Author Topic: Mortally Sinful Video Games! (Read 3092 times)

Hietanen · « **on:** March 27, 2011, 05:56:00 PM »

Almost every kind of game that exists in our sad time has numerous mortally sinful things in them which make them impossible to play without going to hell. The younger generation especially, but also older people, is so perverted and drugged by these new games that they seem to live for nothing else!

Firstly, there are the countless games who have a person going around killing or hurting other humans or creatures for fun; for example, Counter-Strike, Halo, Grand Theft Auto, Starcraft, Modern Warfare, Gears of Wars, Tekken, etc. To play such a game is not only sick but abominable. Think about it: to play a game for fun or pleasure which is constituted of the murder or hurt of another being!

God solemnly declares that he will judge our every thought, how much more then will he judge our deeds? When we in our mind take delight and enjoy killing or hurting other beings, God takes this as an act in the very same way as he judges us as murderers if we hate our brother, or, as an adulterer if we look at a woman with lust in our heart. What then will God judge you to be when you in your heart love abominable things?

Secondly, there is the constant danger of hate, uncontrollable wrath, and pride in games when it doesn't go as people would like it to go, and this is more true when playing games online. For when people think of themselves that they are good in the game they play, they are puffed up and deceived into thinking that this victory in a worthless game actually makes them someone. This is truly pathetic! But if someone then beats them, their pride and arrogance gets hurt, and they get mad, angry and wroth. Who have not had experience of this in online-gaming? Sure, these things happen on single player games as well but it isn't as common. Online games are by far the worst and sinful of all the games, since they not only affects you, but the others you play with as well. Do you understand now why online games are the most dangerous of all the games? Do you realize now that every person you have affected by your gaming will demand just vengeance over you, unless you blot these sins out by penance, repentance and confession? Giving others a bad example and being the cause or accessory of another person’s damnation is the worst of all the sins one can be guilty of in this life. Every single thought, word, and deed will be carefully judged and avenged the moment you die. You cannot hide from death.

Thirdly, there are countless of games who try to display magic and the occult as not only acceptable but even good and praiseworthy; for example, World of Warcraft, Diablo, Oblivion, etc. Yes in those games, one is even awarded by magic and occult themes for murdering or hurting the opponent. Eternal Hell will be the home of all you who plays such games, for they are all against God, they are all based on breaking God's commandments and doing evil and violence, or enjoying others doing evil and violence. Whether or not you or the world say its good vs evil, or whether it be humans or monsters you are murdering or hurting, does not change the fact that the games in themselves are totally evil and fruitless, often extremely violent, and as with movies, often compels the player to take actions, agree or disagree with occurrences, which in godly terms are unacceptable and abominable. Playing these games will only serve to stir you up towards wanting to play more. Games with much violence and fighting, or with the ability of sinning in pride by show-offs, or with much usage of magic-powers of the occult, or with the ability to achieve personal fame in a fantasy land, or the show-off with skills, as with online-games, are all the most dangerous since they serve to stir up the flesh and body the most in a false and unholy fire of pleasure and thrill. A person that doesn't cut this off from himself will in fact lose his soul!

If you want to read more;
http://www.catholic-saints.net/spiritual/

DMorgan · « **Reply #1 on:** March 27, 2011, 06:09:09 PM »

I work with a group of 20 to 30 year olds who are consumed with these games. From their conversations i can easily see the disastrous effects these games have. One of their Favorites: Dante's Inferno. The amount of occasion for sin in the modern world is increasing exponentially

Matthew · « **Reply #2 on:** March 27, 2011, 10:20:19 PM »

I agree that some games are very evil, with so-called "mature" themes that are anything but; with excessive violence, atheism, blasphemy, occult themes, etc.

However, you can't say that playing Super Mario World is going to send you to Hell with mortal sin on your soul, because you held hatred in your heart for the Goombas you jumped on and *gasp* wantonly killed!

Taking it that far would make you look foolish.

I'm not going to jump on somebody I'm mad at, hoping to flatten them and watch them fall off the screen.

That's because Mario World is a fantastical game, far removed from real life. That's the way video games SHOULD be, if they should exist at all. That is, not trying to be "real life".

However, some people claim the same rationale ("It's just a game") for shooting games like Half-Life, etc. but I'd disagree there. That's a bit more than cartoon violence! You're aiming a gun (like you might acquire in real life) at human-looking people (like you see every day in real life) and you pull the trigger -- watching blood fly from your opponent's corpse after he's hit by your bullet, grenade, or rocket. There is such a thing as desensitizing to violence.

