Should Christians play violent video games?

[SteelDisciple]

ffman,

How do you know it has no effect on your personality? Are you the same today, yesterday, and tomorrow? What things have changed your personality? Does not playing them effect your personality?

If they have no effect on you whatsoever, why play them at all?

I can answer that. For me, it doesn't have an effect on my over-all personality.

While i'm PLAYING it however, it does have an effect. If i'm fighting the forces of evil, I get tense when the action is intense. When I accomplish something in the game that was difficult, I feel good because I defeated a problem in the game.

For instance...in Battlefield 2, when i'm working with my teammates to take and hold an outpost position and we fight back overwhelming odds...it's somewhat a sense of accomplishment in working with that team to achieve a goal. During the combat i'm not thinking "haha! Wow! I shot him up good! I hope his head blows off!!" I'm in game-mode. I'm thinking "We need to flank their position. I'll go around and provide medic support for the gunner!"

 

[willard3]

I can answer that. For me, it doesn't have an effect on my over-all personality.

While i'm PLAYING it however, it does have an effect. If i'm fighting the forces of evil, I get tense when the action is intense. When I accomplish something in the game that was difficult, I feel good because I defeated a problem in the game.

For instance...in Battlefield 2, when i'm working with my teammates to take and hold an outpost position and we fight back overwhelming odds...it's somewhat a sense of accomplishment in working with that team to achieve a goal. During the combat i'm not thinking "haha! Wow! I shot him up good! I hope his head blows off!!" I'm in game-mode. I'm thinking "We need to flank their position. I'll go around and provide medic support for the gunner!"

A good example. Some games, on the other hand, CAN make you feel strange and almost bad. In God of War, for instance, it's a really, really fun game, but you can find yourself going "if I grab that tunneler, then maybe I'll see the 'rip off his arm and beat him to death with it' animation!"

An important thing to consider is how you view the game world and the real world. If you are blurring the distinctions between the two, then maybe you should rethink your activities.

 

[SteelDisciple]

A good example. Some games, on the other hand, CAN make you feel strange and almost bad. In God of War, for instance, it's a really, really fun game, but you can find yourself going "if I grab that tunneler, then maybe I'll see the 'rip off his arm and beat him to death with it' animation!"

An important thing to consider is how you view the game world and the real world. If you are blurring the distinctions between the two, then maybe you should rethink your activities.

I actually find beating someone with his own arm kind of funny. Not in a bloodlust "hahahah look at all the blood!!" sort of way. But because it's so fake, it just seems funny to me because of that.

For instance...in Ghost Recon: Advanced Warrior when you kill an enemy, his body has ragdoll physics...which means his body falls around like a doll, limp. And some of the positions they fall in is just hilarious. (like falling into a garbage can with his legs hanging out) It's funny because it's so fake.

 

[willard3]

Yeah, I don't think of it in a "yeah blood" kinda way. You really need to see the game to realize how many creative, albeit shockingly violent, killmoves there are.

Also, it's not really beating him to death as it is burying an arm-sized blade in his body (the arm is mostly razor-sharp). The first way sounds cooler, though.

"Then she took out his skull and started beating him with it."
"That...doesn't seem physically possible."
"I know...that's what he kept saying."
"This isn't physically possible, this isn't physically possible!"

 

[SteelDisciple]

You know..the thing I actually DO find disturbing are the people who really DO take it serious...treating it like it's real.

It's very disturbing and I question if they are playing with a full deck...it's like thinking EVERYONE who plays violent games has this deep bloodlust to kill. It seems scitzo to even think that.

 

[CyberPaladin]

Tell am I the only one who keeps beating scientist to death in the game Half Life.

Edited out the part were I was sarcastic about video game blood lust because of how it read.

 

[chris_v1]

FFG, I have to agree with ffman on this. I play violent games a lot, as I review games for a living, and I can't see any measurable or discernible change in my life that can be even somewhat attributed to violence in video gmes. Violence as a whole is not evil (unless you'd like to call the conquering Christ at the end of the age evil). Violence is a means to an end, and it is one that can be used properly or improperly. It is the way in which one uses violence that affects the person, not the violence itself.

