viloence in video games

[ephemeral]

considering that i am still only 16, my parents are obviously still in charge of me. and lately, my mom has started expressing concern for that game i play with real guns and real people (counterstrike...) it's too bloody she says. so i was talking to my youth pastor about it, and he has actually also decided to take halflife (classic) off of the church comps. the parents of some of the younger kids dont like us playing M rated games. so that kinda ticked me off, but then i realized that he's actually right. we had been using halflife as an outreach to the gamers in our neighborhood, as there was no other way to get them into church. but my youth pastor was right in saying that we need to listen to the weakest amoung us. if one of us is affected by something, and it doesn't really do anybody else harm, we should make steps to change that, not expect them to comply. anyway's, thats completely off topic, but tell me, what do you think about christians playing video games? is it ok? or should we be keeping our heart pure? dont get me wrong, i'll never stop playing games, unless i feel like i am really being convicted to do so, but i just would like some input. if this gets hot enough, feel free to post a link onto the chitchatandblahblah forums too.

[CowboyFromHell`X]

Well there's alot of issues to deal with but in general I don't think violence in video games is too much of a deal to an extent. As long as the kids know there's a big difference between "killing" someone in a video game and killing someone in real life. Now with some people, even adults, there could be a potential problem for violent video games and even movies. I've read about people not growing up with too much of a role model, be it a parent figure etc... and adapting someone in a movie/game to be their role model. Not too great an idea.

 

But for most people that shouldn't really be too much of a problem. As for the religious side of things I'm not the greatest person to respond to this. I really don't know too much about religion to take a side but I don't see the problem of violence in video games when it's in cartoons, movies, books, TV, music etc...

[Norguard]

Personally, I don't see a problem with a responsible, mature Christian playing videogames as an outlet. I've done it in my relaxation time for most of my life.

 

Many older Christians may not see the redeeming qualities of gaming, but I'll bet that those same people will also watch non-Christian movies or TV, listen to non-Christian music, or read non-Christian books. Not to say that the entertainment that they are enjoying is immoral, impure or wrong, just that it is not specifically Christian.

 

Games are to be judged on a per-game basis. Just because Kill Bill isn't a movie I would show to an eight year old, doesn't mean that The Incredibles is inappropriate. Likewise, the content of every game is subjective to the people who are rating the content...

 

I used to make movies - some of them horror. I know all about special effects, makeup, lighting, soundtracks and the like, so none of the gory stuff bothers me at all. I just see plastic, latex, paint and collodeon. What really bothers me are storylines where evil triumphs. That's about it... I've never really liked playing the badguy in films, or in plays. I don't like being a badguy in games, or watching them in movies. Unless the movie/play/game is about moral consequences, the badguy should lose. That's my take.

 

Anyway, that's a little off topic, but I don't see Counter-Strike or Half-Life 2 as being that dissimilar from action movies, or, say, reading the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, or "The Count of Monte Cristo". If a specific movie bothers you, stop watching it, identify what's bothering you, and ask yourself wether you should be watching that type of thing. No different than gaming. If certain parts of Half-Life are bothering young or sensitive people, it should be removed until you can pinpoint the problem and come up with a solution. When you're playing an online game like Counter-Strike, you're playing a competitive sport with a bunch of guys across the globe, more than you're playing a traditional computer game. I can honestly say that I would feel better playing Quake III or FEAR Deathmatch with a good group of friendly and honest people that I have fun with, than to play a relatively harmless WarCraft III with lewd malicious people, or Grand Theft Auto, by myself. Violence as a whole is no reason to stop gaming/reading/watching movies, unless your gaming has become an addiction - something that you put all of your best time, every day, into. That's idolatry, but again no different than somebody who puts an equal amount of time into watching TV instead.

Edited November 8, 2005 by Norguard

[Preacher]

Anything you do "can" be sin. If the violence is causing inappropriate thoughts or feelings away from gaming stop playing. If you are skipping church to play CS or lying about being sick at work to stay home and game, then you have a problem. If your wife gets upset because you game too much, then because your relationship with your wife is a million times more important than your relaxation/diversion time, you should lessen the ammount of time you game.

