New Study: Video Games Linked to Crime, Violence and Sexual Deviance. Church Leaders Offer Sigh of Relief

Dietrich Stevenson AP
Vatican City- Today marked a celebration in the Holy City that rivaled Papal inaugurations, Easter and Christmas mass. Pope Benedict, as well as other promenat Christian Leaders, anouced to their flocks that a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine that linked video games with deviant behavior such as crime, lewdness, and violence. This study came as a shock to many experts who linked such behavior to the Christian Church. Dr. Paul Liberwitz of Harvard School of psychiatry expressed his surprise to the new findings, "I am completely shocked! For 2,000 years the Church has been the 'whipping boy' when it came to passing blame on the rise of violence and inappropriate sexual behavior. I guess we were wrong; it was video games all along!"
Catholics were not the only ones celebrating as news of this victory spread through out the Christian religion. Protestant leaders such as Jerry Falwell, and Dr. James Dobson exclaimed on their national syndicated programs the "Good News" that video games, and not their oppressive views of Holy Scripture, were the reason behind the apparent increase of "sinful behavior." "In the 50's," stated Dobson, "We didn't have video games and we also didn't have sin."
As news of this study begins to infiltrated the masses, many are relieved that the Church is absolved from any cause to such behavior. Bob Merkly is one such person as he confessed in his Evangelical Bible Study that his problem with pornography and several affairs was due to his "experimenting with Pong in the 70's" and not with "[my] religious upbringing that taught me [that] women are only objects for a man's pleasure." In another related confession, convicted arsonist Doug Hybel, has sought an appeal to his conviction in burning down two abortion clinics in Illinois. He now claims that it was not God, nor his pastor that convinced him to burn down the clinics but the evil "tools of Satan" referring to his collection of video games as a child. "Mario, Luigi and that damn Mega Man made me burn those clinics," cried Hybel.
Some however are denying the claims of the new study and believe that the Church has invested billions in creating such a report to get the media off their backs. Whether a vast conspiracy or a new revelation, the Church sighed with relief today as criticisms seem to be shifted elsewhere, for now.

Politics, Religion, and Video Games

I know, I know, it is considered rude for a casual conversation to contain the following items. However, I simply cannot stay quiet about my three favorite subjects of all time. The first two (politics and religion) seem to be stuck in the same rut. Both of these realms seem to lose the everyday person by being too polar. One side wants to hold on to some tradition or another, that has some serious flaws, because it represents some distant "good ol' days." On the other hand you have those who want to throw out the baby with the bath water and trample on tradition and begin to make a new tradition that is just as flawed as the previous one. Why? I don't know! However, I do know that both could take lessons from the video game world. The video game market has climbed steadily since the 70's due to some interesting observations. The first of these observations is the strength of tradition. The video game has not changed much in the last 30 years. The same genres and characters are still around today as the were years ago. Instead what has changed is the interaction the player has with the game. Know players can control 3-dimensional characters in a 3-d world. They can choose what they will look like and are not forced to be confined to a set pattern or mold. In other words, the basics of the games has stayed the same but the player has been given freedom to explore and find out who they are. Would not politics and religion benefit if they followed video games? I don't know. But I think that politics and religion would benefit from allowing those who participate the actual ability to participate. We cannot even vote directly for our own president for crying out loud! And it sure would be nice if churches allowed people to be people some of the time. It is sad when the two fields that influence so much of our lives fail to see what is so important in the lives of people. I know that video games are not the answer for it is wrong in our world but they sure do get blamed a lot. Instead of condemning the video game and all of its influence maybe politics and religion should take time and see how they can reclaim their turf o' influence back from Mario and company.

Xbox Returns!

So my good friend the Xbox has made its return to my television set... And with a vengeance! I last played my Xbox before I moved from K.C. three months ago. It was good to see my friend once again and we fell right back into place as if we were never separated. Oh how much I love my Xbox. The game I am currently playing is a great game called "Beyond Good and Evil." The plot of this adventure game is to use your skillz as a photographer who is hired by a rebel organization to spy and find proof of a government conspiracy. This game is tight! It has a killer soundtrack that is probably one of the best that I have ever heard in a video game.
On a more serious note... It must seem like a conspiracy to some that the Gulf Coast is being blasted with hurricanes this last month. What gives? Should we evacuate the entire south for a few months and let the place heal? It saddens me that this stuff happens and I ask that everyone pray that the Lord will protect those who are in potential danger and help those who are in need. Sometimes situations like these require Christians to think beyond simply defining events as good or evil and instead seek what they can do to help those who are in need.

