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Violence on video games

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Jules C

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Hi all.

I'm playing a game called Grand Theft Auto Vice City. It's very, very violent and full of blood and gore. That said, the graphics and imagination are wonderful.

I feel guilty when I'm playing it though. It's hardly edifying. Great game, but produces horrible thoughts.

Wonder what you think? Just a game? Or can this sort of thing have consequences?
 
Honestly....my husband and I used to own the fourth one. After seeing all the content, I found myself not only unable to play it but like it altogether. The game in itself promotes a number of sinful behaviors from prostitution, murder, theft, and assault.

Then....just about everything is leaning that way now days. Not that, that makes things right.
Just my thoughts.

May God Bless You

Danielle
 
I don't play that game but i play other violent games. I guess i am so desensitized to the stuff it does not bother me. :twocents
 
The violence in it does not bother me, but the sex and foul language do I play many violent video games, but I just don't see the point in video game sex if your into that kind of thing I would suggest counseling.
 
MISFIT said:
The violence in it does not bother me, but the sex and foul language do I play many violent video games, but I just don't see the point in video game sex if your into that kind of thing I would suggest counseling.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly :yes

When I'm playing something like Bioshock, It's unrealistic to expect the enemies to vanish in a puff of smoke when shot. But nudity and bad language in any game is pointless and a little sad, IMO.
 
My son has a video game content review site called Jorim's List (I hope this doesn't qualify as advertising, I have a point). He reviewed the newest Grand Theft Auto game, and it was miserable for him; it put him in a terrible mood the whole time he was reviewing it, which took extra long because of the length and extreme content in the game. He agrees that the graphics are great, but he said that there is no redeeming value in the game whatsoever.

There are other games with violence that actually have a point to the story, and where you can choose your moral system. This isn't existent or possible in the Grand Theft Auto series. And just think: the latest GTA installment out sold all media of all time, including movies, books, everything.
 
It's funny that as I'm reading this my hubby is playing the most recent Grand Theft Auto...we got it for Christmas from his brother. It's an amazing game, and I've enjoyed playing it too...although it's really violent and there's a lot of swearing, I kinda feel like I've been desensitized to it...like I've seen it all before. The reason I like playing it is that I wish I lived in New York so I love driving around and checking it out. It's amazing the detail and work that was put into it, it's art really! I don't get much of a chance to play video games so I haven't seen any similar quality games that aren't full of the vulgarity...are there any?
 
Well, I mean, there are surely more important things but I suppose there is the issue of desensitisation. My boyfriend will not play Grand Theft Auto - says it is totally foul. In a way he's right. But it's a great fun game. It's a real problem for those who can't separate its fantasy from reality though.
 
It's a real problem for those who can't separate its fantasy from reality though.
Click to expand...

Very true.

And desensitization can be good or bad. Desensitization at is best is exemplified by what a surgeon does; he has to get "used" to what we would otherwise consider "gory" to do what he does well. I think it's the same for morticians, police officers, emergency workers, soldiers and the like.

And then there's bad desensitization, and I think that means, essentially, that you lose your compassion in real-life situations when necessary. This doesn't always apply to people who play violent video games - it may or may not, it depends on the individual.

There ARE games with good moral systems involved in the story. I strongly suggest video game content review sites, like my son's. It's what God has called him to do, and yet not enough Christians are taking advantage of what he does, believe me. I think if gamers (or parents) can read about what is in a game before they play (and my son's reviews, by the way, are very neutral morally, really; he just details what's in the game), they can make better decisions regarding what is worth it and what is not, and also, learn more about the options within the games so that they can be played optimally.
 
I also think that playing these games (or any other for that matter) is a judgment call up to the individual or in the case of minors the parents. If you know you or your kids are the suggestible types then you really should be playing them at all, but if you know you can handle it then play. As I said before I do play a number of violent games, but I also have a three year old son running around that likes to mimic things as well as me, so the real violent ones I only play when he's in bed.

I played GTA4 and was not impressed, the graphics are not as good as I expect from a PS3 game, and the voice acting was terrible. Also the game was horribly repetitive, and once again I just could not take all the sex and strong swearing in the game, E.G. one of the early missions in the game has you going on a date with a woman with the goal of fornication, not my idea of a fun game. I'll take shooting monsters and aliens with a big gun watching there insides paint the walls, but leave the sex and nudity out. :twocents
 
Just like any other video games, IMO this whole deal is a Romans 14 issue. If it causes you to stumble, don't play it. If it doesn't, more power to ya.

That being said, those who can handle playing it shouldn't rub it in their "weaker" brother's face; and those who are "weaker," shouldn't go on a non-stop condemnation shtick toward the "stronger" brother. After all, it's just a video game.
 
Captain Sarcastic said:
Just like any other video games, IMO this whole deal is a Romans 14 issue. If it causes you to stumble, don't play it. If it doesn't, more power to ya.

That being said, those who can handle playing it shouldn't rub it in their "weaker" brother's face; and those who are "weaker," shouldn't go on a non-stop condemnation shtick toward the "stronger" brother. After all, it's just a video game.
Click to expand...

:amen
 
OP if you are feeling guilty about it and having horrible thoughts I think you answered your own question.

and not directed at anyone just my thoughts -

There is no such thing as "just" - just a video game, just a movie..
Everything that we do that we allow, especially consciously, seeps in our eyes, ears and then into our thoughts, hearts.
I don't understand why anyone wants to immerse themselves in really bad violence, subject themselves to foul language and the sex and degrading women. But as Christians I really don't get it, shouldn't we abhor sin, anything that is so obvious it's not good and pure - bad language, promotion of sex in a sinful way etc, I try and run the opposite way as I get enough of that when trying to avoid it, the last thing I want is to choose it. :o
Shouldn't our deepest desires be pure and whole as we want to get closer to Jesus and not fill it up with promoting of sin (which this game unashamedly admits to), in this instance a game.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things."
 
As a christian I get that 'whoah, hey that's not right' feeling when I see things like that in a game, movies, a song, etc..

It's just bad for the heart imo.
 
Just like any other video games, IMO this whole deal is a Romans 14 issue. If it causes you to stumble, don't play it. If it doesn't, more power to ya.

That being said, those who can handle playing it shouldn't rub it in their "weaker" brother's face; and those who are "weaker," shouldn't go on a non-stop condemnation shtick toward the "stronger" brother. After all, it's just a video game.
Click to expand...

I want to add my :amen to this, too.

And, Ginger, I do understand what you are saying. I would say that I take "it's just a video game" to mean our perspective. As Christians, we personally need to take the things of this world very lightly, knowing where our real life draws its source. Yes, there are some who make video games all-important in their lives, and this can be pathetic to tragic, but if you take the games away, the problem is still there, in them. It's not about the games when it all comes down, but their hearts.
 
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