The Narrow Path Ministries

I have a question about playing games where doing evil is part of the game: What sins are there that we can pretend to do if we are only playing a game?

In my opinion it's the wrong question...

It shouldn't be: 'how much can I pretend to do evil without it being sinful?'
It should be: 'why would I be entertained by pretending to do evil in the first place?'

I'm not one of those 'violent video games automatically lead to violent people' guys. I have no idea if playing violent or evil games corresponds to similar behavior in the real world (I've seen studies both ways). But what I do know is that what entertains us a good gauge of our values. I think the right questions to ask are 1) 'Am I finding this evil entertaining?' and if so 2) 'What does that say about where I'm at with the Lord?'

I believe we mostly play games for entertainment. I cannot see how playing a game (such as Grand Theft Auto) where the purpose is to commit violence, murder, theft, sexual immorality, and other various "evils" could ever remotely be entertaining or fun for someone choosing to follow Jesus. I can see, however, how it would lead to conviction and questioning whether it is right. This sounds like where you possibly are. I know GTA is the extreme and that there are other games that are more "gray" in area, but we often use extremes to make a point that is applicable from top to bottom.

Steelwheels wrote:I have a question about playing games where doing evil is part of the game: What sins are there that we can pretend to do if we are only playing a game?

Don't laugh, but should I stop playing whack-a-mole at ChuckECheese?


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Every day while eating breakfast at my computer, I play the old computer version of "RISK" where a number of "armies" fight each other for territories in order to "take over the world." But you don't see the armies fighting.

Once I downloaded an updated version in which you actually saw soldier figures slaying one another. I couldn't take it. I deleted this version and went back to the original.

mattrose wrote:In my opinion it's the wrong question...

It shouldn't be: 'how much can I pretend to do evil without it being sinful?'
It should be: 'why would I be entertained by pretending to do evil in the first place?'

I'm not one of those 'violent video games automatically lead to violent people' guys. I have no idea if playing violent or evil games corresponds to similar behavior in the real world (I've seen studies both ways). But what I do know is that what entertains us a good gauge of our values. I think the right questions to ask are 1) 'Am I finding this evil entertaining?' and if so 2) 'What does that say about where I'm at with the Lord?'

This has been my stance for years, actually even before I came to know Christ. I could never understand the attraction of bloody, violent, evil games or movies. My son has played some of them at a friend's house and just rolls his eyes when I say anything. I explained when I was his age, a rape or kidnapping on the evening news was shocking. Alarming. Made us gasp. Now it's a matter of how many are on the news each night. We have become so desensitized to the violence that it now longer shocks or appalls us. Just like dressing provocatively. While it may not make my son or yours become violent or evil it does desensitize people, gradually, so we don't even realize how much we are "ok" with.

Bottom line, these games are not ok. Aren't there some really good Christian games available? Anybody?

Bottom line, these games are not ok. Aren't there some really good Christian games available? Anybody?

I would even put the question differently:

"Aren't there any other activities that a servant of God, living in a desperately needy world, might find to do with his scarce time, other than killing several hours a week on what can not be regarded as advancing any desirable end?"

Yes but I just commented on how boring it is killing zombies as they are such predictable opponents.
My friend compared them to atheists and now I feel like killing more zombies....

Still, a tactical game like chess that can develop your thinking skills to some degree and work your mind: could it have value?

And further: how do you become someone who is always engaged in beneficial activities for the Father? I have some ideas, but it is harder to remove all video games and TV and movies due to not liking it than finding positive worthwhile things to do with your life!

It is not that our lives should have no times of entertainment/relaxation.

Too many people have made entertainment/relaxation the goal of their lives instead of a means.

And too many people have chosen forms of entertainment/relaxation that are inconsistent with kingdom principles.

And too many people have simply portioned too much of their time on entertainment/relaxation

But, avoiding these mistakes, there is a place for such things