The Grand Theft Auto series

[Phrankdatank]

If you're honing your abilities (able to snipe someone on the run? hit someone with the throwing knife/symtek grenade?), your reaction time, or even strategies (intentionally going somewhere just because you know you'll be seen...trying to get someone to chase you), then it's probably okay.

If it's the act of violence itself that entices you, you might need to quit.

Personally, I just play to beat my co-workers... it doesn't matter if we're playing CoD, checkers, poker, or doing crosswords... I just want to compete with them.

It's kinda hard to tell what my motivations are....

TBH I really find sports and racing games boring because they don't have the action that FPS games do.

But then again the battles themselves and trying to beat the game provides another layer of enjoyment.

I guess you could say it's a mixture of reasons. Of course I don't spend all day meditating on shooting people or slow motion shooting or anything.

However, I honestly don't believe that I have a desire to do that stuff in real life.

 

[Odale]

Ok, I have a question, this is more about a friend of mine who is a minister in a Christian group called Chi Alpha, which is basically a Christian youth-group type organization for college kids.

Now, I looked him up on Xbox live and noticed that he was playing Grand Theft Auto 4, and I'm really starting to wonder whether or not I should bring it up or if I should keep silent.

He is dealing with college aged people. College aged people play mature video games. If he is using it as a tool to connect with the population that he is working with (which I would bet he is) then I personally (personally being the operative word here) see no problem with that.

...of which Paul basically said "If your conscience allows you to do it and you can avoid making your brother stumble, then you can eat. However if your meat causes your brother to stumble, don't eat it."

Since I believe your minister friend is using GTA4 as a tool to connect with his population, I doubt he is stumbling.

Now, I'll vouch for stuff like Modern Warfare 2 as being a grey area(whether your opinion of it is "nothing more than paintball" or whether you think that even Modern Warfare 2 or paintball is bad).

I, just like Lazarus, find this interesting. Killing people is killing people (at least in video games) because being right or wrong only depends on the opposing side you align yourself with.

However, does the Grand Theft Auto series fit as part of that grey area, or is it a certain type of game that God would forbid ANY Christian, regardless of personality, to partake in?

I am almost 100% certain it is being used as a tool, so I cannot see God looking down on him for connecting with young people.

Even if it is a grey area, wouldn't a non-believer who saw someone he knew to profess Christ say "He claims to be a Christian but plays games where you can kill innocents. He's a hypocrite"?

Well sure, but Christians do unChristian things 24/7! Playing a video game wouldn't stick out much further than anything else in my opinion.

Hope that helps.

Edit: In regards to your link you made on the first page, people have been saying that the world (the US included) has been going to Hell in a hand basket for a very long time - basically ever since the pilgrims showed up and before that as well. Personally, I don't think we've arrived yet....

 

[Phrankdatank]

Ok, some more questions:

1. How do you go about buying games and stuff without letting them become your treasure? The Bible says that if you store up treasures on earth that's where your heart is, so how do you avoid doing that?

2. About Psalm 101:3 where it says "I will set before my eyes no wicked thing.", wouldn't that speak against the magical RPG games, even though you know that "it's just a game"? What about war games like Halo or COD?

 

[Patriot]

Convictions. If you feel convicted not to play a game, then don't play it.

 

[Phrankdatank]

Also, would playing FPSes in any way depreciate my witness to those around me?

Even though something may be acceptable, I want to know whether playing FPS games and such would hurt my witness.

 

[Abba San]

Also, would playing FPSes in any way depreciate my witness to those around me?

The question is not, 'would it," but does it?

Even though something may be acceptable, I want to know whether playing FPS games and such would hurt my witness.

Again, the question is not, "would it," but does it? It seems that FPS may be hurting your heart more than your witness.

Phrank - you seem almost obsessed with the "should you" questions. If it concerns you that much, my guess is you are one of those people who should not be involved with gaming. It seems to upset you/eat at your conscience way too much.

There are lots of other fun things and productive things other than gaming. I don't think I'd spend much time doing something that I seriously thought may be contrary to God's will or Word. If that is where you are - find another hobby for your spare time.

I pray you find some peace.

 

[The Mighty Gerbil]

Also, would playing FPSes in any way depreciate my witness to those around me?

Even though something may be acceptable, I want to know whether playing FPS games and such would hurt my witness.

It's possible the unsaved would shy away from you if they consider them wrong or, more likely, incorrectly have the idea that Christianity is a totally pacifist religion and you are being a hypocrite playing violent games. Reminds me of a DC Talk quote that the greatest cause of atheism in this country is people who acknowledge God by their lips and then ignore him by their lifestyle. The opposite is also true that people who like FPS's could consider you "one of the guys" or not a "stuck up" Christian and be more open to talking to. Unfortunately you can say the same thing for sinful things and we should not deliberately sin to get converts. Pleasing all people is an endless, impossible and madding task because positives to some will be offenses to others and vica versa. In other words you can't please everyone so please the one that matters, God. It's noble to become all things to all people but the things you do should be not only morally acceptable by God but in line with the path God wants you to take.