While videogames are demonized as a moral cesspool of sex and violence, The Bible is considered to be "the good book," that must be read by everyone. it is especially popular among the right wing Christian extremists who just hate those filthy, corrupt videogames, but one has to wonder -- can a book that references sex and violence more than your average first person shooter really claim to hold a morally higher ground?
Industry vet Bruce Everiss believes not, and has expressed concern that parents would "expose" their children to this "wholesome" publication. He said that the truth about videogames is that most are bland and banal, and would benefit from being more adult. So far, so awesome. In fact, Everiss' thoughts on the matter are nothing but sound. The long serving marketing exec used the Bible Gateway to search for questionable themes in the book and came to some shocking conclusions:
The King James version has “harlot” in it 48 times, “sodomite” 5 times, “fornicator” 5 times, “smite” 133 times, “kill” 208 times and “maim” 7 times. This is shocking, you have to wonder what any right minded parent is doing exposing their children to this stuff.
So, when can we expect a news report on how pornographic and dangerous the good book is, hm? At least videogames never tell you to live by their teachings. This is a book upon which millions place their entire belief systems and it has more shagging and death in it than Jack the Ripper's resume'. While I have no problem with people enjoying their Bibles, I think it's beyond hypocritical for any Christian to vilify games while making their kids read that stuff. I've read the Bible, and it's adult stuff through-and-through. If no child should play GTA, then no child should read The Bible.
But of course, the idea of eradicating either one is just stupid. I really wish certain "good" Christians would realize that, and would stop to consider how offended they'd be if someone tried to pass a "Bible Law" through congress.
Contest:
10:51 AM on 02.11.2008
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Also anyone else remember well Alex deLarge from A Clockwork Orange took to the good book?
Also anyone else remember well Alex deLarge from A Clockwork Orange took to the good book?
(also this it's fair bashing)
I can just offer this link, how this depressed me, people who play by the "book" are lost to us all, problem is they seem to be increasing in numbers - like maggots on the festering corpse of a desert deity.
For evidence of the MADNESS involved in such people, check out the "Creation Museum", I despair at the effort in here to deceive.
http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=121
& What Gameboi said!
Sometimes you have to be better than those who harass you. Stooping to their level and pointing out their fallacies isn't going to win you any hearts and minds, especially not when your target is the BIBLE.
Persuasive Writing 101.
He's A God.
Anyway, I don't see how this should be too epic. It's a very fair point. One can't deny the adult content in The Bible, and it's pretty insulting to hold games to one set of standards and books to another.
He didn't even point out the "fallacies" of the Bible, as Crapshoot said. He merely stated that The Bible is not suitable for children. It's certainly no more suitable than that "pornographic" Mass Effect.
The point is great, but yeah. It is sort of going against an entire, well established religion. Not to mention that video games are currently the media's scapegoat, this will be eaten up alive with any coverage it gets.
Who the fuck said that? Nobody called Christians fags, stop overreacting. Like I said, nothing against people enjoying their Bibles, just let's not pretend it's any less violent than videogames.
"Anyway, I don't see how this should be too epic. It's a very fair point. One can't deny the adult content in The Bible, and it's pretty insulting to hold games to one set of standards and books to another."
Why didn't you use an example like Penthouse or Playboy. Or the National Inquirer who try to ruin people everyday.
Especially when Religion is used to control society... Unlike Penthouse or 2Girls&1Cup.
Just Sayin' Bud.
sexism
racism
and genocide...
and guess what? it's all either condoned or commanded by god. =)
And yet, parents have NO trouble reading this stuff to kids on Sunday mornings or before bed. The Noah's Ark story, for instance, is a great example - sure, let's soften it up by focusing on the cute animals and Noah being this strong, upstanding figure. And while we're doing that, we'll simply overlook the fact that "the flood" was intended to basically kill everything on earth.
MUCH more sinister than anything I've ever seen in a video game.
Thanks for at least sounding fair in your report here. I consider myself a Christian, but am I some kind of right-wing religious nut? No. With that said, yes the Bible is chock-full of violence and sex, but then so is history in general, we just gloss over those parts in school. Most of the time the battles and sex is just read by children or if it is, they don't understand it.
