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Mr BLonDe Junior Member Posts: 7 From: Oklahoma Registered: 01-21-2002 |
Ok, i just found this forum and am overjoyed at its purpose. For the past half-year, i have been programming in half-life- a widely popular first person shoot-em-up in which there is violence. I have always liked first person shooters, especially half-life. Whenever i play, i dont EVER think about how i am actually killing other people (even though its virtual). My other christian freinds play it as well. Anyways, sometimes i wonder if games like this are a sin? is it bad to play games in which you harm other humans. in the bible it sais "thou shall not kill", but what about make believe and virtual fragging/killing? I want to know the answer, i have prayed, but i think this will help more. again, i have thought about this a lot, but still feel confortable when playing games where u shoot people. Thnx to those who reply... I know this may sound like a stupid question, but someone has to slap sense into me if i'm wrong  ------------------ |
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MeanManInOz Member Posts: 388 From: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia Registered: 06-26-2001 |
*sigh* Do you think God has filled life with fun stuff and attached a sin label, so that people who love Him will show it by going without and being sad ? A game is a game. It doesn't mean you want to kill anyone, it means you like video games. I suggest that you consider what your church is teaching you if they are focused on worrying about every little thing being a potential sin instead of talking up the power of God. What you're doing is approaching the Bible as the law, a legal document where you worry about the letter of the law, instead of the Spirit. The Spirit of the law is that you don't hurt other people, regardless of if you kill them or not. It's not concerned with playing games. Is chess a sin ? |
Klumsy Administrator Posts: 1061 From: Port Angeles, WA, USA Registered: 10-25-2001 |
pray about it say to God.. i enjoy this, and i don't want to get legalistic, but Lord if it is your will, i am willing to sacrifice this for you.. there are many reasons God may want you to stop playing it (these are just examples , i'm not giving you a word) Its taking up too much of your time, and getting your priorities messed up. Its becoming an Idol over God (anything even good things can do this) Its drawing you into fantasy and thrills of violence.. I can not sit here and judge you either way. statistic wise. as far as physchology goes etc.. what you feed on affects you... it mightn't make you an ax murder but it will affect you.. the proportion of junk food for your soul, compared to God's livegiving word and spirit... what is that proportion.. some other things.. we are very desenstised to violence in our culture, christians also... movies that are general comedies now, would be outright scandelous a generation ago even in the secular world.. games are getting to the point of graphic reality which is quite scary.. the US military uses computer games to train soldiers to get used to violence to desensitise them so that they won't flinch in battle.. in any sort of training, training of a child, adult etc... you give a reward for an action.. many games give a reward for killing.. there are many extreme cases of crimes commited after these, however those are extremes.. God knows your heart, and what issues you need to deal with, I can't say if this is something getting in the way your relationship with God or not.. but prayer can.. I have a friend who is a very good guitarist... God had him sacrifice his guitar playing which one was something God called him to, and 2) was not a bad thing... he sacrificed it for a time, while God worked on him heart and his issues, and when he took it back up it wasn't an idol anymore.. May God give you wisedom and leading in this matter... your brother in Christ, ------------------ |
rowanseymour Member Posts: 284 From: Belfast, Northern Ireland Registered: 02-10-2001 |
Hey Mr BLonDe ! My outlook on shootem ups has changed very recently so I know exactly how you feel. I was a BIG fan of Counter-Strike... I started thinking about it when I started playing CS with a friend of mine called Stephen (aka sgstair). I found it disturbing shooting someone I knew - why would I want to blast someone apart when I cared about them ? Games and movies are a form of escapism - why would you want to escape God's laws ? Is not keeping them perfect freedom ? Another thing I noticed was that I was very quick to make excuses for the things I enjoyed - this applied to violent games / drinking, everything. I can assure you that if you give up violent video games (and violent movies) you will be missing out on nothing and gaining so much. God Bless. ------------------ |
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MeanManInOz Member Posts: 388 From: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia Registered: 06-26-2001 |
I can assure you that if you give up violent video games (and violent movies) you will be missing out on nothing and gaining so much. God Bless. The Bible says not to tempt a brother who is weak. If your faith is so weak as to find issue in video games, then I apologise for tempting it ( assuming that you're a Christian ). |
sgstair Member Posts: 25 From: Emporia, Kansas, USA Registered: 07-12-2001 |
Me! He's talking about me! I find that games, while nice to play at times, and being pretty good at helping stress, are really not much more than a time-waster -Stephen |
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Mr BLonDe Junior Member Posts: 7 From: Oklahoma Registered: 01-21-2002 |
yes, i've been playing counter-strike lately a lot :P. but, i never found it disturbing to shoot anyone. In fact, it never really crosses my mind what i'm actually doing until i see some TV show or other advertisement disrespting vidieo games (violent ones in particular). To answer your question, YES, i AM a christian (and proud of it :P). I just want to know if what i'm doing is wrong. So far, i get the idea that it is from replies (thnx to all of them ), but are their any people that have found it otherwise? Also, isn't playing video games with other christians sorda like a fellowship, because christian fellowship is important i hear  . thnx to those who reply from this point, i reallly like playing video games (especially counter-strike), but if its necessary to quit them for the sake of my christiananity then out they go...------------------ |
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MeanManInOz Member Posts: 388 From: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia Registered: 06-26-2001 |
To answer your question, YES, i AM a christian (and proud of it :P). I knew you were a believer, I was asking if you've recieved the Spirit since you believed. Also, isn't playing video games with other christians sorda like a fellowship, because christian fellowship is important i hear No, it isn't. It's better than playing with people who bring drugs along for between games, but fellowship involves talking about the Gospel and encouraging one another. I'm not saying you need to be super-spiritual, but unless you also have fellowship, you're just playing games with some friends who share your religious beliefs. |
... I've found that I play games less and less now that I have more and more real work to do.