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Religious gamers: what is your feeling about praying to deities in games?
- Thread starter P-Tux7
- Start date
Is he watching you have fun killing things in games where there's killing too? Wouldn't that be... I don't know... more of a problem for pretty much every religion?
OP
OP
Honestly, both of you are right and I didn't really think about that. I'm not quite sure about my religious beliefs so please don't take it as me trying to get religious people to quit gaming or using this forum. I was just curious how they managed to make it work within their belief system, and I didn't want to make any assumptions about it so that's why I asked.
Ehh I've never felt it was a concern. That said, if someone else feels it's harmful, then I'm not going to question their faith or say its silly that they feel that way. For example, when my mother was newer to Christianity, she got kinda strict on some things, especially anime. I remember being really big into YuGiOh and Cardcaptors at the time and got super upset about it. We had a talk about fiction and our beliefs. Which basically boiled down to not banning anything, but if you feel it honestly bothers you then examine why and go from there.
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OP
OP
please tell me you mean yu gi oh AND cardcaptors as opposed to yugioh cardcaptors being a single proper noun because if you did mean that as a single franchise then you are officially an old person
Dang it, yeah I meant to separate those. Pls no the 90's and early 2000's weren't that long ago. Riight?
As a Hindu from India, it doesn't bother me honestly. But that could be due to the fact that very games actually tackle my religion or its themes in any way
I draw the line at anything that's outright sacrilegious or blasphemous.
Something like Zelda where Link and the Hylians pray to the goddess doesn't bother me because I consider it to be fiction. It's just a part of what the characters do in that world.
As a Protestant Christian I probably would avoid a game where the main character prays to or worships the god of one of the other major world religions. But I can't think of any games where any of the main characters practice any of the major world religions, including Christianity.
As a side note, I always stay away from anything that has outright satanic, demonic, occult, witchcraft, and other dark supernatural type themes. Yes this includes games like the Witcher, Dark Soul's, DMC, etc...
Something like Zelda where Link and the Hylians pray to the goddess doesn't bother me because I consider it to be fiction. It's just a part of what the characters do in that world.
As a Protestant Christian I probably would avoid a game where the main character prays to or worships the god of one of the other major world religions. But I can't think of any games where any of the main characters practice any of the major world religions, including Christianity.
As a side note, I always stay away from anything that has outright satanic, demonic, occult, witchcraft, and other dark supernatural type themes. Yes this includes games like the Witcher, Dark Soul's, DMC, etc...
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Not religious but my mother (a fire and brimstone Pentecostal woman) was deeply offended by Ocarina of Time's three goddesses when she saw them. She didn't like Pokémon because they were healed with "potions." Sometimes I think she was being dramatic for effect but the woman isn't really that clever.
She also didn't like me watching Power Rangers because they didn't "praise god" when they beat Rita or Zedd.
Pun intended but it's a miracle I ended up as normal as I am.
She also didn't like me watching Power Rangers because they didn't "praise god" when they beat Rita or Zedd.
Pun intended but it's a miracle I ended up as normal as I am.
With all due respect, you're in for a pretty shit life if every time you have "fun" you feel some kind of guilt for worshipping a false Idol. Seriously if fun is a "celebration" of something ungodly (your own words) then do you feel the same guilt when you enjoy music written by someone who worships another God, or who believes Allah has gifted them with the talent to make delicious bread that you're celebrating when you enjoy it?
These are fictional worlds and you will find them in games, books, films, etc. I know some people (not the OP) can be upset about that, but those people always seem to try hard to be upset about something.
I hear she doesn't even say grace.
I hear she doesn't even say grace.
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I'm an atheist so, perhaps, I'm the wrong person to answer this but I would assume that God, if she exists, would be more concerned how good of a person you are than if you're following rules from some scripture. There are so many moral dilemmas and challenges in life to be concerned about your digital character worshiping a digital deity, I'm pretty sure that would be that last thing God cares about. Just try to be a good human as best as you can - it should be enough.
Honest question, OP.
Do you play games where you kill people/animals, steal, damage stuff, swear set things on fire, etc?
Because games are really just this: games. And you should be perfectly able to distinguish real life from virtual entertainment.
'god isn't real and neither are videogames' is what I tell myself to soothe my emotions when I have to consider the existence of fallout 76 and/or the last few paper mario titles
Eh, sorry if this may sound blunt, but when you spend most games mowing down living beings, I don't think praying to a made up deity should be at the top of the list of concerns.
I mean, if you're going to question this kind of action in games, you might as well start to question a lot of other ones as well. And if, in the end, it all comes down to "it's all fictional, so there's no harm", then I guess the same applies to the subject at hand.
I mean, if you're going to question this kind of action in games, you might as well start to question a lot of other ones as well. And if, in the end, it all comes down to "it's all fictional, so there's no harm", then I guess the same applies to the subject at hand.
Its not so much pressing a button to cause a fictional character to worship a fictional God you should worry about. Its more the fact that you yourself are worshiping the games themselves by placing them before God that you should worry about.
Oh god did the paper Mario series really hit a low where it's on a tier with 76? I've not checked in on it in a looong time.
It's not like, falling apart at the seams or able to deliver on what it promises, but there's a distinct lack of character and so it's frustrating they'll make the redundant and unnecessary paper mario games and not a single f-zero game since GX
Well it depends on the situation i think, so lets say in mass effect im chosing to let an entire species die its basicly ok but not the character chose their fate i do, in a game sure but i couldve saved them too.
Still waiting on that God of War DLC where you can slap Jesus across the face with his own ripped off arms.
We'll see how much it is a game when we get there.
Spoilers, we wont get there.
I'm a Christian and I think faith is a beautiful thing as long as it's sincere (as opposed to an excuse to hate other cultures). I don't care if the characters religion is the same as mine (and I don't expect it to be with so many fantasy games around).
That's not anywhere near what OP asked, but sure, it'd still be a game.
It is the same argument to me. If you can enjoy killing a greek god, you should have no trouble also praying to one or doing any other religious interactions.
But if you can't do the same towards your own religion, you might have to think about that one.
