Why no non-believers?

vayle

vayle

New Member
OK, I have had this question since I started reading these forums. Why, to be considered an alliance guild, does every member of the guild have to be a Christian? It seems to me that it stands against the whole purpose of Christianity. I certainly could understand requiring a Christian leader and a code of honor of some sort that is required for all members in the guild, but why exclude non-Christians if they agree to act according to the code?

The reason I started and mainly have continued to play MMORPGs is in outreach to my non-Christian brother (and some of his friends). I've led several people to Christ through this genre, and witnessed to a lot of people, mainly because I was in a guild with them and played with them regularly. They're not playing anything right now, so I have to find other ways. My second question is, do you play regularly with non-Christians, as in enough to form relationships with them or does being in an all-Christian guild hinder that a lot?
 
Which guild are you referring to? The Forgiven, PVE guild on Terenas, we do not limit membership though we are very careful that the person coming in fully understands who we are and what we stand for. In cases where the non believer is a family member and/or close personal friend of a believer in our guild, we really really encourage them joining us. I believe we are an example in how we play, the chat that goes on, how we treat each other, what better way to witness then to have non believers see that first hand. All that being said, I do believe we have to be careful, just bringing in just anyone who is not a believer, they just happened to ask, you need to safeguard the culture, a few more well worded (screening) questions will really help you to know if they are a good fit.
 
From the CGA Affiliation FAQ:

Interested in affiliating with the Christian Gamers Alliance?


Requirements for Affiliation
1. The executive leadership of your organization must accept the offer of membership in CGA.
2. Your organization must uphold the basic tenets of Christianity, with a proclamation of Christian faith prominent on your organization's website.
3. All members of an affiliate must agree with the basic tenets of Christianity. In other words, gaming groups accepting non-Christians as members are not eligible for affiliation.
 
vayle said:
From the CGA Affiliation FAQ:

Interested in affiliating with the Christian Gamers Alliance?


Requirements for Affiliation
1. The executive leadership of your organization must accept the offer of membership in CGA.
2. Your organization must uphold the basic tenets of Christianity, with a proclamation of Christian faith prominent on your organization's website.
3. All members of an affiliate must agree with the basic tenets of Christianity. In other words, gaming groups accepting non-Christians as members are not eligible for affiliation.
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Just because you post on CGA does not mean your a member of one of the 'guilds'. That jsut says that if your 'guild' wants to become part of the alliance then you have to be a Christian 'guild'.
 
I'm questioning the requirement that everyone in an affiliated guild be a Christian....
 
So why not let groups with Christian administration but some non-Christian members join? That's what she's asking. You still haven't given a valid defense.
 
kraniac said:
So why not let groups with Christian administration but some non-Christian members join? That's what she's asking. You still haven't given a valid defense.
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No one said that this couldn't happen, it would just make them illegible for there uild to be a member of the alliance. But that doesn't stop them from posting on the CGA boards.
 
We have non Christian members in CGA (reference Religious Discussions Forum)

My second question is, do you play regularly with non-Christians, as in enough to form relationships with them or does being in an all-Christian guild hinder that a lot?
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I play CounterStrike mainly on the GFC Custom server. We do not require a like faith to play, just that the rules are obeyed. Playing is a great time to witness to non believers. I have only seen a couple of regular players who are not Christian, but all in all it is those who share a similar belief. As a believer, I would think that one would be careful in forming close relationships with those who do not believe lest they be pulled away from their faith.

Ultimately though, those we play with should know us by the love we show to one another. Our game play is a testimony to others of Christ (Christian or not)

Gen
 
Genesis1315 said:
We have non Christian members in CGA (reference Religious Discussions Forum)



I play CounterStrike mainly on the GFC Custom server. We do not require a like faith to play, just that the rules are obeyed. Playing is a great time to witness to non believers. I have only seen a couple of regular players who are not Christian, but all in all it is those who share a similar belief. As a believer, I would think that one would be careful in forming close relationships with those who do not believe lest they be pulled away from their faith.

Ultimately though, those we play with should know us by the love we show to one another. Our game play is a testimony to others of Christ (Christian or not)

Gen
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Amen
 
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The original question concerns gaming guilds and not the forums because I am guessing the majority of players' time is spent playing, not chatting on these forums.

As a believer, I would think that one would be careful in forming close relationships with those who do not believe lest they be pulled away from their faith.
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I don't believe this is Scriptural in any way except regarding marriage.

Jesus extended Himself toward the lowest of the low, eating with 'sinners and tax collectors', and encouraging His disciples to do so, to the point that they were called drunks and partiers ("revelers"). Paul spent a great deal of time with non-believers. Taking that a few steps farther, does that mean that any Christian with non-Christian family members should not keep close relationships with them?
 
vayle said:
Why, to be considered an alliance guild, does every member of the guild have to be a Christian? It seems to me that it stands against the whole purpose of Christianity.
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Vayle, you ask a valid question. I answer this question fairly frequently (much like the, "Is it okay for Christians to play Counter-Strike?" question), so I'll try to give a complete answer. (I have 127 other threads to read tonight, so I'll try to keep it brief as well.)

