God video games: sacrilegious?

[Rev7]

To be specific, "thou shalt not have any god's before Me." is referring to believing in other gods before God-god. You could, in theory, believe in other deities second, third, fourth, ect...to God, if we're only taking that one Commandment into question here. I'm sure there are more lines that say "no other gods AT ALL", and if somebody would like to provide them, I would be glad to see some.

 

In any case, I think video game gods don't count here for a couple of very valid reasons.

A: You know the "god" you are playing as is digital, and has no relevance to reality(as other historical deities would.)

B: you know it's all pretend. Since digital people can't choose to worship God-god, you are taking nothing away from God-god that He could have had. Which is where the whole "no god's before me" comes in because you're making people worship you instead of Him.

 

Now, if it is your(Rev7), personal beliefe, from what you have interpreted from you're experiances and how YOU think the Bible applies, then the following statement by you:

 

is inaccurate, and should read more along the lines of: "I believe that from what I have read regarding my religion and how I have personally interpreted my religion that it is not OK in my opinion to pretend to be a god in a digital format." Or something along those lines with an excessive amount of times noting that it's you're opinion.

 

otherwise, as has been asked, I would request of you to provide lines beyond "thou shalt not have any god's before me" from the Bible to back up you're claim.

Dude, I honestly try to keep it simple, and not try to be fancy (all the time). I know that Neopolian said once, "Write as if you are writing to the village idiot" and I generally try to follow that. I THINK that it is not ok to play a game when you are a "god" as the main character. That would be considered, in my eyes, you not putting The One True God ( my "opinion") first. I FOLLOW the bible because I ( in my opinion) beleive it to be true. I also know that my God changed the life of many people. For example, Paul's ( or Saul's) life was completely altered because of God. Saul murdered many christians during his life, but one day gave his life to God. Now he was known as Paul at this time. I know that you guys will MOST LIKELY say, Is there any proof of Paul's existance? I would only say that, was there any proof of there being slaves in America at one point in time? I know this to be true because it was RECORDED.

[Corinthian]

Neopolian?

 

Anyway, just because you have faith in something, doesn't mean there's not a reason for it. I believe in God because I've seen his presence in mine and other people's lives, I can't really imagine life without something more, the idea of my consciousness being completely erased when I die scares the hell out of me, and the theory of Evolution and the Big Bang don't seem to hold water from my perspective.

 

There is evidence aside from the Bible that Jesus and his followers were real men. Jesus' existence is pretty much a fact. Whether or not he really preformed miracles, rose from the dead, or was the Son of God is all up in the air, obviously.

 

Anyway, you're avoiding the question with canned Christian Rhetoric. Why is it sinful to play a God Game? What if you weren't playing as a God, but merely a Demigod? Or maybe a Demiurge? Is Baldur's Gate sinful? What about Planescape: Torment?

[Pavlos]

Uh, ED, opinons are just that, opinons. They don't need to be justified. I'm okay with Rev7 says.

 

One hopes that one would put thought into an area before settling on one's own opinion. The worst kind of opinion is that which is unjustified.

 

Edit:

Neopolian?

 

Napoleon... I think.

[Corinthian]

Right. Just because it's an opinion doesn't mean you just pull it out. Everyone has a reason for their opinions, even if the reasons are fairly abstract or are hard to put into words. I don't think I've ever seen an unjustified opinion. Poorly justified ones, yes, but never one that was completely unjustified.

[Web Rider]

Right. Just because it's an opinion doesn't mean you just pull it out. Everyone has a reason for their opinions, even if the reasons are fairly abstract or are hard to put into words. I don't think I've ever seen an unjustified opinion. Poorly justified ones, yes, but never one that was completely unjustified.

 

Of course, we could go on for ages about exactly how to define a "reason" as a valid, be it good or bad, justification for thinking a certain way about a specific thing.

[tk102]

What if you weren't playing as a God, but merely a Demigod? Or maybe a Demiurge? Is Baldur's Gate sinful? What about Planescape: Torment?

Good question. How about Overlord where you play a sort of Sauron-like character, commanding minions to smash and destroy?

 

Maybe we're all just minions in God's video game. If so, and you believe he created us in his own image...