I love Jesus... It's Kinda Scary

Although I have a great wife and family (and some friends to boot) my life is far from perfect. My job is a busy one that pays didly poo and offers strife as a benefit. Why do I stay? Because I love to do what I do. Just look at Jesus (picture provided). Could you say no to that face? It is a face of love and compassion, and quite frankly He looks kind of sexy. You just know that with His baby brown eyes that He could captivate you and compel you to do His will. I can hear His voice now, "Follow Me... to the store, buy me something" or "I love you, now give Me a bite of that taco." What's not to love about Jesus?
But seriously people, Why do so many people stay away from Jesus? Is it the church who have made Jesus into a weapon to beat people with guilt and condemnation? Are we to blame Mel Gibson for making us feel... what ever it was we felt in his movie? How about Jesus Himself? Did Jesus fail to give us what we really wanted or needed? Or is it the fact that people are fickle? I personally blame me. That's right I blame me. I know that I have not been the best example of Jesus to all those I encountered. It's time to start showing the real Jesus. No more Mr. Nice Jesus! It's time to keep it real with the Real Jesus. If you want some more info on the Real Jesus then click here. Yes, I think I will be in trouble for this one. What do you think? Just remember, don't ask me.

Two Blogs in One Day?!?

Ok the first one was a rant that I needed to get off my chest. This one is way more serious. I have noticed the alarming amount of Pastors out there who do not trust their own minds. Although I normally think this is a positive thing since most pastors are completely insane when it comes to things like politics, religion, the Bible and life. However, I still believe they should try. I guess what I am getting at is that it surprises me how many pastor use other pastor's "stuff." By stuff I mean sermons, Bible studies etc. The last few weeks I have been leading the church Bible study and was locked into using this other pastor's material. The stuff is pretty weak sauce if you want to know. Anyway it just bugs me that I have to use other peoples stuff. To be honest my problem is not so much the stuff but the quality of said stuff, or lack there of. It seems to me that all one has to have in order to make pastor stuff is to have a congregation that is extremely large where no one knows anyone and they really don't buy into the stuff but the pastor thinks they do because they keep coming when in reality they come because the pastor's stuff is easier to do then the other pastors' stuff. Say no to stuff!
I must say that I really like the movie "The 40 Year Old Virgin." Perhaps the reason I liked it was that I felt that it gave virginity a good, although goofy spin. Since I was a 25 year old virgin until I got married I thank I laughed more than the others in the theater since it felt close to home. So far it made me laugh more than some movies but I think that there was little in the area of great lines that desire to become apart of your everyday life. For example my sister insists on calling everyone a pirate hooker. Good flick but not as rewatchable as the classics like Tommy Boy or Basketball. 3 Manuals out of 4.

Katrina, High Gas Prices and Theodicy

The last few weeks have been tough for this country. With the destruction of the New Orleans area and the gouging of gas prices (which riases the price of everything) many people in this country are hurting. Worse than all of this destruction is the lame ass excuses that people give for the happening of these events. My particular favorite are those who claim that God is punishing people because they are bad. Well if this is true then I am glad that I live in a place where people have great Christian standards. Way to go Los Angeles! That's sarcasm. Of course the big fancy word that describes the nature of God with suffering and evil is theodicy (check the link). Does God send hurricanes to punish poor people and minorites because they are sinful? Of course not! Did God want those people to die and suffer? Nope. Is it just me or does the US have to understand that most people in this world suffer in their daily lives? What has happened and continues to happen is that people do not want to take responsibility for their actions. New Orleans has hurricanes, it is bellow sea level, it is next to a major river... sounds like trouble. In fact it is a situation that happens every year in the country of Bangladesh. The poor fishing caste has now where to live except on the coast where EVERY YEAR they have mast flooding durring their rainy season resulting in hundreds and thousands of deaths. Does God have it in for these people? The long and short of it is that we can past blame for as long as we want as our leaders have chosen to do or we can do what God is doing and helping people in need. Every time we see people helping others we are seeing God at work.

Hypocrits, Liars, and My Other Qualities

Yep, I broke my promise. I did not write the second blog nor opened the X-Box. However, I do have a decent excuse. This last weekend was rough. It began on Friday when my Senior Pastor called to say that he would not be able to be there on Sunday and that I would have to preach and lead the service. Great! So I spent Friday preparing (read panicing over) my sermon and worship service. The service was already planned to be a special service that was recognizing those who served in the church. In fact we giving the highest award my denomination has to two people. Of course this is all find and dandy except for the pancake breakfast that we held on Saturday for 200 people. Still not a problem. Then there was that community theatre performance on Saturday night that I had to go to that featured 5 people from the church. Starting to panic! After Sunday school and a wonderful service, it dawned on me that I should prepare for the Sunday night Bible study and maybe I should pack since I was leaving for San Diego after that. Overall I made it through the weekend and had a wonderful time in San Diego catching up with old friends and professors. Even found time to sneek in a fantasy football draft and a movie.
Speaking of which I recomend watching Four Brothers. It is a decent story with some humor and sadness. Overall Mark Walhberg did white trash as good as anyone and Andre 3000 is actually a good actor. The story was very similar to that of the Passion narratives... if the disciples opened a can of whop-ass on those who killed Jesus. I give it 3 1/2 Manuals out of four.