Satanic Themed Videogames on the Rise

[Therumancer]

Well the trend exists, but actually I don't think it's serious Satanism. I'm a Christian and my thoughts on the subject is that the majority of these games are pure works of fantasy, that oftentimes are asking philsophical questions. Within Christianity there are numerous questions about why the devil rebelled, the nature of hell, the relationship between god and the devil, what happened to the heavenly host that followed The Devil, and other issues. Not to mention some of the more over the top things God did in The Bible. Anyone with any spiritual thought into Christianity has wondered about these things (I'd call anyone who claims otherwise a liar). This leads to people wondering about things like "well, if God was actually responsible for some of the things he did in The Old Testament, maybe The Devil is actually the good guy and rebelled on behalf of humanity". This leads to them writing stories and such about it, voicing their questions, many of which are quite legitimate. God certainly hasn't come down for a Q&A session recently.

I consider a game exploring such elements to simply be fantasy, and storytelling. I have yet to find a single game that I felt was trying to say "this is how things really are, you should worship The Devil because he's a nice guy".

In some cases there isn't even that kind of thought behind it. In cases like the Shin Megami Tensei games, they use figures from pretty much all religions, ancient ones, and ones that are practiced today like Hinduism. None of these forces are portrayed as being truely "ultimate" it seems, and really they are just using Christian beliefs alongside others as part of the game, with none of them being especially accurate portrayals, especially given the massive co-existance of so many beings. What's more in many of the SMT games they seem to define various spiritual entities as part of the collected soul of humanity and our beliefs. If anything it's using atheism or agnosticism more than Satanism. Remember this is a series where the hero might have Messiah (Jesus I believe) and Satan as tag-team partners operating out of his head in some versions.

Then again while a Christian, I am a Christian agnostic, in part because I've wondered many of these same things. I believe in god as a benevolent being of pure good. That means that while I believe in him, and Jesus as our savior, I do not take The Bible as a literal record preserved by his hand of what he actualy said, did, or wants. This is largely because in stories like the one about "Abraham" I can't see a benevolent being trying to get someone to kill his kid in their honor, only to basically go "psyche" at the last moment. There are a number of things like that, especially old Testament... and really... if he's like that I'm not entirely sure he could claim to be better than The Devil. I do not want to believe in a pessimistic world where there is no good, so I feel that The Bible is incorrect and God is truely benevolent.

As a benevolrnet being I do not believe he is going to punish people for asking questions, and framing them in the form of stories and hypothetical situations.

What's more it should also be noted that some of those games are defined as being "horror" and the way they define the universe is part of what makes them freaky and scary. Think about it, if god WAS evil, what would that mean? Following through on that idea in a work of fantasy does not mean your saying that is what is true. What's more in some cases your dealing with dark stories of vengeance and some of those games with evil, satanic, type protaganists are not portraying what's going on as nessicarly a good thing. That's part of the point and why it's an "M" rated horror story. In general they provoke thought, and that is the point.

An "M" rating doesn't specifically address religion (obviously) since the law at least in the US cannot be biased, but it does tend to be used in cases where your dealing with wierd ideas. In a game with no good guys for all intents and purposes it gets rated "M" because you need an adult who can clearly seperate fantasy from reality and realize there is no real world basis for this. Something a kid might not be able to deal with, he can tell fantasy from reality to an extent, but might come away far more influanced than he should be.

Such are my (rather long) thoughts. Sadly I can't address the original source.

 

[Amnestic]

Some of these (DA:O) are the usual people-pulling-bullshit-out-of-their-sunbrighted-arses, but I suppose with Dante's Inferno he has rather hit the nail on the head.

Wasn't the whole premise of Dante's Inferno (I haven't actually played it) to go around slaughtering the hell living daylights poop out of the denizens of Hell?

I mean, that doesn't exactly sound like 'devil worship' stuff to me.

again though, not played it.

 

[presidentjlh]

Some of these (DA:O) are the usual people-pulling-bullshit-out-of-their-sunbrighted-arses, but I suppose with Dante's Inferno he has rather hit the nail on the head.

I propose a simple solution: If you don't like 'em, don't buy 'em.

But even in Dante's Inferno, your main objective was to redeem your love and then kick the Devil's ass.

The advertising campaign did rather focus on Hell and Satan rather than that though...

True, true, but then one's beef is with the marketing department, not the game developers.

 

[Fraeir]

The fact that they worry about this merely shows how brainwashed they were in their youth, and how easily offended they are by completely trivial stuff. I've yet to hear about people turning satanic/pagan/heathen or even atheist by games;

Religions -themselves- manage that just fine!

 

[ssgt splatter]

This guy's a loon.

 

[John Funk]

I could have sworn that Lucifer was the final boss of Dante's Inferno...

 

[presidentjlh]

Some of these (DA:O) are the usual people-pulling-bullshit-out-of-their-sunbrighted-arses, but I suppose with Dante's Inferno he has rather hit the nail on the head.

Wasn't the whole premise of Dante's Inferno (I haven't actually played it) to go around slaughtering the hell living daylights poop out of the denizens of Hell?

I mean, that doesn't exactly sound like 'devil worship' stuff to me.

again though, not played it.

