PhoenixFlare500
Diamond Membership
I like chocolate[ss:LostPeon's Gray][ss:LostPeon's Gray]
Posts: 896
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Post by PhoenixFlare500 on Dec 14, 2006 18:24:46 GMT -8
The european and UN status are not in revelations. They could be in there, those exact terms just wouldn't be used. I heard something about it mentioning the antichrist leading a group of countries or nations or something, those might be the other heads of the beast (I don't really remember the story haven't read it in a long time). The whole European thing actually might be in there, it just wouldn't be explicitly mentioned. It's like in the book of Daniel, Alexander the Great is mentioned, just in different terms (I think it's related to the story of the ram and the goat but don't quote me on that). I actually do believe that everything in the book of Revelation is a prophecy that will come true, but a lot of the language is metaphorical (so i.e. Maybe the word dragon or beast may refer to a person or a corporation that will somehow take power). I know that. Doesn't mean I'm gonna go do it.
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Post by technohawk on Dec 14, 2006 21:18:56 GMT -8
Yea AA seems to be a highly rated game, just odd that's it's a propaganda tool at the same time.
But anyways back to the topic.
Saying Europe is mentioned or alluded to in Revelations is stretching it. Kinda like saying Jesus got married and had kids is considered a stretch by most people.
As for me I don't take the book of Revelations as truth at all. Sounds closer to a really bad acid trip.
I'm just not that fixated on the fire and brimstone and people shouting "Start repenting and do what we say or you will suffer for eternity."
And regardless of the prophecies being true or not, Appocalyptic viewpoints seem to be on the rise in recent years.
Classic fear mongering to maintain control.
You should be doing good deeds because it's just the right thing to do, not doing it out of fear of retribution from a hateful/vengeful God.
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Post by raen7 on Dec 27, 2006 19:23:45 GMT -8
Since I am a man of action (sometimes, anyway), I have actually sent a letter to Focus on the Family's "Plugged In" staff, because this little piece of news lit a bit of fire under my feet. I'd like to re-print some of it here for the sake of this thread's argument. Note that when I address someone with "you" or "your", I'm referring to the letter recipient, not you guys.
------------------------- I find it deplorable that this game is being touted as some kind of blessing to the Christian community, and that it's being hailed as "an evangelism tool for teens". This is nothing more than an outright Jihad-istic declaration of war against the principles of decent Christians, and the common sense of everyday people. Given the current global environment, and the fact that religiously motivated violence continues to be a central point of debate and cause of grief for those of us who actually pay attention to the real world, I am shocked. I am shocked and disappointed that any Christian with an ounce of common sense left in him would think that this game is anything but a resounding declaration that everyone who ever criticized Christianity, for being closed-minded, intolerant, and violently opposed to differing points of view, is, in fact, CORRECT.
What better "X-mas" present more could critics of the church ask for, than a high-level pastor who took drugs and had freaky gay sex with a male prostitute, and a game about forcing people to convert to your dogma on pain of death? This is no longer about the game itself. This is about the fact that you and your organization are wantonly supporting and endorsing the production of something that will give an infinite supply of ammunition to anyone who's ever wanted to slap their Bible-thumping friends and relatives in the face and say "Shut UP, you mindless, proselytizing, egotistical sellout JERK!"
I am a gamer, and I have played things like "Command & Conquer: Generals", and "Halo", and "Battlefield 1942". (I've never played Grand Theft Auto myself, because I'm opposed to it on principle.) But, I can also make the distinction that, when it comes to real life, I'm not about to pull out a gun on someone that looks like a terrorist, without first exhausting all other possibilities. I can have an intelligent, logical debate with an atheist about the existence of God or the current state of affairs in the Middle East, WITHOUT throwing the Bible in their face, because I'm smart enough to know when it's appropriate, and when it's POINTLESS.
The problem isn't so much that a game like this (or a movie like "Passion of the Christ") is allowed to be made; that's part of the 1st amendment. (By the way, the same rule applies to Grand Theft Auto; deal with it.) The real problem is people like you, who latch onto the next big "Christian" entertainment product like it's the greatest thing since Billy Graham.
