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Churches using violent video game to recruit kids
Filed under: Teens, That's Entertainment
When I was growing up, the Catholic church was working to find ways to make faith more relevant to young people, who were leaving in droves. We had acoustic guitar music and interpretive dance at Mass, movie nights, and retreats that started with a couple hours of religious education and ended with a dance.
Oh how things have changed: Sunday's New York Times reported that more and more churches are using the video game Halo 3 to draw kids into the fold. The Halo series, for those of you not familiar with video games, is rated M for "mature" which means that it can't be purchased by anyone under 17. Players control a character called "Master Chief," a soldier who is armed with guns, grenades, and missiles; he battles members of a group called the Covenant, religious fanatics who believe that the destruction of the Earth is the key to their ascent to Heaven.
Churches have Halo nights where they provide the game, big screen TVs, snacks, and a religious lesson. You know, after the kids -- most of whom are NOT over 17 -- spend a couple of hours virtually breaking the sixth commandment (that's "thou shalt not kill," just so you know). Church leaders argue that Halo 3 offers a creative and harmless way to reach out to young men, who need religion in their lives, and that playing the game together is a way to provide community and fellowship. But one 12-year-old, interviewed at his church's Halo night, said he liked the game because "It's just fun blowing people up."
That's not exactly the lesson I want my kids learning at church.
Oh how things have changed: Sunday's New York Times reported that more and more churches are using the video game Halo 3 to draw kids into the fold. The Halo series, for those of you not familiar with video games, is rated M for "mature" which means that it can't be purchased by anyone under 17. Players control a character called "Master Chief," a soldier who is armed with guns, grenades, and missiles; he battles members of a group called the Covenant, religious fanatics who believe that the destruction of the Earth is the key to their ascent to Heaven.
Churches have Halo nights where they provide the game, big screen TVs, snacks, and a religious lesson. You know, after the kids -- most of whom are NOT over 17 -- spend a couple of hours virtually breaking the sixth commandment (that's "thou shalt not kill," just so you know). Church leaders argue that Halo 3 offers a creative and harmless way to reach out to young men, who need religion in their lives, and that playing the game together is a way to provide community and fellowship. But one 12-year-old, interviewed at his church's Halo night, said he liked the game because "It's just fun blowing people up."
That's not exactly the lesson I want my kids learning at church.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
10-09-2007 @ 10:25AM
victorious_dismay said...Typical hypocrisy of religion.
Reply
10-09-2007 @ 10:46AM
callistawolf said...I think it's a great way to reach out to children. Many of these kids are playing this game anyhow, wouldn't it be better to play it in a church-sponsored setting? Americans need to be less puritanical and keep their priorities on the important things.
Reply
10-09-2007 @ 11:05AM
LS said..."Less Puritanical"?? Being disturbed by a church that endorses a game that glorifies killing is being "puritanical"??? Well, then if that's the case, let's start showing porn flicks at the weekend marriage retreats!! Hey, if it increases membership, who cares what message is sent?
Reply
10-09-2007 @ 11:33AM
aprilb said...To victorious_dismay:
Typical stereotyping of all religious
By the way, I am religious and I don't think this is a good idea. The concept behind it is good (a youth centered activity to help increase fellowship) but the execution (no pun intended) is wrong.
Reply
10-11-2007 @ 5:37PM
MrKniceGuy said...http://mrkniceguy.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/the-church-and-halo-evangelism-or-killing-simulator/
Reply
10-11-2007 @ 5:38PM
MrKniceGuy said...My response is here:
http://mrkniceguy.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/the-church-and-halo-evangelism-or-killing-simulator/
Reply
10-11-2007 @ 5:39PM
MrKniceGuy said...Oops. Sorry to double post! The first time I got an error message. And sorry link over to my blog. It's just a log easier than copy/pasting here.
Reply