Nevertheless, video games are best left alone altogether. Most "innocent" mainstream games are in the distant past, or puzzle games played mostly by grandmas (scrabble, boggle, etc.)

Matthew

ServusSpiritusSancti · « **Reply #3 on:** March 28, 2011, 02:08:17 PM »

For once I actually agree with Hietanen, but Matthew also raised a good point. Games such as Super Mario Bros. are generally harmless. It's the ones like Grand Theft Auto, Half-Life, Call of duty, Warcraft, Guitar Hero, etc. that are extremely dangerous.

Hietanen · « **Reply #4 on:** March 28, 2011, 04:31:20 PM »

Quote from: Matthew

I agree that some games are very evil, with so-called "mature" themes that are anything but; with excessive violence, atheism, blasphemy, occult themes, etc.

However, you can't say that playing Super Mario World is going to send you to Hell with mortal sin on your soul, because you held hatred in your heart for the Goombas you jumped on and *gasp* wantonly killed!

The more innocent a game is, the less sinful it becomes. However, the fact is still that the game is constituted on hurting other creatures, no matter how innocent it is. It has also magic and superpowers in it, which is a danger to the children as we will see below.

All films and series and video games that leads your mind toward fantasies and fables such as Lord of the rings, Heroes, Smallville, Avatar, Mario, etc, even if we were to say, for the sake of argument, that they have nothing in them against God (which is not true), should still be avoided, since they direct our minds from God, from the natural world we live in, toward fantasies and all kinds of thoughts referring thereto. This is the main cause for it being so dangerous and the reason why so many persons watching theseaying these games are so drugged or addicted to them and why many have unwholesome unrealistic desires or depressions. For a person that spends much time on finding God, will evidently dream and long much for God and come close to Him. In contrast, a person that spends much time on the world, is far from God and dead before God!

St. Teresa even confessed that reading books which in themselves was not evil, was still a beginning of great harm and lukewarmness on her part. What then are one to say about worldly media, worldly video games or worldly books? A person cannot do these things without becoming completely lukewarm and cold in the service of God exactly as it also happened to the glorious St. Theresa, for those who always seek after worldly things are in fact diminishing in the fervor of God!

The following quote further proving this point was taken from the Life of St. Teresa- “What I shall now speak of was, I believe, the beginning of great harm to me. I contracted a habit of reading books; and this little fault which I observed was the beginning of lukewarmness in my good desires, and the occasion of my falling away in other respects. I thought there was no harm in it when I wasted many hours night and day in so vain an occupation, even when I kept it a secret from my father. So completely was I mastered by this passion, that I thought I could never be happy without a new book.”

Doesn't this sound familiar? Don't we all think as Teresa did, that we cannot be happy without our daily media, our evil movies and series, our bad video games or bad books? If the effect on this Saint was the start of a great harm, what then will it be for you, when what you do in comparison with her is infinitely more damaging and dangerous to your soul? How utterly stupid and foolish is it not to spend one's time reading bad worldly books, playing harmful video games, or watching bad media that will affect the state of our soul in a negative way, when one could spend time doing something to the glory and honor of God and the edifying of our soul...

A while ago, when the Catholic Church had a great impact on morality in the Christian society, people looked up to and adored our divine savior Jesus Christ, the blessed Virgin Mary, and the fame and virtues of the Saints. Every Catholic child had a patron Saint of his choosing to look up to and follow. What better examples in virtues and good manners can there possibly be?

Satan has in fact exchanged an adoration of God for man through the media. This is why children nowadays look up to actors, artists, heroes or characters mainly found in media. What child today would not want to be as Superman, Spiderman or any other Superhero, who is depicted in the media as invincible, adored, and beloved by all? Why are both grownups and children nowadays so prideful and violent, unloving, disobedient, lustful and arrogant, etc., if not because we through media have been conditioned to act and behave in this way? With the devil as an example through his debauched actors and animated characters, it will always end badly.

With holy examples, such as of our Savior himself and of the Saints, virtues such as humility, patience, charity and love flourish and is found. Therefore, learn to educate your children in the knowledge of Christ and of His Saints, give them Catholic books about Saints so that they can learn about virtues, and good Catholic films about the Saints. You can find a lot of different Catholic books from Saints at this site below, and more is added frequently!

http://www.catholic-saints.net/

Jehanne · « **Reply #5 on:** March 28, 2011, 05:55:46 PM »

Quote from: DMorgan

I work with a group of 20 to 30 year olds who are consumed with these games. From their conversations i can easily see the disastrous effects these games have. One of their Favorites: Dante's Inferno. The amount of occasion for sin in the modern world is increasing exponentially

I do not know about Dante's Inferno, which, I believe, was a cartoon movie where Mark Hamill (of Luke Skywalker fame) had a leading role. I only saw the first 10 minutes or so of the show, but it did not appear offensive to the Catholic faith. I do not know why the video game, which I have not played, would be too much different than the movie.

