Video game question

[Razer144000]

Hi, I’ve got another video game question. I know that we pretty much can’t commit sins in video games, no matter what we do in the game. However, this has been bothering me recently: in a game I’ve been playing, there are quite a few tasks given by NPCs in which, to complete it, you basically have to commit animal abortion. For example, one of these quests has the player bomb eggs belonging to what I’m pretty sure is a fictional species of birds. Is it a sin to do this? This leads me to another question, if we commit animal abortion in real life, is it a sin?

 

[SilverLight]

This is a video game and not real life. I do not see how this is a bad thing because of it.

There are times when animals in the wild abort a pregnancy themselves. This is called Spontaneous abortion I believe.

The best thing I could find is from Wikipedia at the moment though of course I am sure there are others.

Spontaneous abortion occurs in various animals. For example, in sheep, it may be caused by crowding through doors, or being chased by dogs. In cows, abortion may be caused by contagious disease, such as Brucellosis or Campylobacter, but can often be controlled by vaccination. Eating pine needles can also induce abortions in cows. In horses, a fetus may be aborted or resorbed if it has lethal white syndrome (congenital intestinal aganglionosis). Foal embryos that are homozygous for the dominant white gene (WW) are theorized to also be aborted or resorbed before birth.

I am not sure about humans causing animals to abort. I am no farmer either so I have no idea what the reasons would be when tending to livestock.

I am no animal expert either. I’m just trying to do what I can.

 

[Joe_5859]

Hi, I’ve got another video game question. I know that we pretty much can’t commit sins in video games, no matter what we do in the game. However, this has been bothering me recently: in a game I’ve been playing, there are quite a few tasks given by NPCs in which, to complete it, you basically have to commit animal abortion. For example, one of these quests has the player bomb eggs belonging to what I’m pretty sure is a fictional species of birds. Is it a sin to do this? This leads me to another question, if we commit animal abortion in real life, is it a sin?

Video game aside, killing an animal is intrinsically different from killing a human being. Putting down an animal is often an act of mercy for that animal. “Putting down” a human being is euthanasia and is a grave sin. Animals and people are not treated the same.

We kill animals all the time for food (and grocery stores are full of eggs). As with SilverLight, I’m no animal expert, so I cannot really comment on whether or not “animal abortion” is even a real thing. But it would not be treated the same way as the abortion of a human being, which is always gravely immoral.

I’ll add the usual caveat that this does not mean we can do whatever we please to animals and it is okay. We are to be good stewards of creation—including the animals—and we need to treat them humanely. But they are not created in the image and likeness of God with eternal, rational souls.

Do you suffer from scrupulosity (i.e. thinking that everything is a sin)? If so, I would encourage you to talk with a priest about it.

 

[ffg]

I don’t know if I would put my guard down in any area of life.

But you’re probably safe to pixelate different colors onto some other colors in the shape of eggs on a screen.

But then again, if it is bothersome to you, there are only a zillion games to play, eh?

But like the others, I’m no animal expert. Though I do like to eat them.

 

[TwoNames]

Abortion in animals… hmm, well I know it’s possible to sterilize a female dog when she already has little puppies inside - they of course die in the proces.

 

[thephilosopher6]

If it bothers you, take it to confession. Personally, I see no problems with it.