So, while you did not technically say that the violence was having an effect on him and he was just too foolish to see it (although it was obviously implied), your implication leads to a blanket statement that cannot be proven, and is not even truly arguable at all, save the fact that one would have to prove a negative (that violence in games does not affect them) to argue with you. Think a bit (and do a little research and prayer) before making judgements on the effects of violence in games.

Actually, studies have shown that violent games do have a desensitizing effect on those who play them which can result in more aggressive behaviour. However the effects are miniscule (and almost negligible) compared to those brought on by television/movie violence. Mostly due to the higher realism of tv and movie violence.

 

[SteelDisciple]

Actually, studies have shown that violent games do have a desensitizing effect on those who play them which can result in more aggressive behaviour. However the effects are miniscule (and almost negligible) compared to those brought on by television/movie violence. Mostly due to the higher realism of tv and movie violence.

I think that may be true for SOME people.
But like I said...i've been playing video games since I was VERY young....real life violence and blood still effect me just as strong. The only reason video game violent doesn't effect me is because I know it's not real.

I can play a horror game like Silent Hill and it won't effect me (besides getting scared.haha) but seeing someone in a bad car accident really hurts me.

I think it ultimately depends on the person...some people have trouble seperating reality from video games.

 

[ffman]

Actually, studies have shown that violent games do have a desensitizing effect on those who play them which can result in more aggressive behaviour. However the effects are miniscule (and almost negligible) compared to those brought on by television/movie violence. Mostly due to the higher realism of tv and movie violence.

How much of this 'aggressive' behavior could have been prevented if:

1. All parents taught their children the difference between right and wrong.
2. All parents taught their children the difference between fantasy and reality?

My parent (my mother - dad died when I was six months old) made it a priority to make sure I knew these things. I know that it's okay to kill things on a game, but, in real life, it's a different story. In some instances, playing violent games could help prevent violence - it gives the person a way to vent his/her anger.

And, I know that playing games has no bad effect on my personality. I know it's just a game, and not real. The only games I would rather not play are those that contain language using the Lord's name in vain. I know that these kinds of words should not be spoken, and it really irks me playing a game, listening to a song, or watching a movie that uses this sort of language. For example, both King Kong and War of the Worlds are great movies, but they both could have left out some of the unneccessary language.


Edit: I also think I'm a better person intellectually from playing video games. I've always been a great speller and reader (in terms of spelling, I was ahead of my class in 1st-5th grades), and I think it's largely because of video games. My favorite genre of games is RPG, and these are text-heavy. As someone else said before, many games require you to think and reason, too.

 

[Dracil]

See, this whole, ability to separate reality from fiction thing.

Compare that to the comments by people who are so opposed to these things: "killing someone in the game is just as bad as killing them in real life" - not quite exact words, but you can definitely see the sentiment.

Does that mean they never learned that skill?

 

[chris_v1]

How much of this 'aggressive' behavior could have been prevented if:

1. All parents taught their children the difference between right and wrong.
2. All parents taught their children the difference between fantasy and reality?

My parent (my mother - dad died when I was six months old) made it a priority to make sure I knew these things. I know that it's okay to kill things on a game, but, in real life, it's a different story. In some instances, playing violent games could help prevent violence - it gives the person a way to vent his/her anger.

And, I know that playing games has no bad effect on my personality. I know it's just a game, and not real. The only games I would rather not play are those that contain language using the Lord's name in vain. I know that these kinds of words should not be spoken, and it really irks me playing a game, listening to a song, or watching a movie that uses this sort of language. For example, both King Kong and War of the Worlds are great movies, but they both could have left out some of the unneccessary language.


Edit: I also think I'm a better person intellectually from playing video games. I've always been a great speller and reader (in terms of spelling, I was ahead of my class in 1st-5th grades), and I think it's largely because of video games. My favorite genre of games is RPG, and these are text-heavy. As someone else said before, many games require you to think and reason, too.

This places you into a much smaller category where there was actually parental involvement and your mother actually took time to sit down and talk to you about the stuff you saw. A big part of the raised aggression were in teens who didn't involve themselves in this aspect of their childrens lives. Everyting you state in your post is characteristic of a group of young people observed in the same study that showed improved grades and less violent behaviour when the parent was involved.

The key reason behind people blaming video games for aggressive behaviour is because they sit their kid in front of it as a babysitter and sooner or later the virtual world becomes more of a reality for the children.

