism, which had a religious component. Just because they have some characters who are Christian who behave badly doesn't mean they're claiming that Christianity is all bad.

(Haven't actually played the game yet, so no spoilers plz)

Cyprezz · Apr 4, 2013

I half agree with you OP, but I would say it's more along the lines of criticising certain people within the religion, not the religion itself.
Beautiful game, though.

HeyAndy · Apr 4, 2013

Gadarene said:
It would hardly be the first game to do so, and nor would it be the only revered institution playing the antagonist.

Assassin's Creed 2 had the RCC as the antagonist, but the previous game had both the Christian and Muslim crusader forces as the antagonists. The primary antagonist was technically an atheist. Doesn't bother me.

The modern-day antagonist in the Assassin's Creed series is a corporation. It's not a problem to have Christians being the villain when it's historically relevant, and Infinite's exploring turn of the 20th century American exceptionalism, which had a religious component. Just because they have some characters who are Christian who behave badly doesn't mean they're claiming that Christianity is all bad.

(Haven't actually played the game yet, so no spoilers plz)

Sorry about the spoiler if you didn't know about it. You should play the game some time.

Gadarene · Apr 4, 2013

HeyAndy said:
Sorry about the spoiler if you didn't know about it. You should play the game some time.

I plan to.

Don't worry, that was a warning for subsequent posts, not the OP.

Mich7 · Apr 12, 2013

Have to agree with the op on this one....I played it and when it got to a certain part towards the end of the game where they used 'Jesus' name I did become uncomfortable. Yeah I get it a lot of people use religion as an excuse to do horrible things but it was just the using of salvation which is supposed to be a joyful experience as the turning point that caused all the bigotry and horrible things that were done that just didn't sit right with me. Just my opinion...probably won't bother some people at all.

jw203 · Oct 23, 2013

Gadarene · Oct 24, 2013

HeyAndy said:
If anyone has played Bioshock Infinite what do you make of the Christian aspect incorporated in it?

I played the game and I wasn't comfortable with the direction they took with Christianity. It just seems that the game is antagonising Christianity for the events that happened in the game.

Well, now that I've actually played the game -

Yeah, the theme is fin-de-siecle American exceptionalism. Religion was no small part of it. And yeah, it was certainly pretty racist.

HorsieJuice · Oct 24, 2013

Gadarene said:
Well, now that I've actually played the game -

Yeah, the theme is fin-de-siecle American exceptionalism. Religion was no small part of it. And yeah, it was certainly pretty racist.

The game was racist or that era of American exceptionalism?

Gadarene · Oct 25, 2013

HorsieJuice said:
The game was racist or that era of American exceptionalism?

The latter.

CounselorForChrist · Oct 25, 2013

I wasn't thrilled with the portrayal of christians because the vast majority are not extreme like it portrays. But I still want to play it at some point. The only time I wouldn't play a game is if it went farther then that. One older game I played (back in the dos days) had a scene where you had jesus on a cross (a ingame replica at a museum) and you could catch the cross on fire and your character made a joke about christians.

Gadarene · Oct 25, 2013

xfreakazoidx said:
I wasn't thrilled with the portrayal of christians because the vast majority are not extreme like it portrays.

"are"?

You know it's set in 1912, right?

But I still want to play it at some point.

So you're not thrilled by a game you haven't actually played?

HorsieJuice · Oct 26, 2013

I'm curious to know why some of you are bothered by the religious caricature (and that's what it is - a caricature), but not the lottery scene.

kakotan2143 · Nov 5, 2013

*maybe a spoiler*

the is basically about a cult with christian overtones cause they went on to worship the founding fathers and left God long ago

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