A
Antonio_022
Guest
I’m a huge fan of the GTA series and am planning on getting 5 next year. Then something came to me. Is playing the GTA series bad? or in anyway sinful?
- Status
E
Eman_resu
Guest
I’ve never played it, but being a hardcore gamer I’ve heard plenty about it. I can’t say from experience that it is bad, but I think it sends wrong messages, especially with the ‘adult nature and content’ of the game. (Which is why I haven’t looked into it).
To be honest I think it depends on what you get out of the game, both negative and positive.I play call of duty, mainly for socialising. Shooting people isn’t quite Christian, but I’m learning a lot from the game itself, and the people I play with. There’s a decent bunch of guys I talk with, who are predominately reasonable with their language etc.
In my opinion it comes down to: Why are you playing it and what effect is it having on your life? Obviously if you’re playing them to experience the adult content and you’re becoming violent, you wouldn’t play it. It could also depend on you as a person and how you react to these situations. You may have had a problem with lust for example. It would be imprudent to play a game with themes and characters containing immodesty etc. It’s really something which we have to decide for ourselves.
Of course these are just my opinions on the matter, but I hope you get some good advice from the other posters.
L
Lost_Wanderer
Guest
I’m not so sure about it being bad as I am about it being stupid. :
Then again, it ain’t my genre.
Then again, it ain’t my genre.
J
JRKH
Guest
There seems to be a wide range of opinion on this.
My personal view is that participating in such games, by playing them, buying them, sharing them etc. does nothing to build up the Kingdom of God. In fact I see them as working against it.
I will not say that it is a “sin” but I do say that, IMHO, they are spiritually unhealthy.
Peace
James
G
garn9173
Guest
IMHO, if you are a kid, it’s not appropriate, but if you are an adult and know it’s a game and treat it as a form of entertainment, no it’s not “bad” to play.
O
Ophelia23
Guest
Perfectly stated.
My brother used to play these games. They do not in any way encourage goodness. They do not build the Kingdom of God.
R
robwar
Guest
violent video games are never advisable to play whether one is an adult or not. Our culture is too addicted to violence and sadly we see it as harmless entertainment. Could you see our Blessed Mother playing this? If not then you shouldn’t either. That should be the rule of thumb not the exception in wondering if one should listen to certain music, go see a certain movie, read a book, and play a video game.
M
MarcoPolo
Guest
The message and morals of the characters are usually bad, as well as some of the sexual imagery. But as far as the driving around a big city and exploring, that part seems like an okay way to have recreation. If you’d rather not directly support the game’s makers, you could get a used copy a little while after it comes out and avoid going to places where you will encounter the wrong “imagery” and recognize the immorality of the storyline (if it’s like previous versions).
J
JRKH
Guest
Why do I get an image of “tap dancing around a deep pit” when reading this response…
Sorry Marco…I don’t mean to sound snarky but with that many caveats…
- usually bad morals
- sexual imagery
- needing to avoid certain areas when just driving around (in a stolen car?)
Peace
James
K
Kenny_Kamel
Guest
Why is GTA bad?
In the game it serves as a benefit to pick up a prostitute and fornicate with her in your car (GTA3) :nope:
I loved GTA3 when it came out a little over 10 years ago but I stopped playing video games over a year ago and am glad for it. I was a big fan of many violent series, not just games with violent aspects but games based soley in violence. After I began journey of coming into the Church about 2 years ago I started giving up my gaming life. Now playing those games is so boring but I still get a kick out of playing old games like Dragon Warrior for NES.
We as Catholics are called to simplify our live in many ways, I believe one aspect is how we entertain ourselves. Adding violence adds complexity that is unneccesary.
In the game it serves as a benefit to pick up a prostitute and fornicate with her in your car (GTA3) :nope:
I loved GTA3 when it came out a little over 10 years ago but I stopped playing video games over a year ago and am glad for it. I was a big fan of many violent series, not just games with violent aspects but games based soley in violence. After I began journey of coming into the Church about 2 years ago I started giving up my gaming life. Now playing those games is so boring but I still get a kick out of playing old games like Dragon Warrior for NES.
We as Catholics are called to simplify our live in many ways, I believe one aspect is how we entertain ourselves. Adding violence adds complexity that is unneccesary.
L
Lost_Wanderer
Guest
I have a hard time accepting that the Church opposes violence when it advocates artwork and storylines that depict:
- Crusaders fighting Muslims
- Angels crushing demons
- Crucifixion
- Plagues upon pagans
- The chaotic creation of the universe
K
Kenny_Kamel
Guest
The Church opposes violence, yes, but that is not to suggest that it can control that which is or causes violence. We’re talking about a video game series here that was designed with immoral implications in mind. Seriously, soliciting a prostitute and fornicating is rewarded in game and this is being sold to youth as a something to be celebrated for over a decade.
Big difference from the Romans imposing torture and crucifixtion upon a helpless Jesus, let alone the divine purpose and end it served because God allowed it.
L
Lost_Wanderer
Guest
You only picked one of my examples. What about the Crusades? St. Mike stepping on Luci? Fire and brimstone raining down on Egyptians?
Please, re-read my post. I’m no fan of GTA either and that is exactly why I take offense at someone thinking a stupid gangster game is a case of why violence is evil.
You commit violence when you eat meat. The paper on which you write came from a target of violence. We commit violence in our hearts when we demand righteous retribution for criminal offenses.
I repeat: GTA is a joke but you make it worse by citing it as an example for another joke.
O
oldcatholicguy
Guest
You’re focusing on the wrong issue. The issue is the intent and purpose of the violence, not the violence itself.
M
minion
Guest
Violence in video games is one thing.
Glorification of it, glorification of thug life, and foisting it on the youth in the form of an interactive video game is something else.
Will kids start stealing cars and have sex with prostitutes? Probably not.
Will kids be desensitized to it? oh yes. Being desensitized to the material often means losing righteous indignation of such things. It’s slow, and while gamers may not necessarily carry out these acts, a kind of acceptance grows, and inaction when confronted with something similar in reality.
What I observed growing up anyway.
Glorification of it, glorification of thug life, and foisting it on the youth in the form of an interactive video game is something else.
Will kids start stealing cars and have sex with prostitutes? Probably not.
Will kids be desensitized to it? oh yes. Being desensitized to the material often means losing righteous indignation of such things. It’s slow, and while gamers may not necessarily carry out these acts, a kind of acceptance grows, and inaction when confronted with something similar in reality.
What I observed growing up anyway.
M
MarcoPolo
Guest
No problem, your advice might be best for most people.
L
Lost_Wanderer
Guest
You’re kinda barking up the wrong tree here. Read the posts I was responding to. People who sing the “Violence is Bad” mantra are the ones who are out of touch with intent.
G
Gift_from_God
Guest
the GTA series is one of my favourites. It’s just harmless fun. Enjoy the game when it comes out, I sure will. Simulated violence is not sinful in any way because it’s not real and it does not make us want to murder
Z
zenith15
Guest
I cannot agree with this at all. While it may not make most people “want to murder”, why spend your spare time engaging in a game that glorifies things our Lord has stated are sinful? It does indeed desensitize the players to such things, and they no longer seem like such a bad thing. I hate seeing young kids playing such games and thinking nothing of the gratuitous violence (and gratuitous violence is different from the “violence” of St Michael defeating Lucifer, etc), bloodshed, sexual imagery and depersonalization of women, drugs, lawbreaking for fun and profit, etc–and seeing adults enjoying such games is no picnic either.
St Paul states that we are to focus on whatever is pure, kind, etc–not on things like GTA.
J
JRKH
Guest
- Status