video games?

[Brooklyn]

Perhaps a few contemplative hermits could answer those questions affirmatively…

I think that, insofar as vz71 is making the point that we need to pray without ceasing and always be mindful of our Lord, that is valid. But I see no reason for a knee-jerk rejection of video games wholesale. Should we reject any form of recreation as a “waste of time”? Certainly not. God Himself recreated on the 7th day.

I can play video games with my daughter and bond with her over them. She can play her cousins in Mario Kart Wii from 500 miles away. I think that’s pretty useful.

And when God created the “7th day”, he said to keep it holy. I don’t think that would include video games.

And instead of playing mindless video games with your daughter, you would do much better to talk with her, really get to know her and let her know you. You can’t do that over a video game, no matter how much you tell yourself that.

 

[Joe_5859]

And when God created the “7th day”, he said to keep it holy. I don’t think that would include video games.

“I don’t think…” Exactly right, it is your personal opinion – nothing more. Unless I missed some magisterial document condemning the use of video games.

Not all video games are mindless. Beware of buying into false prejudices and stereotypes.

 

[Brooklyn]

“I don’t think…” Exactly right, it is your personal opinion – nothing more. Unless I missed some magisterial document condemning the use of video games.

Not all video games are mindless. Beware of buying into false prejudices and stereotypes.

I would love to hear what constructive video games you play. And playing video games,whatever they may be, does not constitute keeping the Sabbath holy.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

I can only go by what you wrote, and your words indicate that you do not have any understanding of what prayer is really about. Your post here only further validates my point. An intimate relationship with God is about a lot more than “warm fuzzies and religious euphoria.” Again, I do hope and pray that you will come to understand that for your own sake.

You haven’t made a single bit of sense through this whole discussion and thus, you have no claim to any points by default. You claim that I don’t know prayer and scoff at my intellectual approach to it yet at the same time, you make weak allusions to the undefinable while saying that prayer is not about emotions and religious euphoria (which are the only things that fits the word undefinable).

As far as your second statement is concerned, I fear that the reason for the “separation” is that the “rational thinking crowd” is becoming more and more separated from God.

You self-proclaimed ‘prayerful and spiritual’ folks will never cease underrating philosophical reflection will you?

Separated from God, hah! Yeah that’s a nice way to label people who use logic (which is just as much a God-gifted faculty as faith).

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

If it is really the case that the whole of our lives prepares us for our response at final judgement; then what response are the games helping us to give?

This is based on a false presupposition. How does eating prepare you for the final judgment? How does listening to music prepare? How about feeding your cat? Does that prepare you as well?

As to the idea of prayer as a form of escapism, it begs the question…from what?

Ever read John A.T. Robinson’s piece Can A Truly Contemporary Not Be An Atheist?? In it he describes three so-called ‘thrusts’ of atheism. The second, particular, has relevance to this thread: “God is emotionally dispensable.”

Lemme see if I can quote this right (I’m taking this directly from my textbook of selected Philosophy readings for my Philosophy of Religion class).

According to this line of attack religion is a prop, or a sop. It is not merely something incredible and superfluous; it is a dangerous illusion which can prevent men from facing reality and shouldering responsibility. This lies at the heart of Freudian critique of religion as the universal neurosis or the Marxist attack on it as “the opium of the people.” God and the gods are the projection of men’s fears, insecurities and longings. They act as a debilitating crutch which men must have the courage to discard if they are to grow up and shake off the senseless helplessness which religion both induces and sanctions.

If you’ve encountered atheism as much as I have, you’d have to admit that this is one of their popular perspectives.

And when God created the “7th day”, he said to keep it holy. I don’t think that would include video games.

And instead of playing mindless video games with your daughter, you would do much better to talk with her, really get to know her and let her know you. You can’t do that over a video game, no matter how much you tell yourself that.

How nice, labeling an entire industry as ‘mindless’. What next? Board games? Card games? Sports even?

Oh and by the way? All three of my siblings are into the culture of video games. It’s the one thing we have in common. You suggest people to get to know each other yet don’t even consider a person’s fondness for video games as something worth knowing about. I’m sorry but you’re just shooting yourself in the foot here.

Heck, the four of us have more liberty to goof around and joke using an online game as our medium, than compared to the uneventful monotony of our academic lives.

 

[vz71]

This is based on a false presupposition. How does eating prepare you for the final judgment?

God provided this life as a gift. How we treat this gift says a lot.
What we eat, how we eat, and the thankfulness we express before our meal says plenty.
Indeed it appears a great deal can be gleaned from what and how we eat. All of which is pertinent information when judging the life of an individual.

How does listening to music prepare?

What music? How does it make us feel? Why do we desire that feeling?
Again, there is much that can be told about an individual given the music they listen to.
And this as well is pertinent when judging the entire life of someone.

How about feeding your cat? Does that prepare you as well?

The charity we show to the lesser creatures of this earth reflects the person we are.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

God provided this life as a gift. How we treat this gift says a lot.

Ah so by preparation, you actually meant the importance of living one’s life meaningfully yes? However, we have such long lives. We may only have one but it can be long. That’s what even makes it all better because it allows us more freedom to explore and find that which makes our lives meaningful.

Believe it or not, such meaningfulness occurs in different ways to different people. I see no reason why video games should be excluded from that.

What music? How does it make us feel? Why do we desire that feeling?
Again, there is much that can be told about an individual given the music they listen to.
And this as well is pertinent when judging the entire life of someone.

That may be so but the problem is how you judge the music a person listens to can be different how he/she understands that same music. I’ve personally experienced many times when a devout person condemned my playlist, claiming it made them think of this and that demonic image, only to drop their jaws when I tell them the bizarrely different things on my mind every time I listen to it. Furthermore some music-induced feelings can also be quite in the gray area.

The charity we show to the lesser creatures of this earth reflects the person we are.

Not necessarily. Animals aren’t people. We’re the Catholic Church, not PETA. I don’t torment our house cat but I don’t hesitate to grab, squeeze, and noogie the little furball when I feel like it. I even call it names.

On the other hand, I’d sooner run in front of a car than exercise the same behavior with actual people.

 

[vz71]

My point is made.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I would love to hear what constructive video games you play. And playing video games,whatever they may be, does not constitute keeping the Sabbath holy.

Unless your a video game tester, developer or reviewer, no one will consider video game as work

 

[vz71]

Unless your a video game tester, developer or reviewer, no one will consider video game as work

Tell that to the father whose children want him to play video games with them.

Knowing there will come a time in a few years when they will not want anything to do with me, I will put up with whatever stupid game they have for now.