Today’s website pick is a deep study into the nature and theology of…video games. Among the things you’ll learn is that Mario attempts to be another Jesus.
Are any of your favorite games ruined forever now? Also, does anybody else think that this guy has found a really sweet way to justify playing a whole bunch of “bad” video games under the guise of warning others?
Third
Anti-last = first
But when Mario dies, you have to put in another quarter.
Is that really in the article?
That would have made me furious as a kid to hear that from the pulpit. And still does, to an extent.
The blatant lying is something I will not stand for from someone behind a pulpit…
First??
poop
Everyone knows that Jesus had a MUCH better mustache than Mario…
1st
LOL! Wow I thought Finally Free above had a dismal first effort, and then I saw this 2 posts later! 🙂
Wow. What happened? There was nothing at by the time I typed there were all of these. I must type a lot slower than I thought.
A really good excuse to watch video games? Yes. Also, you’ll occasionally hear of tv shows being talked about from the pulpit, that pastors have seen “At other people’s houses” or music that is used for illustrations which was heard “at Wal-mart.” Nice try, but we all know what you’re doing.
Sames goes for porn (not that I know anything about porn, of course)
For that one, see the tactics of one LaBarbera, Peter: anti-gay crusader.
Just skimming this a bit, it seems the author is unaware that messiah/savior imagery is a part of all world mythology and legend, and an integral part of most “Hero’s Journey” stories, which videogames partake of due to the fact all such stories have their roots deep in human nature. Referring to every iteration of that image as a “false Jesus” shows an extremely shallow understanding of stories in general. I should repeat: I’m just skimming article summaries, and it’s possible the author goes into more depth/detail/acknowledgment of the realities of storytelling in the full articles.
You obviously didn’t play Mario as a kid. He is Jewish, for one, and wears a white robe with a blue sash, and has a beard. Also, he gets crucified at the end of the game. The similarities are blatant.
I had a huge red warning sign at a former church of mine when one of the “long term visitors” went off on a tangent about how all the Final Fantasy games were actually evoking real demons and filling people’s souls with darkness by “opening up windows to the demonic”…
I was used to fundy crazy so I laughed and brushed it off. Should have realized it was indicative of the whole church.
Five long, painful years later…
Age of Empires. Haven’t played anyting since…too busy on SFL.
A much better use of your time, BRO. Hooah?
Hooah!
Oh my gooooosh!! Age of Empires is amazing.
I am so so very happy to know I am not the only one who still plays!!! I an quite sure that AoE is the greatest game ever made for PC.
Wow! So many AoE fans…Very cool indeed!!! I wish there was online play and we all could go at it. 😛
YES!!! I LOVE AGE OF EMPIRES!! That is one of my all-time favorite games/ series! Seriously, I would LOVE to play with you all somehow. Good News: a fan-made sequel to Age of Empires 2 got approved and is for sale on Steam. It’s called ‘Age of Empires II: Forgotten Empires’.
I used to play AoE all the time, I think I still have most all of the the versions and most of the expansion packs, great game.
My husband is addicted to Age of Empires. He used to be addicted to Civ II. I was a Civ II widow.
So, there’s this comment on the site:”I knew something was wrong with final fantasy. Like the Names Kain and the demon Beezlebub and bunch more. Square Cnix are also with kingdom hearts with Disney and in the begining of part 1 Donald and Goofy say they have to protect the “World Order”. The Devil is Everywhere its crazy!”
To which the author replies:
“Thank you for your comment and the encouragement, J.”
As opposed to what I’d reply to such a comment, which would be, “Dude, check your meds.”
This does not give me great faith (as it were) in the scholarship of the site’s author.
He’s a poser; hasn’t played Diablo III yet.
But Diablo II is my favorite game to this day.
The article on Mario – Apparently interacting with any of the following things is wrong:
Ice
Rocks
Rainbows
Fire
Clouds
Why? Because there are Bible verses that use those same words!
Click on the How to be Saved link. I dare ya. I double dog dare ya.
Then report back here.
I am SO glad you posted that.
Thanks, Scorpio–I clicked the link and am reporting back as suggested. My impression? I can’t help it, but every time I see this guy I get the urge to piss against the wall. Must be my aging bladder.
Thanks Scorpio! That made my day seeing our friend there 😉
I have to admit I don’t know who the video preacher is in the link. Been out of fundamentalism since he was a little boy so that’s probably why. Who is he?
BJg – That is none other than Steven “pisseth against the wall” Anderson. Crazy whack-job who makes some crazy claims. He is the person featured in the New World Order Bible Version video that was featured on Friday.
Here is some more of his crazy:
http://www.stufffundieslike.com/2012/09/logic-fails/
http://www.stufffundieslike.com/2010/05/guitar-lessons/
http://www.stufffundieslike.com/2012/02/making-movies/
I call inappropriate use of the double dog dare, to send us to that link. All SA related material is strictly no “double dog dare” territory, you know I can’t say no to those! 🙂
Nothing like a banner made in Paint to lend credibility to your website!
