War- and killing-themed video games used as entertainment is a disappointing indicator of our culture today. Since earliest times, people have fought and killed to defend their families and homes. No one thought of this violence as an after-school or church youth group activity.

In the article “Religious Influence in Society,” L. Ron Hubbard states, “When religion is not influential in a society or has ceased to be, the state inherits the entire burden of public morality, crime and intolerance. It then must use punishment and police. Yet this is unsuccessful, as morality, integrity and self-respect not already inherent in the individual cannot be enforced with any great success. Only by spiritual awareness and inculcation of the spiritual value of these attributes can they come about. . . . When a culture has fallen totally away from spiritual pursuits into materialism, one must begin by demonstrating they are each a soul, not a material animal. From this realization of their own religious nature individuals can again come to an awareness of God and become more themselves.”

I appreciate the relevance being attempted by churches today to encourage youth to enter the church fold. Churches, synagogues and temples provide for participation by all members of the family. And while there are many paths, Scientologists still believe churches to be the foundations for a moral society and through religion, seek to promote ethical action within our community. Isn’t it really our mission to ensure the children of today become the ethical, compassionate and spiritual leaders of tomorrow?

Halos are for the angels promoting peace and understanding amongst the peoples of Earth, not for killing thrills.

CATHERINE EMRANI
Volunteer Minister
Glendale Church of Scientology

Perhaps I should start out by saying that the last video game I played was Pong in the 1980s, and that was when the Atari company was still in business. So I personally am not drawn to video games, nor can I understand their popularity. But that’s not the issue; the issue, it seems to me, is this: Do the ends justify the means? I would vote no. If we want young males to flock to church, how about a live peep show? If we want young males to come to church, how about a showing of “Debbie Does Dallas” in Sunday School?

We pastors have a tough decision to make, and I personally think about it all the time: Is our first loyalty to God or to having a large church? It is quite easy for a minister to slip into the trap of equating a full church to being faithful to the Living God. Having a full church is quite ego-satisfying to this preacher — but is that what the Lord is asking of me?

We all want to reach the youth because churches full of young people mean (probably) the survival of the church, and none of us wants to have a church die or close on his/her watch. But what does God want? I don’t claim to know, but I’ll guess the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah’s term for God) is not on the side of bring ’em in any way you can, including violent video games.

THE REV. C. L. “SKIP” LINDEMAN
Congregational Church of the Lighted Window United Church of Christ
La Cañada Flintridge

The issues of fantasy violence related to Halo 3 is not addressed by any specific Islamic concept or Islamic religious ruling for Muslims in the U.S. So the general rule of Islam applies that all things are permissible unless there is a specific religious-based teaching calling for a prohibition. So the Halo 3 as a form of video game entertainment is left to sound scientific research data and basic common sense of parents and community leaders as it pertains to Muslim youth.

In isolated cases, Muslim communities are using video gaming as one means of attracting Muslim youths. It was reported that an Oakland mosque purchased a video gaming system 10 years ago as part of its Islamic youth group activities, and several other Muslim youth groups currently have incorporated some form of video game activity as a means to provide a social and entertainment outlet.

I did not get any reports from the few youth groups I surveyed in Southern California that Halo 3 was specifically used as part of a Muslim youth program. One likely pragmatic factor was that Halo 3 was released during the month of Ramadan this year. Ramadan in the Muslim community is a time of increased spiritual activity like extra Koran reading and additional prayers for adults and youth alike.

Although the release of Halo 3 during Ramadan this year did affect several Muslim families with gaming enthusiasts, mine included, on a personal level. The release of Halo 3 and its use to attract Muslim youths to mosques is simply a non-factor so far, but this may change as the effects of the 2007 Ramadan season wear off.

LEVENT AKBARUT
Islamic Congregation of La Cañada Flintridge
 

It’s interesting that something called Halo, stereotypically associated with light encircling an angel’s head, would be considered controversial for use in churches. I wonder if anyone would object if, instead of humans fighting aliens, this game had the heavenly hosts fighting demonic hordes.

Battle is as old as the Bible, but while Christianity is never to be advanced through force, it is the case that God’s people have fought in wars, and the spiritual path is even likened to a military campaign. This, I think, is the angle being used by ministries attempting to connect with youth already enamored with Halo.

Everyone relishes tales of heroism, and victory, and it feeds something within us. Mel Gibson’s “Braveheart” wouldn’t have been such a blockbuster had it not touched upon these, and when we were kids, there were no video games like Halo. Pong was about all, so boys would arm with toy guns and dirt-clod grenades, and battle for good in the playground and wood across America. Accordingly, social scientists denounced this as harmful and suggested that boys should play with dolls instead.

