Comments on: The Uphill Battle for Christian Videogames http://www.godatplay.com/2010/04/the-uphill-battle-for-christian-videogames/ Thoughts, feelings, and discoveries about making meaningful games, spiritual games and interactive experience Fri, 18 Nov 2011 05:51:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jim Bagbey http://www.godatplay.com/2010/04/the-uphill-battle-for-christian-videogames/comment-page-1/#comment-11145 Jim Bagbey Sun, 03 Jul 2011 23:05:28 +0000 http://www.godatplay.com/?p=291#comment-11145 Jesus and His disciples were all about preaching the gospel on the hiways and byways. Jesus said this is the very purpose for which he came to preach (Mark 1:38) Jesus sent word back to John the Baptist that the poor have the gospel preached to them. (Luke 7:22) Jesus sends His disciples out to preach in the towns and villages (Matt 10, Mark 6, Luke 10) and asks His followers to specifically pray for the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the His Harvest (John 4:35). Jesus comissions His disciples in Acts 1:7:8 to go and be witnesses, which according to the historical record of Acts and the testimonies of the epistles included open air evangelism which included preaching. Peter preaches open air in Acts 2 and 3, Stephen in 6 and his criticizers stone him, and Paul many times preaches (acts 14,15, and16) in the marketplace all over asia with his criticizers stoning, beating and jailing him, and in Athens Acts 17 where he is criticized for being a babbler. Jesus never criticized anyone for preaching the gospelbut did criticize the pharisee's and scribes for shutting up the kingdom of heaven against men, and that they did not allow those who are entering to go in. (Matthew 23:13) It was the pharisee's and scribes who continued throughout Jesus ministry and later the same who criticized and persecuted the apostles for preaching the gospel of salvation. Proverbs 1:20,21 Wisdom cries aloud outside; he raises her voice in the open squares. She cries out in the chief concourses, at the openings of the gates in the city... 24:11Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. How will they hear without a preacher and how willl they preach unless they are sent (Romans 10)? Brother I challenge you to pray for all those who go onto the streets to compael men to hear the gospel. These same people in the market are not likely to go to a church to hear the message any time soon nor to hear the gospel of the salvation of our Lord any other way. Love, Jim Jesus and His disciples were all about preaching the gospel on the hiways and byways.

Jesus said this is the very purpose for which he came to preach (Mark 1:38)

Jesus sent word back to John the Baptist that the poor have the gospel preached to them. (Luke 7:22)

Jesus sends His disciples out to preach in the towns and villages (Matt 10, Mark 6, Luke 10) and asks His followers to specifically pray for the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the His Harvest (John 4:35).

Jesus comissions His disciples in Acts 1:7:8 to go and be witnesses, which according to the historical record of Acts and the testimonies of the epistles included open air evangelism which included preaching. Peter preaches open air in Acts 2 and 3, Stephen in 6 and his criticizers stone him, and Paul many times preaches (acts 14,15, and16) in the marketplace all over asia with his criticizers stoning, beating and jailing him, and in Athens Acts 17 where he is criticized for being a babbler.

Jesus never criticized anyone for preaching the gospelbut did criticize the pharisee’s and scribes for shutting up the kingdom of heaven against men, and that they did not allow those who are entering to go in. (Matthew 23:13)

It was the pharisee’s and scribes who continued throughout Jesus ministry and later the same who criticized and persecuted the apostles for preaching the gospel of salvation.

Proverbs 1:20,21 Wisdom cries aloud outside; he raises her voice in the open squares. She cries out in the chief concourses, at the openings of the gates in the city… 24:11Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.

How will they hear without a preacher and how willl they preach unless they are sent (Romans 10)?

Brother I challenge you to pray for all those who go onto the streets to compael men to hear the gospel. These same people in the market are not likely to go to a church to hear the message any time soon nor to hear the gospel of the salvation of our Lord any other way.

Love, Jim

]]> By: Paul http://www.godatplay.com/2010/04/the-uphill-battle-for-christian-videogames/comment-page-1/#comment-11140 Paul Sun, 03 Jul 2011 03:04:26 +0000 http://www.godatplay.com/?p=291#comment-11140 Regarding the preaching you have listened to at the Market, what specific un-Christian or un-biblical behavior is of concern to you? Thanks. Regarding the preaching you have listened to at the Market, what specific un-Christian or un-biblical behavior is of concern to you? Thanks.