I looked at the site just to see what he said about Mario, which was straight up foolishness, so you found some words in the Bible and then twisted the verses around, he didn’t even make a good argument. What really irked me was his Minecraft one, clearly he never looked up the meaning of the word nether in a dictionary, it has NOTHING to deal with hell. Also as mentioned previously, that title graphic, it pained me, almost scared me away, and then I wouldn’t have known that I’m going to go to hell for playing Minecraft every now and then.
Wow, I can never look at Mario the same again. And to think I’ve been letting my 4 year old daughter play with Mario figurines. I’m just lucky I found this site before they started talking to her in demonic voices in the middle of the night like those troll dolls back in the 90s.
I mean everybody knows the evil of games like Final Fantasy and The Legend of Zelda (anything involving the word “fantasy” or “legend” is OBVIOUSLY from the devil) but I just never expected it from Mario.
This… this has to indicate this is a troll site… doesn’t it?
http://videogamesandthebible.com/2012/07/11/biblical-case-2-minecraft/
I’m angry now. 👿
Thanks for the laugh, although I find this quite sad as well.
As if Christianity has a corner on stories of good versus evil. As if Christianity is the only religion with “Messiah” figures. As if reading or playing science fiction/fantasy, means you are actually living that out……how crazy and fear-filled can Christians get?!?
Although I have often wished after reading books like the Chronicles of Narnia or The Lord of the Rings that those worlds actually existed. Oh no, I am on the slippery slope…
And here I let my daughter play a web version of Donkey Kong this weekend. Thought I was introducing her to the innocent days of my video game childhood. Little did I know I was exposing her to the root of the evil. Guess I’ve failed. 😥
Why I Don’t Play Video Games.
1. I lose
2. I break things when I lose
3. Today’s games have auto-save function, and we all know you cannot save yourself.
His article on Minecraft is impressive-
“Here we see how the Bible reveals exactly how Minecraft goes against the word of God and is leading millions of devoted players into a trap:
Players take a “point of diamond” (a diamond pickaxe), and use it to create a wide gate, that leads directly to destruction, the “nether parts of the earth.” Then, the game rewards you for it.”
The comments are even better. Someone asked if it would still be sinful if you never went to the Nether (Hell) and his answer, in part, was-
“The issue is not that going to the Nether is sinful. That article just shows to what extent Minecraft is built on a corrupt foundation (Psalm 11:3, Psalm 127:1), as with anything that is not founded on Christ. I cannot tell you that it is sinful, but if you are truly a born-again believer in Christ, ask God what you should do. Read your Bible and whichever way God leads, follow him.”
I love the “this is a horrible sinful thing” exclamations but when asked directly he falls back to do what God leads you all the time repeating how sinful it is.
By his reasoning even simple IRL games like cowboys and indians are sinful. Shoot, practically anything not directly worshiping God is sinful.
The only thing the Fundies get right (as even a stopped clock is right twice a day) is that these games can take up an inordinate amount of one’s time and energy, “Gee, it’s six o-clock already and I’m still not dressed! But I did get to Level 12, so that’s okay!” isn’t it? Isn’t it? 🙄
There’s a second article on Minecraft which is worse. It hurts to read. I can’t even process how deluded this guy is.
For people who believe that they are more filled with the Spirit than anyone else, fundies sure are terrified of becoming possessed by demons!
Wow, he doesn’t even get into the popular (and undoubtedly evil) cell phone games like Angry Birds and Plants vs. Zombies. I mean, just the names alone should give our souls pause! Angry??? Zombies (a mockery of the risen Christ)???
But Plants vs. Zombies is all about defending the home, right? So it has to have SOME redeeming qualities to fundies? Right? Right? 😕
Of course, lately I’ve been addicted to Limbo. I’m not even going to dare get into a fundy argument about that one.
I read the articles on Bioshock. He does realize that Andrew Ryan is the bad guy, right?
(Whew) I was worried that Grand Theft Auto might be there. I’m glad that I’m still good to pimp my hos and run meth.
I’ve noticed this in a lot of fundies: they don’t go after things that are obviously sinful; I assume they think that everyone KNOWS those things are wrong. Instead they attack things people think are innocuous and they attempt to prove that all those people are deluded, those things are really demonic, and they themselves are the all-wise, to-be-admired one who SAW the TRUTH!
(And thus you have pastors who rant and rail more about women wearing pants than about child molesters. Part of that is practical — he assumes that no one in his congregation IS a child molester (often wrongly assumes, sadly) but knows that women in the congregation might be tempted to wear pants. But the problem is that children raised in that atmosphere get a warped sense of right and wrong because they always hear little bits of nothing harped on as if they were major sins while truly horrible, wicked, evil sins aren’t even mentioned.)
…they attempt to prove that all those people are deluded, those things are really demonic, and they themselves are the all-wise, to-be-admired one who SAW the TRUTH!
