I would like to go on the record saying this:
I believe it is possible to play a game such as Diablo purely for entertainment and not have it affect their spiritual life or their relationship with God.
I also believe, that for others, such games, as Jammer said, can choke out God from their lifes, as they become addicted to it, as their senses become numbed to evil some of the images represent or as they loose touch with the reality we are fighting a spritual battle.
If you have the conviction to play such a game and know that it does not affect you or your relationship with the Lord in a negative way, go ahead and play.
I think I have been pretty fair and careful not to judge those who like this game. I certainly played this game for many hours on top of many hours for days on end well into the morning hours. It began to affect my life negatively, less time with the family, grades started to slip and my dedication to work slipped too. But, this can happen as a result of playing any game. Not just with Diablo.
Everytime I've started to slip, I've re-examined my situation when somebody mentioned it. Sometimes people are caring when they talk, and a few times somebody rudely awakens me.
And just from personal experience, I think Preacherman may have been somebody trying to wake us. I think he was rude and obnoxious and lacked tact. But, that does not change the fact that there could be an image problem. Maybe there have been other that have come by and privatly said that it appears we are back sliding Christians, or compromising Christians. When they do one hit wonders and run, or don't speak up at all, how are we to objectively look at ourselves in the mirror.
Maybe, instead of feeding this troll, we welcomed this guy, he would have been more open, more willing to point things out fairly and objectively. Maybe he would have learned some tact and how to handle blow up situation with care, integrity and wisdom.
Wake up calls are not all that bad. Jesus wrote seven letters to seven churches. Each church thought they were doing good and doing Gods work and that Jesus would be proud of what they are doing. I suggest, maybe we should all go back and read these letters. They served as some serious wake up calls, especially the seventh church, Laodicea.
Believe it or not, this morning I was contemplating the best way to say to the members of this forum that I have decided to move on. I haven't posted here much for months now. And I really wasn't interested anymore. But, instead of hitting, add post, I closed the browser and let about an hour of agonizing over every word disapear. I suppose, at that moment I decided to give it one more chance.
Well, a little later, I noticed this PreacherMan's post, which heated my collar too and all the negative posts just slamming this guy. A few posts were postive and were in an attempt to bridge the gap. I figured there might be opportunity to use this as means to open a new type of "inward looking" discussion. Something different and never seen here before. Maybe something meaningful, not necessarily about video games. But video games are our common thread or interest, so it would be a great place to start.
I have been watching the signs on the horizon. And it really appears that the Lord is coming soon to claim us. And I have always wondered, how will I react to his presence? Would I be caught in the middle of something that I would be embarrassed about, would I find myself cowering and trying to justify some action? Am I really prepared for his coming?
I think we can all agree that if the Lord came while we were enjoying ourselves at a strip club, we would have a very hard time explaining the situation. Talk about humble pie. But, could you explain yourself if it happened to be a video game, whether Diablo or MSFS or some Disney game, it doesn't matter.
I suppose, one of the struggles I am having with, is that when I do meet him face to face, I will finally understand how much he loved me, and I will question myself, why didn't I do more? And I would have a hard time explaining why I played a flight simulator when maybe I should have been sharing Gods love with a friend, a family member or a complete stranger.
So, also, in asking you here to reflect, I am also seriously reflecting inward. Why am I playing any games on the computer? Why am I taking enjoyment in any type of entertainment? Even if it is purely for entertainment purposes, is there a way to take that time and give it to God? Even if it is playing Diablo.
My father brought up a thought that I have spent some time in meditation on. His thought was: Each moment of time we receive is a gift from eternity. And when we are done with it (as it passes) it goes back to eternity.
I am begining to believe that it is how we act during that moment, whether we do something for God or something selfishly, that moment in time that passes back into eternity, is deposited in our account, is in part how we store up treasures in heavan. At least, I am begining to believe that this is the beginning of it.
I hope, with all this, that people begin to see why I wanted to use this as a catalyst to some deeper discussion. I want to grow some ideas, feedback and maybe a greater understanding of some deeep issues, instead of bickering about interpretations of a website, a verse or whether pre/post/mid trib is correct. I suppose I should have laid it all out. But to what effect will that have. I think some people would have been more frightened to engage into such a deep topic or issue. The guise of a gaming issue would likely have brought more people into the discussion.
Anyway, there you have it.
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Here is the edit:
btw...when I said I shake the dust off, its not in relation to me leaving, rather, I am just shaking the burden and the hurt and simply forgiving (which I mentioned) and letting the dirt go.