How do computer games tie in with God & christianity?

[daniel_lee]

Personally, I do enjoy playing computer games, particularly real time strategy games; which involve a range of skills such as managing economy, strategy and tactics to take down an opponent.

I do have quite a burning query however: how such an interest ties in with God & Christianity. Particularly since many games (at least war games) involve killing / destroying the opponents' units & buildings. Does playing such games sort of steer people towards war & violence?

So the pros for me include: enjoying strategy, speed, skill in taking down an opponent. Another possible pro is the ability to play with others; hence it need not be a hobby in isolation. In fact, it could be common interest among friends

Cons would be the issue i mentioned: Killing people/units & destroying buildings: does it promote violence? Perhaps getting addicted is another issue. But i guess if one can manage it...

At the moment, I do enjoy playing Age of Empires.

Any feedback on this issue would be good. Thank you =)

[johntwayne]

I generally only play massive multiplayer online games now so socializing is a big thing for me. I've had opportunity to speak of spiritual things from time to time.

I learn a lot of lessons about real life, and the games teach me self control.

As to the violence in game I see a definite distinction between what is real and what is a game. I don't go for the games that depict a lot of blood spatter and have a lot of bad language in them.

Now a days I play Eve Online.

[Charles Sloan]

I play ToonTown with my son, I like it because its not violent. If I play a game I consider if I would feel comfortable having my 5 year old son play it, since whatever I do he develops a keen interest in. But this is just how as a father I gauge what is good to play or watch on tv, etc. This isn't something I would dogmatically preach out of Scripture.

[freeman]

I think online games teach how to interact with others in a teamwork situation, much in the same way sports do. As with any social arena, you will find people of all character types and you have to learn to deal with them. So it is in real life as well. One can't be a Christian and go through life without adversity. Jesus taught that the world would hate us because we are his. We must also learn to love our enemies. What better way than through video games? Games that teach violence for the sake of violence should be avoided.

[MegaJedi]

I play Toontown (as does my nephew and neice (thanks to me, and thanks to Charles for telling me about the game)) I also play RPG's, and violent games (love the god of war series).  But then I know the differance between real life and games.

[chosenone]

I do think that whatever we do or watch or play does affect us either positively or negatively. My son recently sold his X box after God told him to as he was spending to much time on it (and he wasnt even playing violent games ). He found this hard but God is blessing him for it

[wolflet7]

Well, I mostly play shooters/action adventure type games on my PS3.  I admit, the PS3 can be VERY addicting especially to me even when I beat a game.  I love to go back and play it again.  I have Uncharted, Medal of Honor Airborne, Bad Company, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2, Warhawk, Prince of Persia, LittleBigPlanet (which really isn't that harmful for my spiritual walk), and Folklore.  Folklore has you absorbing folks' souls and pretty much calling on them and using their attacks.  It also has you going to the Netherworld, aka the land of the dead.  It is very fun, but also kind of sick to me.  I used to play Shadow of the Colossus, which pretty much has you scaling colossi/"gods", killing them, and absorbing their souls.  I hope Team ICO's next project doesn't have too much of that. 

My theory is that, in video games, they use a LOT of subliminal messaging because hard core video gamers (not including me), in my eyes, are some of the most perverted people.  That's just my thought.

[chosenone]

Well, I mostly play shooters/action adventure type games on my PS3.  I admit, the PS3 can be VERY addicting especially to me even when I beat a game.  I love to go back and play it again.  I have Uncharted, Medal of Honor Airborne, Bad Company, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2, Warhawk, Prince of Persia, LittleBigPlanet (which really isn't that harmful for my spiritual walk), and Folklore.  Folklore has you absorbing folks' souls and pretty much calling on them and using their attacks.  It also has you going to the Netherworld, aka the land of the dead.  It is very fun, but also kind of sick to me.  I used to play Shadow of the Colossus, which pretty much has you scaling colossi/"gods", killing them, and absorbing their souls.  I hope Team ICO's next project doesn't have too much of that. 

My theory is that, in video games, they use a LOT of subliminal messaging because hard core video gamers (not including me), in my eyes, are some of the most perverted people.  That's just my thought.

I would be VERY careful about some of the games you have described here, we have to remember that most of these games are thought up by people who dont know Christ and are therefore under Satans control. if you feel bad about something than thats is probably the time to stop playing it. That one about absorbing the souls of the gods sounds really evil to me.
If playing becomes addictive then that is the time to stop I think. It has then bcome a god and a  modern day idol.

So much time is spent on playing games on computers etc and its such a waste, and I can never see when it would be beneficial to anyone especially with most of the games these days. If God told my son to sell his x box then I would think he is probably be telling many other people to do the same, but I guess that most arent listening.

[bemark]

I play those violent games and have not yet seen it have a impact on my behaviour with others in a negative way or my walk with the Lord   

War games   Call of Duty 2 3 4 and 5       

I can separate what is fact and fiction      Its just a game    Like cowboys and Indians     cops and robbers

If you find you are having a problem with them then it is a sin to you        Its that simple      so don't do it   

Maybe crossword puzzles get some people angry or thy fall into pride        and it is a sin to them       




Soaps that promote sexual immorality and comedy's that have sexual themes are more destroying to the soul in my opinion        Because there are real people involved

Action movies that guys seam to love       

[wolflet7]

I agree with you there Bemark.  I can separate fact from fiction and I realize that some of the most realistic games, such as Bad Company, are so fake. 

