Gaming

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If you were playiing a game that had some themes and views that would in real life be sins does that mean you are sining by playing that game. Like a game that is rated m for violence. In case anyone was wondering the game is fable 3.
 
I personally don’t think so. It is just a game. In football (real football), for example, people tackle people. In real life that would be seen as aggressive or violent, but in the proper context it is just playing the game. I think it is the same thing with video games. Are you only playing them for the violence? Or are you playing them because you enjoy them? If the latter, I think you are fine. I don’t know if the Church has an official teaching on this.
 
It is just a game. Little kids play all sorts of games where they pretend to be other people or other things and do things. A little kid can be Superman and fly to the moon or play cops and robbers or be a princess and marry a prince and slay a dragon. Big people just play different games where they pretend to be others people or things.
 
I think it depends partially. If it is something that will lead you to sin [such as sexual content] then I’d have to say you shouldn’t play it, but if it’s violence and it doesn’t compel you to go kill people with swords I’d say it’s fine. Most of the games I play have lots of violence.
 
If I watch “The Adventures Of Robin Hood” I will see a lot of violence and swordplay. If I watch “Saving Private Ryan” I will see blood and death. Watching neither is a sin. If however I now look at my cubicle-mate and spend many minutes wondering how loud they would scream if I thrust a sword into their belly or fantasized about putting a .45 slug into the back of their head, that would be a sin.

In the same way if I play Fable 3 or Modern Warfare and understand it as a game there is no sin. It is when my thoughts away from the game dwell on morally objectionable themes that sin may enter.
 
I don’t know.

Sometimes I play a game where I’m a witch, a thief, or someone who supports a Pagan faith.

I have to pause once in a while to remind myself that it’s all fiction and that as a human being, I wouldn’t do those things. I allow myself to gain enjoyment from playing the games, without giving myself a lust for real life magic, crime, genocide and other religions.

Helps to pray too.
 
I think it depends on the person to decide what is right for them and what isn’t. I know of some Christians who don’t allow violent video games or violent cartoons in their households, or any entertainment with themes that go against their values, and I know of some who do. I don’t think either side is wrong, it works for them and they’re still good people who try to abide by God. 👍
 
Just for the sake of lengthening this thread though, I have a question for everyone - say you play a violent game or watch a violent movie and then think about what you would do in the circumstances presented in the game or movie? Say you come to a peak in the story and you ponder on what you would do in real life if your were in that fix - which would include how you might kill other human beings. Take, for instance, the scene in Saving Private Ryan near the end, where the cowardly corporal is inching his way up the stairs to the machine-gun, and in the room ahead the two soldiers are struggling with each other. **
 
Well, and what then?
Is your question if this pondering is sinful? I do not think so. It is a thought experiment that involves no actual intention to act out the thoughts, and it can never hurt to ponder your own reaction in extreme situations. After all, we might all be faced with a dilemma that involves killing or allowing yourself or others to be killed, choosing the lesser evil.

Another danger, which hasn’t been mentioned so far and that I would, personally, in some instances consider sinful is the possibility to invest too much time and energy in games and get lost in a fanstasy world, lost for real life. For example, playing WoW for as much time as you can spare and write fanfiction about WoW at work and constantly longing to be a character out of that world, instead of living the own life. But this is not limited to games, books and films have the same effects, I guess there are really women who get “lost” in this way through Twilight or similar books. Or people who are the same with Star Wars/Star Trek/whatever without ever playing a computer game with this theme.
 
If you want to get REALLY into the values of the Catholic religion, I think you would not play violent video games or watch things with violent or sexual themes. The reason I think this is because it makes your brain wander to places that isn’t “God like” even though you aren’t actually acting out the video games in real life. Games like Grand Theft Auto even have prostitutes and other women you can have sex with, and while you’re not doing these actions YOURSELF, you’re still getting pleasure from these pretend actions. In that regard, I don’t think most video games are appropriate if you want to devote your whole life to being Catholic.

However I don’t think God will be angry at you for playing these games and enjoying the entertainment they provide if in your regular life you try to abide by God and you are a good person. The games might not be “God like” but my God is an understanding God and he knows the kind of person I truly am deep down. So I play these games without guilt and I hope you can do the same. 👍
 
I’m not worried about gaming. I can separate it. What does bother me is that many online gamers can be vitriolic towards others, or vulgar for the fun of it. This, I try to ignore. Also, things that are overly sexual in any type of media, I avoid and maybe fill my ears with Gregorian chants. I find sexual content to be more pervasive than anything at all. Just look at the average magazine and see how many people are giving come-hither or post coital faces. Sex sex sex.
 
Dymphna82 said:
I’m not worried about gaming. I can separate it. What does bother me is that many online gamers can be vitriolic towards others, or vulgar for the fun of it. This, I try to ignore. Also, things that are overly sexual in any type of media, I avoid and maybe fill my ears with Gregorian chants. I find sexual content to be more pervasive than anything at all. Just look at the average magazine and see how many people are giving come-hither or post coital faces. Sex sex sex.
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Agreed.

@Cran: Oh, sorry, it would have helped if I actually said everything I was thinking. 😃 My question was, “do you think it would be sinful? and under what circumstances?”
 
I think the biggest danger in gaming is spending too much time thus neglecting making use of our talents and or opportunities to serve God.

I do however think it is best to avoid games with any sexual content, as that is for most people far more likely to cause sin, or occasions of sin, then violent images.
 
I would like to thank all of you for your answers, and I couldn’t agree more as far as saying as long as the game does not tempt you to do something. I also would agree that sexual images tend to be the most tempting and most, if not all, people wouldn’t be tempted by violent images. I also agree that you could better spend your time, effort, and talents by doing something to help the church, per say by spending your time volunteering. Just wanted some opinions on that besides what I already had as an opinon.

Thank You,

God Bless
 
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