Muslim Should Not Equal Villain

[TraderJimmy]

Wait, what about Assassin's Creed? Weren't like 95% of the people there Muslim?

"Altaiir, my friend! Welcome!"

This is the kind of comment that makes me think a lot of people haven't read the main article.

Assassin's Creed is explicitly mentioned in it.

Can everyone start replying to the content? Not the content they THINK is there? I realise it's a little late after 300+ comments.

 

[G-Force]

On a similar note, ever notice how a character with a british accent always turns out to be the villain in everything? Are we offended? Yes, slightly. We just laugh at the silly americans who distrust us because we sound intelligent.

Yes but at the same time there are many characters in video games that have British accents or something distinctly European yet are good guys. You can find plenty of heroic German, Russian and Black characters but how many games outside of the Prince of Persia series (and the games that let you create your own character) have had a Muslim character as either the protagonist or a good guy?

 

[Speakercone]

On a similar note, ever notice how a character with a british accent always turns out to be the villain in everything? Are we offended? Yes, slightly. We just laugh at the silly americans who distrust us because we sound intelligent.

Yes but at the same time there are many characters in video games that have British accents or something distinctly European yet are good guys. You can find plenty of heroic German, Russian and Black characters but how many games outside of the Prince of Persia series (and the games that let you create your own character) have had a Muslim character as either the protagonist or a good guy?

That's a fair point. That was meant largely as a joke and not as a serious comparison between the treatment of the British and the Muslim world in games.

Though it is kinda strange that every nationality/race/religious/etc. is a kind of Hollywood shorthand for a character archetype. I guess they can save time on the boring character development and focus on more explosions and tight shots of Megan Fox's ass.

 

[catalyst8]

'Muslim Should Not Equal Villain' is a laughable travesty of an assertion.

Anyone who condones rape, murder, & slavery (as any Christian, Muslim or Jew must do if they follow their 'holy' texts) is a despicable sociopath in dire need of incarceration.

I'm... not sure how you expect anyone to agree with that statement.

The so-called 'holy' texts of the Christian/Jewish/Muslim religion all condone slavery, murder, & rape. They even condemn rape victims to execution. There is no reason for any of the followers of that bizarre Arab death cult to be excused the role of villain, because the religion they follow is so villainous.

 

[Ace of Spades]

Play a campaign as the Ottoman Empire in Empire: Total War. It helped me break the mental connection of Islam = terrorism.

 

[InfernoJesus]

WWII games depict Nazis as villains, therefor we are unfairly portraying Germans.

See what I did there?

 

[nightkill]

I agree with your first email point,as there are Christian Muslims that have removed themselves from the Islamic regime for good reason...
Your point about jack Chick..I Stand on his profound research and history of Pointing the finger at the sin but not the sinner...GOD's better @ that.
thanks for the response...
(found a chick Tract in a old fashioned glass-boxed phone-booth at 11years old,got skered poopless then and got saved and felt >>>Loved<<<...xD
But But now I'm on satans Hit list,But I have a stronger GODFATHER FAMILIA'hahahaha, through Jesus christ...and all the games I've ever played is Good vs Evil..which side do you play...you fall just get up Pray and keep going.There's room for you in the Familia'...x) hope you don't refuse.. .http://farm1.static.flickr.com/35/65878699_cf3ff8ff8f.jpg

 

[nightkill]

somebody had to step out the majority Flatearther society to say and proove that the world was "ROUND",face ridicule financial reversal by hidden powerful men,be vilified by papers and press,and Probed,Peeped,tracked,gossiped about and laughed at.when the truth is revealed...someone else gets the credit..aawe shuks.

 

[nightkill]

lol...xD

 

[reachforthesky]

I don't think there are that many games that actually feature Muslims as enemies. The OP cites two, and only one is really applicable to the argument (Prince of Persia is set a bit too far back to be considered politically relevant.) Medal of Honor is using the Taliban as a villain, which is appropriate. The problem here is not game developers equating Muslims with villain, it seems the problem is the OP equating the Taliban with all Muslims. (Please let me know if there are more games that use Muslims as villains.)

edit: also I'm a bit disgusted with some of the people who are on "my side" of the argument. If a group of people is wrongly portrayed as evil, that is a bad thing. I am simply saying I do not think that is the case yet.

