rabesandratan Administrateur
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Joined: 01 Jul 2007 Posts: 248
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Posted: Sun 3 Apr - 09:59 (2011) Post subject: The Beautifully Dark Side of Videogames |
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Ben Pitseleh wrote: | I think that is an interesting statement, that video games inadvertently acknowledge sin and confront us to wrestle with it. I would agree. In the end I come to the same conclusion, I am not a good man. What I question about myself is the games I choose to play. There are plenty of games out there, and while I currently play Ratchet and Clank, I also am playing Call of Duty. Is one better than the other? Is one inherently bad? No. But I illustrate that my gaming tastes are wide, so I can find enjoyment in a large facet of games, but then turn around and choose some that have some have some questionable actions or choices. For instance, I highly enjoyed the God of War series. I think they are fantastic games. Highly entertaining. But the entire premise is a little lacking on the noble side. Even ignoring that though, there are constantly actions I was confronted with while playing. In every iteration of the game, there are sex scenes where you can choose to have intercourse with women (though for the record I know that the action is all off screen). I choose not to, and the end result is I don’t get some extra orbs or get to platinum GOW3 because of it. I’m good with that. But why would I want to play a game that subjects me to make that decision at all? Or in the first game, the protagonist Kratos must sacrifice a human to open a door and continue. You have to do it to proceed in the game. I did it. It felt weird to say the least. I don’t want to do that again, but I did it. Almost without question because I had to in order to move on. Why should I put myself in that position? It is ridiculous. And yet, when the next game comes out I will consider purchasing it, and most likely will. In a way it is “just a game” and I acknowledge the rights and wrongs just as everything else in this fallen world. On the other, I am choosing entertainment that is steeped in sin in many ways. No, the games aren’t sin, but many facets of what comes out of me when I play are. It does make very clear how much I am in need of God’s grace. |
Richard Clark wrote: | Yeah, it’s a fine line between a game that allows us to explore those aspects of our humanity and a game that just wants to unthinkingly glorify them or revel in them. As far as God of War goes, that’s a game I put in the latter category myself, though it really is right there on the line. Plus, it’s really a personal decision as to what makes sense to play, and what doesn’t. As for why we should do sinful things in-game, I think it CAN be an illuminating experience, assuming we’re able to move past the issue itself and start thinking about the subject matter at hand in the game. |
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