Imagine the ideal church. All people are welcome to walk through the front doors, sit down, and listen to the sermon preached. As long as they follow some basic rules (i.e. no interrupting the sermon, keep your clothes on, don't shout obscenities during worship), they are allowed to stay. Attendance is open to the general populace.

Membership, on the other hand, is restricted to Christians. What would happen to a church if agreement with the basic tenets of Christianity were not required for church membership? The church would lack the common beliefs that make a Christian church, well, Christian. It would no longer be a church but a social gathering.

Similarly, all Christian Gamers Alliance affiliates are welcome and encouraged to invite non-Christians to participate in games. Also keeping with the church analogy, affiliates are required to admit only Christians as members.

Does this mean that we look down on groups started by Christians that allow non-Christians? Certainly not! They're reaching people that we don't reach. We are different, but striving toward the same end.

The founders of the Alliance elected to set these limits so that, no matter what our differences, we can agree on the basic tenets of Christianity. This simple faith is what binds us together.

Other communities are bound together by other codes of conduct or beliefs and that's perfectly fine as well; however, the Christian Gamers Alliance was established to give Christian gamers an online "home" and build them up so they might glorify God and preach His good news through word and deed.

Just because we do things one way doesn't mean we disprove of other methods. We simply restrict affiliate membership in the Alliance to groups that agree to the rules set forth by the Alliance.

I hope that answers your question, Vayle. :)
 
This is to what I was referring

"Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits."
1 Corinthians 15:33

"He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed." Proverbs 13:20

"Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away from it and pass on." Proverbs 4:14-15


This is ultimately what I was referring to. I am quote it because I think it is worded better than I could to convey the same message

f you go to where the unsaved go, and do the things the unsaved do, and laugh at the jokes the unsaved tell, etc., etc., what witness do you have? And who is ultimately influencing who? What "new life in Jesus" can you offer when you live in the old? Jesus was a friend of sinners because he took the message to them -- and lived out that message, being different (separate) from them, even while he was with them

http://www.bibleistrue.com/qna/qna4.htm
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Genesis, reading that webpage made me question your statements even more. For one thing, it would be the other way around. With a Christian-themed guild, most of the players will still be Christian. A few non-Christians who spend all their time around a bunch of Christians are either 1) moral, 2) young, or 3) seeking God. Think about it.

The argument that living 'in the world' in a Christian gaming guild almost seems irrevelant to the original question. Although it could be argued that why are we squandering all our free time in a game with no real relationships being established at all. That is certainly what the 'experts' are saying about the information generations. The point of Jesus' ministry was that everything He did was ministry. Nothing was for Himself, but for the people He came to save.
 
A few non-Christians who spend all their time around a bunch of Christians are either 1) moral, 2) young, or 3) seeking God. Think about it.
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Have you actually met a few non-christians in this forum, or in gaming, and asked them about your question?

Then again, somebody non-christian should answer here...


A Christian clan/guild is a Christian clan/guild, period, no exceptions.
Mixing Christians with non-Christians in a clan/guild isnt the best idea, but like most christian clans/guilds, they are willing at accept non-christians, exact words from Tek7's quote;
all Christian Gamers Alliance affiliates are welcome and encouraged to invite non-Christians to participate in games..
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Meaning, I may not be allow to join, least I can play on their clean game servers, which are more enjoyable compared to other game servers that hack and swear. :mad:
 
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Have you actually met a few non-christians in this forum, or in gaming, and asked them about your question?
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I'm related closely to one. I know many more non-Christian gamers than Christians. Playing computer games isn't really an accepted hobby at seminary.

Mixing Christians with non-Christians in a clan/guild isnt the best idea, but like most christian clans/guilds, they are willing at accept non-christians, exact words from Tek7's quote
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Not on the MMORPG guilds, although I'm still struggling with why Forgiven is an exception. And it seems that non-Christians are welcome in the forums, but not really.

Just forget it. I am considering just going someplace else.
 
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Playing computer games isn't really an accepted hobby at seminary.
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I think that is because computer games ARE highly time consuming as all our XFIRE signatures show if you REALLY think about it... lol...

What i think is, is you cannot tell if someone is TRULY addicted to games (addicted i mean as in putting your integrity, or whatever infront of games) rather than using is as free time.

My point isn't very clear, but whatever. >_< Hope it comes out right.
 
Is the only reason to have fellowship be to minister to others? No, that would be silly. What I see is a group of Christians who share the same hobbies (ie. computer and video games) who use these games to build each other up. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Now, of course we should also be associating with non-Christians too so that we can witness to them, but as Gen said, it's a dangerous proposition for those not strong enough. There are careful boundaries that have been placed, and that's a good thing.

Think I'm wrong? I know that personally while I was in the WoW guild I wasn't glorifying God. Why? Because I was too easily influenced by the people around me. Imagine what damage that could have been done if they were actually in the guild.

This may be the missionary field that you have been called to. But to other people, it's simply a fellowship ground where you come to build each other up.
 
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