Prior to my conversion to Catholicism, I played Doom and Doom 2 in the early 90s. It was several years after Doom 3 came out in 2004 before I played that. I was certainly bothered by the Satanic references throughout the game, but I had mixed feelings about the game making references to the Hell of Suffering; on the one hand, being a good thing to so many gamers who do not believe in such a place; on the other hand, the unfortunate blasphemies that the game included. I have since stopped playing the game, although, I will probably play it a few times more in the future, as I was able to remove the most offensive elements from the game.

To give people, my oldest son included (who begged me for a few years to buy the game), an alternative for a more "family friendly" game experience, I developed my own mod for the game called "Doom 3 Super Allies," which is available on FileFront and a few torrents. I was able to eliminate the four inverted crucifixes and introduce some theistic spirituality into the game. Fortunately, the successor to Doom 3 called Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil toned-down the Satanic references, and popular mods such as Fragging Free and Tested have toned-down things even futher.

Whatever you think of a game like "Doom," Id Software made stunning advances in first-person gameplay, John Carmack, Id's chief architect, winning 2 Emmy Awards for his work. If you have ever watched Alien or Aliens (the former, especially), then you will get an idea of what Doom 3, a survival horror game is like. With a high resolution monitor (widely available these days), a good graphics card (such as nVidia, also widely available), a good CPU (hard not to find), good speakers (which vary widely) and a proper configuration (a little more tricky), you can give yourself the "scare of a lifetime," especially if you play at night in a dark room.

Another game that I enjoy is War & Warriors: Joan of Arc by Enlight Software, which I have also modded (six or so software script fixes.) The game is basically a celebration of the Hundred Years War and is not at all realistic, historically or in the gameplay. (It's basically another first-person shooter game.) The graphics are, however, wonderful, and the music is terrific, worthy of an Emmy. The game has some Catholic spirituality in it, although, it is, unfortunately, downplayed.

While I agree that some video games on the market today are intrinsically evil, just because a game is violent (especially, when it involves "killing" mythical creatures, such as those you find throughout the Mario games) does not make it evil, any more than Alfred Hitchcock's movies were all evil or that Shakespeare's plays were all evil. It is, for me, a case by case assessment. Shooting police officers or killing harmless civilians in warfare, these are definitively out. Shooting mythical aliens from another world does not trouble my conscience too much. It is absolutely certain that such beings do not exist.

With Doom 3, there are some definite moral drawbacks (even with my mod), but the graphics are absolutely wonderful and so is the audio. More modern games are, of course, even better in this regard. I enjoyed Alien and Aliens and reminder watching both movies in my youth, and while both movies have some moral drawbacks to them, I have, with some reservations, recommended both movies to my children. I use the same standards with violent video games. If you want to scare yourself, playing Doom 3 will accomplish that goal.

ServusSpiritusSancti · « **Reply #6 on:** March 28, 2011, 09:17:43 PM »

Dante's Inferno (the video game) had some sort of satanic reference in it. So it's also a bad game.

Jehanne · « **Reply #7 on:** March 28, 2011, 09:25:14 PM »

Reminding people that Hell is real is not, I think, a bad thing. Sacred Scripture, the Bible, has "satanic" references in it, which, of course, does not make it evil. Given the choice between having my kids play Mario Galaxy (which I myself have completed, all 242 levels) or Dante's Inferno, I would choose the latter. Having them think about eternal punishment is, I think, a good thing, because as much as people deny and/or ignore it does not change the fact that it is a reality that one can experience forever in Eternity.

ServusSpiritusSancti · « **Reply #8 on:** March 28, 2011, 09:38:40 PM »

No, I mean it promotes satanism. I'll have to find a thread I posted on it back in June 2010. I'll post it tomorrow, I'm about to head off for the night.

Jehanne · « **Reply #9 on:** March 29, 2011, 07:14:01 AM »

I would agree that such is intrinsically evil.

I do not think that traditional Catholics are relegated to only having to watch TV Land or TCM. As I said, it's on a case by case basis.

To make a comparison with another "hot button" issue that comes up from time to time, I am of the opinion that women should only wear skirts/dresses almost exclusively, based upon Deuteronomy 22:5, which has, clearly, been part and parcel of the Ordinary Magisterium of the Church. Still, I do not believe that women should dress like they came out of a time machine from the 1800s or even the 1940s. They should, I believe, dress in skirts daily, but they are free to buy (and should buy) their modest skirts from Old Navy, Kohl's, or whatever contemporary store that they like.