 

If you have young people or sensitive folks around you it's important not to expose them to the violence. Show common sense. When you are going to the bathroom you don't invite an audience because it's not the place or the time. Likewise show wisdom in who you expose to the game, make sure it's appropriate. I like shows like CSI and Law and Order but because of the subject matter, especially in CSI, I do not watch them with my kids.

 

I have to walk a fine line because Paul (from the Bible) says thatif you know what you should do and refuse to do it, or if you know you should not do something and do it anyway - then you are doing evil acts.

 

All men must judge themselves not each other. We judge the sin not the sinner. God is the only righteous judge so one must depend on Him for wisdom in such things.

[ConGregation]

One rule I use is... kinda hard to explain...

 

I try to 'bring every thought into captivity of Christ'. IOW, I try to include Christ in everything I do. If I am involved in an activity where I have to 'ignore' my Lord then its dangerous territory. At work I always try to think about spiritual things.

 

I also use CS to relax. Yet I can tell when something is of a nature that grieves The Spirit. I personally don't feel that way about CS but there are people who do.

 

To say it how I initially was going to... Any activity that I can't include Christ in is going to be a hinderence to me.

[Norguard]

That's actually a good way to look at it, Con. That grievance is something to be wary of.

 

Personally, I find Philippians 4:8 is a good measure for what get me in, or keep me from trouble:

 

"...whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

 

That goes beyond just lining 24 virtual avatars up and shooting one another. If I wasn't in a fun, mature community, I likely wouldn't be playing a multiplayer game at all. I generally don't play any multiplayer games. The GC servers are pretty much it.

[TheBugs]

Im only 18, but its all in the parenting i think. I was brought up with my dad going hunting regularly and having many guns. I learned from a very young age the right/wrong with guns and what they are used for etc..etc.

[Ice_Berge_00]

You guys all have very good points. Preacher, quite an interesting but meaningful analogy/example.

 

Personally, I think in most cases the violence in games isn't a problem. When the violence itself BECOMES the point of the game this I can have a problem with.

 

 

I think our society tries to attribute all too much to violence in games. It really comes down to proper parenting and raising your children right. This is something that's on a individual basis I believe and falls on the responsibility of the parents and family.

 

The media tries to paint the picture that games are causing so many problems and that children are learning the wrong values and beliefs. Parents have to teach their kids that games can be a fun way to entertain yourself, relieve stress, anger and interact with others. However, games aren't real.

 

A game is just that, a game.

[ConGregation]

Yet, games affect people differently.

 

I can remember a time (long ago) when I was mega into CS. Played it every chance I had. Dreamed about it. Etc.

 

During that period I think it would have been easy to kill a guy. If I had a gun and a guy was threatening me or my family, it would have been as simple as pointing at his head and clicking. It would have been NATURAL. I could have done it instinctively. Now I didn't go out and murder anybody, but if I was a violent person to begin with and didn't have social and moral restraints firmly in place, I could see how the violence of a video game could effect me very aversely.

 

These games are not good for some people. period. What politicians are concerned about is keeping them outta the hands of the wrong people. And I don't think it's possible.

 

And lest you say that shooting a real gun and clicking a mouse if FAR different. During that time I was back home over July 4th and a bunch of guys went out 'shooting' I shot as well and I never missed. (mostly clay pigeons). All I did was 'point and click'.

 

I am not saying violent games are bad but I have no time for people who say they do not have an effect on people.

[Ice_Berge_00]

you're certainly right about games affecting different people differently, and there are people that as you said don't have the moral foundations that we all have.

 

None-the-less I still don't think violence in games is as key to the issue as why they don't have that moral understanding. However, this is getting off topic maybe.

 

Overall I don't think the violence in games is a problem. There are a few games that go over the edge however most are ok provided kids have the proper supervision and parents know what their kids are playing.