 

[The-Doctor]

I Agree about seperating fiction from reality it is after all just a game...no one actually dies or is killed but I also agree you can feel real emotions while you play it...for example when a character was killed off in FF7 fans were pretty upset about it. Also while you are playing some games such as Resident evil and a dog jumps out of a cupboard...does that not make you jump? Do you not feel a certain sense of dread and fear while playing Silent hill albeit you know you are perfectly safe.

(ditto re the scientists on Half Life...though I did shoot him by accident....well what was I supposed to do he just popped up out of the box...I thought he was a nasty....your honour!LOL )

 

[CyberPaladin]

This places you into a much smaller category where there was actually parental involvement and your mother actually took time to sit down and talk to you about the stuff you saw. A big part of the raised aggression were in teens who didn't involve themselves in this aspect of their childrens lives. Everyting you state in your post is characteristic of a group of young people observed in the same study that showed improved grades and less violent behaviour when the parent was involved.

The key reason behind people blaming video games for aggressive behaviour is because they sit their kid in front of it as a babysitter and sooner or later the virtual world becomes more of a reality for the children.

I some what I agree with you, were thinking along the same lines but I think the situation is much worse than you do people now view the corporation like another parent they sue them when there kids get fat from eating fast, watching to much TV and eating the junk food, and they expect the government to act as enforcer with rating movies, TV, and video games and continue to complain about the efforts that are being done because according them 8 year olds were going out buying these game how many people here really think that 8 year olds are going out and buying $50 games without there parents having any knowledge. The problem isn't that people expect the government and corporations to be babysitters to there kids anymore they expect them to be parents.

The-Doctor what are you talking with those scientist in Half Life it's like with chips you just can stop with one.

 

[ffman]

This places you into a much smaller category where there was actually parental involvement and your mother actually took time to sit down and talk to you about the stuff you saw. A big part of the raised aggression were in teens who didn't involve themselves in this aspect of their childrens lives. Everyting you state in your post is characteristic of a group of young people observed in the same study that showed improved grades and less violent behaviour when the parent was involved.

The key reason behind people blaming video games for aggressive behaviour is because they sit their kid in front of it as a babysitter and sooner or later the virtual world becomes more of a reality for the children.

I agree. Parents need to have more involvement in their children's lives. My mother thought this such a neccessity that she chose to be an in-home babysitter so she would be home every time I stepped out of the door to get on the school bus in the morning and each time I stepped off the bus each afternoon. Without her, I dunno what kind of position I would be in. I try to thank God for her each day (unless I fall asleep before finishing my prayers, lol).

 

[spitfire07]

Its alright to play violent games as ling as you don't think that its alright to kill someone/thing.

 

[Victory of the Cross]

I am a very non violent person in real life, yet i don't have problems with certain types of violence in video games, as a Jedi I will gladly take down legions of Stormtroopers, as a allied soldier i will gladly fight thousands of nazi, Orcs,Clones,etc the list goes on and on. In age of the empires i must have killed more of those little 2D people than most have : once killing 5400 in one game

I woudl never kill anyone in real life, yet i don't feel any remorse for killing a stormtrooper

 

[Dracil]

You're not even killing a stormtrooper, you're just changing some bits on your computer.

 

[Victory of the Cross]

Ahh But i would kill a stormie if i met one

 

[CyberPaladin]

I am a very non violent person in real life, yet i don't have problems with certain types of violence in video games, as a Jedi I will gladly take down legions of Stormtroopers, as a allied soldier i will gladly fight thousands of nazi, Orcs,Clones,etc the list goes on and on. In age of the empires i must have killed more of those little 2D people than most have : once killing 5400 in one game

I woudl never kill anyone in real life, yet i don't feel any remorse for killing a stormtrooper

I know exactly what your saying I'm the same way in my gaming like Imperium Galatica II my death toll was in the millions and I couldn't begin to count the legion of monsters and bad guys I have taken out in FPS and RPG. Yet in real life I would never kill anyone.

 

[Victory of the Cross]

in an after thought my Mum over the course of 2 months "killed" 30.000 + Stormtroopers on Battlefront 1 and she is so non violent she doesn't even swat bugs