More Christian Rip-offery - digg this
First - God Squad wants Christian GTA - The INQUIRER
Tom Bean, CEO of Christian game makers Digital Praise, told MTV that his outfit takes popular styles of games and infuses them with more positive and encouraging content.Bean said that there were a number of games like GTA out in the marketplace, and some of them have been derided for their content as being inappropriate for kids or inappropriate in general.
Noooooo!!!! Okay so I don't have a problem with someone making an "open world" RPG computer game with Christian themes. That cooould actually be kind of cool. But is there one shred of GTA that you could "redeem" and put into a Christian context? Isn't it all about, I don't know, STEALING CARS. *ahem*
Second, this:
this makes me weep.
Settlers of Canaan. Have we hit the point of parody now? Was there something wrong with Catan that needed the ol' Christian whitewash? I mean granted it was done by the same game designer so they're not ripping him off I don't guess, but this game publisher, Cactus Game Design, specializes in "Christian-izing" games. They also did Redemption, a collectible card game Magic: The Gathering sort of rip off.
I ... I just don't understand. Why do we do this? Am I taking this way too seriously? Probably. You tell me.
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Total Number of Comments: 9
I hope it doesn't suck. Maybe you run around town doing RAC. Returning stolen cars. Send whores to half way houses. Getting gangmembers counseling
I'm a Christian and I think this stuff is gross. Totally ridiculous and just reinforces the insular stereotypes. Well, whatcha gonna do?
Ahh, the fear of Christians that "normal" games will affect them. Neat. How in the world can Christians grow and become more mature in a Christian bubble? How can they relate with the world, if they have no working understanding of what they do. It is a fine line, yes, but I think God is very pleased when we take Him with us into the world. Gee, that what Jesus told His disciples to do.
I think the thing that bugs me the most is the fear that Christians have of bringing God out of the church, and letting Him be Himself in the world.
Ya know, this economy will affect many megachurches, and they may have to shut down portions of the churchiopolises, and actually have to mix with the world. Hmm, maybe this downturn will help the Christians gathering in the stain-glassed compounds to go into the world's, "Highway's and hedges," and reach the lost. I read that in a book somewhere...
It makes us free thinkers both laugh and scratch our heads. We laugh because, as you pointed out in a previous post, the white-washed version is often inferior in quality. Also because we know the poor kids who'll receive these knockoffs can sniff out a phony and seek out the real thing.
We scratch our heads because we often don't see the need. We get, or at least I get that religionists will want to add religious elements to their lives and avoid secular things they consider wrong. But to attempt to replace it, especially when it is popular seems like such a futile attempt to bury their heads (and their children's heads) in the sand. Ostriches, that's what they bring to mind.
"Don't look now, but I think there's something secular right over there! Quick, "
Settlers of Cannan! What's next, Christian blogs? ;P
So you need a new car?
Let your fingers take a walk
through the business guide
for the "born again" flock.
You'll be keeping all your money
in the kingdom now,
and you'll only drink milk
from a Christian cow.
-Steve Taylor
Why would you need a game to be Christianized? Play a game for what it is. If you want a game with Christian overtones... create one. If it is good the masses will follow.
@ Dave, hmmmm that has potential.
@ Cory, kick up some fuss. Let people know about how stupid this is.
@ Jeff, I agree totally.
@ Sid, I scratch my head too, though I can't laugh, not yet. And I was bloggin' when bloggin' wasn't coooool.
@DC Perry, sad thing is some Christians will only go to "Christian" businesses.
@B13 Truer words were never spoken.
Darn, Dave and B13 both made the same points I wanted to make.
Honestly, I'd love to just see a Christian version of GTA. I guess instead of the hot coffee mode, you'd wrap up the date with a firm handshake and a vow of celibacy :)