[Titanius Anglesmith]

Something I've been wondering while I was reading through this thread: If it's not ok to play a game where you "pretend" to be a god, what makes it ok to play a game where you slice countless people in half with a lightsaber? "Thou shalt not murder" is another of the Ten Commandments.

[Det. Bart Lasiter]

Something I've been wondering while I was reading through this thread: If it's not ok to play a game where you "pretend" to be a god, what makes it ok to play a game where you slice countless people in half with a lightsaber?

Plot holes.

[Corinthian]

No, you're thinking of Selective Morality.

[Rev7]

Something I've been wondering while I was reading through this thread: If it's not ok to play a game where you "pretend" to be a god, what makes it ok to play a game where you slice countless people in half with a lightsaber? "Thou shalt not murder" is another of the Ten Commandments.

That is very true ; I never thought about that. Umm, you know, I don't know how to answer that question. I guess that that is a sin that I have commited, and you have brought it the light (for me). Anyways, I will have to think on that for a while and get back to you guys, because frankly, right know I don't know how to respond to that right now.

 

BTW-- Neopolian- the famous french leader general/ leader/emperor/dictator figure.

[Det. Bart Lasiter]

No, you're thinking of Selective Morality.

Either or, really.

[tk102]

Umm, you know, I don't know how to answer that question.

It's pretty easy really.

 

"Thou shalt not murder" != "Thou shalt not simulate murder"

[Det. Bart Lasiter]

It's pretty easy really.

 

"Thou shalt not murder" != "Thou shalt not simulate murder"

It is in the eyes of The Lord.

[Rev7]

It's pretty easy really.

 

"Thou shalt not murder" != "Thou shalt not simulate murder"

That I already knew, tk. I was, I guess you could say a little bit "stunned" because Capt. Sparrow was 100% correct with what he said. My question to all christians who view this thread, why do we play video games that are like that, if we know it to be sin? Me, I am gonna do my best to get off of those kinda games from now on, it WILL be difficult, but now that that has been said, that is something that I will have to do. I am still going to do a little research and think about that this weekend.

[tk102]

"Thou shalt not murder" != "Thou shalt not simulate murder"

That I already knew, tk...why do we play video games that are like that, if we know it to be sin?

I think you missed my implication of "therefore not a sin" part.

[Rev7]

I think you missed my implication of "therefore not a sin" part.

Sorry tk, I did miss that.

[Web Rider]

BTW-- Neopolian- the famous french leader general/ leader/emperor/dictator figure.

 

I'll be polite, it's Napoleon.

 

Wouldn't even simulated murder have to be murder of people who exist? Like if I played a game where I went around killing people in the town of Wichita? ex: if I were killing people in The Sims, they're digital representations of real people.

 

Whereas the people in Kotor, or Oblivion are not representations of real beings. You can't murder something that never lived.

[Darth333]

My question to all christians who view this thread, why do we play video games that are like that, if we know it to be sin?

What tk said...and even without that comparison, that is your interpretation of Christianity, not that of all Christians (certainly not mine!).

 

Those are just games. I don't consider myself a god in real life when I play a video game (...although when I think about it, I could save a lot of taxes lol ). As for me I don't think "God" would care about such petty things as video games (and Church attendance per example): what matters is what you do in real life to make life better and help each other IMHO.

[Titanius Anglesmith]

My question to all christians who view this thread, why do we play video games that are like that, if we know it to be sin?

Whether I think murder in real life is a sin or not (which I do), I don't think it is in a video game. Why? Well, because it's a video game - it's not real. I highly doubt God really cares about how many aliens we slice or how many credits we steal when we're playing KotOR.

[Rev7]

I'll be polite, it's Napoleon.

Sorry, I mispelled his name.

 

Whether I think murder in real life is a sin or not (which I do), I don't think it is in a video game. Why? Well, because it's a video game - it's not real. I highly doubt God really cares about how many aliens we slice or how many credits we steal when we're playing KotOR.

Video games are considered virtual, yes, and I also wish what you said is 100% true, but we don't know for sure if it is or not. My hypothesis on this topic may be way off, or right on the target, but again, I don't know for sure. Me I personally I sure hope it is not, but as I said before, I don't know. I guess you could say I am somewhat taking precautions.

