Fantasy, Games... Evil?

[Zstrastwa]

This has been one of the hardest things I've struggled with in life, because it seems there aren't many scriptures or direct rules about this.

Games like Grand Theft Auto IV or any like that are almost automatically considered against God because of the main objective being to kill, steal, rob... etc. to get what you want. Others have argued that if it doesn't affect your real life (as in you want to steal someone's car or kill them after they cut you off on the highway) as a result of playing these games, then it's fine.

Paul says in the Bible that what's okay for one man may not be good for another man.

What about other games that aren't as graphic or killing driven, but still have fantasy (unrealistic) parts in them?

 

[dannibear]

To me I have felt it is whatever the Holy Spirit convicts you of.
I have played online fantasy games before, and never logged off
thinking the entire world was filled with nothing but unicorns
and dragons.
The thing I HAVE had to stop playing them for, is being
addicted. Sometimes the genre is obvious whether or
not you should play, and the rating as well. But addiction
can be hard to realize until its too late.
If you have a good filter to distinguish reality from fiction,
then I don't feel God would judge you for playing a game.
But be careful of addiction. And you are right, M rated games
and games that promote sinful behavior you should avoid.

My pastor also used to tell me concerning questions like this:
'If you ask whether or not it's okay, it probably isn't.'

God Bless Z!

 

[Zstrastwa]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I know that almost any game I can't play, I get addicted too easy.

Hahaha your pastor is right, I've felt that way for a long time. Whenever I've wondered if something is wrong, I've always felt, "I wouldn't be asking this unless SOMETHING about it IS wrong."

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

1 Corinthians 6:12. All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

1 Corinthians 10:23. All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient:all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

I'm an old dude who loves video games.But I have to be very careful not to let it take time I should be devoting to others and toward God.
I have learned much about life and human nature from these games though.

I found after I beat something consistently,I can't play it anymore unless I can make it harder.This tells me that I am a challenge oriented being and that if everything was easy in my life I would probably not be any happier if everything was going right.So a good God who knows me is not going to let me go unchallenged.

Another thing I found is that I love war.At least something inside me does.I personally hate war,it is a rich mans game and the poor always suffer the most.I was fortunate enough to be born in a time of relative peace an I have never had to kill anyone.I have to wonder if I had been forced into a real war or had ever taken another's life would I enjoy war games at all.

So I do believe games can have some redeeming value but I can't let myself be brought under their power.Also they Should edify me in some manner or I am just wasting my time.

I tried to play Grand theft auto once but got really bored because I found I couldn't even hurt innocent electron based people.
That game is just boring to me.If you find that you enjoy hurting
fake people you have just found something you should pray about.
So video games have taught me about myself and human nature in general.

I am no longer under the law but I now I serve love.
The moment any habit or activity starts to affect serving love I have to put it down at least temporarily

 

[Zstrastwa]

What's funny is when I did play Grand Theft Auto, I never really played the game. I always enjoyed doing stunt jumps, moding (adding things to the game, editing vehicles... etc. I'm pretty sure you know what I mean) laughing at the physics engine and how it would glitch alot... I never enjoyed killing people. Even the missions were boring... because all you do is kill people.

I played them alot as a child, mostly war games, and I have excellent hand-eye coordination thanks to it. Nothing else really.

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

That's what I ended up doing in GTA.I must admit I loved running from the cops and always said this should teach young people that when you go on a crime spree the end is ALWAYS the same.You end up dead.
I would love to make a game that teaches people how to overcome evil with good.

 

[Brother Mike]

evil games

To me I have felt it is whatever the Holy Spirit convicts you of.
I have played online fantasy games before, and never logged off
thinking the entire world was filled with nothing but unicorns
and dragons

Great answer!!!

Anything that is faith, or you can do without your conscience bothering you is not sin... we are not in bondage here..

I have played World of Warcraft with no conviction from the Holy Spirit, but for everyone it is different..

As fun as GTA looked and I did try to play it, I got convicted right away and could not enjoy it with it on my conscience... so I stopped playing after the first few hours and not played again..

never go against your conscience!!! It's your door to hearing God, and we do not want to harden our heart... it's the same with TV, and Music, and movies.

Jesus Is Lord.

 

[Zstrastwa]

I have seen the truth.

I asked God. The Holy Spirit moved me to ask myself: Would Jesus do it?

Nope. Jesus would not find joy in something that is not real, has violence (since He was and is all about love), and in the end an ultimate waste of time. Yes, I have in the past talked to people on the internet about God on MMO's and such... but as I have seen over the years, it's impersonal. People have been sucked into believeing that if something isn't 100% real then it doesn't matter if it's not something that, if real, would be sin. So cartoon porn is ok? Killing animals/people with magic on a 3D unreal world is ok? So killing computer generated people is ok? I think not. Computers have Backspace, Delete, and Close buttons. Life doesn't.

Thank you LORD for constantly pulling my head out of a hole. <3 God bless everyone!

 

[Zstrastwa]

Wow. hahahaha I couldn't be more confused STILL on this subject. I think I know the answer and then I start thinking... "hmmm"...

I do know one thing, I play a game called Mount & Blade Warband, it's a medieval rpg and I enjoy it so much and never feel I'm doing something bad. I've "meditated" begged God and did almost nothing but ask Him if M&BW was evil or I shouldn't play it... I never had a sure, "NO"... just a feeling that: DO NOT LET IT TAKE YOU AWAY FROM ME JAMES!

God is jealous, no? Hehe.

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

Ive been playing Mount blade fire and sword for a month.
I would be playing warband but the motherboard fried on my desktop last month and the video card on this computer can't handle it.
It's not evil,to me it's a gift to keep my mind from going in loops.

While I play I contemplate all the words I have taken in from the last few days and since my mind is calm I can hear the Spirit more clearly(the game is not all that demanding except during the battles).
Since I have to save often I stop playing every couple of saves and study the word some more,then I play some more and when I get my thoughts collected I come here to fellowship.

In an RPG like mount blade,I do play a righteous character and never raid innocents.

 

[Zstrastwa]

Cool, sounds like a fun day to me. Yeah I know what you mean it hurts my 1gb graphics card sometimes. hehe.

Well... I know that in my past God convits me... He would always let me know, "Stop doing this. It's bad for you." Like a father "disciplineing?" (punishing) his child.