 

[pwnzerstick]

I could actualy see a potential stir of misinformed hyperboyle from you-know-who news, if say we made a game from the point of view of Muslims in Iraq or Afganistan, that are just trying to survive, but have a negative view of the US Army. Their response would probably go somthing like this: In a new video game you take the role of Islamic extremists out for the blood of american soilders. You can obviously see that this game is trying to make our children into terrorists!
It would probably less extreme than that, but if mass effect has taught us anything then I could probably see someone interprit it this way.

 

[The Big Eye]

The so-called 'holy' texts of the Christian/Jewish/Muslim religion all condone slavery, murder, & rape. They even condemn rape victims to execution. There is no reason for any of the followers of that bizarre Arab death cult to be excused the role of villain, because the religion they follow is so villainous.

Once again, I'm... not sure how you expect anyone to agree with that statement. The silly examples to which you point are, and can only be, the result of an insanely radical misinterpretation of the text.

It would be better of you to give those involved the benefit of the doubt, weighing them based on their own beliefs and judgments and accepting that the world's major religions were not founded as "death cults" based around willful ignorance and dogmatic, prejudiced hatred. Oh, but that's too complicated, isn't it? Religious people aspire to be evil! It's the only way the world makes sense!

If you don't see the contradiction in your thinking yet, I can't help you. Either way, you piss me off, sir. Good day.

 

[WaderiAAA]

It is true that Muslims have been in a bad light (not near as much as Nazi's or Russians lol). However, Muslims have been attacking American values for just as long. Even today we can see hate speeches from Islamic leaders citing violence against Americans, and their way of life. I'm afraid I can't feel sympathetic towards a culture that hates democracy, it's values, and it's people. Also, they hate Jews with such a passion that it makes Nazi's look conservative. This is common knowledge, and also this:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.229799-Iran-Publishes-Anti-Israel-Videogames

Sorry, I'm just not buying that it is Muslims who are the real victims here. Of course, this is a matter of opinion.

So Iran making one Anti-Israel game is bad, but America making several Anti-Muslim games is not? Also, calling something "common knowledge" doesn't make it a fact. I see way to many people using "everybody knows" as an argument in debates like this.

 

[WaderiAAA]

..... you do realize the good guys in the POP are either Muslim or damn close same for Aladdin, I think we haz failuerz to comunicatez going on...as all I am seeing is "presumption: middle eastern=bad!" discuss.

All I see is people and some of them are damn hot,even covered in 2 robes worth of material!Eyes are sexy damnit!!

How would you define "damn close" to Muslim? You're either Muslim or you aren't. Just because Israel is close to Muslim states, doesn't make it an almost Muslim country and the same goes for India - which is the setting of Aladdin and a country where Muslims are a minority.

 

[filiptom]

Of course this makes absolutely no sense. I mean where have you ever heard of a muslim terrorist? The folks in afghanistan and iraq are clearly fighting Calvinists!

 

[370999]

It is true that Muslims have been in a bad light (not near as much as Nazi's or Russians lol). However, Muslims have been attacking American values for just as long. Even today we can see hate speeches from Islamic leaders citing violence against Americans, and their way of life. I'm afraid I can't feel sympathetic towards a culture that hates democracy, it's values, and it's people. Also, they hate Jews with such a passion that it makes Nazi's look conservative. This is common knowledge, and also this:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.229799-Iran-Publishes-Anti-Israel-Videogames

Sorry, I'm just not buying that it is Muslims who are the real victims here. Of course, this is a matter of opinion.

So Iran making one Anti-Israel game is bad, but America making several Anti-Muslim games is not? Also, calling something "common knowledge" doesn't make it a fact. I see way to many people using "everybody knows" as an argument in debates like this.

Well in fairness the US games developers would claim it is anti terrorist rather then anti muslims ie you stop some bland Muslim terorist group rather then going down to your local mosque during friday night prays and get bonus points for killing children.

Of course I have no rpoblem with you making a game based on say the Taliban commiting suicide attacks in Iraq if you wish. I wouldn't buy it and I wouldn't really want to give it positive exposure but you should be able to make it.