I once took my boy to a father-son retreat. Saturday afternoon we engaged in a paintball war. The rule was that we had to protect each other, and if either was “bloodied” with a red splat, both were “out.” It was the most fun I ever had, and it took teamwork and ingenuity, and it taught some good lessons. This was morally good.

Halo is not about murder, it’s about a war to save Earth. Christians have been trying to do that for 2,000 years, and while Halo is make-believe, the spiritual battle rages. Let’s leave it to individual ministries to sanctify Halo’s use to win that one. Amen?

THE REV. BRYAN GRIEM
Senior Pastor
MontroseCommunity Church.org

I definitely have a problem with the violence aspect of these games.

While correlations to actual violence are always questionable, depending on whose statistic you follow, at the very least they desensitize us to violence, suffering and death. And since the church is that place which should uphold the sanctity of life, these games should not be endorsed by the church.

But I have a bigger issue with this practice of deceptive marketing. Whether you use the Halo video or a standard game of basketball to bring youths (or people) in with the intention of giving them something else, shows a lack of confidence in your product.

This bait-and-switch practice is used by different businesses to lure people to their showrooms.

Think of the paid trips to exotic locations, which are given away just to have us listen to a 90-minute high-pressure sales pitch for a time-share. Or the one car that is offered below wholesale price and somehow is always sold before we get to the lot, just to lure us to a particular dealership. Wouldn’t you think that if these companies believed that their product had the quality and worth that they purport they do, they could bring us into their store on merit alone?

I think the same is true for religious groups. When they appeal to these campaigns to recruit people, it’s a signal that says, “We don’t believe in our product, so we need to trick you in through the door with something else.”

Reflecting on Jesus and his call to people, it was a straight-forward invitation to follow him.

He never sugar-coated the invitation; in fact, just the opposite, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (New Revised Standard Version, Matthew 16:24) Sure, not everyone followed and “. . . because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him.” (John 6:66); nevertheless, he kept his message as the center of his invitation.

As ministers of the Gospel, we’re commissioned to do the same. Keeping Christ’s message of love and hope at the center of our invitation is the greatest call to the faith.

FATHER VAZKEN MOVSESIAN
Armenian Church
Youth Ministries

The church’s foremost message to the world is the gospel: Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again, and He offers reconciliation to God and eternal life to every person who receives Him as Lord and Savior. I agree with the principle of using what is culturally relevant to reach people with this message, but I’d warn that entertainment that is relevant to the world is not always appropriate for believers in Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 encourages us to “abstain from every form of evil” (New American Standard Bible).

Paul wrote that “it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret” (Ephesians 5:12). The violent taking of life is just one form of evil in our culture, but apparently to some it’s more acceptable than other evils. Would churches use video games that include drug abuse, or sexual immorality? If not, then we shouldn’t promote violent games.

“Do not envy a man of violence, and do not choose any of his ways,” says Proverbs 3:31. Our goal is to make followers of Jesus Christ, who is gentle and humble in heart. He never raised a sword. He never even raised His voice in the streets. Jesus didn’t kill aliens. He reconciled to God a people who were alienated from Him.

PASTOR JON BARTA
Valley Baptist Church
Burbank

We’re all aware of how difficult it can be to attract youth to religion and religious programming; using novel approaches to appeal to this demographic is an ever-present challenge for the clergy.

Whether it’s on a television show, at a rock concert or in a local game room, young people are used to high-energy entertainment that’s often rife with violence and other antisocial ingredients. Spiritual causes can seem to be at a disadvantage in trying to compete for attention against this plethora of “edgy” events.

While I can understand the temptation to utilize some of these same alluring methods to draw people to our houses of worship, this approach sends a terribly wrong message to those who we’re trying to influence. It’s one thing to make our youth events fun and engaging (and to embrace new technologies to spread the word), but introducing elements that portray violence or other negative qualities — even if only briefly and for a well-meaning purpose — in essence says that such things are not altogether wrong. Communicating this mixed message to young people is a bad idea that can lead to confusion later in life.

Religious organizations have a mandate to try to get young people spiritually engaged. But we have an equally important responsibility to shape their impressionable hearts and minds using only positive methods.

To use any other approach to reach someone who’s in their critical, formative years is not only ethically questionable, but may ultimately defeat the positive purpose we’re trying to achieve.

RABBI SIMCHA BACKMAN
Chabad Jewish Center
 

---