Comments on: Gaming: Gears of War 3 release http://interlinc-online.com/blog/?p=712 Thoughts, ideas and tools from some of the interlinc team Wed, 09 Jan 2013 17:49:47 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Nate http://interlinc-online.com/blog/?p=712#comment-683 Nate Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:07:41 +0000 http://interlinc-online.com/blog/?p=712#comment-683 Hey Drew, Nice article. I was particularly in agreement with paragraphs 5 & 6. I am a full time youth director (I've worked with youth through camps and churches for over 10 years now) and a hardcore gamer (I've played FPS games for over 20 years [beginning with Duck Hunt if that counts... Wolfenstein 3D if it doesn't] and I still haven't felt the compulsion to go out and shoot a real person). As you suggest violent games may appeal to violent people, but they are NOT the reason those people are violent. All too often, we (and especially headline-grabbing fear-mongers) equate coincidence (two factors occurring simultaneously) with causation (one factor causing the other). FPS games, paintball and laser-tag will not cause our children to grow up into a murdering horde. Of course, if you are a parasitic alien from outer space, you may want to avoid any genetically enhanced teenagers you see stomping around in massive boots and wielding machine guns with chainsaws strapped to the end. Thanks, Nate Hey Drew,

Nice article. I was particularly in agreement with paragraphs 5 & 6. I am a full time youth director (I’ve worked with youth through camps and churches for over 10 years now) and a hardcore gamer (I’ve played FPS games for over 20 years [beginning with Duck Hunt if that counts... Wolfenstein 3D if it doesn't] and I still haven’t felt the compulsion to go out and shoot a real person).

As you suggest violent games may appeal to violent people, but they are NOT the reason those people are violent. All too often, we (and especially headline-grabbing fear-mongers) equate coincidence (two factors occurring simultaneously) with causation (one factor causing the other). FPS games, paintball and laser-tag will not cause our children to grow up into a murdering horde.

Of course, if you are a parasitic alien from outer space, you may want to avoid any genetically enhanced teenagers you see stomping around in massive boots and wielding machine guns with chainsaws strapped to the end.

Thanks,

Nate

]]> By: Ken McCoy http://interlinc-online.com/blog/?p=712#comment-682 Ken McCoy Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:53:19 +0000 http://interlinc-online.com/blog/?p=712#comment-682 Thanks for the response, Doug. If you read the article again, we're not advocating violent games -- just making youth leaders aware of the importance that gaming has among teenagers. Thanks for the response, Doug.

If you read the article again, we’re not advocating violent games — just making youth leaders aware of the importance that gaming has among teenagers.

]]> By: Doug Hughes http://interlinc-online.com/blog/?p=712#comment-681 Doug Hughes Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:07:28 +0000 http://interlinc-online.com/blog/?p=712#comment-681 Wow! I'm a little stunned that there was not more in this article warning ministers and parents about the content of the game. Obviously we all know how much time kids take up playing games - especially parents. And I must contridict the article, yes, there is something wrong with FPS games. Do you really think it's ok for us, as Christians (remember the term means "Christ-Like"), to get our entertainment from killing? I know, you aren't killing a real person when playing those games - again obviously. But should that be what our entertainment consists of? If you think the answer to that question is yes, or "I don't see anything wrong with it," then I'd encourage you to spend a little more time in the gospels. There's nothing in there about Jesus going to the gladiator games - a thing that was hugely popular at the time. Wow! I’m a little stunned that there was not more in this article warning ministers and parents about the content of the game. Obviously we all know how much time kids take up playing games – especially parents. And I must contridict the article, yes, there is something wrong with FPS games. Do you really think it’s ok for us, as Christians (remember the term means “Christ-Like”), to get our entertainment from killing? I know, you aren’t killing a real person when playing those games – again obviously. But should that be what our entertainment consists of? If you think the answer to that question is yes, or “I don’t see anything wrong with it,” then I’d encourage you to spend a little more time in the gospels. There’s nothing in there about Jesus going to the gladiator games – a thing that was hugely popular at the time.

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