 

[ColinWilson1980]

That was a really well written article. I'd been thinking similar thoughts since being invited to the MoH beta. I've been playing FPS games since the early 90's, and that was the first one to actually bother me. I can play helmet vs. helmet games all day long, but MoH was the first one to actually puts the ethnic theme in the foreground, and it make me feel nearly sick. Right off the bat, it was easy to figure who your allies and enemies were. If they have a helmet, they're on your team, if they have a turban, shoot 'em. All the while hearing very typical 'fanatical Muslim' phrases that nobody really knows what they mean coming out of the speakers.

 

[catalyst8]

'Muslim Should Not Equal Villain' is a laughable travesty of an assertion.

Anyone who condones rape, murder, & slavery (as any Christian, Muslim or Jew must do if they follow their 'holy' texts) is a despicable sociopath in dire need of incarceration.

I'm... not sure how you expect anyone to agree with that statement.

The so-called 'holy' texts of the Christian/Jewish/Muslim religion all condone slavery, murder, & rape. They even condemn rape victims to execution. There is no reason for any of the followers of that bizarre Arab death cult to be excused the role of villain, because the religion they follow is so villainous.

You're wrong. Read the Qur'an, and the Bible. Both say it is against god's law to kill. Anyone who stones a woman to death is not a muslim. Killing people for being gay is also anti-islamic because the quran says there shall be no compulsion in religion and anyone who breaks these laws is not a muslim.

I was wondering how long it would be before the 'No True Scotsman' argument reared it's fatuous head.

The Tanakh, Bible, & Qur'an all condone atrocities: The Bible & Tanakh order the murder of children (Leviticus 20:9 & Deuteronomy 21:18-21), rape victims (Deut. 22:23-24), homosexuals (Lev 20:13); The Qur'an condones murder in various Hadith e.g. kill all non-Muslims 8:39, murder rape victims (because apparently that's adultery according to Islam) An-Nur 24:2-9, the list goes on & on & on, but you get the point.

I could cite chapter & verse upon chapter & verse from each of the despicable 'holy' texts of each of the three sects of the Abrahamic religion, & they'd demonstrate that murder isn't only encouraged, it's compulsory. I could also demonstrate numerous passages which condone & enforce slavery e.g. Colossians 3:22, Qur'an 4:24 also goes so far as to allow the rape of female slaves.

Instead let me stick specifically to the topic of Muslim villainy. The following is Muslim law in action (state execution of rape victims, fortune tellers, homosexuals, people walking on the cracks in the pavement), enjoy your Muslim 'justice' in action:

Fortune teller charged with witchcraft faces beheading
http://womenagainstshariah.blogspot.com/2010/04/fortune-teller-faces-execution-in-saudi.html

Gang-rape VICTIM gets 200 lashes, six months in jail & faces death penalty
http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/nov/15saudi.htm

Female journalist, 54 years old, arrested, raped & beaten to death. Post mortem revealed "A skull fracture, two broken fingers, missing fingernails, a crushed big toe and a broken nose [as a result of] torture."
http://www.iran-press-service.com/ips/articles-2005/april-2005/kazemi_report_1405.shtml

This is your 'religion of peace' is it? A sickening concoction of misogyny, sexual abuse, extreme bigotry, torture & murder.

 

[Quid Plura]

It is worth discussing whether there is anything the games industry can do about it. After all, they cater to a need. A lot of people want to see terrorists as the enemy. It sells. Besides that, you are asking a gamer to look up jihad (one of your examples), so he/she gets the meaning of the word.

We are talking about games. In a world where most people can't be bothered to even know the capital city of their neighbouring country, can you really expect gamers to look up stuff like this? Is that even realistic? If all people would look up stuff they have an opinion about, the outcome would be world peace.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

..... you do realize the good guys in the POP are either Muslim or damn close same for Aladdin, I think we haz failuerz to comunicatez going on...as all I am seeing is "presumption: middle eastern=bad!" discuss.

All I see is people and some of them are damn hot,even covered in 2 robes worth of material!Eyes are sexy damnit!!

How would you define "damn close" to Muslim? You're either Muslim or you aren't. Just because Israel is close to Muslim states, doesn't make it an almost Muslim country and the same goes for India - which is the setting of Aladdin and a country where Muslims are a minority.

Mmmm depending where the story derived from it can be a mostly Muslim.

Middle eastern is damn close enough, like European and Catholic/Christan/Jew.