Is gaming an idol in your life?

[thesunisout]

It's very easy for a hobby to get out of control, and it happens to the best of us. Gaming is not a sin, but the real question is, does it have an idolatrous place in your heart?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG3Oe62ia-o

 

[Gadarene]

Given how many threads there are on this topic it would seem that claiming things are idolatry has become an idol for some people

 

[thesunisout]

Given how many threads there are on this topic it would seem that claiming things are idolatry has become an idol for some people

Hi Gadarene,

As idol is basically anything that you're putting above God in your life. One of the best ways for a Christian to measure this is by looking at how they are spending their time. For instance, you could look at how much time you are spending each week reading your bible, praying and serving your church/community and witnessing versus how much time is being poured into your hobbies. This will tell you if your hobby has an idolatrous influence in your life.

We as Christians are commanded to be God-centered rather than self-centered. There is nothing wrong with having fun, but when it is to the exclusion of what we should be doing for God, it is a sin. The primary interest of God is to expand His Kingdom and reach the lost, for His glory, and if that isn't also our primary interest as His servants, whatever has taken the place of that is an idol and it needs to be excised from our lives.

 

[SnowyMacie]

I don't really play enough video games anymore to be considered a gamer.

 

[Thunder Peel]

No. I used to be into gaming a lot more when I was younger. Now it's just a fun hobby for when I get bored.

 

[s4G1989]

An excellent post... this is something we need to guard our hearts about. Obviously not the ONLY thing, but i think games in and of themselves can be deceptive, and it's easy to stray in to it becoming an idol without even realizing it.

 

[thesunisout]

An excellent post... this is something we need to guard our hearts about. Obviously not the ONLY thing, but i think games in and of themselves can be deceptive, and it's easy to stray in to it becoming an idol without even realizing it.

Yes. Often things that become idols in our lives start out having a benign influence over us, but over time gradually become more and more invasive as we invest more of ourselves into them. Our human tendency is to use our hobbies as therapy, to lean on them when we are feeling bad, or bored, and the line between hobby and obsession can be thinner than we'd like to think. Patterns start to develop and suddenly the hobby is a living breathing part of our lives that becomes second nature to us. A new organ in our system that will require some surgery to remove.

Gaming is pretty much instant gratification..it's fun, it's responsive, you get to control what's going on, you can play with your friends, it's very rewarding. The problem comes when it displaces God as the priority in your life. When you start to enjoy it more than you enjoy serving God. Some good questions any Christian who games could benefit from asking themselves: Is God getting the first fruits of your time and effort? Do you spend more time thinking about God or gaming? Would you rather play a game or read the scriptures?

I used to be heavily into gaming; I grew up in it. I even worked for game companies. For me, it wasn't so much waking up one day and walking away from it, but rather God weaned me off of it slowly until I didn't really care about it anymore. Every now and then I'll break out the super nintendo and play super metroid or something, but my desire to game all the time is gone. As I've been seeking the Lords face, my excitement for the things of God has eclipsed everything else for the most part. There are still things I'm working on, such as that I spend too much time on the internet, but the Lord is helping with that. He has led me to fast from it a few times now and that is helping me curb my usage. Fasting from something really helps you gain perspective on it. What I've found though is if the deepest desire in our hearts is to please Him, the Spirit will bless it and use it and deliver us from whatever is hindering us, but we have to walk it out.

 

[s4G1989]

Well said.

 

[SnowyMacie]

Hi Gadarene,

As idol is basically anything that you're putting above God in your life. One of the best ways for a Christian to measure this is by looking at how they are spending their time. For instance, you could look at how much time you are spending each week reading your bible, praying and serving your church/community and witnessing versus how much time is being poured into your hobbies. This will tell you if your hobby has an idolatrous influence in your life.

I understand your point, but do you see the flaw in this if you apply this reasoning to anything that is not considered a hobby. If you purely look at time, then even sleep would be considered an idol, or even work. Let's say this student A is always doing schoolwork or is with his friends, goes to church almost every Sunday, goes to small group, but is very busy and doesn't have a lot of time for God outside of that. Everyone considers him a man of God because of how he goes about his day to day activities and interactions. Student B looks like a good Christian man, he's studying to be a pastor. However, everyone describes him as a guy who is very concerned with how he appears in front of other people, he's very hypocritical and often times judgemental, but he's always doing the Christian thing.

Who has idolatry problem?

