I was living with this girl in...2000 and 2001. We were bored one night and this "Left Behind" came on tv, so we watched it. The premise was that these guys got teleported to heaven during the rapture and all they left behind were the clothes they were wearing.
At some point in the show about halfway through, she got up to use the bathroom. That was when I took off the clothes I was wearing and left them on the bed, sprawled out like I had been beamed away. I then hid down between the bed and the wall where she couldn't see me.
She walked back in the room and started screaming, it scared the hell out of her and made me feel like a champion.
She was furious and was crying and laughing at herself at the same time for being so scared. This post reminded me of that night I hadn't thought about that in good long while.
Edited by Sobersean: aka Doctor Aquafresh at 10/13/09 12:36 AM
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"after all faithful souls leave the Earth during the Rapture, and the world reforms under a secularist order that loves, among other things, rock n' roll."
Wait, so the world actually gets better after the Rapture? It would be nice if Jesus hurried his ass up and took all these psychotic Christians with him... oh wait, they're not real Christians are they? Damnit...
I don't have a problem with religious games. I do have a problem with sucky games. And this has suck written all over it. Somebody out there, make a game based on religion, and make it not suck!
A fairly hardcore Christian girl at my high school tried to get me started on that book series years ago, not telling me that in the series the Anti-Christs 2nd in command is the Pope. (I'm Catholic btw) Kind of a slap in the face.
The article is totally in keeping with the not-terribly-serious, opinionated tone you usually see on Kotaku (Which, by the way, I don't think is a bad thing). It's just that now it's targeting Christians, and suddenly it's not a joke anymore.
I guess it's always funny until you're the butt of the joke.
@QualityJeverage: Eh, let's face it, Left Behind was a really poor PC game, this coming from someone who was a Christian and, while have left the church, still has not left the religion all together yet.
I mean, really, it's an insult to the book series which were genuinely good for such a game to be made.
@Turambar: I'm not personally upset, I was just talking about the people in the comments who have apparently been offended by Owen's tone in the article. I myself am an atheist.
@QualityJeverage: I'm offended by the fact that these shitty games keep getting mentioned just because they're "Christian" games (ooohhh! aaaahh!). Crap this bad doesn't even deserve to be ridiculed; it should just be ignored.
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Edited by mcderek3000 at 10/12/09 10:04 PM mcderek3000 approved this comment
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It's not that I'm offended, but would you really be making the same cheeky remarks if this were a game about Catholicism, or maybe a game about Atheists who try to disprove the belief in a higher power? I think you're pseudo-insulting something just because it doesn't happen to fall under your own belief system, which I think has no place in journalism.
Funny, though. As soon as I read the opening paragraph I knew who wrote it. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing though :)
I would say that many games whose central conflicts are heavily story-driven will include some sort of overarching ideological conflict. Let's say that a person really is an ideological fascist or whatever. Wouldn't games that involve taking down fascist systems and rebelling against "evil empires" offend people who thought that these systems were right?
My ultimate point is that just because someone is offended, doesn't necessarily mean that the "offending party" is wrong.
@TrjnRabbit: My dear grandmother thinks I am going to get sick because I don't chew my food enough. I fall outside her belief system and she thinks something bad will happen to me because of it. Is my grandma insulting me? No, and moreover she cares for my well being.
Any Christian who believes in this particular eschatology probably wishes the best for everyone.
@dracosummoner:
Well, if a game is allowed to exist which says that certain ideologies are wrong, why can't an article on a blog exist that makes snide remarks about the ideology behind the game?
@jetRink: If Christians can be offended by the way this article is written, then non-Christians can be offended by the methods and ideology presented in this game.
@TrjnRabbit: That isn't really insulting, persay. If you believe some will go to heaven, and some not.... well, that's a belief set. Nothing more, nothing less.
@TrjnRabbit: You are free to be offended by anything you want. I don't think being offended is all that productive unless there is a threat behind the insult, as is the case with racially insensitive or homophobic speech. Thankfully in America, Christians and atheists have a happy history.
