Wow, talk about double standards.

[bilbobob007]

http://gamepolitics.com/2007/10/07/despite-game-violence-concerns-churches-connecting-with-kids-via-halo-3/

So what the hell is the difference in killing here and what happens in R:FOM. In resistance the guy is exorcising the evil enemy within a church. thats blasphemy. Yet its ok in another video game to use violence to a religious end. Wow double standards.

Please this does not need to become a flame war. Just because its Halo 3 it could be any video game. The point here is how can they justify the use of one video game when they wanted to throw another one into the fires of hell. Sort of.

[cliffbo]

i saw this earlier and thought exactly the same. marketing in the church... didn't jesus have a problem with that?

[bilbobob007]

I dont think he had a problem. A bunch of self righteous, pompous..... sorry they do have an opinion too i suppose. I just really cannot believe they can justify one sort of violent game over another. One had a bit with a church in it. It was wholesale slaughter of man he was trying to stop. In the other game they still killing. Somewhere in the bible it says about all gods creatures been equal. That got to include aliens too. I just cannot see there justification.

[VG Aficionado]

This belongs more to General Gaming, but yeah, the Church is a joke and it's not like we didn't know already.

[bilbobob007]

I did think of putting it there but since it was a PS3 game it had direct relevance to I thought there was less chance here of it becoming flame bait. After all the game the church could have used could have been many others and on other platforms.

Thing is have any of you ever been so effected by something in a game you played. Is the church just trying to look cool here.

[cliffbo]

I dont think he had a problem. A bunch of self righteous, pompous..... sorry they do have an opinion too i suppose. I just really cannot believe they can justify one sort of violent game over another. One had a bit with a church in it. It was wholesale slaughter of man he was trying to stop. In the other game they still killing. Somewhere in the bible it says about all gods creatures been equal. That got to include aliens too. I just cannot see there justification.

aliens are the devils work! God only creates beautiful thing so that his greatest creation (man) can blow the crap out of them

[bilbobob007]

Now we on a different track here. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One mans meat is another mans...... shit cannot the last bit. I dont see the church having a go at Oblivion. Apart from the main quest the only way to get any where in it is to kill to gain experience and fortune. Hell the stuff i have killed in that. Makes the ripper look tame. Now surely thats Blasphemy too.

Ask yourself this. Why didnt they pick say Warhawk. Now there is a nice game. I love the team deathmatch stuff. Working together with people i never met for a common goal. And of course wholesale slaughter.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

The resistance dilemma was the church of england specifically though.
This is random protestant (heretics!) churches throughout America, so, not the same force at work here. I dunno, I mean, I get that they're trying to speak on kids' level to reach them, but using Halo as a vehicle or parallel to Jesus just strikes me as stupid.

[Sephiroth_VII]

i saw this earlier and thought exactly the same. marketing in the church... didn't jesus have a problem with that?

He had a problem with churches and temples in general... Funny how that turned out, lol! :dur:

[LaLiLuLeLo]

No...he had a problem with there being a market place in the temple. Not people coming to one place to worship. :rollseyes: I'm moving this to general gaming.




























































....to die? Maybe.

[masteratt]

Maybe?
More like 'hopefully'.

This might turn into a World Affairs thread.

[Lucent Beam]

Yeah, it's a different organization the complained about Resistance than the ones that are doing this Halo thing.

I dunno, the way I see it: they're right on some level. What better way to draw youth to churches than having something they actually are interested in as bait?

[Phoenix]

Well, it's an effective enough way it would seem, but at what price?

[cliffbo]

Well, it's an effective enough way it would seem, but at what price?

i believe it's $60

[gibmonster]

i believe it's $60

Including the cost of the console and live subscriptions....

WTF. I just skimmed through it. Is this real I thought it was a joke. Ye can't be serious.

[TheGreenElf]

That's why I have all but given up my religion. So many double standards for me to ignore. But that's not for here.

I just find this ridiculous. I know pastors who play Halo, but I haven't heard of them using it to get members. I mean...what are you really promoting then?

"Let’s take a look at how you can take this videogame buzz and turn it into an opportunity to talk about spiritual things with your friends…"

-I can't imagine a whole lot of that going on in a Halo deathmatch, especially with the annoying 10 year olds in your ear cursing like sailors.

[Phoenix]

That's why I have all but given up my religion. So many double standards for me to ignore. But that's not for here.Hate to be somewhat off-topic, but what other people do should not say anything about the religion but only the individuals.

But yeah, I think this is really not productive at all.

[woundingchaney]

i saw this earlier and thought exactly the same. marketing in the church... didn't jesus have a problem with that?

Actually Jesus had a problem with the handling of money on church grounds in general (which Im assuming would include marketing, this is concluded by there being differences in ancient texts). In the Bible when he raises holy hell (pun intended) to to stop the vendors from "gambling" it is believed that this was the result of an anti-semitic concept that found its way into the pages of the Bible. It never was established that there was gambling on the grounds but the exchange of money and forms of currency was common.
(this of course is theory as its hard to provide facts on ancient occurances)

Try going into a modern church and not seeing an offering plate passed around.

Then there is the whole anti-material concept that is part of the foundation of Christianity that clashes with just about every outward notion of the church these days.

[bilbobob007]

How long tho before you see Bibles sponsored by M$, or Sony, or Ninetendo. While i'm joking there Its a start. Hell its mad to think they could ever use a violent video game full stop. despite the differences here between halo and R:fom its still a double standard at work. Both are still about violence. Except the church says one is ok, because it does them a favor.

@masteratt. I see from your coment you think this not a noteworthy discussion topic. I'm sorry i tried to bring something a little different to the forum. Instead of usual stuff. Maybe if it does not interest you you could leave the degrading comments out. After all its easy to be destructive. Not constructive.

[masteratt]

Not at at all bilbo, you are welcome to make any thread you want.
What I was trying to say was that it might turn into a bit of a religion bashing topic.

I'm sorry if my post looked like it was bashing the thread (I see how you got that idea but that wasn't my intention).

[IEatFriedPikmin]

My church did similar stuff like this when I was at that age. Do a service project, and then play Halo afterwards.

[LiquidEagle]

One of the theaters in my hometown of Logan, Utah hooked up Halo 1 to their theater screens or something wild like that for uber-LANs. That's the only story I have :laugh:

[XboxEvolved]

I look at it this way. I was in a youth group that had like a little house with a pool table, piano, drums, TV with DVD player, Xbox, PS2, etc

We would play Halo and it was fine. The bible says nothing about not playing videogames. I don't think this would be any different than if it were Mario, or Gran Turismo or something.

Halo does however have religious overtones, and some churches use a lot of older stories to create parrallels to Jesus and other religious figures, it is a breath of fresh air to see them modernize it a bit.

If you are at your church group, grilling out, being around people, playing some sports, playing some games, singing some songs, isn't that better than being out doing drugs, stealing, or having sex (at least to the Church?)

It isn't as if though you show up and you just start sticking people. I'm southern baptist though..I mean we go out quail hunting..that's pretty sweet

[TheGreenElf]

I think the problem is they are actually promoting religion with Halo. Nothing is wrong with playing it.

[XboxEvolved]

So ok going by what your saying, if a church has a SuperBowl party, supports a local sports league, and they hand out flyers at those events then that is wrong also?

Also I vote to put this in the Halo section and I'm like this close in doing so.