Gnosis = Knowledge.
Occult = Hidden, Secret.
Gnostic = “He Who KNOWS Things”.
Occult Gnostic = “He Who KNOWS Speshul Sekrit Knowledge of What’s REALLY Going On”.
“In the Devil’s theology, the most important thing is to Be Absolutely Right and to prove everyone else to Be Absolutely Wrong. This does not lead to peace and harmony among men.”
— Thomas Merton, “Moral Theology of the Devil”
Ahhh, another reality-challenged fundie fetishist.
I admit it. I couldn’t look at everything. Obviously the (uhhh) “gentleman” has a difficult time distinguishing fantasy from reality.
Of course, I have heard plenty of sermons decrying “fantasy” as “becoming vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”
But it seems to me that this fear that somehow Mario will become Jesus for children is ridiculous. I don’t see children jumping down sewer pipes. And I don’t think anyone other than the uber-rich or politicians really try to see themselves as God.
hhHmmmm….
I don’t quite know what to think. I beat the original Link and Zelda, back in the original NES days, so I guess that represents a lot of sin. I’ve never been to the Nether, but I’m on the slippery slope by playing Minecraft occasionally. My favorite game, World of Tanks (WOT), didn’t make the list. I guess it is okay to drive a WWII era tank and shoot other tanks. (But my favorite tank is a Soviet tank, so I might be a closet Commie)
I wonder what he would have to say about Portal? I couldn’t find a mention during a quick perusal of the site.
I’ll have to study this more Wednesday when I’m on my “weekend”.
During my quick scan, I think between me, my three kids and two son-in-laws, we’ve hit at least 80-90% of the games. maybe more.
This kind of thing reminds me of the time a somewhat depraved (e.g. typical) college friend claimed he could make any word sexual, and then he proceeded to do it, using suggestions from whoever was in the room.
This guy can make anything “sinful.” 🙄
I’m very impressed by the relevance of this site’s material. Say what you want about him, he has a good idea of what’s up in the video-game world.
1) I would have expected a site on video games to have better graphics.
2) Any chance this guy formed a non-profit so he could get his video games for free? If so, genius. Especially if an IFB church is funding it. (I have this scenario in my mind where some IFB pastor’s kid walks up to dad and says, “Dad, I’ve been burdened about video games and want to start a ministry…”
That is exactly the vibe that site gives! The real question is whether he’s trolling his preacher-daddy or the site visitors.
I think he is writing this crap just so he can write off his PS or X-Box and his extensive game collection as ministry expenses.
http://videogamesandthebible.com/author/mrprogamer/
“GODPWNSEVERYTHING” ????
Is this an elaborate jokester?
I love to make avatars that look like Jesus (the white fundie History Channel Jesus) on some of my favorite video games. I once defeated Jesus on World Poker Tour. Jesus went all-in with a pair of Kings, I won with three Nines.
Playing against Jesus on the Nintendo Wi is awesome.
“I’ll see your frankincense and raise you a box of spikenard”
So, I saw the screen grab at the top and thought this was made up. I should have known better. OF COURSE they would make a web page that looks like something a kindergardener would put together.
When you look at it on a practical level, a one-winged angel is not going to fly very well. Then again, on a Fundy level, practicality has nothing to do with anything. 🙄
yet there’s nothing mentioned that I could find on the website about the Bible Adventures nintendo game I played when I was a kid. I guess that one is either getting a pass……or will soon be blasted as the satan worship, deity-denying NIV embracing, new world order propaganda that it really is!! 😯 😯
ooohh boy, I remember that one! My kids played it a lot, esp the part about baby Moses, where you’re supposed to race him to safety. My daughters are eternally damned, as naturally the first thing they always did was hurl Moses away and make his mother run all over the screen willy-nilly. 😀
Would satan worshipping, deity-denying NIV embracing, new world order propaganda really be that effective in 8-bit? 😉
absolutely! as is proven by the fact you were able to quickly recall so quickly the event of your daugter throwing baby Moses I would say it’s 8-bit is VERY effective!
Just as Mario is “another Jesus” children throwing baby Moses is eerily simiar to other famous baby throwers such as….King Herod 😈 😈
“I once met a high ranking satanist, and his brother who was the leader of a cult. I had the opportunity to interview them about how they delved into their pagan practices. Their response? Mario.” – Sad no one ever…
If Mario led someone into pagan practices, they were headed in that direction anyway.
Perhaps it was their “Christian” parents who screamed at them for playing the video games? Or hit them in anger at the smallest provocation?
Parents like that tend to turn away their children from the faith.
I agree with all of this. We love to blame the externals such as Mario, when the real issues are almost always our own sinful handling of relationships.
So that’s what this guy’s been doing since his “prayer” for God to kill President Obama led to enough backlash to force him “underground”.
“Prayer” or “Put a Hex On”?
Thirty years ago, it was pencil/paper/funny dice games. Other than that, no difference.
So what would be said about Bayonetta, I wonder? 😆