@(Human) Gyaruson: Don't know if he was insulting... maybe making a little fun, and well, it is warranted.
I've dealt with all four groups of people (Christians, Texans, atheists and Catholics (I am one, but I could practice it more)) and I can definitely tell you that Christians are way more... opinionated? Loud?
They have a tendency to go the extra mile to prove that you're wrong, at everything.
Now, atheists, don't get me started. Their superiority complex is just so unnerving.
Catholics I guess try to guilt-out everyone in the world, but it's not today's topic :)
@jetRink: I'm just defending the way the article approaches the subject. It doesn't matter if being offended is productive or not, quite simply, there is no reason why Owen cannot take pot shots at any religious group.
He's entitled to his opinion on the matter, you're entitled to yours and hopefully I'm entitled to mine.
@(Human) Gyaruson: I'm a little confused by this whole exchange. What exactly are the "cheeky remarks" we're talking about here? What was so insulting in the article? I mean, Texas is in the bible belt. And Wal-Mart is taking over the world so it's to be expected that it would be in Wal-Mart. are there assumptions or jabs in that statement that I'm missing?
And since when are Catholics and Christians separate groups?
And what's up with the atheism hatred? It seems to come up every time religion is even mentioned, about those damned arrogant atheists, when no one was even saying anything.
people need to chillax a bit, methinks.
@Caelestis: Yeah, considering the Catholics (along with the Greek Orthodox) are the OG Christians, I've never gotten why the Biblethumpers are always whining. There wouldn't have been any Christians in western Europe if it weren't for the Pope and his Roman buddies.
Holy crap. Definitely did not see all this coming.
@dracosummoner: Excellent point. The fact of the matter is, though, that I believe Mr. Good to be misguided in outright insulting an entire faith just because he doesn't believe what they do. I'm not saying he's right or wrong, but I think that kind of negative bias has no place in journalism.
@TrjnRabbit: I don't think it insults them. I haven't played it, but I can't imagine that the premise is to make everyone who didn't "make the cut" feel like shit for not making it.
@Dresan:
My experience with Christians is definitely a mixed bag. I've met a lot (grew up in a Presbyterian church) and while there are those who stand outside movie theatres and preach eternal damnation, there are a lot more who would never shove their beliefs down your throat. We only see/hear about the radicals the most, so they become the image for all Christians.
@Caelestis: Well, 60% of your comment was made up of assuming sterotypes are fact, which of course is wrong. Texas is in the southern United States. I'm not familiar with this "Bible Belt" region. Is it near the Appalachians? Also, saying Wal-Mart is taking over the world is just ridiculous. That would be like saying McDonald's is taking over the world just because it has a lot of locations. As soon as they become a lobbyist group, then we'll talk.
I am surprised that most of the comments are generally hate-free. Usually someone mentions Christians and the anonymous hate mongers come out...funny how I never see anyone hate Christians so much publicly.
@MadExponent: Yeah, there is a lot more hate on the internet than face to face. If it helps, I'm more hateful to Christians in person than on the internet. Online I can give people the benefit of the doubt, in person I can tell whether a person is a hypocritical preachy douche or not. It's unfortunate that all Christians get blamed for a vocal minority of assholes but it's even more unfortunate that so many of those assholes live near me.
@[ZTF]Is my Name: Not in the facts, but in the tone. It is clear Owen doesn't hold Texas, Walmart, or Christian games in high regard. Really though, aside from the slight smirk this article reads with, it's pretty factual and not too insulting. Texans can take a bit of ribbing, I'm sure.
@jetRink: Uh, besides the very first sentence, the entire article is pretty dry especially for Owen. And even the first sentence isn't biased, it's simply fact. Hell, LB Games even states that Texas is a religious capital of the United States.
