Christianity + Videogames

[PirateChris]

Im not trying to judge anyone here. But how can we justify playing these types of games. Such as the recently released Bioshock, and the thread on here for support for it. I bought it on the 360 for my brother. And although the game is very well done I could not continue to play through it. The game is filled with blood, guts, murder, cursing, blasphemy, sorcery(plasmids)

Like I said Im not trying to judge, but dont you think God would disprove of such things? Same goes for Halo 3 I will not be getting that either. I have set aside games I used to love such as World of Warcraft the game is just teeming with magic.

How as Christians can we allow ourselves to play games like these? It is no different that watching a filthy movie, we are commanded to be apart from the world not blend in with it.


On a side note to satisfy my gaming needs I think I might pick up a Wii later, most of the games there are safe IMO for example Mario, Super smash brothers etc

[CourtroomWolf]

It shouldn't be such an issue if you can separate game and reality. Using "magic" in a game is hardy the same as trying to cast spells in reality. But if it's not your style, it's not your style...

[Hootmon]

It shouldn't be such an issue if you can separate game and reality. Using "magic" in a game is hardy the same as trying to cast spells in reality. But if it's not your style, it's not your style...Exactly.

[Hootmon]

How as Christians can we allow ourselves to play games like these? It is no different that watching a filthy movie,... There are any number of things that you could lump into that category.

Most Pro Sports, most Movies, many if not most TV programs, etc.


...we are commanded to be apart from the world not blend in with it.Slight correction... We are commanded to be in the world but not of the world.

See the difference?

[NovaStorm]

It shouldn't be such an issue if you can separate game and reality.... So you are saying, if I see a very attractive woman, I can stare at her letting my eyes glaze over while I allow my mind to just think the most lustful things... because after all it's not reality, right? It's not really happening, it's just in my mind, some of the things thought about may not even be physically possible even, so it's perfectly OK, right?

Gosh, just think, thinking about something that God created as good, such as sex, getting to a point where it is wrong such as how I just described, yet the stuff you say is OK (witchcraft in video games) is perfectly ok to think about? Yet God hates such things flat out (see Deut 18), it was never created as a good thing, and it's not alright at all.

[Hootmon]

So you are saying, if I see a very attractive woman, I can stare at her letting my eyes glaze over while I allow my mind to just think the most lustful things... because after all it's not reality, right? Nope. It doesnt matter if its a woman actually present, or some pornography you found on the internet. That's still an example of actual Lust. It is you... Lusting... Its not imaginary...


...yet the stuff you say is OK (witchcraft in video games) is perfectly ok to think about? Are you really saying that when my in-game character 'casts a spell' that Im actually guilty of being a Sorceror? That Im actually casting a 'real' spell? I dont think so.


...Yet God hates such things flat out (see Deut 18), it was never created as a good thing, and it's not alright at all.Its funny, but I dont remember video games being mentioned in Deuteronomy.

Point is, those verses are talking about real things that real people do or think of doing. It would take an extremely gullible to actually think they are casting a real fireball just because their on-screen character did.

[NovaStorm]

Nope. It doesnt matter if its a woman actually present, or some pornography you found on the internet. That's still an example of actual Lust. It is you... Lusting... Its not imaginary...

Nope. It doesnt matter if its a fireball actually present, or some video game you found on the internet. That's still an example of actual witchcraft. It is you... casting spells... Its not imaginary...

[Hootmon]

Nope. It doesnt matter if its a fireball actually present, or some video game you found on the internet. That's still an example of actual witchcraft. Nonsense.


It is you... casting spells... No. It isnt. You are employing a faulty comparison that is leading you to erroneous conclusions

I have no ability or desire to cast an actual spell, unlike your 'Lust' example where you have both the ability and presumably the desire to do that which your are imagining.


Its not imaginary...You have an odd definition of what 'imaginary' means. Is anything truely 'imaginary' in your view?

If I put on a cape and jump off my porch am I really trying to 'magically' fly? How about if I play a game that has Superman in it?

Im curious. Do you even play any video games? If so, which ones?

[NovaStorm]

You have an odd definition of what 'imaginary' means. Is anything truely 'imaginary' in your view? Why don't you tell me? All I did was take your quote verbatim and change the subject from lusting after women to witchcraft.

How is one wrong to do in that context while the other is perfectly ok? As you say, one becomes not imaginary, yet you say in your post that the other does not.

[Hootmon]

Why don't you tell me? How can I tell you what your answer would be? I was hoping that you would give me an example of something truely 'imaginary' in your view.


All I did was take your quote verbatim and change the subject from lusting after women to witchcraft. ...which I pointed out was an invalid comparison.


How is one wrong to do in that context while the other is perfectly ok? I tried to explain the difference, apparantly unsuccessfully.


As you say, one becomes not imaginary, yet you say in your post that the other does not.Im not sure I understand you here.