Controversial Evangelization Tool
07 Oct '07 22:25http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/us/07halo.html?ei=5088&en=7ec896ee5b886911&ex=1349409600&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=print
The article, in short calls attention to a growing trend to strive to appeal to younger audiences
using a variety of tactics, in this case the ultra-violent game 'Halo.'
From the article:
Playing Halo is “no different than going on a camping trip,” said Kedrick Kenerly, founder of Christian Gamers Online, an Internet site whose central themes are video games and religion. “It’s a way to fellowship.”
...
Mr. Barbour, the youth pastor at the church, said the game had led to a number of internal discussions prompted by elders who complained about its violent content. Mr. Barbour recently met for several hours with the church’s pastor and successfully made his case that the game was a crucial recruiting tool.
In one letter to parents, Mr. Barbour wrote that God calls ministers to be “fishers of men.”
“Teens are our ‘fish,” he wrote. “So we’ve become creative in baiting our hooks.”
Now, I will fully admit that Halo II is fun. However, I would contend that such content is inappropriate for a church-sponsored event. It would seem to me that church fellowship should
focus on the angels of our better nature. Playing Halo is 'not the same as camping,' most
notably in the type of fellowship that it encourages; the former consists of competetive jeering,
hooting and crying (as per the commercial) where as the latter encourages dialogue, and
coöperation.
I don't believe that video games encourage people to be violent; this isn't an element of my
objection. It's just it seems that such churches are willing to do anything to get people in
their doors, and I'm not sure that appealing to the most common denominator is really what
Jesus had in mind.
Why not show pornography? Like video games to violence, pornography has no reasonable
correlation with sexual deviancy like stalking or rape. And, if we are going to construe 'Thou
shalt not kill' narrowly as to embrace virtual killing, then why not construe 'Thou shalt not
commit adultery' equally narrowly and embrace virtual sex? I assure you that the lines for young adult men would be out the door if a church showed pornography.
I think that church should always and only strive to embrace the highest of virtue and Halo
hardly teaches a good Biblical lesson. Instead churches are just trying to 'bait' members with
that which is popular even if its essential message is something contrary to Christian doctrine.
Any thoughts?
Nemesio
The article, in short calls attention to a growing trend to strive to appeal to younger audiences
using a variety of tactics, in this case the ultra-violent game 'Halo.'
From the article:
Playing Halo is “no different than going on a camping trip,” said Kedrick Kenerly, founder of Christian Gamers Online, an Internet site whose central themes are video games and religion. “It’s a way to fellowship.”
...
Mr. Barbour, the youth pastor at the church, said the game had led to a number of internal discussions prompted by elders who complained about its violent content. Mr. Barbour recently met for several hours with the church’s pastor and successfully made his case that the game was a crucial recruiting tool.
In one letter to parents, Mr. Barbour wrote that God calls ministers to be “fishers of men.”
“Teens are our ‘fish,” he wrote. “So we’ve become creative in baiting our hooks.”
Now, I will fully admit that Halo II is fun. However, I would contend that such content is inappropriate for a church-sponsored event. It would seem to me that church fellowship should
focus on the angels of our better nature. Playing Halo is 'not the same as camping,' most
notably in the type of fellowship that it encourages; the former consists of competetive jeering,
hooting and crying (as per the commercial) where as the latter encourages dialogue, and
coöperation.
I don't believe that video games encourage people to be violent; this isn't an element of my
objection. It's just it seems that such churches are willing to do anything to get people in
their doors, and I'm not sure that appealing to the most common denominator is really what
Jesus had in mind.
Why not show pornography? Like video games to violence, pornography has no reasonable
correlation with sexual deviancy like stalking or rape. And, if we are going to construe 'Thou
shalt not kill' narrowly as to embrace virtual killing, then why not construe 'Thou shalt not
commit adultery' equally narrowly and embrace virtual sex? I assure you that the lines for young adult men would be out the door if a church showed pornography.
I think that church should always and only strive to embrace the highest of virtue and Halo
hardly teaches a good Biblical lesson. Instead churches are just trying to 'bait' members with
that which is popular even if its essential message is something contrary to Christian doctrine.
Any thoughts?
Nemesio
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