The Bible Vs Video Games

[Albion Knight]

Despite what some ignorant politicians and journalists might tell you, video games are fairly bland when it comes to how “adult” their content is. In fact they are usually too bland to emotionally engage and would be far better if they moved a bit in the “adult” direction. This blandness comes partly from their heritage of being seen as children’s entertainment when, in fact, far more adults than children play video games and the median game player is in their late twenties. Another reason for the blandness is the dull censoring hand of the platform holders who are amazingly prudish.


The fact is that established old media have vastly more shocking content than video games. This is an irrefutable fact. And often that shocking content has no age rating and is available to children from birth. Books are a prime example of this. And a prime example of a book that children are encouraged to read is the Bible.


There is a handy website that allows you to search the bible for content. Using this we find that 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.


What we need here is a level playing field. For books, television, video, film and games all to be age rated by the same people using the same criteria. Then the vocal anti gamers would be in for a big shock. Most games would be available much younger and many books would find themselves with an adult rating. Including many classics of literature. And possibly the Bible.

Source

Obviously comparing video games is sensationalist but so is comparing it to crack and hard core porn. In reality there are some games that should be limited to a mature audience. but that doesn't not mean banning them or vilifying them. The problem is that Video games are still seen as games for kids. It will take a couple more generations for the public at large to realize that its another major medium just like Movies TV and Books.

[XXXREAPERXXX]

+ Rep , good find

[Arseface]

I agree with everything in that article. Classifying the Bible as M reccomended for 15+ is a good idea, but the problem with that is that religion is for some reason seen as "untouchable" and to try and censor it (or the Bible, at least) will more than tick off the conservatives fighting for video game "violence" to be cut out.

[Tsuyu]

Originally Posted by Arseface

I agree with everything in that article. Classifying the Bible as M reccomended for 15+ is a good idea, but the problem with that is that religion is for some reason seen as "untouchable" and to try and censor it (or the Bible, at least) will more than tick off the conservatives fighting for video game "violence" to be cut out.

There is only one solution - we need to make video gaming into a religion, then we'd file for tax-exempt status and we'd be a real religion for sure.

[Arseface]

Originally Posted by Tsuyu

There is only one solution - we need to make video gaming into a religion, then we'd file for tax-exempt status and we'd be a real religion for sure.

Good Idea. I'm going to steal it

[Albion Knight]

Originally Posted by Tsuyu

There is only one solution - we need to make video gaming into a religion, then we'd file for tax-exempt status and we'd be a real religion for sure.

That's It!!!

[Dark Drakan]

Originally Posted by Tsuyu

There is only one solution - we need to make video gaming into a religion, then we'd file for tax-exempt status and we'd be a real religion for sure.

Its genius...

[Miekkas]

Um as folks know from the Religion thread, I'm usually pretty chill about how people view the Bible, but I think this is going a little too far. Do we really have to attack the Bible now to defend our rights as video gamers? I'm not trying to cause a debate or argument here because that is not the purpose of this thread. I'm just uncomfortable the the idea, but I guess that is understandable considering I am a Christian.

[Angel]

It's much harder to "rate" a book than something as visual as a game or TV show anyway. To rate a book, you usually have to read it in full context, understand the various writing styles, realise similes, analogies, metaphors, denotations, connotations etc etc - it would take some considerable thought and comprehension to do this. (Unless it is See Spot Run" or something, but you know what I mean).

It is far easier for those with an axe to grind to see a few trailers or play a demo of a game and decide it should be banned/censored or whatever. A visual aide requires comparatively little imagination to envisage what it happening - a book requires more effort to do this.

Why the Bible has anything to do with this I don't know...why not pick on every religious text while you're at it? Religious texts are in a different league to your mainstream media - I don't really understand the comparison at all. Or am I just dense?

[Miekkas]

EDIT: I'll just give my thoughts in the Religion thread

[Albion Knight]

I think the point was to draw a comparison in content but to be fair the bible doesn't have any pictures or any animations or sound effects or music or for that matter any AI. Man the Bible sucks as a video game

[Angel]

Well the interactive Bible does have animations, sounds and pictures

Never used it though - the space it requires to run would cripple my PC

[Albion Knight]

Originally Posted by Miekkas

In regards to the thread about the Bible being as bad as video games in terms of violence, I do think that the adult content of video games and the Bible are the same at all in this context: Do parents and religious schools usually start teaching the adults aspects when the students are little kids? Of course not. They teach the more appropriate aspects like the Golden Rule and go from there. The adult content in a video game however, is much harder to avoid, especially if it is like a bloody and vulgar FPS with no settings to turn off such things. The player is going to have to experience the adult aspects of the game if they want to play the game at all. However, I do agree there should be some careful moderation of the Bible to avoid children from being exposed to certain aspects of the Bible until they are older.

True but those games are Rated M. Also the comparison was to the Bible not to the children religious literature. For those you can compare them to E rated games like Viva Pinata, which is actually does have a bit of sex and violence if you consider pinatas dancing and occasionally whacking leafos with the shovel

What it sounds like you're saying is that children should NOT be allowed to read the bible directly but should be given age appropriate sub text of the bible. I would have to agree with that. I don't think reading about sodomy to a child is appropriate at all.

The thing is that this is not happening for the most part, But young kids are getting exposed to Mature games. IT really boils back down to the fact that video games are still seen but the public at large as being "for kids" when in fact they have clearly grown beyond that demographic.

[Miekkas]

Originally Posted by Albion Knight

True but those games are Rated M. Also the comparison was to the Bible not to the children religious literature. For those you can compare them to E rated games like Viva Pinata, which is actually does have a bit of sex and violence if you consider pinatas dancing and occasionally whacking leafos with the shovel

What it sounds like you're saying is that children should NOT be allowed to read the bible directly but should be given age appropriate sub text of the bible. I would have to agree with that. I don't think reading about sodomy to a child is appropriate at all.

The thing is that this is not happening for the most part, But young kids are getting exposed to Mature games. IT really boils back down to the fact that video games are still seen but the public at large as being "for kids" when in fact they have clearly grown beyond that demographic.

It is good to see we are on the same page. You said exactly what I was trying to say. Teachings from the Bible must be taught appropriately according to age group. To not do so is being an irresponsible parent in my opinion. Under normal circumstances, I don't want to be teaching what rape is to my five year old.

[Arseface]

I actually have a couple of Childrens Bibles lying around from when my parents were full on Christians.