Video games, TV, entertainment, and forsaking all.

Phrankdatank

New Member
I've been wondering about this here lately, mainly concerning Luke 14:

"26If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."

Also, Psalm 101:3 "3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me"

The Bible talks about things such as denying yourself, crucifying the flesh and making NO provision for the flesh.

Would that mean that video games, TV, and all the other entertainment is really godless and that God wants us to throw out the Xbox and shoot the TV?

Been reading about this on some websites which promote that idea and say that Christians who engage in entertainment aren't really following Christ.
 
I've been wondering about this here lately, mainly concerning Luke 14:

"26If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."

Also, Psalm 101:3 "3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me"

The Bible talks about things such as denying yourself, crucifying the flesh and making NO provision for the flesh.

Would that mean that video games, TV, and all the other entertainment is really godless and that God wants us to throw out the Xbox and shoot the TV?

Been reading about this on some websites which promote that idea and say that Christians who engage in entertainment aren't really following Christ.

REad the new testame3nt..expecially the gospels. Entertainment in and of itself is NOT unbiblical. The extent we take our entertainment CAN be though. Anyone who says partaking in entertainment is not being Christlike doesn't know their Bible..
 
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And another, Amen, Bug. I seem to be following right after you this morning - I should have gotten up a little earlier.

God really does want us to enjoy this life. Entertainment is NOT bad - unless it is leading you away from the Lord in some way.
 
First off I'd like to state I personally dislike the KJB. We do not speaketh Ye Olde English, so why useth it? :p

Anyway, I fail to see how this relates to entertainment. The Luke excerpts seem more related with interpersonal relationship and acceptance problems. The Psalm excerpts seem more sin related. Neither of which seem related to entertainment (but please note that I am not saying that entertainment is totally sin-free).

At any rate, all Christians really need to read the Bible before they take advice from others. I think lots of people would be surprised at what Jesus says about topics.
 
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Ok, so I guess a good gauge of whether or not to do something is whether or not one can honestly do the activity to the Glory of God(1 Corinthians 10:31).

Now, how would one play video games to the glory of God? Taking an extended break from them and want to know how to glorify God by playing video games when/if God allows me to come back to gaming.
 
Playing in a way that is different than everyone else. Polite, courteous... helping random players, not spawn camping, not kill-stealing, not resource-nabbing... offering to help randomly... anything to show that you're not a low-life.

You'd be surprised how many times you can start a conversation about your faith when you don't play like a jerk. Basically, be the lamp on a table that the Bible talks about - let your love shine through.
 
When Jesus is talking about hate your relatives, etc etc etc, he can't be talking literally to hate, dislike or to have disdain for. He can't command us to do something that is contrary to the commandments upon which all the law is hinged upon: That is to love. Love and honor your parents, to love each other. I don't think the hate that is discussed is something that is contrary to Love. Rather, it is a comparison to Jesus.

Jesus should be first in your life so much so that when you compare Jesus to your parents, your parents would not measure up. Your spouse would not measure up. Your siblings, children and possession will not measure up. That you would hate them in comparison, that you would be willing to give them all up to put Jesus first in your life.

Jesus is not against possessions, or family or video games. Jesus is against anything and everything 'you' place before him. Anything you do not hate enough to place after him. The cost of following Jesus is that Jesus is to be first, and all the things you once loved, you now hate, comparatively.
 
but it's a tricky spot (and part of the reason that Paul (?) said that we would be better off not getting married - because then we have an obligation before God to love our spouse the way that God loves her). So how do you "hate" your wife by comparison if you're supposed to be God's representative to her?
 
I don't see it as tricky. I see it as: In comparison to how God loves, I must hate. I hate my wife in comparison to how God loves her or me. And as I learn how to love from Jesus from how he loves me, the more I come to realize, I truly never really loved my wife before coming to Jesus. If I actually believed that I loved my wife as much as Jesus loves us, then what need do I have to become a disciple of Christ? In order to become a disciple of Christ, I must come to a self realization that I actually have something to gain from it, that I hate what I have in comparison to what I will gain with Christ.

As to our command to Love our wife, we are to love our wife as Christ loves the church. How are to learn (which is really what a disciple is, a student) how to love our wifes as Christ loves the church if we don't accept that in comparison, we are not loving our wifes as we are commanded to. So in order to move forward, we see what Christ has to offer and we say "wow, how Jesus loves and how I love are two different things and in comparison, I must hate my wife (although I believe I love her) but I wish to love her as Christ loves me so I must do away with the old." The cost of following Christ is doing away with the old. It is understanding that although I believe I loved my wife, in Jesus ways, I hated her and I wish to do away with that old unloving love and replace it with the love of Christ for his church. It is not perpetual. It is like building a building: The cost is analyzed but once. Can I afford it, am I willing to pay the price? The price is to realize, that before accepting Christ as your savior, you did not love as Christ loves, you hate in comparison. And when you accept Christ as your Lord, you learn how to love. The old sinful ways are gone and replaced with righteous ways.
 
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