Religious broadcaster takes balanced look at games

by Kyle Orland { Apr 18th 2007 at 3:27PM }

The stereotypical image of a fiery preacher warning about the moral dangers of video games took a hit today with the relatively balanced look at games on Christian lifestyle program Living the Life.

The CBN program talked to Richard Abanes, author of What Every Parent Needs to Know about Video Games, who started by noting the positive effects game playing can have on logical thinking, social interaction and teamwork skills. Later, he said that media talk about games creating violent killers is overblown. "Whenever you see those stories in the news, it's just for the sake of getting some news," Abanes said.

Living the Life fixture Dr. Linda Mintle was up next, talking about the potential addictiveness of video games. Her professional opinion? "Is it really physically addicting. Probably not. Do the chemicals rise and you get into it? Yes." Still, Mintle warned parents to watch out for children using games excessively as an escape from social problems. Both guests recommended parents play games with their children and warned of potential desensitizing effects of prolonged play -- good advice that thankfully avoids the sensationalist fearmongering of some other media outlets.

Of course, the program did touch on some explicitly Christian issues. Abanes said that Christian games are not yet "hip enough" for kids, but that Christian games could eventually serve as "ministry points" to connect with hard-to-reach children. Mintle warned that parents should consider whether they want their kids "dabbling in the occult" through games. So, in summary, keep your kids away from The Witcher and you should be OK.

Watch - Living the Life 4/18/07 (WMV Link)

Tags: addiction, CBN, Christian, parents, religion, religious

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

32_Footsteps @ Apr 18th 2007 3:35PM

Except for the whole fantasy/reality blur by Minter at the end (you don't dabble in the occult when you cast spells in video games because the games aren't real, fellas), that's a refreshingly sensible look at video gaming from those usually outside of it.

Crono @ Apr 18th 2007 3:39PM

I always hated the "dabling in the occult" angle. Its bullcrap. There's a big difference between casting spells in Zelda II (select spell, press "select"), DnD (Say "I cast magic missle"), playing "magic the gathering" (tilt a card on its side and play another card) and actualling doing it (drawing a circle of power or whatever, lighting the candles, beckoning to whatever power you believe will enact said spell, etc). Its bullcrap, and the sooner people realize this, the sooner we can all sit down together and play DnD, Zelda, and Magic without being called heathens or witches.

---- @ Apr 18th 2007 3:44PM

I don't think you guys understood what he meant by the occult. He meant don't play games that will lead your child to playing around with "circles of power".

JodyAnthony @ Apr 18th 2007 3:44PM

glad to see some people can actually be sensible when it comes to video games and violence.

32_Footsteps @ Apr 18th 2007 3:54PM

"I don't think you guys understood what he meant by the occult. He meant don't play games that will lead your child to playing around with "circles of power"."

Maybe it's just the games I've played, but I don't think I've ever touched a game that even suggested that I go and dabble with "circles of power" myself. In fact, the closest I've ever seen to anything like that is the periodic spam I get promising me I can learn to cast magic spells.

And if anyone believes spam can teach you magic spells... would it be rude for me to laugh heartily at them?

Richard Mitchell @ Apr 18th 2007 3:59PM

Ministry Points... Microsoft... MS... MS Points...

Oh, God! It's already happening!

sheppy @ Apr 18th 2007 4:00PM

People forget, a thousand years ago, dabbling in the occult was looking through a telescope.

Nathan Smart @ Apr 18th 2007 4:03PM

Kudos to Kyle for posting a positive article on Christians - we don't get enough of them. There are sensible Christians in the world (and in this case, even more sensible than most of the mainstream media - which is weird).

jatan @ Apr 18th 2007 4:06PM

Hmm...which magic: the gathering card is that graphic from?...i swear it's from M:TG, but I can't quite put my finger on which card....probably needs white mana though /nerd

Matt B @ Apr 18th 2007 4:07PM

Well said crono. :)

Cutriss @ Apr 18th 2007 4:07PM

It's Preacher.

I'm so sad.

zig @ Apr 18th 2007 4:07PM

This seems to be the kind of commentary that needs to be done. Fully objective and pertinent to not only its audience but others as well.

IMO, it isn't just media alone that gives video games such a bad name. It's gamers as well. Peole become overly protective of the medium and begin to ignore real world issues. As gamers we sometimes do the same exact thing, and reverse the criticism of the criticizer.

I'm not a parent and can't speak to the issues that they might have with their children and games (my mom was very supportive of my gaming habbit), but the issues that they have are very relevant to them. Who are we to deny that, simply because the experience that we have is just fine for us?

Then again, the people going all crazy about censoring games for kids are, well... kids themselves, and they sure as hell are the last people I would want advocating for my rights to game.

Gary @ Apr 18th 2007 4:09PM

I think that's The Preacher or something from The Dark expansion. White creature. Did something vageuly interesting, like take control of an opponents creature or something. Don't quote me on that.

