Religions vs Gaming

Video Games bring joy, bring us together, and showcase the imaginations of players and designers alike.

Sounds like something Jesus would ask of us right?

Then why would religion be opposed to them?

A few thousand years ago Jesus’ Apostles spoke out against gaming, this blog lists some 23 verses that relate directly to gaming.

Corinthians explains minecraft with a fine level of understanding:

"All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful, but not all things build up."

There are plenty of things to build in the low bit-count game, not all of which are going to aid in your success as a player.

Beware the Pokemon! This gentleman explains, they are nothing shy of being oriental demons! They bring lovers of this children's game/TV show into the arms of Satan himself!

Not all religion is against gaming however.

There are some brilliant games to keep the believer busy making use of their consoles.

The first of these brilliant games linked to above has Noah throwing fruit at hundreds of sheep to knock them out and get them into his Ark (Wasn't there only two of each on the boat?), which without doubt would have kept me occupied a number of years ago.

Professor Rachel Wagner wrote a book exploring “…the connection between religion and virtual reality".

Religions entail many rituals; Marriage, Communion, Baptism, Confession, all of which act to bring a religion into a practicing person's life in a more tangible manner.

Wagner argues that ritual theory can be applied to how we interact with video games, and thus with the world created by the creator; be it him, her, or this guy.

Surely the omnipresent would concur (not gravity btw)?

I sure as hell do.