30 Apr, 2008
Do video games affect you?
Grand Theft Auto IV: Fans abuzz, critics aghast
The highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto IV video game, an action-packed shoot-'em-up thriller, hit store shelves this morning, prompting a storm of blog chatter and a lots of finger-pointing from critics who call the game violent and crass.
The game's release for both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 is expected to be one of the biggest sellers in gaming industry history, topping Halo 3's fall record of $300 million in sales its first week.
By Monday evening, hours before the game was to go on sale, dedicated gamers straggled into stores to pay the remaining balance on the $59.99 Grand Theft Auto IV they had reserved months prior. A number of Best Buy locations also held midnight sales.
"I can't wait," said Stoney Hinson, 30, of Minneapolis, as he milled about GameStop. "I took a vacation day off just for this."
But not everyone is swooning over the game and its franchise, which includes a series of Grand Theft Auto games all chockablock with guns and illicit sex.
The Parents Television Council issued a statement last week blasting the game for its violence and sexual content.
"It's just a crude, crass, disgusting, violent game," said Melissa Henson.
Henson, the council's director of public education, added: "I think that as these games become increasingly more and more realistic, we have more and more cause for concern."
The group sent letters to major retailers asking them not to sell the game -- which is rated M for mature -- or at least to display it away from minors and card anyone who buys it.
An earlier release, Grand Theft Auto, San Andreas, was rated AO for Adults Only in 2005 after a secret sex scene was discovered, prompting some major retailers to pull it from their shelves.
The council cited the perennial concern voiced about violence in games, TV shows and movies: That watching and acting out violence onscreen might encourage violent behavior in children.
Both critics and fans agree that parents are the ultimate gatekeepers and need to educate themselves on the content of their children's video games.
photo & story courtesy startribune.com, 4/29/08
Philippians 4:8-9 (NLT)
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
What's the connection between today's God's Story scripture and video games?
Even though Paul never imagined computer programs, he understood the principle that whatever you program into something determines the outcome. What we put into our minds determines what we think about, say, and do.
Paul is simply telling us (according to the Holy Spirit directing him) to program our minds with thoughts that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and worthy of praise.
How do Paul's words make you evaluate your current choices of video games and the amount of time you spend playing?
If you're struggling with impure thoughts and attitudes or finding it difficult to manage your time, you will find it helpful to reprogram your mind with the kind of resources that Paul talks about in today's verse. Most important of all - make sure your priority is to spend time in God's Word and prayer.
Nobody can give you an exact list of the video games that are OK, or the amount of time you can spend playing them, but God's Spirit will help you determine what will help you become more "mature" in your spiritual growth. Imagine Jesus sitting down to play a game with you....
You can still be a gamer if you're maturing in Christ and His Truth!
- Take a minute to let God's Spirit lovingly convict you of anything that is dominating your thoughts other than that which pleases Christ. Confess it and thank Jesus for His forgiveness. Ask Him to reprogram your mind on a daily basis. Take another minute to praise Him for His work in your life.
- Write out today's verses and stick them on your computer or in your organizer or one of your school books. This is part of "reprogramming" your thoughts.
- For one month, keep a written log or journal of the amount of time you're spending with video games, TV, movies and God's word or other Christian resources. Take appropriate action and thank God for His help in making you more like Jesus.
How can we connect today's story and God's Story scripture and our story to others who need Jesus?
- The next time you are playing video games with your friends who need Jesus, ask them if they think video games affect our thoughts and actions? Ask them if they ever feel addicted to a game and how it might affect them? Be careful not to judge your friends' response. In your own words, share the truth of today's scripture with your friends by talking to them about the choices you want to make about "addictive" media in your life.
- In your youth group or small group, brainstorm ways to use the video game craze to get others involved who need to know Jesus.
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