Question of the Day, August 17, 2010

[Fensfield]

My opinion? No. Well, sort of.

Stuff like this is unpleasant. I'm a bit of a 'games are art' type, and while I realise not all games are precious works of art I do consider every videogame has some measure of inherent value, and twisting that value to promote religion (or anything else for that matter) just feels.. unpleasant to me; makes me feel a little bit sick (and I'm Christian, so this isn't just atheism speaking). It feels.. subversive, or so.

Now, making a computer game of your own, and putting your heart into making it, and making it about the religion you believe in and care about? That is absolutely fine in my book, and I long for the day someone makes a religious videogame and really does well at it (no, no need for graphics and other AAA/million dollar stuff all over the shop, wonderful though that may be .. remember you can make a perfectly good game in pure text, or with illustrations, or ASCII, or 8/16bit graphics, or..

Heck, I can think of a few religious stories I'd really enjoy seeing adapted as visual novels and spend money to play >.> 'Specially if they actually explored and interpreted the religion in question a bit.

The big problem with that sort of game, I think, is people that try to develop them, develop them to 'push' their religion. Game development may not be an artistic medium, but games are(in my opinion). A videogame would be a wonderful platform to show the public various interpretations of religious subjects.

Thus far, the best I can offer along those lines was Assassin's Creed. Sure, it wasn't a religious game as such, but it did make a serious go of trying to offer an interpretation of what people believed, felt, and fought for during a time in history when religion meant everything to entire nations.

But subverting someone else's creation to push your beliefs? Nuh uh.

 

[Soviet Steve]

Videogames CAN be used to promote religion in the same sense that in theory you could also use it to promote Hitler or Stalin's cult of personality. It's possible, yes, but just because you can do something doesn't mean you should, and as religion is rubbish in my mind I hope that it will not be used much in games.

 

[itf cho]

Well... no. And I say 'no', not because I don't think anyone should be able to write/develop any type of game that they want, but because I'd rather not start seeing religious organizations start throwing money at devs to include religious messages in their otherwise non-religious games. We already see in-game advertising in many games. Do you want to start seeing those billboards being filled up by evangelical statements, instead of ads for Sony? Or how about non-skippable splash screen before and after cut-scenes promoting whatever brand of non-secular information someone pays for?

Seriously, I believe in freedom of religion. Believe what you wish. But I don't want to drive around a corner in a Mafia II map and see a huge billboard saying "Have you been saved?" Actually, that wouldn't bother me so much, but I use it as an example of what could be much more inflammatory, intolerant, excessive, etc.

 

[Nautical Honors Society]

All the anti-religious junkies on this site will pick no, but why not? Every media should be open to promote anything. Freedom of speech and media people!

 

[martyrdrebel27]

I went with yes since while I might not agree with an ideal I appreciate the effor put into promoting it. Hell, if cookware (primarily ones ability to bend it) can be used to promote religion, why not video games?

there is no spoon?

 

[Jaebird]

I don't think videogames are the right tool for promoting God. Think about how many times someone has yelled out, "God damnit!"

From what I've seen, religious people will use anything to force their beliefs upon others.

Agreed.

Seconded.

Then again, constitutionally speaking I don't think we can stop them. We can make sure they don't do things like, market it to kids and make sneaky deals to ensure that it is put in schools, but I would hope they don't make it completely obvious.

I wonder if a disclaimer could be added... "All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental."

Or we can all speak with our wallets and not financially support something that's so idiotic. Videogames have to be sold first, so they're screwed if they think the power of Christ, or any other religious figure, will compel the selling of units.

 

[Contun]

Sure, so long as they don't try to shove it down Atheists throats or anything.
If you guys don't want to hear that stuff you shouldn't have to.

 

[Thedayrecker]

Yes [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution]. And I'm an Atheist too. Religion can do whatever it wants UNTIL it violates somebody else's rights.

 

[SomebodyNowhere]

I went with yes since while I might not agree with an ideal I appreciate the effor put into promoting it. Hell, if cookware (primarily ones ability to bend it) can be used to promote religion, why not video games?

there is no spoon?

I was referring to the guys that use "the power of faith" to bend pans, but I suppose that works too

 

[ShoopDaToaster]

I guess they would be able to,but HOW would they?
Super Bible Land?
You play as jesus jumping around jerusalem jumping on romans (or whatever jesus was against)
and collecting crosses and at the end you fight satan?

I still chose no because it would be mostly like whoring out an ideal(religion or otherwise)

 

[garfoldsomeoneelse]

I'm a devout Atheist, but come on... guys, really? Videogames are about whatever the developer wants them to be about, and they're just as free to exercise their rights to expression as a developer that chooses to make a game about gods getting their testicles severed by a pale spartan with blades chained to his wrists. Let's be realistic: videogames, like any other form of media, are a legitimate vehicle for any sufficiently communicable message.

 

[RandomWords]

That seems...a little misleading to the children.

 

[DSK-]

I don't see why not. It would be less invasive than knocking on my front door. I just wouldn't buy it.

 

[SoranMBane]

The purpose of art is to distill and concretize the artist's own values, and since games are a form of art, I see no reason why they couldn't be used to promote meatier ideas such as religion.

 

[Jorias]

Video Games can promote Religion as long as they are used to Debunk Religion as well.....

 

[pneuma08]

I guess the majority of people don't believe in free speech, or hate the concept of religion (which is a terribly loose word) enough to censor.

Or perhaps the word in question is "should" - of the obligation to. I don't feel that's in the spirit of the question, though, given the answer choices. The question seems to ask, "should it be allowed" vs "shouldn't it be allowed". And so far the only reason I've sen for "it shouldn't be allowed" is "because I think it's stupid".

This really annoys me because free speech means putting up with things one doesn't agree with; e.g. "I hate [religion] so I should never have to deal with [religion]" is fundamentally incompatible with free speech (and [religion] is interchangeable with many other things).

This train of thought is terribly scary, and even reading some of the comments here, it runs on borderline oppression (e.g. "religion should not be promoted in any way" - I certainly hope you mean "marketed", sir). I shudder at the thought.

My challenge to everyone who voted "no": turn the question on its head. Ask yourself, "Should videogames be used to promote nonreligion?" - nonreligion in this case any form of belief that precludes religion altogether, organized or otherwise.

EDIT: The other problem that I forgot to address is that the question could mean "Should gaming be used by an individual..." as in the example vs. "Should the gaming market...", which implies financial optimization in the goal - this warps both the content of the question being answered (meaning the full question being answered is, "Should the gaming market use religion as a tool to increase financial success"). I don't feel this is an appropriate way to interpret the question.

 

[Jodan]

no i get enough preaching about something i gave up once i reached the age of reason in all the other media. lets let game designers be creative and leave religion out of it.

 

[Jesus Phish]

If a religion would like to create its own games to preach/promote its teachings, I see no problem with it.

Now, no religous game is going to be the next big thing, in fact if they made much more than flash or pc cd rom games I'd be impressed. But if parents, schools or even interested teens and adults want to learn about it, why not make a game?

 

[2xDouble]

Why do people have to turn everything into a religion war?
"Hey, this thing is fun. I think God is fun too!", "F YOU AND YOUR FUN THING!" ...seriously people. grow up.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

You may not like it, but my right to believe in God, or Allah, or the Flying Spaghetti Monster, or whatever supercedes your freedom of speech.
So shut the F up and quit being such a dick.