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Churches Use Halo To Spread the Word, Raise Eyebrows

The New York Times has a lengthy look at an unorthodox way to spread the religious word: Halo 3 multiplayer matches. Churches across the country have adopted 'Halo Nights' as a way to get kids together in religious centers and church basements. "The alliance of popular culture and evangelism is challenging churches much as bingo games did in the 1960s. And the question fits into a rich debate about how far churches should go to reach young people. Far from being defensive, church leaders who support Halo -- despite its "thou shalt kill" credo -- celebrate it as a modern and sometimes singularly effective tool. It is crucial, they say, to reach the elusive audience of boys and young men." Just the same, the use of the game is raising concerns among some onlookers. GamePolitics reports that many faith communities are heavily debating the issue.

7 of 474 comments (clear)

  1. Halo is nothing compared to the Bible by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Have you ever read the Bible? It is FULL of violence. Horrible violence. Genocide condoned and ordered by God himself (not to mention slavery and rape (cf the book of Numbers)). The total destruction of the world is in there a few times too. Oh and don't forget the various descriptions of torture and sexual misconduct and so on.

    Personally, I don't see how any morally upright person would ever let thier kids have access to a copy of that book.

  2. Re:Thou shalt not kill? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I don't think 'thou shalt not kill' ever refered to anything except humans. Otherwise, all the Christians that are eating meat will have some serious explaining to do.

    As well as the Christians who are vegans and vegetarians. As much as they'd like to pretend otherwise, the herbivores kill to live too - it's just that they pick on life forms so alien and removed from our own that it's easy not to think about.

    I think this is a good idea for the church... Get the kids used to being at the church, and interacting with their friends there, possibly even friends that they never get to see otherwise. It establishes it as a friendly place that they want to be, the kids have some supervision while they play, and everyone involved is happy.

    Churches are deceptive and destructive organizations designed to warp and brainwash the minds of adherents. Maybe it's a good idea from the church's perspective, but you could say the same about NAMBLA holding Halo conventions.

    Better to expose the obvious and apparent hypocrisy (if you don't see a contradiction between Jesus' message and what goes on in Halo - especially the multiplayer game - you definitely aren't reading closely enough) and help tear down the fleecing game that is organized religion.

    Protestants should be ashamed at the state of affairs today. Martin Luther's rolling in his grave.
  3. wow. by Dr+Retarded · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Next week, on "To Catch a Predator"..

  4. Re:Thou shalt not kill? by blingy · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    When did the church ever practice "Thou shalt not kill?" Finally there is a "Christian simulator" just as the Air Force uses flight simulators.

  5. Re:Fight the false prophet by PastorPriest · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Yes! Just the excuse we need to lure children into church basements so that we can rape them. Thank you for your great advice, parents will totally fall for this!

  6. Re:Fight the false prophet by Grishnakh · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Why is this surprising? After all, you're talking about a group of people that, much like lemmings, believe anything they're told, without any evidence to back it up whatsoever. In fact, you're talking about people who believe things in direct contradiction of overwhelming evidence: these people believe the earth is 6500 years old, when that assertion is clearly ridiculous in the fact of overwhelming geological, archaeological, and paleontological evidence.

    When you have a group of people who so clearly lack any type of critical thinking skills, and are so incredibly gullible that they'll believe anything they're told by a charismatic leader, it should not be surprising to see that they don't study the deeper values in games or in anything else for that matter. After all, this is the same group of people who would happily burn people at the stake for "witchcraft" a few hundred years ago.

  7. Re:So what is your point? by Musrum · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Unless no-one heard the rape.
    In which case they would both be stoned to death.
    Your God is evil. Suck it up.

    --
    In Soviet Amerika the ballot boxes YOU!