Hindus Want Smite Out of QuakeCon

[RubyT]

There'd be a shitstorm if Jesus was a playable character. And there'd be guaranteed death if Muhammad was. Them just trying to get Smite out is actually a mild reaction by religious standards.

 

[Epic Fail 1977]

Pfft, religion is so ridiculously fragile. If it had any strength or merit, Hinduism wouldn't be threatened by a monster in a videogame.

 

[TwiZtah]

Ahh religious people, always taking everything too damn seriously.

 

[Pearwood]

Hmm I can see both sides. I was behind the protesters last time this happened because what they were asking for was small and made no difference and was reasonable given how important their religion is to them, now I think they're getting greedy. The response they got is enough to put religious concerns to rest at least in my opinion.

 

[Jason Bignell]

You know, I'm gonna be the supposed "bad guy," and side with the Hindi. I mean, this is a game that takes a revered goddess, and turns her into a fucking punching bag. It rather blatantly trivializes a huge aspect of Hindi culture, and I'm not surprised that they're upset, nor do I blame them. It's also made even worse when she's surrounded by gods from faiths that are, for better or worse, DEAD! Yes, people still pray to the Norse gods, or the Greco-Roman gods, but to place those faiths in the exact same standing as Hinduism, a national religion that is still practiced by millions, is disingenuous BS.

Im sure the judeo-christian god woul have been there too, except He is all powerful, and would thus have to be op

 

[Ukomba]

I'm not sure that I agree. As with most things, sunlight is probably the best disinfectant. I don't think that they're after attention. In most cases, I think that they sincerely believe in their views and sincerely want to have their religious views respected or catered to in inappropriate ways.

Well, first off, there is a difference between not disrespecting and catering to. Given it's a god of their religion, their anger is understandable. It's no different than if some one made a game with a black Nazi leader named Obama. There would be several people decrying it as disrespectful. How would you and these people trying to defend this game company react if they made a game disrespecting homosexuals? Do you think Mass Effect was catering to Homosexuals by adding gay romance options?

It's probably easier to lobby congress if nobody is paying attention to you, and it is probably harder for Quakecon to just bow to the wishes of some goofy religious folks when aware consumers are heaping scorn on them for trying to sink a game. In fact, there is no reason for me, as a game consumer, to not be informed about the concerns and meddling of outside players in the industry.

Let them lobby congress. Congress can't make laws about religions. If something as discussing and Piss Christ can get a government grant, stopping Smite isn't going to work. What reporting on this is doing is just raising tempers. You call a group of innocent people goofy just for not wanting a religion that's belonged to them for more than 5000 years to be disrespected for profit. As you say, 'aware customers' are heaping scorn on these people. Please define 'aware'? I guarantee that the vast majority of them only know the name Shiva from Final Fantasy. These 'aware' customers, in fact, are by far the most ignorant when it comes to the actual issues. Since the game is involving it's self in a religion, the practitioners of that religion are not outside players. The game industry is actually intruders here. If some one wanted to make a harry potter game, they'd have to get permission. No one would call Rowling goofy for having a problem with some one using her characters in their game without her permission. So, now you have a whole bunch of uninformed people feeling all progressive and superior because religion is currently the 'it' thing to look down on. Change Shiva to Harvey Milk and these same enlightened people will drop the 'games should be allowed to do what ever they want' argument and be demanding that game not be allowed at QuakeCon since it disrespects homosexuals.

In fact, it's probably the people involved with Smite who want attention, since more people will hear about the game now. Your argument is actually more applicable to the religious groups that have just brought more attention to Smite.

Yes yes, like EA staging a religious protest against Dante's Inferno. A publicity stunt to drum up anti-christian anger to sell their game. Yes, Smite Shouldn't change their game, they should be allowed at Quakecon, but they DON'T need the press stoking gamer anger at a minority group who feels disrespected. Just ignore the anger, there's nothing this group can do.

 

[thesilentman]

I'm Hindu. And I don't stand by this because us Hindus trivialize the gods as well. You don't tell young kids about the entire unabridged Vedas, do we? My point stands.

 

[o_O]

I wish they'd go all in and put Jesus in the game.

I'd play the shit out of that game if Jesus was in it.

 

[masticina]

To Little To Late

Point is kinda obvious that as much as they complain, they don't OWN their god idea. Gods, as metaconstructs, as memes, as ideas, have been changed renamed and used in many ways.

Even if every member of one religion, lets say Islam is against something lets say Drawing a picture. Then that still doesn't offers them any right to block others from doing it.

Same here.. in said game gods are used as a way to have Hero's with certain Bonuses.

Actually they are STUPID for even being against it. First of all seeing the name of those gods might lead people to research the source religions. Second.. they again don't OWN their god.

I can call my pet rat Jehova.. or Shiva.. does that means that the followers of Shiva/Jehova now follow my pet rat? If they say NO then that means that they understand how the name and the meta-entenity are disconnected

So if they are not followers of my pet rat then.. why are they complaining?

 

[notyouraveragejoe]

nope-edy nope nope, nope nope.

you cant just censor people because you're upset, thats ridiculous.
hell this didn't work the first 2 times they tried why would being upset work now?

I completely agree with this. I'm surprised that they even think their request will work.

 

[Callate]

Frankly, it sounds like Hi-Rez has met the Hindu coalitions more than half-way. It sounds like maybe it's time they showed some tolerance, rather than continuing to try to damage the game's business for failing to completely surrender to the whims of people who, by and large, probably aren't even going to play it.

 

[Drudgelmir]

I can call my pet rat Jehova.. or Shiva.. does that means that the followers of Shiva/Jehova now follow my pet rat?

I laughed.

I disagree with both Hi-rez and the Hindu federation thingy.
Hi-rez should not have backed down in any way by doing that they've given the impression that they /know/ they're doing something wrong.
The Hindu fed... should not have asked. It will not harm them in anyway, as has already been said before in this thread, there is nothing that movies, books, music or paintings can cover that video games are not able to do respectfully also.

We're a relatively new industry and if we are to be taken seriously as art and as people able of social commentary then we need to start standing up for what we believe to be right and respectful.

If anything more people will research gods in order to get an 'edge' in this game and find out a little about the religions, which might just add to their ranks.