work6) Games In Tune With Christian Values? This is NOT a promising sign!
Oh hey - don't get me wrong I'm not against games. I play a few myself but very rarely. My partner John has more patience with it. We've got several video games; car racing, plane flying, music maker - those are my favorites and some "shoot 'em up" types which I don't get much from - even Matrix - it's cool, but... it's just not me!
Well I'll tell you the latest round of games aren't my cup of tea either. As a matter of fact I'm concerned this new style of game MAY be a real negative in years to come. That is the subject of Christian Faith-based Games.
Let me tell you my concern. These games are apparently designed for christian families, that's what is being said and they are to be an alternative to violent games like Grand Theft Auto and others. That's not quite the true story!
These faith-based video games are still violent and worse these games will suggest that violence is allowed in the (are you ready for this?) Name Of God...
This bothers me to no end! The claim is these are games of a "spiritual warfare".
I'm not one to say violent games should be outlawed - it's up to parents to supervise what their children are doing and to set rules on their personal conduct. What is alarming is the fundamentalist mentality that permeates these games - Christian fundamentalism is really no better than any other fundamentalist stance. All leave little room for tolerance of others who may hold a different set of beliefs.
This is true for Islamic, Jeudean and Christian faiths - their history is strewn with the slaughter of others - in the name of god.
It worries me to think parents would prefer their children play such a game. The message they give their kid is "killing is allowed when someone doesn't follow god's rules as written in "their" book." Well, there's more than one "book" around and people have differing ideas about who, what or how god is, let alone whether God exists at all.
I just can't see how this new game genre is any improvment and I find the concept of exposing kids to the "fight to the death strictly on the basis of religion" mentality appalling. Isn't that what's taught in Osama Bin Laden's camps? To kill because someone doesn't believe in the same god?
Think about it before you run out and buy one of these games for your kids. You might be thinking you're doing something moral and just. Be careful you're not teaching your child intolerance. Understand that this world we live in requires co-operation between people and nature to work properly.
If we live in fear and intolerance of what we don't fully understand our lives will decrease in quality. If we can face our fears, learn tolerance of other's beliefs and find the common bonds we can all relate to, our world will be vastly improved.
It's just an opinion, and your responses could be a positive sign!
