Violent thought?

[prstoessel]

It is a matter of the individual’s conscience. Was Jesus any more specific in Mt 5:29? Then I can’t be either.

 

[wworld]

Not really, but certainly with most modern entertainment/recreation.

I beg to differ. Some may say that having a picnic is wasting time. Or painting a picture is a waste of time. Or talking with your friends is a waste of time. Or maybe everything that we do in life is a waste of time (which it’s not, but you can easily be lead to think that since ultimately all the advances -not choices between good or evil, but materialistic advances- are worthless in the afterlife).

The truth is, video games are like art. If you learn the different languages of programming, you can easily create something that is not possible to make in this world. It’s a way of expression, be it playing or creating.

Not really. There’s a video game (not in the US) revolving around orgies. People play orgy participants. It does matter, because Christ said it matters. If being angry with your brother makes you a murderer, and a lustful thought makes you an adulterer, committing crimes in a video game makes you, in spirit, a criminal. A big problem with immorality in video games is that it desensitizes a person’s conscience. People play it in a game, become obsessed (not all, mind you), and are no longer satisfied with playing it. Whether or not a person decides to try to do in actuality what is done in the game though is irrevelant. Christ said the thought is the moral equivalent of the action, so certain video games should be avoided.

Well, of course pornography should always be avoided. Unlike killing what is ultimately worthless pixels on a screen, pornography in a game affects that person directly.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

It is a matter of the individual’s conscience. Was Jesus any more specific in Mt 5:29? Then I can’t be either.

Ah but yet again, even the simplest verses can spawn debates on technicality. A violent video game does not necessarily cause one to murder, as demonstrated and attested to by other posters (including myself).

Here’s the thing, I’ve had a few religious people get all queasy at the sight of my character blasting and slashing everything in my sight yet there’s hardly any gore on the level of Mortal Kombat or GTA. These oversensitive types are fine until I get one of them who wonders why my conscience isn’t disturbed at my enjoyment for such things. (Obviously because my conscience knows the difference between killing real people and killing pixels but somehow even that explanation is lost on them.)

I just want a straight answer from you. Do you think my conscience is still in error even though it knows such a difference or am I free to play without religious condemnation?

 

[prstoessel]

I just want a straight answer from you. Do you think my conscience is still in error even though it knows such a difference

Who am I to judge a person’s conscience?

or am I free to play without religious condemnation?

What religion is condemning you?

This is my final word on the matter. For most types of entertainment, we’re free to enjoy it so long as it does not contribute/allow/feed a mindset that is in conflict with Natural Law. Other types of entertainment where the primary purpose is to engage in activity that is in conflict with Natural Law should be avoided. If you find yourself unsure about it or in conflict with it, there is a chance you need to step back and examine your conscience about it.

Peace.

 

[prstoessel]

If you had read some of the additional posts, that correction has already been made. I was reading some media releases of GTA and was misinformed on some of the game-play.

The GTA games are to a large extent tongue in cheek satire and they are well aware of that.

Anyone can view GTA on youtube and see the graphic nature of killing and destruction. Hardly a tongue-in-cheek thing to look at. This game should be avoided.

 

[prstoessel]

The original question has been answered. I recommend closing this thread.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Regarding the scripture reference (Mt 5:29), Jesus does indeed mention what leads us to sin, but that varies from person to person. The vast majority of videogamers are not led to commit violence by violent games. Those who might be, of course, should certainly avoid them. Some people, on the other hand, are led into depravity by the some kind of literature. (i.e., Hitler didn’t play any violent videogames, but he was negatively influenced by the racist literature of Houston Chamberlain). Of course, the more violent or depraved a game or a piece if literature, the more likely it is to negatively effect some people (but most of us will just find it disgusting); however, blanket condemnations seem rather useless; only individual conscientious choices can help us avoid what leads each of us to sin. I know many people who play many violent videogames and watch horror films that make my stomach turn, but are nonetheless decent, moral, uncorrupted individuals. Other people can somehow be led to commit the worst kinds of sins just from reading “The Catcher in the Rye.”

And most writers, I imagine, derive some kind of “pleasure” from even the negative aspects of their works. Dow we wonder if Homer was sadistic for describing in detail the deaths of all the warriors who fell in the Trojan War? Or, better yet, was Caravaggio “disordered” for deriving pleasure from painting the suffering of Christ on the cross?
(name removed by moderator):

The game should be only played by adults who can see it is decidely exxagerated and relies on black humour and over the top satirical pastiches. Although that’s less true in the last installment which tries to deal somewhat more seriously with the issue of becoming mired in a life of crime. My own persona view is the series is beginning to lose its own momentum and that it will have trouble topping itself. I think it’s producers are well aware of that too and have taken a break somewhat from it and seem to be concentrating more on similar sandbox games but set in other enviroments, such as the old west or their upcoming game LA Noire which will be set in a world reminscent of Raymond Chandler and film noir. That latter game interests me more honestly than their GTA games as the movies and detective literature or that era are a personal interest of mine.

I totally agree. Also with your assessment of GTA. The last game was so much different from the earlier ones I barely recognized it, especially with the seriousness of it, compared to the “cartoonishness” of the other ones. And of course, what was Red Dead Redemption but ‘GTA: Wild West.” It was good though, a nice change of scenery from Liberty City. I hadn’t heard about the LA Noire game, as I’ve been out of the loop as far videogames are concerned for a while. I’ll have to look it up though.

 

[Raskolnikov]

(name removed by moderator):

Looking very interesting. Especially as unlike many of their games it is set in a real city. Liberty City is of course unmistakably a parody of New York city but LA Noire will be set in 1947 in Lose Angeles and they are going for somewhat more of a ‘realistic’ tone. Just as GTA IV was more realistic (in some respects at least) this too will be moving even further in that direction from what I’ve seen so far. There are precious few games that really interest me any more, I’ve been playing through a lot of old ones again.

That sounds pretty interesting. I may rent it when it comes out if any Blockbuster stores are still in business then (probably won’t be though). I play the older GTA games a lot on my PS2 when I’m home (i live at my university). I also play mostly older games with my friends, partly because of our nostalgia for the games of our childhoods, and partly because its nearly impossible to find good new games with split-screen ,modes. A friend of mine and I used to play Call of Duty 3 online until there was almost no one left playing it. As with most series, the last few instalments have been somewhat disappointing. Maybe I’m just getting old. (I’m 20).

Actually I’d say GTA and especially GTA IV are largely a satire on how violent and in many way pointless our society is at times. They skewer the cult of idiolising vapid celebrities that has become so much part of our society amongst other attitudes. There is a fictional TV show in GTA IV which follows the life of the ultra-rich. One of the more amusing lines in it was ‘don’t kill yourself during the ad break because you can’t have these items and feel like a loser’ accompanied by flashing text telling you not to shoot yourself during the ads. It perfectly skewered the pointless worship of objects many of us have. The developers are not above satirising themselves at points.

So true. I loved the radio show with Maurice Chavez in Vice City. And Laslow from III. I suppose the franchise’s popularity in the US is a bit ironic, since it’s largely an ongoing satire of American culture by the Brits at Rockstar North. As an American I must say, I find it quite poignant at times. Perhaps some of the most entertaining (and sadly accurate) satires of American culture since F. Scott Fitzgerald satired the roaring '20s.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Of course many British gamers I’m sure are waiting for them to do a game set in the UK. Then for reversal of roles we Americans would have to struggle though all the English idioms. I’d have to brush up on my English slang. ‘Everythings all pear-shaped, bullocks,’ etc.