 

[thesunisout]

I understand your point, but do you see the flaw in this if you apply this reasoning to anything that is not considered a hobby. If you purely look at time, then even sleep would be considered an idol, or even work. Let's say this student A is always doing schoolwork or is with his friends, goes to church almost every Sunday, goes to small group, but is very busy and doesn't have a lot of time for God outside of that. Everyone considers him a man of God because of how he goes about his day to day activities and interactions. Student B looks like a good Christian man, he's studying to be a pastor. However, everyone describes him as a guy who is very concerned with how he appears in front of other people, he's very hypocritical and often times judgemental, but he's always doing the Christian thing.

Who has idolatry problem?

I'm not sure how to apply your scenario, but what I can tell you is that it depends on what God has called you to do. If God is calling you to be a missionary and you take up a full time job because you want to make money, then you are putting money before God and it has become an idol in your life.

It is to say that what you invest your time in is a measure of what you care about. If you are too busy for God are only just squeezing Him in to your schedule, it means your priorities are out of whack. Whatever is taking top priority in your life above God is an idol.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

My primary concern with topics like this is the forests and trees. I am confident though, that God can remove any idols, on His watch for His purposes for His glory. I'm one of those people who used to think they had it all together, priorities and all, but have since been shown otherwise. God bless!

 

[SnowyMacie]

I'm not sure how to apply your scenario, but what I can tell you is that it depends on what God has called you to do. If God is calling you to be a missionary and you take up a full time job because you want to make money, then you are putting money before God and it has become an idol in your life.

It is to say that what you invest your time in is a measure of what you care about. If you are too busy for God are only just squeezing Him in to your schedule, it means your priorities are out of whack. Whatever is taking top priority in your life above God is an idol.

It's a simple thing, someone can be spending all of their time with God yet it just going through the motions to appear all Godly and righteous as compared to someone who might spend an hour a week, but it's meaningful and everyone considers a person of God. My question is who has an idol problem.
The problem with only looking at how people invest their time is that it is just about the surface, that was the problem with the pharisees...they were only concerned with how religious they appeared. I have a hard time understanding how someone who spends all their time "with God" who is just doing so because they are supposed to is closer than someone who spends an hour a week in deep, true devotion in God.

 

[thesunisout]

It's a simple thing, someone can be spending all of their time with God yet it just going through the motions to appear all Godly and righteous as compared to someone who might spend an hour a week, but it's meaningful and everyone considers a person of God. My question is who has an idol problem.
The problem with only looking at how people invest their time is that it is just about the surface, that was the problem with the pharisees...they were only concerned with how religious they appeared. I have a hard time understanding how someone who spends all their time "with God" who is just doing so because they are supposed to is closer than someone who spends an hour a week in deep, true devotion in God.

Well, I want to address what you're saying but you are presenting a false dichotomy. The issue is this simply:

Whatever you are putting ahead of God is your idol. It could be your job, but if the Lord has called you to be at that job, then you are doing His will and therefore it is not an idol. If you are so busy you can only spend 1 hour a week on the Lord, that's fine, if the Lord has called you to be doing all of the things that keep you busy. If He hasn't then no matter how wonderful that hour is, you still have an idol problem. The person who is just going through the motions probably doesn't know the Lord to begin with.

What I have found is that if you are letting the Spirit lead you, you won't have much free time. He will always be keeping you occupied with advancing the Kingdom, and to grow ever closer in communion with Him. However, this is the choice we face every day; What is driving us? Hobbies aren't bad but when they take priority over the Lord then they are an idol. Time is a good measure of that, and anything else in our walk. Is He the Lord of our time or are we? That's the essential question.

 

[SnowyMacie]

Well, I want to address what you're saying but you are presenting a false dichotomy. The issue is this simply:

Whatever you are putting ahead of God is your idol. It could be your job, but if the Lord has called you to be at that job, then you are doing His will and therefore it is not an idol. If you are so busy you can only spend 1 hour a week on the Lord, that's fine, if the Lord has called you to be doing all of the things that keep you busy. If He hasn't then no matter how wonderful that hour is, you still have an idol problem. The person who is just going through the motions probably doesn't know the Lord to begin with.

You did address the question, and you answered it. I was trying to help you understand the problem of only looking at the measurement of time.

What I have found is that if you are letting the Spirit lead you, you won't have much free time. He will always be keeping you occupied with advancing the Kingdom, and to grow ever closer in communion with Him. However, this is the choice we face every day; What is driving us? Hobbies aren't bad but when they take priority over the Lord then they are an idol. Time is a good measure of that, and anything else in our walk. Is He the Lord of our time or are we? That's the essential question.