I mean, think about this. To win the daughter of Saul, David(that little shepherd boy) had to go collect 100 foreskins. Now David, being the over achiever that he was, went out and brought back 200 foreskins instead. Now that's just downright nasty.
So I'm just saying I agree with you Jim. And I get up in my fellow christians faces about their hypocrisy on game violence vs all-other-media.
I pretty much agree with all of that. I don't think you can compare a story in the Bible that contains violence for a reason to say Manhunt which is violent fot the sake of it.
I don't agree with religious nutters that say ban games but I point the finger at crap like manhunt which sets the argument for games back about 10 years.
That's why they have these:
Is my name Bruce Everiss?
Actually, it's considered A-okay when God is doing it. And he's the most glorified character in the whole book. So, if this glorious, omnipotent being that smite left and right is being praised, how is it less damaging than Tommy Vercetti getting points for a kill frenzy?
Again, I am not saying The Bible OR games are more or less right. I am just saying that both have violence in them, both will exposed to children and in my opinion, parental guidance, not legislation, is the ONLY thing that should apply to both.
Who's pretending? Methinks your story lacks a clear point.
I get you don't like FOX's ott reports on games but where does the bible come into all of this? And why the bible and not the koran, or other holy scripture?
I understand your love for gaming but i doubt a multi billion dollar industry needs an internet blogger to save it from the odd ott fox news story or over zealous bible bashers.
Grand Theft Auto, on the other hand, was intentionally created as a work of fiction to be violent, sexual, and degrading to mankind. This makes it quite different from the Christian standpoint. It is also worth mentioning that GTA lacks the moral teachings found in the Bible (especially the New Testament). Its violence also has less of a point in the greater context.
It's cute that this gentleman believes that by taking an extreme viewpoint he's somehow going to get his message across, but instead it just smacks of ignorance (just like the non-gaming media and parents to think games are Pac-Man).
A goverment is happy to romantisize institutionalised violence as they need soldiers.
Most interesting I think is the brazillian government trying to divert attention from thier own inadaquate law enforcement through game bans.
http://gamepolitics.com/2008/01/19/brazil-bans-counter-strike-everquest/
I hate these Christian leaders who speak on behalf of all Christians. They think they know what I like, so they simply yell and rant and scream for everyone. Bull. Crap. Don't speak for me ever, oh you who are so high and mighty. Get off your pedestal, then we will talk.
So, secondly, Kudos to you Mr. Sterling, for saying exactly what I was thinking.
http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/
Looks like we have a couple here though. :-/
but should we really ever teach people that god is okay with slavery, or polygamy, or genocide?
I'm not saying the bible should be banned, I simply find it interesting that someone would teach anyone that god wants them to discriminate and abuse minorities and women to the point of death...
I mean... seriously, who wrote the bible?
Let the shitstorm continue.
Anyways, you knew this would happen Jim when you posted this article. I read it one Gamepolitics.com and just rolled my eyes and kept on trucking. Maybe some of these flamers should do the same.
Blehman, pass the popcorn.
so... you are saying that there was a time when genocide... was applicable to human existence... and thus not 'violent'?
Don't hog it now, this could go on for awhile.
Videogames are "entertainment"....the Bible is not. They have completely different agendas and therefore can not be judged according to the same criteria.
Video games are designed so that we can turn them on, get lost in their world and be entertained.
The Bible was designed to be studied and absorbed so that lessons could be learned from it. Just like all scriptures from all religions.
The stories of the Old Testament have adult themes, there is no doubt, but I don't know of anyone (let alone a child) that opens up the Bible in order to be entertained by a good violent, sexually themed story.
The same can not be said about videogames.
When kids start going to church in record numbers just so they can hear another violent story from the bible then this argument will have some merit.
But yeah, a good article nonetheless. I personally don't have any faith in anything aside from karma, and having never read a single line out of the bible, I was kinda shocked. But hey, as BigPopa said, all history is full of violence, sodomy, etc.
The hypocrisy will always be there, it always has been, but it's something to shoot back with when religious nutters go off on games.
Thanks again! Good article!