Just another lazy bit of journo about games, religion, culture? Or something else
http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3146863
Proving that broad-brushing/reductionist/massively simplistic/ innaccurate cultural pronouncements are not limited by party, religious group, or media outlet, this article from CGW starts with this mess of statistics:
According to the religious data repository Adherents.com, over 75 percent of U.S. citizens are Christian. Compare that to the Entertainment Software Association's assertion that 50 percent of all Americans play videogames. The average gamer is 30 years old. Adult gamers have been playing an average of 12 years, and in 2004 alone, 19 percent of those over age 50 clocked time thumbing a gamepad in front of a television. Combine those stats, and it stands to reason that a significant percentage of U.S. gamers are also actively religious.
The writer starts with that stat and uses the catchall term "Christian" but never makes a point to note that it _is_ an innaccurate(for the purposes of the article) term. There's no distinction made between, say, somebody believing in a God out there and full-on fundie/Dobson nationalist-types(read: "evangelicals").
The writer seems to start by wondering if there's a cognitive disconnection with vocal, evangelical adherents of a religion whose central tenets include "Thou Shalt Not Kill" playing really violent games, where the point is to cap as many folks as you can. That possibility is quickly diregarded by the religous conservative gamer groups that he talks to, and the writer never questions the easy dismissal.
The lack of critical thought shows up later, when he never stops to wonder about the cultural ramifications of a group that he covers, a hilariously/frighteningly psuedo-military group which adopts full military rankings for its members:
"MOG uses ranks similar to the ones found in the U.S. Army. If you are chosen to serve in this ministry, you will start as a recruit and may advance as your level of contribution to the ministry increases and matures. Always remember to show those with higher rank than yourself (and those of lesser rank) the respect that they deserve, not only as brothers and sisters in Christ, but also as people who have been placed 'in authority over you' by the Lord."
-From Men of God International, "Expectations and Requirements"
The article does include another dandy of a quote:
"Many people seem to have this misconception that somehow Christian means nonviolent. Look at the stories in the Bible; they're some of the most violent and exciting epics ever written. Look at The Passion of the Christ, the most violent and most successful Christian movie of all time."
Your thoughts? Is this just a really narrow article covering a narrow cultural phenomenom, or is the guy just missing a whole lot here? Or is it just another superficial bit of game journo to be discarded?
Found this article from GamePolitics, which has 100+ posts of the usual entertaining reponses.
― kingfish kuribo's shoe (kingfish 2.0), Sunday, 22 January 2006 23:18 (twenty years ago)
I'd be inclined to go with the idea that a hell of a lot of people class themselves "christian" on say, a census or whatever, and probably go to church at xmas and easter - and that'd be it. Maybe not so much in the US, but certainly in Australia lip service is all it is for a very large number of ppl.
Which kind of ruins his argument right there really.
― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 23 January 2006 03:57 (twenty years ago)
BTW you know the Salvation Army also have that ranking system in a christian sense, so its hardly something whacky or out there =)
(I need to read the full article but I havent time right now, Im at work)
― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 23 January 2006 04:33 (twenty years ago)