The same is true of television, video games, etc. If you like Andy Griffith, that's great. I have watched a few of those episodes myself, but I believe that it is possible to enjoy the Star Wars movies while simply overlooking/ignoring the occult references. The same is true of Avatar and its pantheistic spirituality or "Avatar: The Last Airbender" with its eastern spirituality. (Another favorite is Star Trek with its atheistic materialistic socialistic utopia.) Likewise, a traditional Catholic woman can look completely modest in a long skirt without having to wear the corset.

Hietanen · « **Reply #10 on:** March 29, 2011, 03:54:28 PM »

Jehanne

It's most sad indeed to see you promote evil games like doom, and that you have as opinion that it is nothing wrong with it. You also promotes evil films like Avatar that has magic, occultism, worshiping of threes, half naked characters, etc, and say that one could watch such things so long as you are overlooking these facts. What you have said now, sadly, only reveals the spiritual darkness you are living in.

You most definitely need to read this file, for sadly, you are deceived by the world and its deceits, and sadly, seem to be deceiving your children too. You are a bad parent, simply said.

http://www.catholic-saints.net/spiritual/

NOW I WILL REPOST ANOTHER POST WHICH IS VERY RELEVANT TO YOU. MAYBE YOU DIDN'T READ IT OR MISSED IT?

The more innocent a game is, the less sinful it becomes. However, the fact is still that the game is constituted on hurting other creatures, no matter how innocent it is. It has also magic and superpowers in it, which is a danger to the children as we will see below.

All films and series and video games that leads your mind toward fantasies and fables such as Lord of the rings, Heroes, Smallville, Avatar, Mario, etc, even if we were to say, for the sake of argument, that they have nothing in them against God (which is not true), should still be avoided, since they direct our minds from God, from the natural world we live in, toward fantasies and all kinds of thoughts referring thereto. This is the main cause for it being so dangerous and the reason why so many persons watching theseaying these games are so drugged or addicted to them and why many have unwholesome unrealistic desires or depressions. For a person that spends much time on finding God, will evidently dream and long much for God and come close to Him. In contrast, a person that spends much time on the world, is far from God and dead before God!

St. Teresa even confessed that reading books which in themselves was not evil, was still a beginning of great harm and lukewarmness on her part. What then are one to say about worldly media, worldly video games or worldly books? A person cannot do these things without becoming completely lukewarm and cold in the service of God exactly as it also happened to the glorious St. Theresa, for those who always seek after worldly things are in fact diminishing in the fervor of God!

The following quote further proving this point was taken from the Life of St. Teresa- “What I shall now speak of was, I believe, the beginning of great harm to me. I contracted a habit of reading books; and this little fault which I observed was the beginning of lukewarmness in my good desires, and the occasion of my falling away in other respects. I thought there was no harm in it when I wasted many hours night and day in so vain an occupation, even when I kept it a secret from my father. So completely was I mastered by this passion, that I thought I could never be happy without a new book.”

Doesn't this sound familiar? Don't we all think as Teresa did, that we cannot be happy without our daily media, our evil movies and series, our bad video games or bad books? If the effect on this Saint was the start of a great harm, what then will it be for you, when what you do in comparison with her is infinitely more damaging and dangerous to your soul? How utterly stupid and foolish is it not to spend one's time reading bad worldly books, playing harmful video games, or watching bad media that will affect the state of our soul in a negative way, when one could spend time doing something to the glory and honor of God and the edifying of our soul...

A while ago, when the Catholic Church had a great impact on morality in the Christian society, people looked up to and adored our divine savior Jesus Christ, the blessed Virgin Mary, and the fame and virtues of the Saints. Every Catholic child had a patron Saint of his choosing to look up to and follow. What better examples in virtues and good manners can there possibly be?

Satan has in fact exchanged an adoration of God for man through the media. This is why children nowadays look up to actors, artists, heroes or characters mainly found in media. What child today would not want to be as Superman, Spiderman or any other Superhero, who is depicted in the media as invincible, adored, and beloved by all? Why are both grownups and children nowadays so prideful and violent, unloving, disobedient, lustful and arrogant, etc., if not because we through media have been conditioned to act and behave in this way? With the devil as an example through his debauched actors and animated characters, it will always end badly.

With holy examples, such as of our Savior himself and of the Saints, virtues such as humility, patience, charity and love flourish and is found. Therefore, learn to educate your children in the knowledge of Christ and of His Saints, give them Catholic books about Saints so that they can learn about virtues, and good Catholic films about the Saints.

