Gaming

[aiki]

Yes I am.
How do games not serve his purpose? Perhaps you said and I missed it.

Well, how do they serve His purposes? You live in a world filled with people who are on their way to an eternity separated from God in hell. God's desires that all who would be saved are saved. And He uses us - you and me - to see that they are. How does your gaming work to make that happen? As well, God wants you to know Him, to love Him, to enjoy Him and to glorify Him with your life. How does gaming accomplish any of these things, exactly? For many, gaming distracts from, and dilutes, their relationship with God. Jesus said where we invest our treasure - our time, energy and money - is where our heart will be (Matthew 6:21). And so, if you're investing heavily in gaming, more than you invest in your relationship with God, the more of your heart gaming will have - and the less of your heart God will have. Obviously, this is not serving God's purposes.

 

[Jamdoc]

Well, how do they serve His purposes? You live in a world filled with people who are on their way to an eternity separated from God in hell. God's desires that all who would be saved are saved. And He uses us - you and me - to see that they are. How does your gaming work to make that happen? As well, God wants you to know Him, to love Him, to enjoy Him and to glorify Him with your life. How does gaming accomplish any of these things, exactly? For many, gaming distracts from, and dilutes, their relationship with God. Jesus said where we invest our treasure - our time, energy and money - is where our heart will be (Matthew 6:21). And so, if you're investing heavily in gaming, more than you invest in your relationship with God, the more of your heart gaming will have - and the less of your heart God will have. Obviously, this is not serving God's purposes.

How does any recreational activity or hobby?

I mean if you go by your standard you'd do nothing but read the bible, pray, go to church, and spend all the rest of your time preaching or going door to door witnessing, aside from the bare minimum needed to survive.

why aren't we all living in monastaries?

 

[returntosender]

I found one yesterday called Flow water. You'd have to look it up. I can't begin to describe it. A puzzle moving paths of water to a focal point maybe

 

[returntosender]

Seems a silly subject to be fighting over. Rough day for you all?

 

[returntosender]

How does any recreational activity or hobby?

I mean if you go by your standard you'd do nothing but read the bible, pray, go to church, and spend all the rest of your time preaching or going door to door witnessing, aside from the bare minimum needed to survive.

why aren't we all living in monastaries?

I wish I could do that. Isn't that what our goal should be as Christian's?

 

[returntosender]

Why do you imagine I wrote what I did to the OP?

I didn't read what you wrote the op. I wrote it to who ever was wearing the shoe.

 

[coffee4u]

The Civilization games changed quite a bit over time. Civ IV is still my favorite (with all the expansions and certain mods, like Ranged Bombardment).

The older ones are the best, still available on GOG.

 

[coffee4u]

You're concerned about what sort of game to play (a small issue) but don't seem concerned at all about whether or not you should even be playing them (a big issue). Does it really honor God to game a lot so long as you play "nice" or "decent" games?

You can apply that to any hobby. Why should gaming be looked at any differently to say reading? Is reading a novel somehow better? Have you seen the contents of some novels? How about music or art? Are they intrinsically better even though there are pictures of gore and music full of swear words? Gaming is no worse or better then any other hobby-unless you are suggesting it is sinful to have any hobby at all.
Gaming has many benefits to keeping the mind active especially in people who lead less active lives due to disability, age or condition.
15 Surprising Benefits of Playing Video Games

Playing Snap with cards is no more or less glorying to God then building a pixel house. For all you know the hobby may bring someone into a friendship with someone else. You are judging without cause.

 

[Jamdoc]

I wish I could do that. Isn't that what our goal should be as Christian's?

I don't think so.
Who do you think even came up with the idea of fun?
It wasn't Satan or any man.
Animals play, Jesus wrestled with Jacob, and even kind of let him win.
There will be games in the eternal state.
They might not be video games because... you won't need to create a world to play in virtually when you have the actual creator with you.
but, I do think there will be games, or at least some form of recreation there.

 

[coffee4u]

Well, how do they serve His purposes?

That is for them to see and decide not you. You should be concerned with your own walk and what you do in your own free time not theirs.

They made this thread for helpful feedback on good games, not for your judgment.

 

[Jamdoc]

The older ones are the best, still available on GOG.

I like 5, I never played 6.. the more cartoony visual style kinda didn't wasn't my thing but I did like the change to hexagonal grids, and the change to cultural victories.
I usually go for science or cultural victories

 

[returntosender]

Well, how do they serve His purposes? You live in a world filled with people who are on their way to an eternity separated from God in hell. God's desires that all who would be saved are saved. And He uses us - you and me - to see that they are. How does your gaming work to make that happen? As well, God wants you to know Him, to love Him, to enjoy Him and to glorify Him with your life. How does gaming accomplish any of these things, exactly? For many, gaming distracts from, and dilutes, their relationship with God. Jesus said where we invest our treasure - our time, energy and money - is where our heart will be (Matthew 6:21). And so, if you're investing heavily in gaming, more than you invest in your relationship with God, the more of your heart gaming will have - and the less of your heart God will have. Obviously, this is not serving God's purposes.

You night say this forum isn't serving gods purpose either. There's a lot of negative, strife, miss information, etc here.

 

[Thatgirloncfforums]

If God made me, why can't just being myself honor him?

