Are any violent video games sinful?

I had started playing a video game called "Payday 2" (look it up if you have no idea what it is). This game is all about crime. Stealing, murder, drugs and all of that. I've been playing this for quite a while now, but it hasn't really affected me. I've never had a single thought of going out and killing a bunch of people or stealing anything. I think it depends on the person who's playing the game. If they have had thoughts of going out and doing any of the stuff that has to do with the game, then it's sinful. But if you haven't, then it's fine. Some people might say, "Well, would Jes-s play this game?", and I don't think he would, but then again, I couldn't see Jes-s playing any video game. I want to hear your guys' opinions on this.

Eugen said:

If you sin in your mind, it is a sin. Do not murder or steal! Do not play the role of a sinner! Do not like the world and what's in it! Do not like the sinn! Do not let it to be a part of your mind!

God created the world perefect and there was no place for murdering and stealing. Why would you like it? If you are amazed by sin, who would you make happy? God? Or devil?

Be holly because He is! He doesn't like sin, so do not like it as well!

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I do not like sin, I try to always avoid sin, but I still play these games. Am I doing it in real life? Do I wish that it would happen? No. If I was playing a video game, and some body had glitched out after I "killed" it, it would look funny. I would probably laugh at it. If that dead body was real, and I saw it in person, I would panic and immediately call the police.

If it is a sin to shoot pixels, then that's really confusing. Also, what you said about: "If you sin in your mind, it is a sin". So you're saying if I'm reading the bible, which contains violence, I am sinning, because I'm using my imagination to picture the situation? Or if thoughts of sin come into my mind that I don't want, I'm still sinning?

Eugen said:

Let me recommend you something meaningfull like "Emergency" - at least you can learn something by playing it May be you can even use it one day to help people... God bless you, brother!

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I just want to let you know that I'm 11 years of age, (a lot of people find this hard to believe, simply because I can use proper grammar) I had made this account because I had been worried about a lot of stuff having to do with sinning. I had worried about a lot of stuff. A lot of this is confusing for me, and I just want to know if playing these games are a sin, and I just need a simple answer. I'm playing with my friends when I do it, so I'm improving my relationship with them. I think of games (any kind at all) to be a way to befriend others and talk to them, especially multiplayer games. I've asked my parents about this since they're also christain, and they told me that as long as I know good from bad, then I'm fine.

Eugen said:

So pray to God about it, ask Him, not us!

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I have prayed to him about it, I told him my view on it, and how I think it is just a way to make friends and all that. But the thing is, when you pray, you don't get a response. So how am I supposed to know what is right and what is wrong? How is anyone supposed to know what is a sin and what isn't? This is what worries me. A lot.

SarahsKnight said:

Adam, it sounds to me like you don't really NEED a vocal answer from Godd for this. I'm no holy-rolling, everything-in-the-world-is-evil kind of believer, but it sounds to me like this particular game is weighing on your conscience. Sure you're not going to run out and kill or rob someone in real life because of this game, but the mere fact that you made this thread makes it sound like playing it at least sometimes makes you feel uncomfortable. It might be permissible, but it's not for everyone, and if you feel in your mind that this might be sinful, then just don't play it. It's one game; you're not going to miss THAT much by forfeiting it. It's good that you can use it to bond with your friends, but surely there are other games out there you guys can get together on instead. I avoid games myself where you are outright forced to do questionable or downright objectively evil things as the protagonist, because I just don't like to do those things even in simulation, and I'm sure God wouldn't want me getting into them just because. It's not like there aren't enough good games out there where I can play as the kind of hero i want to be. If my advice means anything, just dispense with this one game and forget about it. It's not worth going back and forth continuously in your conscience over whether it's permissible by God for you or not. I used to do that way too often on a lot of material things in my past.

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It's just that I hadn't worried about it until now. And these types of games are really the only ones I can play with my friends. I see what you mean by, just because I'm worried about it, means that I shouldn't play it. And this isn't the only game I play. I play other non-violent games like ROBLOX, Legend of Zelda, SpeedRunners, etc. All of those games don't contain blood, they just have mild violence. I don't obsess over violent video games, and I don't idolize them. Would you think it'd be okay, if I were to just not play these games as much as I do? Like I don't know, 3 times a week or something? I'm a kid, so I don't really have much work to do besides maybe a couple chores like washing dishes, sweeping or watching my little brother.

SarahsKnight said:

I avoid games myself where you are outright forced to do questionable or downright objectively evil things as the protagonist, because I just don't like to do those things even in simulation

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I can see why you don't like doing them in simulation, but reality and simulation are two very different things.

Gottservant said:

All violence compromizes sin at the point so compelled, even the king questions the sanity of returning to the place where expressed (at the most, intially, then ever).

That is not saying that sanity can further be expressed as relative to an identified devil (and therefore at least minimally resisted).

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Are you saying that anything having to do with violence, so video games, literature, tv shows, movies, reading the bible, is all a sin?

Eugen said:

Adam! Respect! A am glad you ask this question. The simple answer is: Don't play it! I hope somebody would say the same to my children, when they are at your age. By the way, beeing friend to this world is not primary goal of a christian.

