Muslim Group Criticizes LittleBigPlanet Recall

[Rooster Cogburn]

This move was probably taken to maintain the game's broad appeal to Muslims and non-Muslims (you know, with the hell-fire). So, maybe it's OK that they took forceful action to remove the song, because it was a business decision to protect sales. On the other hand, maybe that was nevertheless an obnoxious, unnecessary, kowtowing decision worthy of reproach.

I agree that it is a matter of product-association and business more than free speech, but I still find it a very obnoxious choice.

 

[Doug]

For all the English speakers, religious ones especially, how would you react if a game designed to be accessible to everyone had the song lyrics, "And those who have sinned shall suffer and burn in the hell-fires for all eternity"?

Honestly? I wouldn't really care, although it sounds like a death-metal lyric, hence not my cuppa. But I could imagine a bunch of god bothers getting worked up about it.

It was like that pathetic Anglican how-ha about the church in Resistance, given they thought it would encurage gun crimine inside the church... in a game about fighting aliens/mutatants... with ww2 era weapons....seriously! (I've not played the game but this is how it seems to me).

 

[Doug]

Am I really the only one who thinks that this might have been slightly less about offending Muslims, and more because the more radical Christians (of which there are quite a few more than radical Muslims) would have ripped them a new asshole? If they hear that a game has Muslim phrases that talked of global death, aren't they likely to lose all perspective again?

Quoted badly, to say the least "Everything on Earth will perish" was one. Which is true, scientifically so. Every since plant, animal, bacteria, rock, stone, etc, has a limited lifetime before it'll be destroyed or die.

I'd like to point out again the song writer was a muslim! Seriously, it'll be like getting worked up because a christian DJ started quoting from the bible. Only a small group of Islam would consider it offensive (aka. the Taliban, and the more repressive Theocratic governments). The average Muslim on the slave wouldn't really care (work across from one who found the story amusing although he's not really a gamer person)

 

[Fineldar]

Why is everyone making a big deal about it? Yes, it's stupid, but Sony is a business. Buisness' try not to offend anyone at all so more people will buy their product. No one complains that Disney goes almost as far to to offend peoples tastes to make their mustard packets filled with water.

If some Muslims don't but the game because of this, as the President of AIFD said they can, and should if they feel that way, that's money Sony isn't getting.

 

[SmugFrog]

"A MUSLIM!? ONOEZ HE'S GONNA SET US UP THE BOMB! DELAY THE GAME!"

You forgot "main screen turn on," as I have no doubt Sony has one of those huge screens in their control center.

 

[stompy]

It's nice to see that some rational Muslims are speaking up against the idiot that postponed the game, but I'm thinking that Sony, seeing that the lyrics could significantly affect their sales (in both the Islamic and Christian crowds) decided to take the lyrics out anyways. Perhaps they're still sore about the Resistance level.

 

[Jumplion]

I'm willing to forgive the Muslim(s) for this, and after my fuming died down I can forgive Sony a little bit for recalling the game because obviouly they don't want more controversy from anyone no matter how minor.

But I can only forgive them a little bit.

Oh so little.

Damn you.

Damn you so much Sony......

But I'll forgive them when I play LittleBigPlanet. And the irony is still there, this shows how broad the market for LBP is.

 

[Drake the Dragonheart]

Props to Jasser for standing up for free speech, expression, and religion.

 

[TheDean]

What im saying is it shouldn'[t have mattered even if the game was offensive. No one has the right to not be offended. someone needs to make a game hat offends EVERYONE.

 

[Darkong]

So they delayed the game because a couple of people got pissed about it? When most of them don't care at all?

The logic here just astounds me.

The logic is that Sony were worried about some of the more psychotic members of the muslim community showing up at their offices and threatening to behead the children of their staff. Its mostly happened because of the bad reputation Islam has for intolerance at the moment and Sony not wanting to stir up a reaction in the media.

 

[shadow skill]

Most of the people replying to this thread crying about kowtowing are apparently very dense, Sony already went through the Manchester Cathedral mess and you expect them to just go through it again? "OMG deeze Muslims are teh fail!!!!!!1 even though every three seconds som Christian is trying banz de ghey marriage.." Kill yourselves now, so much crying over a minor delay, you are all more offended than the people who complained in the first place! Before any of you say "Butz dey dindt doos dat for ze Christians." Just remember all the bitching that went on during the superbowl cause of Janet Jackson. Entertainment companies cave to these kinds of complaints all the time.

Edit oh and to address the Resident Evil 5 reference the ironic thing is that no one can ever really find people complaining about the game being racist. It's mostly people saying it's not. (Often times these people are rather ignorant of American history and miss the potential problem some might have with the game, and just peg the whole [virtually nonexistant] issue as totally unwarranted.)

 

[perfectimo]

What im saying is it shouldn'[t have mattered even if the game was offensive. No one has the right to not be offended. someone needs to make a game hat offends EVERYONE.

From what I gathered from all those negatives you are saying that "Everyone has the right to be offended", is that right?

Also to those who blame the guy, for pointing this out to Sony, he didn't delay the game Sony did. He was just pointing out a potential problem like a beta tester should.

 

[TheDean]

What im saying is it shouldn'[t have mattered even if the game was offensive. No one has the right to not be offended. someone needs to make a game hat offends EVERYONE.

From what I gathered from all those negatives you are saying that "Everyone has the right to be offended", is that right?

Also to those who blame the guy, for pointing this out to Sony, he didn't delay the game Sony did. He was just pointing out a potential problem like a beta tester should.

Almost. what i'm saying is, if someone says "i have the right to not be offended" they are wrong. It's ok to offend someone. Deal with it.

Edit: The reaosn is because it is your own fault if you choose to be offended. I never get offended, because i choose not to.

 

[SunoffaBeach]

This nonsense is going way too far.

I'm against freedom of religion.
Ban all religions!