Jehanne · « **Reply #11 on:** March 29, 2011, 05:05:40 PM »

I watched the first The Chronicles of Narnia; it was entertaining, but I found it to be a kid's show. Braveheart was, for me, superficial, in spite of its graphic violence. I really loved Rob Roy. Cameron's movie Titanic was wonderful, in spite of the brief nudity and fornication, neither of which I cared to see. However, beggars cannot be choosers.

I know that there are a few other Catholic movies out there, such as Lord of the Rings, which I have yet to see. I do not watch many movies, and only saw Jaws for the first time in the late 1990s. I found it to be really phony, but I can understand why a 1970s audience would find it horrifying.

ServusSpiritusSancti · « **Reply #12 on:** March 29, 2011, 05:07:45 PM »

As far as The Chronicles of Narnia, I don't really find anything entertaining about a movie with a witch in it.

Kailyn · « **Reply #13 on:** March 30, 2011, 12:47:24 PM »

Quote from: SpiritusSanctus

Dante's Inferno (the video game) had some sort of satanic reference in it. So it's also a bad game.

Sorry.

Hietanen, you seem to believe that:
1). The depiction of ever hurting any creature in a game is bad.
2). Fantasy, or what is not based on the natural world, is bad.

Could you explain further whether you believe the above, and if so, why we should?

Hietanen · « **Reply #14 on:** March 30, 2011, 04:12:57 PM »

Quote from: Kailyn

Quote from: SpiritusSanctus
Dante's Inferno (the video game) had some sort of satanic reference in it. So it's also a bad game.

Sorry.

Hietanen, you seem to believe that:
1). The depiction of ever hurting any creature in a game is bad.
2). Fantasy, or what is not based on the natural world, is bad.

Could you explain further whether you believe the above, and if so, why we should?

1). Hurting creatures does not necessarily have to be bad, you can hunt lawfully, etc. But even those innocent games which seem non-harmful, are still dangerous for many reasons, as will be explained below.
2). That fantasy/fables is bad is obvious, we can find the bible testify about this as well: “For there shall be a time, when they will not endure sound doctrine; but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears: And will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

THIS BELOW WILL FURTHER GIVE AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTIONS. TAKE IT FROM A SAINT!

St. Teresa even confessed that reading books which in themselves was not evil, was still a beginning of great harm and lukewarmness on her part. What then are one to say about worldly media, worldly video games or worldly books? A person cannot do these things without becoming completely lukewarm and cold in the service of God exactly as it also happened to the glorious St. Theresa, for those who always seek after worldly things are in fact diminishing in the fervor of God!

The following quote further proving this point was taken from the Life of St. Teresa- “What I shall now speak of was, I believe, the beginning of great harm to me. I contracted a habit of reading books; and this little fault which I observed was the beginning of lukewarmness in my good desires, and the occasion of my falling away in other respects. I thought there was no harm in it when I wasted many hours night and day in so vain an occupation, even when I kept it a secret from my father. So completely was I mastered by this passion, that I thought I could never be happy without a new book.”

Doesn't this sound familiar? Don't we all think as Teresa did, that we cannot be happy without our daily media, our evil movies and series, our bad video games or bad books? If the effect on this Saint was the start of a great harm, what then will it be for you, when what you do in comparison with her is infinitely more damaging and dangerous to your soul? How utterly stupid and foolish is it not to spend one's time reading bad worldly books, playing harmful video games, or watching bad media that will affect the state of our soul in a negative way, when one could spend time doing something to the glory and honor of God and the edifying of our soul...

A while ago, when the Catholic Church had a great impact on morality in the Christian society, people looked up to and adored our divine savior Jesus Christ, the blessed Virgin Mary, and the fame and virtues of the Saints. Every Catholic child had a patron Saint of his choosing to look up to and follow. What better examples in virtues and good manners can there possibly be?

Satan has in fact exchanged an adoration of God for man through the media. This is why children nowadays look up to actors, artists, heroes or characters mainly found in media. What child today would not want to be as Superman, Spiderman or any other Superhero, who is depicted in the media as invincible, adored, and beloved by all? Why are both grownups and children nowadays so prideful and violent, unloving, disobedient, lustful and arrogant, etc., if not because we through media have been conditioned to act and behave in this way? With the devil as an example through his debauched actors and animated characters, it will always end badly.

With holy examples, such as of our Savior himself and of the Saints, virtues such as humility, patience, charity and love flourish and is found. Therefore, learn to educate your children in the knowledge of Christ and of His Saints, give them Catholic books about Saints so that they can learn about virtues, and good Catholic films about the Saints.