There was a russian pastor who sold his soul to devil via vdeo game, to be able to continue to next level. He told himself: nothing bad would happen if I just click on 'sell your soul'... but in the same moment he felt boiling water streaming over his head. He felt lost, anxious, dipressive. He tried to pray, but he couldn't... he was afraid of Bible... So you see it is not that simple...



it depends... you have to differentiate: playing a role of a murderer or beeing murdered is not same thing - both is violent.

God answers most of my prayers... the word 'word' has two meaning in greek: logos and rema. Try to find out about it and you would discover He speeks a lot to you...

If you are young christ ask him just before reading Bible or going to church. Try to spend as much time as possible listening to what pastor says... the most children cannot, but if you want a tighter relationship with God, read the Gospels as much as possible...

Try also to find out what's difference between soul and spirit!

There is a lot of information which is considered not understandable for children. But if you ask these questions, you have to grow up as a christian to get the answers. As a child I always liked Derek's Prins lessons. Try to find on youtube 'Laying the foundations' - these are the basics every christian should know.

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It's just, I don't get how playing a harmless video game is "selling your soul to the devil". It really doesn't make sense.

Eugen said:

He felt lost, anxious, dipressive. He tried to pray, but he couldn't... he was afraid of Bible...

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I haven't been having problems with praying. I can pray perfectly fine, I don't feel depressed or lost. I admit, I do feel a little anxious. Having some doubts, but like I said before, I haven't had problems with praying. I know the difference between reality and simulation. I know good from bad. I know I should NEVER do any of the stuff the video game is doing.

Eugen said:

God answers most of my prayers...

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How do you get his responses then? If I'm correct, almost every single Christian can't hear God's voice. Have you ever talked to him? Asked him if doing these things is a sin?

You know what, I'm going to abandon this thread. I should have my own opinions for once. Some people can claim that they can "hear God's voice". Isn't that technically impossible? I'm always worrying about stuff that's nonsense. Of course "killing" pixels in a game isn't sinful. These games are meant to be pure entertainment. Not something to convince you to go kill a bunch of people. It's the person, not the game. If they obsess over it, that's idolizing and that's a sin. Or if it's affecting their real life, it's a sin. "Nothing bad would happen if I just click on 'sell your soul'". Now how does that even make sense? Giving your sole to the devil by playing a harmless video game meant for entertainment? I can believe that this russian pastor had some problems and was afraid of the bible and everything, but through a video game? Haha, right. Now some of you are probably going to reply to me with something like: "OH NO. HE'S DONE SOMETHING REALLY BAD. YOU NEED TO TURN AROUND RIGHT NOW. SATAN IS PLACING HIS THOUGHTS IN YOUR MIND". Honestly, I think if I was playing one of these games, and Jesus was right next to me, he'd want to play it with me. Sometimes, I like to picture as if you're doing the right thing in these video games. Playing as a protagonist that's evil? I think that this person is actually a police officer or something, and a bunch of criminals have taken over the rest of the world, and you need to stop them. Games are a way to have fun with others, or just for entertainment. You could claim that you can hear God's voice or something, but how am I supposed to know you're not lying? I went to talk with my parents about this entire situation again, and told me that it isn't bad. We shouldn't take the bible so literal. That book was written thousands of years ago. If we took everything it said in the bible so literally, almost everything probably wouldn't be allowed. Reading books, watching tv shows, playing video games, any of that would be bad. But it isn't. Fantasy, and reality. Difference? These "people" in video games that I "killed". They don't have organs, a spirit, a soul, anything for that matter. They're simply pixels. That's why no one takes things in a video game seriously. I can see why people avoid them even if they're not sinful, it's because they don't like the fact that they're doing anything bad in them at all. Do I think that these video games are telling us, "GO KILL A BUNCH OF PEOPLE! DO ILLEGAL ACTIONS!"? No. Stuff like First person shooters or third person shooters, I don't like them because they contain "virtual sins", I like them because you're working together with other people, or just by yourself to try and accomplish something. You're not really accomplishing anything, actually. It's a game. You don't earn money off of playing video games (well you can if you have the right recording software, a youtube/twitch account, and play funny games). My point is, to everyone out there. Don't take what EVERYONE says so very seriously. Don't take me seriously either.

Although Eugen, I still want to hear what you have to say about how you can hear God's voice. I'm interested. If you can hear God's voice, what does he have to say about violent video games? Is there a certain way you're able to hear him?

Eugen said:

I was not speaking about voice of God. As I already told in Christianity we differentiate between rema and logos. Both of them are used by God to respond to your prayers.

Don't use your mind only... because it is infected by sin... so listen to your heart - it's your compass.

I told you about that pastor only to show you - it's not that simple... games seem to affect our spirit in some way...

It's your decision Adam you are making. I just can tell you my opinion - that's what are the discussions there for.

But again... Listen not to me, listen to your heart.

God bless you, Adam!!!

PS: Dont waste your time with to much leisure, because "...whoever does not gather with me scatters." (Matthew 12:30)

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I'm almost certain that playing these types of video games is not sinful. But they can lead to sin. Sloth (playing the game so much it's affecting real life), Pride (winning at the game and feeling you're better than everyone else), Idolization and even doing the actions in real life. The last one is the least likely, though. Playing these types of games, makes me not want to do them in real life more. I'm not sure why, but that's how it works for me.