Being Gay in Video Games

[Orodrist]

Actually war games are great in the army the encourage you to play them

It's more because thee games encourage teamwork, not because they're violent.

Uh really?
because my sister knows someone at her work who plays lots of war games and guess what he wants to be? A soldier and guess why?

BECAUSE HE WANTS TO SHOOT PEOPLE

And...what's wrong with that?

[blacksinow]

I'm kind of the perspective that agrees that the army is looking for more normalized human beings who want to protect the country instead of looking for people who just want to shoot guns all the time. The armed forces aren't about manslaughter afterall, they are about protecting the country. Or that is what I believe they are here for.

[jester747]

I'm kind of the perspective that agrees that the army is looking for more normalized human beings who want to protect the country instead of looking for people who just want to shoot guns all the time. The armed forces aren't about manslaughter afterall, they are about protecting the country. Or that is what I believe they are here for.

But...

who's attacking your country? O_o

[ArchAngel]

I could see this topic turning heavily political, but I didn't expect it to be about war, the military, and american imperialism...

[ArcticFox]

That's the Internet for you.

[blacksinow]

I'm kind of the perspective that agrees that the army is looking for more normalized human beings who want to protect the country instead of looking for people who just want to shoot guns all the time. The armed forces aren't about manslaughter afterall, they are about protecting the country. Or that is what I believe they are here for.

But...

who's attacking your country? O_o

It's time for the common sense police huh? Since you ask this question... Nobody is breaking into your home at the moment, right? I guess we don't really need a police force. There isn't a fire at my place, I guess we can disband the fire department too...

Protecting the country and attacking a country are two relatively different things. Just because something isn't happening, it doesn't mean you shouldn't be prepared. Every country has the right to defend themselves, within reason., And by reason, I do mean no nuclear (NOT NUKULAR!), chemical, or biological weapons should be needed. And people do cause situations within the country that do require the armed forces. We may not hear or know about it, but does a tree not fall in a forest simply because we aren't aware of it? Every country has these kinds of problems, it is pointless to assume otherwise.

And anyway, I don't think any of this has to do with the topic.

[M0407138]

I think its just a game and i don't care if you choose to be gay in a game as long as it doesn't affect your real life. Think about it like this, who plays skyrim? if so, Did you choose the dark brotherhood or thieves guild? dose that make you a bad person? no because its just a game so if your gay in a game it doesn't matter (murder,being gay,stealing are all equal to god so if you oppose being gay in a game then you better oppose all the other things god disapproves of too)

[blacksinow]

Yeah, I completely agree. What you do in a game doesn't define who or what you are.

[Chozon1]

"What you do when no one is looking shows who you are".

Forgot who said that. I think it's pertinent though.

[ArcticFox]

I think its just a game and i don't care if you choose to be gay in a game as long as it doesn't affect your real life. Think about it like this, who plays skyrim? if so, Did you choose the dark brotherhood or thieves guild? dose that make you a bad person? no because its just a game so if your gay in a game it doesn't matter (murder,being gay,stealing are all equal to god so if you oppose being gay in a game then you better oppose all the other things god disapproves of too)

The problem is that doesn't really work. Our thinking is influenced by the sort of stuff we put into our brain. If you watch a lot of violent movies, you will tend to think about violence more. If you spend a lot of time watching movies that contain sexual content, you'll have a lot more impure thoughts. You become desensitized to those things AND you start to look at them from the point of view that's presented in the material.

I don't have much of a problem with games where you can choose good over evil precisely because I choose good. I think there's value in exercising that choice as opposed to playing on rails where you don't have to flex your moral muscles. If you like to choose evil over good in games, you get used to thinking about bad things as normal, and sinful things as okay.

That's how human psychology works.

[blacksinow]

I think its just a game and i don't care if you choose to be gay in a game as long as it doesn't affect your real life. Think about it like this, who plays skyrim? if so, Did you choose the dark brotherhood or thieves guild? dose that make you a bad person? no because its just a game so if your gay in a game it doesn't matter (murder,being gay,stealing are all equal to god so if you oppose being gay in a game then you better oppose all the other things god disapproves of too)

The problem is that doesn't really work. Our thinking is influenced by the sort of stuff we put into our brain. If you watch a lot of violent movies, you will tend to think about violence more. If you spend a lot of time watching movies that contain sexual content, you'll have a lot more impure thoughts. You become desensitized to those things AND you start to look at them from the point of view that's presented in the material.

I don't have much of a problem with games where you can choose good over evil precisely because I choose good. I think there's value in exercising that choice as opposed to playing on rails where you don't have to flex your moral muscles. If you like to choose evil over good in games, you get used to thinking about bad things as normal, and sinful things as okay.

That's how human psychology works.

You are affected by what you put into your brain... It is similar to You are who you hang around with.

I disagree a bit on this. If you do not allow yourself to be affected by the actions you take in a video game, then it won't affect you. It is willpower and human choice, which have been major factors in various historical situations. But it takes a strong mind, a strong sense of identity to not allow yourself to become as evil as the decisions you might choose in a game like Mass Effect. If you are weak willed, it may certainly corrupt you.

Now this is a bit different then being a child. When you are a child, you are definetely affected by things around you.

[Chozon1]

You are affected by what you put into your brain... It is similar to You are who you hang around with.

I disagree a bit on this. If you do not allow yourself to be affected by the actions you take in a video game, then it won't affect you. It is willpower and human choice, which have been major factors in various historical situations. But it takes a strong mind, a strong sense of identity to not allow yourself to become as evil as the decisions you might choose in a game like Mass Effect. If you are weak willed, it may certainly corrupt you.

Now this is a bit different then being a child. When you are a child, you are definetely affected by things around you.

Sorry amigo, but it just doesn't work like that. Aside from the fact you cannot compare real life history and digital entertainment in that way, you're always influenced by the ones around you, and by what you let into your head. It's why the bible gives such strong advice to hang out with people who will encourage you to do good, and warns of hanging out with people that will get you killed. It doesn't say "and if you're strong enough in character, disregard this advice; it's OK".

If we choose to pretend to do evil (or pretend to do good), even if we try and make a mental disconnect "Well, it's just pixels; I'd not do this in real life" it's going to wear away at you. Slowly or speedily, strength of character or willpower will succumb or be tricked. I believe Arctic is right about this. In fact, I think it's walking into a trap. We may believe we're strong enough to ignore something, or let it bounce off of us to no effect, and that's one of the more perfect ways to get killed. Been there, done that, have the T-shirt and a few small scars.

[ArcticFox]

That is the sound of a nail being hit on the head, and said better than I would have.

A person who has a stronger character may be able to resist a little longer, but eventually it gets in. Chozon put it well when he said it's a trap, because on some level our guard is down if we think "Meh it's just a game. It isn't reality."

[blacksinow]

In the end, video games are alot like food. You must take in good, if you are going to take in bad to ballance yourself out... Or so it seems.

[rexecidous]

Yeah, I completely agree. What you do in a game doesn't define who or what you are.

agreed