]]> By: Jonny http://www.godatplay.com/2010/04/the-uphill-battle-for-christian-videogames/comment-page-1/#comment-9760 Jonny Fri, 07 Jan 2011 04:52:24 +0000 http://www.godatplay.com/?p=291#comment-9760 The root of the problem is the great divide between what it is to know Christ and what it is to be lost, and Christian game developers seem to love making that divide larger than it already is. One such mistake is equating Christ with ancient Middle-Eastern culture instead of doing the hard-work of taking those biblical principles and applying them to Western culture. Another mistake is capitalizing on special revelation (the bible) in games and almost completely neglecting general revelation (nature and creation). Very very few games sport realistic and beautiful terrain that honors the real physical Earth. I think this is extremely important because it was the love of nature and the words "I love you" in a sunset, in crashing waves, in a majestic peak, or in viewing Saturn through a telescope that saved me from Atheism. Video games have the capacity to honor God's creation yet so very few actually do. I am surprised not all Christian game developers are also geophysicists. There's a whole new world of potential there. The root of the problem is the great divide between what it is to know Christ and what it is to be lost, and Christian game developers seem to love making that divide larger than it already is.

One such mistake is equating Christ with ancient Middle-Eastern culture instead of doing the hard-work of taking those biblical principles and applying them to Western culture.

Another mistake is capitalizing on special revelation (the bible) in games and almost completely neglecting general revelation (nature and creation).

Very very few games sport realistic and beautiful terrain that honors the real physical Earth. I think this is extremely important because it was the love of nature and the words “I love you” in a sunset, in crashing waves, in a majestic peak, or in viewing Saturn through a telescope that saved me from Atheism. Video games have the capacity to honor God’s creation yet so very few actually do.

I am surprised not all Christian game developers are also geophysicists. There’s a whole new world of potential there.

]]> By: godatplay http://www.godatplay.com/2010/04/the-uphill-battle-for-christian-videogames/comment-page-1/#comment-2957 godatplay Sat, 08 May 2010 20:16:51 +0000 http://www.godatplay.com/?p=291#comment-2957 They are worth a lot, thank you for giving them! I totally see what you're saying. I guess I see it as a baby step. If I can make a meaningful game about my faith, and then have several opportunities for getting the game out there to people, I see it as a good thing. It's also encouraging to me that this is an indirect sign that there are people who want these kinds of experiences. I don't really like Wal Mart, but I'm trying to remain positive in an area that I'm generally pretty cynical about. :P They are worth a lot, thank you for giving them! I totally see what you’re saying. I guess I see it as a baby step. If I can make a meaningful game about my faith, and then have several opportunities for getting the game out there to people, I see it as a good thing. It’s also encouraging to me that this is an indirect sign that there are people who want these kinds of experiences.

I don’t really like Wal Mart, but I’m trying to remain positive in an area that I’m generally pretty cynical about. :P

]]> By: Shane http://www.godatplay.com/2010/04/the-uphill-battle-for-christian-videogames/comment-page-1/#comment-2955 Shane Sat, 08 May 2010 19:33:03 +0000 http://www.godatplay.com/?p=291#comment-2955 A big corporation like Wal-Mart is never going to "get it." In fact, I would be insulted that someone is attempting to market anything to my faith. That's just crazy and cynical. Horrible really. I'm not a Christian but I'm well aware of the history of video games and Christian games have, unfortunately, been of generally poor quality. I suspect part of the problem is that, at best, the developers are not saying to themselves "how can I make a great game" but "how can I use this kooky thing these kids love to spread the word of God." At worst they are simply trying to cash in on a potential market that they don't fully appreciate or respect. I think aspiring Christian artists would best look to J.R.R. Tolkien and Rand Miller on how best to stay true to their beliefs AND make amazing art/games/music/whatever. What a person believes is important is there in the work. How could it not be? Who we are and what we hold as important shows up in everything we do and it's all the more on display in our art. You don't have to go out of your way to send a message, it will be there whether you're aware of it or not. My 2 cents, for what they are worth. A big corporation like Wal-Mart is never going to “get it.” In fact, I would be insulted that someone is attempting to market anything to my faith. That’s just crazy and cynical. Horrible really. I’m not a Christian but I’m well aware of the history of video games and Christian games have, unfortunately, been of generally poor quality. I suspect part of the problem is that, at best, the developers are not saying to themselves “how can I make a great game” but “how can I use this kooky thing these kids love to spread the word of God.” At worst they are simply trying to cash in on a potential market that they don’t fully appreciate or respect. I think aspiring Christian artists would best look to J.R.R. Tolkien and Rand Miller on how best to stay true to their beliefs AND make amazing art/games/music/whatever. What a person believes is important is there in the work. How could it not be? Who we are and what we hold as important shows up in everything we do and it’s all the more on display in our art. You don’t have to go out of your way to send a message, it will be there whether you’re aware of it or not. My 2 cents, for what they are worth.