I thought about ideas for a video game that have violence, but no blood and possibly no language, that have to do with the endtimes or a Christian-non believers war or something.  It's kind of hard to look out the window when driving down the interstate knowing that someday, this world is going to be literally a hell pit run by satan.

[sopranette]

I agree with bemark, too.  It's just fantasy; no one really gets hurt. I don't really see how computer games have anything to do with God, negatively or positively. I heard that video games do in fact develop some skills, like hand/eye coordination and strategy (kind of like chess, maybe).  I haven't played video games since Pac Man, so I can't say for sure, but what I have seen looks pretty impressive.  My sons, all of them five years old, play a few games that help with their computer skills, as well as counting and letters.

love,

Sopranette

[llewksgood]

I don't know if this is any indication, but a little testimony [won't take longer than 3 years to tell, I promise].

When Daniel was 3, I went to read him a bedtime story.

"Dad," he asked, "How about telling me a story instead of reading me one."

I was briefly overwhelmed, then began the story of Aussie Dan, and his fight with pollution. This story continued for the next 3 years. I have to admit that I used the rpg platform Secret of Manna to guide me through the elements of the story - kind of built the story around "stages" and tasks that needed to be fulfilled before Aussie Dan could face Pollution [the ultimate "big boss"].

The story went along these lines. Aussie Dan (who was just 4 when he began) had to visit various people and obtain certain items of armour and weaponry [the Christian's armour mentioned by Paul in Ephesians] to prepare himself for battle. He also had to get together a group of 7 [6 plus himself] in order to defeat Pollution.

On the way he learned the benefits of "memory verses" for healing and strength; vials of prayer [largely for healing, and administered more commonly by others], and vials of praise [for aid needed in winning difficult battles [these could be mixed, if you had more than one to miraculous effects]. These vials came in 7 different colours, and it took all seven different colours, each being administered by one of the 7 to see Pollution defeated in Sydney; at which point "Creator" came down and defeated him for you.

There was a whole lot more to the story, but, I think, you can see how playing video games helped me face the challenge put to me by a 3 year old.

This had great effect on Daniel, both in his faith, and in the games he plays, and how he views them.

I think they can have a positive effect on your faith if you allow them to.

[k-pappy]

I can separate fact from fiction and I realize that some of the most realistic games, such as Bad Company, are so fake. 

That is the main point right there...you need to separate fact from fiction.  My boys were watching me play a game in which I was stealing, and they thought it was pretty cool.  I got a little concerned I explained to them how this was fantasy...they looked at me like,  "duh!  We know it is not real...that is bad in real life."

As an added bonus, I got caught and was killed...it showed them that even in fantasy there are consequences for bad things...just like in real life.  Provided a good teaching tool, believe it or not.

I do not think the games in and of themselves are bad, so long as we can separate them from real life and not get carried away.

In Christ,
KP

[wolflet7]

I can separate fact from fiction and I realize that some of the most realistic games, such as Bad Company, are so fake. 

That is the main point right there...you need to separate fact from fiction.  My boys were watching me play a game in which I was stealing, and they thought it was pretty cool.  I got a little concerned I explained to them how this was fantasy...they looked at me like,  "duh!  We know it is not real...that is bad in real life."

As an added bonus, I got caught and was killed...it showed them that even in fantasy there are consequences for bad things...just like in real life.  Provided a good teaching tool, believe it or not.

I do not think the games in and of themselves are bad, so long as we can separate them from real life and not get carried away.

In Christ,
KP

Some war games actually taught me a lot.  I used to really be bad at war games because I didn't have any.  Of course, I had Battlefront 1 and 2 my 8th grade year, my first shooters, but they didn't teach me much and didn't take much skill.  Then, I started getting Medal of Honor games and I was learning a whole bunch from them and tons of other games I have right now, such as Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2.  CoD 4 looks like it has a lot of military tactics just from watching a few videos of it.  If the Tribulation happens before the Rapture, then us Christians are going to have to defend ourselves some how and it's better to have some Christians that know even the smallest military tactics than none at all.

[Howdyboyalan]

Aye Wolf, games like shoot em ups have not only shown me some basics of the military, but increases reaction times etc. I used to be insanely into the game Red Alert 2. At one point I was ranked in the top 10 in the world (before the game was hacked :(:(), and it just does wonders for speed and improvisation skills.

[wolflet7]

Aye Wolf, games like shoot em ups have not only shown me some basics of the military, but increases reaction times etc. I used to be insanely into the game Red Alert 2. At one point I was ranked in the top 10 in the world (before the game was hacked :(:(), and it just does wonders for speed and improvisation skills.

Hand-eye coordination.  I have gotten so much better at that ever since I started playing shooting games.  Once I started playing Battlefield Bad Company online, I was pretty bad.  Then, in a month or so, I moved up to ranked servers and I'm like the best one on my team.  The only thing I don't really like about the online is the delayed reactions and the lag on my PS3 for some reason.  The lag happens maybe 1 out of every 10 times I try playing online.  I hate it.