Exactly. Everyone needs downtime though, even Jesus got away from crowds to have it. I am a junior in college, Chaplain of my fraternity, and active in a college ministry here, every Saturday I go out by this lake just outside of the city for about an hour or so to be with God, I let God plan the hour...I just show up. During the week, I have about a five minute devo time during breakfast, but I think God constantly and how my actions and interactions would align with Jesus' because I believe that everything you do, you should do for the advancement of the Kingdom.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

By most people's definition, I'd say that gaming is sometimes an idol in my life, though I do not think of it as such. For other people it may be hunting, fishing, watching sports, news, movies, gardening, internet, occupation, even family can be an idol! I've found that I tend to not be as balanced as I would like, I have a tendency to either be all in, or all out, of whatever is of high interest at any given period of time. For example, I played World of Warcraft, hardcore for a couple of years, but I've not played the game for like three years, and have no intention of going back to it. However, I've played video games on and off from a young age, and it's a hobby I can enjoy, sometimes I just need to kick back and relax, take my mind off all the troubles and worries of life. Anyway, I don't expect everyone to agree and it really doesn't matter, been around enough to know people.

 

[thesunisout]

By most people's definition, I'd say that gaming is sometimes an idol in my life, though I do not think of it as such. For other people it may be hunting, fishing, watching sports, news, movies, gardening, internet, occupation, even family can be an idol! I've found that I tend to not be as balanced as I would like, I have a tendency to either be all in, or all out, of whatever is of high interest at any given period of time. For example, I played World of Warcraft, hardcore for a couple of years, but I've not played the game for like three years, and have no intention of going back to it. However, I've played video games on and off from a young age, and it's a hobby I can enjoy, sometimes I just need to kick back and relax, take my mind off all the troubles and worries of life. Anyway, I don't expect everyone to agree and it really doesn't matter, been around enough to know people.

I think we all struggle with balance, I know I do. I am trying to arrange my day around God every day, but it doesn't always work out. What I've noticed though is that we turn to hobbies to get some kind of satisfaction that we're not getting from the Lord. For instance, you mentioned using them to destress. Well, that is exactly what the Lord meant when He said He wants us to cast all of our cares upon Him. We should have peace and joy in our fellowship with Him, but we won't if we don't depend on Him to take care of our stress and anxiety. Using a hobby as a quick fix doesn't get rid of the problem, it just puts a band-aid on it. Only Jesus can really help us bear these burdens, because we can't bear them on our own. We get frustrated most often when we are trying to carry them by ourselves.

 

[Craymen]

It used to be. I do like certain video games a lot, but God is more important to me now. Games are just something for me to pass the time with. I don't play games as much as I used to.

 

[CounselorForChrist]

I have to say, most christian gamers I talk to get engaged when you suggest it could be an idol in their lives. I know because I was one of them. Being disabled I sat home playing games 8-14 hours a day. Often skipping church, devotions...etc. It was my idol. I gave it up around the time I met my wife. I had realized gaming had and HAS done nothing for my life.

It literally simply was a time waster. It brought temporal joy that again did nothing. Its when I also realized all the money I spend on it could have been use for more meaningful things in life. Granted I have always been a good giver and helper. But still gaming was my idol. Around the time I met my wife I realized maybe the reason God hadn't let my relationships work is because I chose gaming over God. When women were in my life I did show them attention. I did choose them (usually) over games. But still I left no room for God.

I have to admit being away from gaming (95%) I not only feel better. But alot of issues I had like powerful imagination, have gone away. I no longer picture myself killing bad guys. I no longer look at everything as a good room to fight zombies from. Sounds childish obviously but thats how into gaming I was. I knew it wasn't real, but it was still fun to pretend I was Neo from the Matrix or Boba Fett from Star Wars.

I mainly causal game now. Angry Birds, Minecraft sometimes. My xbox 360 stays off about 98% of the year. My computer video card (that I paid to much for) collects dust and stays pretty cold. But its worth it. I feel more connected with God and obviously its given me more focus on my wife. Which is one of the reasons I also stopped. I realize I would have to chose between games or a marriage if I wanted to marry.

I didn't want to be that guy whos wife would stand in front of him naked and he says "Move honey, your in my way!". That story scares me every time that a man would choose gaming over being intimate. >.>

If theres one thing I know for sure...its we gamers make ALOT of excuses for gaming. Again I say this as someone who had boatloads of reasons for any gaming, no matter the game, no matter how bad it was, no matter how long I played. Does this mean others shouldn't game? Well technically we shouldn't play games simply because they don't edify God. But I still think SMALL amounts of gaming is ok.

 

[jw203]

No

 

[The-Doctor]

Gaming is very addictive..I heard in china it's such a problem that they have rehab clinics for addicts.