I played it through, and the game was basically the opposite of "devil worship". Your goal was redemption from sin, and to save an innocent soul from Hell. In the end, you fight Satan himself (If anyone considers that a spoiler, you lack common sense.)

 

[Lord Honk]

For once, I stand strongly behind the constitution (mostly because, like most video game "controversies", i can't be asked to really give a damn): "religious freedom" is the keyword(s). What are atheists gonna say? For me, being one, it's just one more fantasy setting, seriously xD
For the more religious people here: If you prove to me that satanic games are NOT made to show that hell is bad and you should go to church regularly, then I will totally take your side

 

[TheNumber1Zero]

You know, it's people like this that give Christianity a bad name.
Well, that and the people standing at stop lights claiming the World is going to end every day for 3 months.

Still, at least the sign people give me a good chuckle, seeing as any so called Prophet worth his salt would know that the bible says not even the Angels above know when the end comes, let alone some homeless guy with a Marker.

 

[That's Funny]

Why does this remind me of the AVGN Super Mario Bros. 3 review, where the game is possesed by the devil.

 

[Eldarion]

I have to get back to you on this one, I have blood magic to practice.

Had no idea there was sex involved, I should pay more attention this time.

 

[Mordwyl]

As a roman catholic, I really see this as shallow and hypocritical of Christians to condemn games with this theme. Be it another religion, they wouldn't say a damn thing.

 

[antidonkey]

Ever notice how you never see satanist complaining about too many pro-christian games?

 

[Jonci]

Eye warship satin?

 

[Irridium]

In most games involving Satan your usually the guy who is murdering his demon hordes and sometimes even kicking Satan's ass yourelf. So I fail to see the problem. The only people who could ***** at this are Satan worshippers, and we ignore them anyway.

One simple thing for reply to this: HAIL SATAN!!

 

[Therumancer]

I haven't seen many games where you work with Satan. Most seem to have you doing the opposite and kicking his ass. The others don't even seem to have anything to do with christianity except for having similar words like god. Why are witches supposedly inherently evil anyway?

Understand that according to Christianity, there are only two real forces. God and The Devil. Anything that does not come from God, must come from The Devil, and god is very specific about what he does. The path to salvation is based on belief, acceptance, and repentance. The Devil doesn't have to lure someone into being a baby sacrificing monster to get your soul, all he has to do is turn you away from God. Thus one of his greatest tools is deception, he can do good works and appear as a benevolent figure that heals and does wonderful things, but it's not god. Thus you get sucked into torment for eternity even if you were doing good works in pursuite of a pagan belief.

What's more when you get past all the new age stuff, the world used to be a pretty brutal place. Ancient witches were not these new age hippy liberals, they were very much just as power as any other religious leaders, as well as being just as brutal and nasty as the Church. All of that human sacrifice and such was not made up, it happened just like it did among other primitive tribes and such. Of course you can't judge them exclusively for this because as you can tell from the Story of Abraham god has at least made a show of asking for human sacrifice himself (at least according to the Bible, which I do not take seriously).

To be honest I have mixed opinions about things like "The Inquisition", as monsterous as they were and the allegations they got a lot of "innocents", I don't think you can call "Witches" and primitives innocent either. Today's version of "The Old Faith" isn't like it's portrayed. Understand these are generally the painted savages who fought the Romans, and their descendants. Not a bunch of robed liberals skipping around a fairyland forest having joygasms until the evil "civilized men" decided to conquer them.

It's like any other war or conquest. There was no real "good" or "evil" it was one side against the other side. The winners get to write the history books, and then "hip" historians get to try and make a name for themselves by pointing out that there were some lies involved because frankly the winners ALWAYS say their side was right and just well beyond the truth.

-

At any rate, in some of those games mentioned your dealing with characters that have sold their soul for vengeance, or are dealing with a logic where based on some interpetations of the Old Testament things are reversed since God is a twit, and The Devil by and large rebelled trying to stop him on behalf of humanity. Or even a case where a sort of Sandman/Incarnations Of Immortality logic applies and both are VERY powerful but not truely alone in the universe like portrayed in The Bible and are around with other forces. In say Nocturne for example it takes place AFTER the end of the world, and all the forces in the universe are competing to decide the principles on which the next world after the one that has passed with be founded. God and The Devil are two of the major players, but there are also groups like older warrior gods (Norse, etc..) that want to see a universe totally defined by strength for example. The game can end differantly, and might involve you fighting God, The Devil, or both one after the other.


Games like "Devil Summoner" don't use a Christian religious logic at all, but deal with eastern-style mysticism where Demons can be tools that are summoned and controlled by sorcerors. In that series in paticular, the protaganist is a detective back in like the 1920s who happens to be an eastern mystic and champion of a temple, who specializes in taking on occult threats and mysteries.