]]> By: axcho http://www.godatplay.com/2010/04/the-uphill-battle-for-christian-videogames/comment-page-1/#comment-2803 axcho Sun, 11 Apr 2010 07:02:10 +0000 http://www.godatplay.com/?p=291#comment-2803 I love collabs. Yeah, let's try one sometime. Let me know when you have some time and a good project to try, and maybe I'll be ready by then too. :) I love collabs. Yeah, let’s try one sometime. Let me know when you have some time and a good project to try, and maybe I’ll be ready by then too. :)

]]> By: Dagda http://www.godatplay.com/2010/04/the-uphill-battle-for-christian-videogames/comment-page-1/#comment-2799 Dagda Sat, 10 Apr 2010 08:43:50 +0000 http://www.godatplay.com/?p=291#comment-2799 This is something I mull over every now and then myself (http://dagda-mor.blogspot.com/2008/05/antiviolent-game.html being one product of this), though it usually leads to me trying to articulate the nature of my faith more than anything. As far as I can see, the most effective use of games as a medium would be to demonstrate a given principle of the bible (preferably one that's more radical from our society's standpoint, i.e. "turn the other cheek"). This is something I mull over every now and then myself (http://dagda-mor.blogspot.com/2008/05/antiviolent-game.html being one product of this), though it usually leads to me trying to articulate the nature of my faith more than anything.

As far as I can see, the most effective use of games as a medium would be to demonstrate a given principle of the bible (preferably one that’s more radical from our society’s standpoint, i.e. “turn the other cheek”).

]]> By: godatplay http://www.godatplay.com/2010/04/the-uphill-battle-for-christian-videogames/comment-page-1/#comment-2796 godatplay Fri, 09 Apr 2010 22:15:10 +0000 http://www.godatplay.com/?p=291#comment-2796 Hey Alex, thanks for the comment! Yeah, I'm working on it. :P One of these days I'll get a demo vid up of my project... It'd be fun to collab with you, too. Maybe later in the year? Hey Alex, thanks for the comment! Yeah, I’m working on it. :P

One of these days I’ll get a demo vid up of my project…

It’d be fun to collab with you, too. Maybe later in the year?

]]> By: axcho http://www.godatplay.com/2010/04/the-uphill-battle-for-christian-videogames/comment-page-1/#comment-2795 axcho Fri, 09 Apr 2010 21:17:17 +0000 http://www.godatplay.com/?p=291#comment-2795 Maybe a good opportunity for a notgames approach? :) I was thinking about this lately since seeing Facebook Indie Games' recent post on the subject of religious games. I would love to see (and play, and pay money for) an actually good, meaningful Christian game. I'd love to make one too, though I'm not sure that people would really take it seriously too since I'm not really Christian. Maybe if I collab with someone who's a real Christian... ;) Or I could start with Buddhist games. I've got some ideas for that... Maybe a good opportunity for a notgames approach? :)

I was thinking about this lately since seeing Facebook Indie Games’ recent post on the subject of religious games.

I would love to see (and play, and pay money for) an actually good, meaningful Christian game. I’d love to make one too, though I’m not sure that people would really take it seriously too since I’m not really Christian. Maybe if I collab with someone who’s a real Christian… ;)

Or I could start with Buddhist games. I’ve got some ideas for that…

]]> By: godatplay http://www.godatplay.com/2010/04/the-uphill-battle-for-christian-videogames/comment-page-1/#comment-2794 godatplay Fri, 09 Apr 2010 20:19:40 +0000 http://www.godatplay.com/?p=291#comment-2794 Thanks Chris. :) The good news is that the reality of our cultures are defined by things that we create. Therefore, by creating things, we get a chance to define future cultures! This news about Walmart provides more opportunity for that definition. It's an open door, and we just need to be responsible about what we bring with us as we go through it. I agree that a lot of people do play games for power fantasies. But I'm confident that there are plenty of people who would welcome a meaningful, thematic game about the Christian faith with open arms. Time has shown that it's just really hard to do, I guess. But it's so close I can taste it; God is on the move over here. My little sketchbook is filling up, and it's only a matter of time. Thanks Chris. :)

The good news is that the reality of our cultures are defined by things that we create. Therefore, by creating things, we get a chance to define future cultures! This news about Walmart provides more opportunity for that definition. It’s an open door, and we just need to be responsible about what we bring with us as we go through it.

I agree that a lot of people do play games for power fantasies. But I’m confident that there are plenty of people who would welcome a meaningful, thematic game about the Christian faith with open arms. Time has shown that it’s just really hard to do, I guess. But it’s so close I can taste it; God is on the move over here. My little sketchbook is filling up, and it’s only a matter of time.

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