Kevin @ Apr 18th 2007 4:09PM

Wow, I haven't seen that image in a loooooooooong time. I still have all of my MTG cards somewhere.. lol

Jonathan @ Apr 18th 2007 4:13PM

Also half listening to Rush yesterday, a caller called in and sounded like a JT parrot. Using key words like "murder simulator" and "brainwashing" he was very vehement in what he was saying.

Fourtanetly before my temper took over and i fired of a very strongly worded email (what did you think i would resort to violence =P) Rush stopped the fellow in his tracts saying that video games were another scapegoat, and people saying that we should ban video games was along the same lines of people saying that we should ban guns. He also said (im paraphrasing) "millions of people play video games, but you dont see millions of murders do you?" I wanted to reach through my screen (internet radio ftw) and give him a high five.

juv3nal @ Apr 18th 2007 4:18PM

props for the preacher image. that's old school.

Almack64 @ Apr 18th 2007 4:20PM

I'm just also happy to here some sensible news and real parental advice regarding kids and video games. In college i wrote a paper that addressed exactly this issue.

Now regarding games that could potentially get kids to lean towards actually using things like circles of power, there are some out there. At times I was even a little weirded out playing Illusion of Gaia (or maybe Actraiser or Soul Blazer...can't remember)
Certain things won't bother all people but I think its still good parenting to watch for those things and if anything take the time to explain them.

Almack64 @ Apr 18th 2007 4:24PM

hear not here

gramblor @ Apr 18th 2007 4:34PM

"Its bullcrap, and the sooner people realize this, the sooner we can all sit down together and play DnD, Zelda, and Magic without being called heathens or witches."

But how long until we can play DnD without being called nerds...

JBoss @ Apr 18th 2007 4:50PM

The real issue is parents will not take responsibility for raising their children. It is the parent’s responsibility to teach their children right from wrong and fantasy from reality. The only exception would be genetic defects in the mind. We live in a society where everything is everyone else’s fault, none is our own, and we use this tactic to even enrich our lives by suing those who don't agree. The issue is not social disconnect, it is parent disconnect from their children.

Crono @ Apr 18th 2007 4:58PM

Never, gamblor, never.

Like it or not, if you play DnD, you're a nerd.

Its ok. We're all nerds here.

Hey Apples @ Apr 18th 2007 5:01PM

That Preacher card image really took me back. It's too bad that game lost it's mind with an insane amount of expansions.

Jake @ Apr 18th 2007 5:09PM

gramblor, never ;)

Christians tend to be very reasonable people. If they have a problem with violent games, it is usually that they just feel entertainment involving such themes is just plain wrong, period. They aren't going to draw wild conclusions like Counterstrike made Cho do it.

It is actually quite sad that people here think it is refreshing to hear a Christian being reasonable.

Jake @ Apr 18th 2007 5:11PM

Hey Crono,

I take offense to that. I'm no nerd. I'm a geek, damnit! Speak for yourself.

Chris @ Apr 18th 2007 5:17PM

@Richard
I was expecting to see a bunch of people bashing Christianity, and just be kind of pissed off after reading the comments from this post... you proved me wrong. That was really funny. ;-)

Poisoned Al @ Apr 18th 2007 5:23PM

First we had Rush Limbaugh shooting down an "games caused the VT shootings!" caller and now this...

Okay, when did I fall into this mad parallel dimension?

JodyAnthony @ Apr 18th 2007 5:30PM

haha, Poisoned Al, I was going to say something similar, but you said it better than I could of.

http://www.jodyanthony.com

Aberu @ Apr 18th 2007 7:57PM

My dad would barely let me play Shining Force when I got it because it had MAGICKZ OMGZ. So yeah his occult comment is far too familiar. Yet this same Dad was a huge fan of reading Tolkien and Dune, etc... Things that have far more occult-ish story-flare thrown in by his definition. Too bad video games are easier to blame and talk shit on.

driven2sin @ Apr 18th 2007 9:18PM

yo.. your swarm deck packin balance?? u need any savanah lions or thunder spirits??

Alex Keeny @ Apr 18th 2007 10:52PM

Christians aren't kill-joys... that's just a stereotype. My pastor has come over a few times to play COD2 and has his own Playstation 2. My previous church college group used to play Halo together almost weekly, as well. In fact the High School pastor at that church set up the High School room so that they could play 16 player Halo.

shaoron @ Apr 18th 2007 11:37PM

a close friend and pastor i know played some MMORPG in the past (he stopped because he became quiet busy)

somehow he was able to earn around 7-10 levels a week... while i managed a measly 2-3 levels...

and this is despite him doing pastoral related work, teaching engineering classes in a university AND doing his thesis for his masteral degree!
oh! he got a gold for his thesis as well...

crazy dude!

Nathan Smart @ Apr 19th 2007 8:42AM

He must not have been married...

Justin @ Apr 19th 2007 11:16AM

A friend of mine is an intern with the youth department at his church (he's going to be a preacher one day.) Anyway, his youth pastor loves Guitar Hero. When it first came out, he went out and bought 4 PS2s and 4 copies of Guitar Hero 1 on the church's dime. He also reserved copies of Guitar Hero 2 when it was announced. They love them some Guitar Hero.