Back in ’04, when Mel Gibson’s little movie hit the theaters, thousands of Christians touted it as “the greatest movie ever made” (even though, from an aesthetic standpoint, it was rather pedestrian). People brought as many friends as they could, hoping they would somehow be “touched” by Jim Caviezel’s depiction of Christ’s great love for His lost people. And Gibson sat back, got arrested for drunk driving, and insulted the Jews. Similarly, people today are urging everyone they know to see “An Inconvenient Truth”, thinking that Al Gore’s words of wisdom will convince every SUV-driving suburbanite that they should get themselves a Prius and plant a few dozen trees. These products, as well as this "Left Behind" computer game, need to be seen for what they are: money-making vehicles of propaganda for their respective parties.
And now we come to the end 2006, where Sony proves that the cult of materialism is more hulking and rabid than ever, Ted Haggard resigns from the National Association of Evangelicals due to sexual indiscretions with a crystal-meth dealing man-whore, and Troy Lyndon pushes a Christian-branded Jihad disguised as a computer game. Just don’t be surprised when nobody wants to hear the Message anymore, because it’s drowned in a sea of misconceptions, anger, and intolerance. -------------------------
Questions?
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Post by technohawk on Dec 27, 2006 19:30:41 GMT -8
Nicely written Raen. Exalted art thou.
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dxlightning
Platinum Membership
[ss:LostPeon's Gray][ss:LostPeon's Gray]
Posts: 1,246
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Post by dxlightning on Dec 27, 2006 20:15:20 GMT -8
Question: Do you agree it would be a fun game to play, putting the "moral values" aside? Cuz honestly that's all most people care about in a game
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Post by raen7 on Dec 28, 2006 2:30:42 GMT -8
Nicely written Raen. Exalted art thou. If by that you mean you actually gave me an "exalt," that's the first karma point I've gotten on these forums. Not that they're worth any more than those god-awful e-props from the old Xanga days. But thanks anyway My goal is not to exalt myself (although I try to write well), but to point out the irony in a supposed Christian's endorsement of a computer game that teaches intolerance, violence, and rabid proselytizing reminiscent of the US military draft. Answer to dxlightning: I doubt it; judging from the more gamer-oriented reviews, it sounds like a snoozer. I'll stick with my Generals and Warcraft for now. But rest assured, I am capable of separating gameplay from any moral or ideological message the game company is trying to push on me. I already mentioned Generals as an example; I have just as much fun destroying a USA opponent with devious bio-chem weapons as I do wasting an Arab opponent with 50 tanks whose catchphrase is "Preserving Freedom".
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Post by technohawk on Dec 28, 2006 15:47:29 GMT -8
My goal is not to exalt myself (although I try to write well), but to point out the irony in a supposed Christian's endorsement of a computer game that teaches intolerance, violence, and rabid proselytizing reminiscent of the US military draft. Part of the reason I started the thread was just an experiment to see if any christian would actually denounce the game as propaganda instead of blindly believing that: If it's christian made it must be good. It was things such as the mentality that went behind this game that lead me to seek out other forms of spirituality and leave the christian church. I had tried to "stand up" as you did in your letter but was strongly discouraged to do so by most everyone I knew. So I left. And that is likely why I show a tad of anger towards the average christian on the board, because most of them don't seem to question their faith and just blindly believe in whatever their leaders tell them. And as for the game again, even from a gamers view I don't see this as any good. Most games based on books and/or movies are horribly made attempts at taking money away from an existing target demographic. Plus the fact that you can do a wrong deed and just press a button or 2 to undo it makes the game seem too easy. Quite literally it is like having "God" mode permanently engaged(pun intended).
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Post by raen7 on Dec 28, 2006 18:10:53 GMT -8
It was things such as the mentality that went behind this game that lead me to seek out other forms of spirituality and leave the christian church. I had tried to "stand up" as you did in your letter but was strongly discouraged to do so by most everyone I knew. So I left. May I suggest that you chose the path of less resistance? Not the path of least resistance, mind you, but less. The average Christian, as you said, does tend to blindly believe whatever their overlords want them to believe. But, then again, so does the average atheist. So does the average person, in general. Just some food for thought. I agree with your assertion about games based on books/movies, though.
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Post by rabidgecko on Dec 28, 2006 18:50:40 GMT -8
umm i dunno if you havent played many of the lord of the rings games, ie battle for middle earth 2 for example, great game...
but yea otherwise, i agree completely with what you guys say... except i try to stop myself from being like those people you talk about, blindly following what they are told to do
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