Video Games and the Christian

[Guest Thomas I believe]

Greetings to all of you in Christ Jesus.

I thought this would be a interesting topic to discuss. As we all know there are many video games out there and can be played via computer, arcade, game consoles. Many games ranging from single player to mmporg(role playing) etc. Do you think video games impact a person? And do you think there harmful ?Are they good or evil ? I have mixed feelings about them and was curious what you all think and feel about this. Lets discuss this intelligently and with a christian perspective...

[Candi770]

When we are born again Christians, we must let the Spirit of God guide us, He may tell me not to do something that others consider not to be a sin and I follow that. I'm led that way.

If it takes the place of God, makes you feel guilty, takes you off course-these are things I consider.

Does God want you to live a dull Life -NO- does he want something to consume your attention above him NO-he is a Jealous God (anything above God is god or an idol in your life)

I have convictions to not do something, but I'm not going to Lord it over you. My convictions do not pertain to these games- I don't think I'm good enough- you have to be pretty good for that- I get mad and want to curse it cause I can't make that man Jump over something so little- But others like it. I guess I could practice it- and maybe I'm getting a little old now. Nothing wrong with clean fun.

Don't let laws get you into bondage over anything- Let the Lord Lead you.

[Guest Thomas I believe]

Good points Candi. I have played video games and even tho i'm old now 45 (j/k) I have tryed a few of them and they were turnoffs and yes i couldnt hardly figure them out. A few i did try were very much a turnoff. I saw people acting in greed. Promoting drunkenness homosexuality etc. Are games good for our children ? Thats the part i worry about that most. Lets continue this discussion and see what others have to say.

[nebula]

Video games of the past were mostly harmless fun - except for the quarter-eaters at the arcade.

Video games now . . . .

In the past, a game lasted as long as you could keep your character alive, basically. You had so many chances and then it's game over.

Now days, video games are stories, and they aren't officially over until the story is over (no haow many times your character dies, you just start over from the last saved point). Thus, it makes it hard to just play for an hour and that's your entertainment for the day. You keep playing and playing and playing . . . because you are hooked on the story, much like reading a good novel - only the game story last much, much longer than a novel ever could.

That is the biggest danger now-days with video games - they are time-eaters, big time!

In the past, the game involved shooting asteroids, fighting space invaders, a pac man eating dots and escaping ghosts, killing a centipede, and things like that.

Now days, you are a gunman killing people or monsters from first perspective, you use magic, women are always provocative, etc., etc., etc. It's very hard to find a video game that isn't bloody or occultic or Eastern religion based or whatever. (And I'm not going to even mention what is in Grand Theft Auto. )

I guess you can interpret that as you will.

[50_Cent's_dog]

I just think that video games are too addictive and time consuming. I almost bought the game of Risk for my computer the other day. It was only $10.00 but I just couldn't buy it. I figuered it would just be another thing that my sin nature would use to take me away from the Lord.

[Sterling]

I think that video games are a pretty touchy subject. Games like Grand Theft Auto (where you can kill a hooker to get your money back) can be very harmful to some people. Some children can be impressed by the glorification of evil and it can come into play when they're looking to rebel. I don't think that we should be ripping them off the shelves or anything. Not everyone reacts negatively to video games and adults have an easier time distinguishing reallity. Not only that, but we live in an evil world and we're told not be be a part of the insanity. We have to learn to cope and teach our children how to.

As for MMORPG's, I've seen people become incredibly addicted to them, to the point of neglecting friends and family to play. I know they're supposedly fun and wouldn't ban the scratch and wins because some people live in poverty over them. But, when something becomes a problem, it's a problem. I'm no expert, though. I've never played anything online. I have an adversion to video games that keep going when my life's to busy to keep up with them.

I think God gives your conscience a kick start when we're doing something wrong. It always becomes an issue when we don't listen.

[refugepsa91]

We got my son and daughter a Playstation 2 and I have to say that I made it plain and clear that this was NOT to become their national past-time Gladly it hasn't, they go in and play it for 30-45 minutes about 2 times a week if that...I have actually had parents tell me that they would be upset after spending that much money and the kids didn't use it My kids will go for weeks and not touch it. And thats ok with me. We try to do alot more of hands on activities with them, board games and outdoors when its warm.

My son (12) would rather work on an old pocket watch or read the price guide for antiques pocket watches then play a video game. But if its warm out, its fishing, camping, boating etc......

My son has Big Game Hunter, Pac man and lots of racing games, motorcycles, cars etc....

My daughter has Barbie games, Finding Nemo etc....

You need a balance, and you need to watch the content, even a game marked T for teen is outrageous for content nowdays.

Love and Blessings,

Angel

[elkieDannsa' Air An Drochaid]

AGE is really important in games. I do think many are bad for young children.

One man at our Bible study group said that he realised he had been using forentertainment the very things JESUS died for. ( referring to thes games subject matter) A thought.

Somehjtings are just pretend..but it can go too far.

I do wish that young children weren't using them.

Some thoughts,

elkie

[BrandonL]

I think video games are becoming increasingly dangerous. In the past few years, child obesity has sky-rocketed, and much of that is to the blame of the video game industry. I own an X-Box, personally, but the only games I really enjoy playing are racing games. When I was growing up, the original Nintendo (NES) was popular. Some of the funnest games ever were available back then. The original Mario Bros. Mario 3, etc. Then Super Nintendo introduced Super Mario, et al. After that, games started becoming too involved. Nowadays, some games take hundreds of hours of intense play to win. Then, there are computer games like Everquest that just suck the life out of you and you can never win. It's like a drug. It literally gives you an alternate reality. People begin to adopt their online personalities over their real ones. It's quite the psychological phenomenon, really.

[Constant]

First of all I think children need to spend alot more time reading books and playing with their friends and not spending all their time playing video games. My husband likes to play the sports games to relax and unwind. I see nothing wrong with those games. The games are so expensive and the consoles are expensive too. Then you have to buy all of the accessories to go along with the system. Then you can't just have one game. The games that have zombies chasing people killing them, not so good for kids to be playing.