Dragon Age portrays a totally fantastic world (which many Christians have been uncomfortable with, even ironically criticizing things like "The Chronicles Of Narnia" which were intended to actually be pretty Christian in tone... which I won't go into here). It's a work of "Dark Fantasy" and the witch in question is not portrayed as being a straightforward good guy. The whole "blood magic" option is supposed to be Dark, and the atmosphere I get from it is more Arthurian on a lot of levels (the conception of Mordred) than Satanic to be honest. Indeed in many versions "Morgan Le Faye" is partially tied to the realm of faerie, and nature as much as anything and I got the impression that everything from the name on was intended that way. I expect her baby to either be the villain in the next game (attacking the kingdom you helpd to save) or the hero, out to strike down the Kingdom once it's taken by a corrupt regime. Of course in Dragon Age Origins the whole incest angle is missing.


This is long enough, but again these are my thoughts, and some explanations on the logic.

 

[felixader]

There is an easy axplanation why you only hear religious people complaining.

ATHEISTS DON'T GET ASKED.

And this is on nearly EVERY theme that is to debate.

If anything comes into disscussion everyone gets a voice based o his religion, but not the atheists.

 

[Nalgas D. Lemur]

Well, considering Satan is a mythological figure associated with Abrahamic religions, this really only concerns them, doesn't it? And since they're on the decline in the world (due to a stunningly awesome image they've given themselves) I guess it's less and less of a concern as time goes by?

Yeah, only 3.something billion of them still around, while one of them is the fastest-growing in the world. Sure sounds like a decline to me... I mean, I would be thrilled if that were true, but it doesn't really seem to be.

 

[Delock]

Yeah, Darksiders and Dante's Inferno seem to be mentioned alot, despite the fact that they're more towards God than Satan. Darksiders: Main character chooses to serve in heaven rather than reign in hell. Dante's: going into hell to save someone from the Devil.
Even Dragon Age is more biblical than you might expect. Humans did what they shouldn't have in paradise, a place they were forbidden to enter, and as such God cast them out and cursed them. Hm... that sounds like the Garden of Eden story disected and put back together. Let's see, humans disobeyed God (apple), were forbidden from entering (angel with flaming sword), and were cursed (pain and having to toil)... Yeah, do people forget what the old testement is when they think violence is purely the devil's work.

I mean God had his angels cast down Lucifer and his army in a war (by the way, according to God, that sin is a whole generation, not saying how long that is or what generation it is of, of being damned), committed genocide of all but one family when he was displeased, destroyed two cities and turned the wife of the man he saved into salt because she looked back, brought the seven plagues down on Egypt, allowed his prophet to summon bears to kill those mocking him, condemned most of the tribes of israel to march in the desert for 40 years, overthrough many kings, condemned the first murderer to a life of exile along with putting a mark on him that instantly identified him as the first murderer, killed people for minor sins, brought armies together to WAGE WAR, etc.

I don't mind you having your own beliefs, but remember how many innocent women were killed because you saw Satan in them during the witchhunts, as well as the men they bewitched. Claiming to be Christian doesn't make everything you are against Satan's work, nor in fact does it give you the right to judge at all. In fact, as a Christian you're supposed to not judge, lest ye be judged. You remember the whole casting the first stone business? Stick to your own beliefs but do not try to force them on me.

Also, this needs to be said: stop trying to represent all christians, you few crazy people. You embrass the group and in the process are harming the message of God by stoping people from listening to it, making it look like mad ramblings that change to suit your views. That's right: You are the people helping the devil through your words!


EDIT

More on God and the Devil

I haven't seen many games where you work with Satan. Most seem to have you doing the opposite and kicking his ass. The others don't even seem to have anything to do with christianity except for having similar words like god. Why are witches supposedly inherently evil anyway?

Understand that according to Christianity, there are only two real forces. God and The Devil. Anything that does not come from God, must come from The Devil, and god is very specific about what he does. The path to salvation is based on belief, acceptance, and repentance. The Devil doesn't have to lure someone into being a baby sacrificing monster to get your soul, all he has to do is turn you away from God. Thus one of his greatest tools is deception, he can do good works and appear as a benevolent figure that heals and does wonderful things, but it's not god. Thus you get sucked into torment for eternity even if you were doing good works in pursuite of a pagan belief.

At any rate, in some of those games mentioned your dealing with characters that have sold their soul for vengeance, or are dealing with a logic where based on some interpetations of the Old Testament things are reversed since God is a twit, and The Devil by and large rebelled trying to stop him on behalf of humanity.

Ok, I snipped this down to some important parts. First of all, it's worth mentioning that though the belief about only things come from God and the Devil, the Devil came from God and that from what I know, only God can truely create. The Devil can only corrupt. This means that God made the corruption of man if you believe in this, therefore questioning such is questioning God. Have fun.
Also, it's actually really funny to hear people talk about God and the Devil in the relationship of mortal enemies, one of whom is seeking only good for man while the other wants only to corrupt, since during the Book of Job, they're actually chatting with one another about Job. God is pleased with him since he is pious, which Satan says it's only because things are going well. God then tells Satan to ruin his life in a sort of bet between them. In fact, after the first round of suffering is over, Satan asks if he can do more, which God allows so long as Job doesn't die. After this round, Job's friends come over to try to corrupt him. In the end, Job doesn't fall and God rewards him, but no punishment seems to be given to the devil for this.

 

[In Limbo]

God did it. For lulz.

He works in mysterious ways.