[Totenkopf]

Curious, but if playing a game is bad in your opinion, how do you feel about litereature? Do you enjoy reading stories where people are being killed? Do you refuse to buy a book where people are murdered (or subjected to other indignities) b/c you might be enabling someone else's "near occasion of sin/sinfullness" (by buying their books and essentially encouraging them to create more of same)?

 

I come down on the side of those that say it's no big deal. The only caveat would be people who have self destructive personality traits. If you have "issues" with self control and violent behavior, perhaps those kind of games are the thing you should avoid (much like an alcoholic shouldn't drink booze). Otherwise, don't see problems with playing games, etc..

[Rev7]

Curious, but if playing a game is bad in your opinion, how do you feel about litereature? Do you enjoy reading stories where people are being killed? Do you refuse to buy a book where people are murdered (or subjected to other indignities) b/c you might be enabling someone else's "near occasion of sin/sinfullness" (by buying their books and essentially encouraging them to create more of same)?

 

I come down on the side of those that say it's no big deal. The only caveat would be people who have self destructive personality traits. If you have "issues" with self control and violent behavior, perhaps those kind of games are the thing you should avoid (much like an alcoholic shouldn't drink booze). Otherwise, don't see problems with playing games, etc..

 

Well I have read one of Tom Clancey's books, and it was pretty good; other than that i have read some of Frank Peretti's books (the Oath was great). Other, other than that I generally read a lot at school, and I am tired at the end of the day and don't read many books. I cannot stop someone from sinning Totenkopf, everybody sins, and we can only somewhat cut down on it.I, in most cases, only am able to counsel the person. What it all comes down to is the person making the choice. Also I don't read books chuck full of gore, violence, sex ; ect. BTW-- I am not quite sure what to think quite yet on the killing in video games. I only think that playing a video games when you play as a god is not right, and one reason that I think this because I don't play any sort of game along those lines. Secondly, I feel that it is not right to do so. By no means am I saying that you, or anybody else, should believe in what I believe.

 

The thing that I can't see is why am I being "targeted" for something I believe in. I cannot stress this enough, EVERYBODY HAS OPINIONS. Sometimes these opinions cannot be validated, it may be something that you have faith in, or something that is not explainable, and it would be nearly impossible to validate something like that. I just don't understand why I am being "targeted" (this is in most cases on this thread, not all) for where I put my faith. I know that I may not be the greatest at explaining my reasoning, but I still try to. I am new to this kind of thing. Please forgive me if you feel that I am being kinda short, but I am really curious why I seem to be getting this kind of negative response from those on this thread and several others.

I would love to get an answer to that question if at all possible. Thanks

( this was not directed at Totenkopf 's question.)

[Titanius Anglesmith]

I don't think anybody has "targeted" you, especially not me. I'm a Christian as well and have been for years, it's just that I don't think the kind of video games you play is going to have much of an influence in where you spend the afterlife.

 

Now like Totenkopf said, there are some games that certain people shouldn't play because of any mental/personality "disorders" that person may have. Sometimes, it just depends on the kind of personality someone has - people with an overly-violent nature shouldn't play really violent games, or people with "weak" stomachs shouldn't play really gory games. In and of themselves, I don't think there's anything inherently wrong in doing those things, though.

[Web Rider]

The thing that I can't see is why am I being "targeted" for something I believe in.

 

because you are the only one who has professed to believe that video-game killing is the same as real-life killing. We are all quite curious to know why you think this. yes, you are more than welcome to say: "it's my opinion and that's the end of it." But you seem interested in discussion so we're all curious.

 

Is it the fact that they're people? Does that make killing Kahjit in Oblivion OK because they're not human? Is it because they're imitations of sentient creatures? Does that then make it OK to kill all the monsters and stuff? Or is it a be-all end-all, all killing, real or digital, is bad. And if so, what is you're reasoning for believing this?

[Ray Jones]

I wonder where do you all know from what god likes and dislikes, and that he condemns killings in real life but does not care about killings or violence in a "real life simulation"?