Well, how do they serve His purposes? You live in a world filled with people who are on their way to an eternity separated from God in hell. God's desires that all who would be saved are saved. And He uses us - you and me - to see that they are. How does your gaming work to make that happen? As well, God wants you to know Him, to love Him, to enjoy Him and to glorify Him with your life. How does gaming accomplish any of these things, exactly? For many, gaming distracts from, and dilutes, their relationship with God. Jesus said where we invest our treasure - our time, energy and money - is where our heart will be (Matthew 6:21). And so, if you're investing heavily in gaming, more than you invest in your relationship with God, the more of your heart gaming will have - and the less of your heart God will have. Obviously, this is not serving God's purposes.

 

[aiki]

How does any recreational activity or hobby?

I mean if you go by your standard you'd do nothing but read the bible, pray, go to church, and spend all the rest of your time preaching or going door to door witnessing, aside from the bare minimum needed to survive.

why aren't we all living in monastaries?

This is called a Strawman argument. It mischaracterizes my view so it is easier to knock down.

 

[aiki]

Seems a silly subject to be fighting over. Rough day for you all?

I'm not fighting. But I am exhorting my family in Christ to a more God-centered way of living.

Is it silly to do so? I don't think so. Why do you?

 

[aiki]

You can apply that to any hobby. Why should gaming be looked at any differently to say reading? Is reading a novel somehow better? Have you seen the contents of some novels? How about music or art? Are they intrinsically better even though there are pictures of gore and music full of swear words? Gaming is no worse or better then any other hobby-unless you are suggesting it is sinful to have any hobby at all.

Another Strawman argument. Please re-read my posts. You guys are really defensive about gaming...

 

[aiki]

That is for them to see and decide not you. You should be concerned with your own walk and what you do in your own free time not theirs.

They made this thread for helpful feedback on good games, not for your judgment.

The OP'er made the thread in the Discipleship subforum. I'm urging the OP'er toward being a better disciple of Christ. It seems to me entirely appropriate to do so, particularly in this subforum.

The idea that I should mind my own business is not at all biblical, by the way. Christians are "members of one another," as bound together spiritually as tendons are to muscles, as veins are to organs. (Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-26) Together, believers are the Body of Christ, each gifted by God in order to edify, and strengthen, and purify the Body and affecting the Body for good or ill in how they live (1 Corinthians 5). I have a responsibility before God to urge my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to an increasingly Christ-centered form of living - just as you do. As a wise man once said,

"Only one life,
'Twill soon be past.
Only what's done for Christ will last."

In light of this very biblical fact, I ought to urge my spiritual family to eternal, heavenly, God-focused living; I ought to warn my spiritual family against the distractions and activities that compete with and dilute their fellowship with God; I ought to love my spiritual brothers and sisters by encouraging them to seek Christ before and above all and not to heavily invest their limited "treasure" (time, energy, money) in things that are useless, temporal, and self-centered.

 

[aiki]

I don't think so.
Who do you think even came up with the idea of fun?
It wasn't Satan or any man.
Animals play, Jesus wrestled with Jacob, and even kind of let him win.
There will be games in the eternal state.
They might not be video games because... you won't need to create a world to play in virtually when you have the actual creator with you.
but, I do think there will be games, or at least some form of recreation there.

I don't. I think God will so blow us away, we will be so overcome with awe and wonder by the glorified Christ and God our Father and so in tune with the Holy Spirit, utterly fulfilled by our fellowship with him, that the myriad games we find so necessary, so gratifying, will seem foolish and dull, tepid, ugly things compared to knowing and enjoying our Holy infinite Maker.

But knowing God this way doesn't have to wait 'til eternity. It can begin now while we are here on earth. You and I can begin to enjoy God, to know Him as the most fulfilling, awesome Person that He is today. It's very hard for this to occur, though, when we constantly run to games (or t.v., or hobbies, or sports, or whatever) in idle moments, turning our minds from God, tuning out from everything while we stimulate ourselves with the sight and sounds and action of gaming (or whatever). Of course, Christians do this because they don't actually find God very satisfying and they don't believe He can be more delightful and fulfilling than five hours of Minecraft, or SkyRim, or Animal Crossing - or whatever. The problem is that the only way to discover the beauty, richness and wonder of God is to put aside the things that distract us from Him and pursue Him directly, giving Him time and space to show us Himself.

 

[GreekOrthodox]

A hunter, wandering through the desert, came upon Abba Anthony while he was making jokes with the brethren; and he was shocked. Wishing to teach the hunter that it is sometimes necessary to relax with the brethren, the old man said to him: “Put an arrow in your bow and bend it.” The hunter did so. “Bend it a little more,” said Anthony. The hunter obeyed. “And still more,” Anthony told him. “But if I draw the string too tight,” said the hunter, “the bow will snap.” And the old man said to him: “It is the same in the work of God. If in the case of the brethren we draw the string too tight, they will snap under the strain. So it is necessary sometimes to relax with them.” When the hunter heard this, he was filled with compunction, and profiting much from what the old man had said, he went his way. And the brethren, greatly strengthened, departed to their own place.

 

[aiki]

You night say this forum isn't serving gods purpose either. There's a lot of negative, strife, miss information, etc here.

Strife over important things isn't against God's will. Jesus contended very aggressively with the Pharisees. So did Peter and Paul. I'm sure the Pharisees found Christ and his followers very "negative." But some things are important enough that they warrant contending for - even stridently. Certainly, I'm a long ways in my comments in this thread from Christ's example. He called the Pharisees "sons of hell," "brood of vipers," "whitewashed tombs full of dead men's bones," and "hypocrites." My remarks are pretty mild in comparison, I think.