@[ZTF]Is my Name: True, but it makes a difference how you present facts. Try playing Madlibs with that first sentence:
African American-themed movies like Soul Plane are now available in - where else - 7-11's in - where else - Harlem thanks to an agreement between the retailer and publisher Inspired Media Entertainment.
I sure feel dirty typing that particular sentence.
(Obviously, any "oppression" Christians face in the States, if it even exists, is in no way comparable to the problems African Americans face. Completely a different issue. I'm just trying to show that when you change the subject of the sentence to a something we're more sensitized to, the slight condescension is less ignorable.)
Again though, there's nothing really objectionable in this article. It's just not quite NPOV.
@Michael Dukakis: As an atheist Texan, I would just like to say:
We're not all crazy fundamentalists down here. And every elected official in this state is totally not my fault. And when I see Louis Gohmert rambling about how gay marriage will lead to marrying animals and whatnot, I die a little inside, because he's from my district.
So on behalf of all the other sane Texans, I have this message for the rest of the world: We're sorry. We tried.
@kitsuneconundrum: Aside from a shockingly boring game, what is wrong with that video? I just see a bunch of scared parents who want a non-violent game and care about their kids. They're misinformed about video games and overcautious, but they don't look crazy. What's the problem?
@jetRink: Well the only thing I can see is the promotion of hatred towards men with slick, combed back hair. Honestly, why must we always equate people with evil just because they use too much product in their hair?!
10/13/09
At some point in the show about halfway through, she got up to use the bathroom. That was when I took off the clothes I was wearing and left them on the bed, sprawled out like I had been beamed away. I then hid down between the bed and the wall where she couldn't see me.
She walked back in the room and started screaming, it scared the hell out of her and made me feel like a champion.
She was furious and was crying and laughing at herself at the same time for being so scared. This post reminded me of that night I hadn't thought about that in good long while.
10/13/09
Wait, so the world actually gets better after the Rapture? It would be nice if Jesus hurried his ass up and took all these psychotic Christians with him... oh wait, they're not real Christians are they? Damnit...
10/12/09
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God of War says hi.
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I guess it's always funny until you're the butt of the joke.
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I mean, really, it's an insult to the book series which were genuinely good for such a game to be made.
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Honestly now?
I don't know what to say to that.
10/12/09
That's pretty clever, Owen!
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"What the hell were they thinking..."
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Funny, though. As soon as I read the opening paragraph I knew who wrote it. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing though :)
10/12/09
The only parts of the bible I take seriously are the ones that I use to justify denying rights to gays and denying sexual education in schools.
As God intended.
10/12/09
Doesn't this game outright insult people who don't fall inside the belief system of the people who made it?
If you aren't a "true" Christian, you won't be taken up in the Rapture and will have to endure 7 years of war. That's the premise of the game.
10/12/09
I would say that many games whose central conflicts are heavily story-driven will include some sort of overarching ideological conflict. Let's say that a person really is an ideological fascist or whatever. Wouldn't games that involve taking down fascist systems and rebelling against "evil empires" offend people who thought that these systems were right?
My ultimate point is that just because someone is offended, doesn't necessarily mean that the "offending party" is wrong.
10/12/09
Any Christian who believes in this particular eschatology probably wishes the best for everyone.
10/12/09
Well, if a game is allowed to exist which says that certain ideologies are wrong, why can't an article on a blog exist that makes snide remarks about the ideology behind the game?
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I've dealt with all four groups of people (Christians, Texans, atheists and Catholics (I am one, but I could practice it more)) and I can definitely tell you that Christians are way more... opinionated? Loud?
They have a tendency to go the extra mile to prove that you're wrong, at everything.
Now, atheists, don't get me started. Their superiority complex is just so unnerving.
Catholics I guess try to guilt-out everyone in the world, but it's not today's topic :)
10/12/09
He's entitled to his opinion on the matter, you're entitled to yours and hopefully I'm entitled to mine.
It doesn't make any of us right.
10/12/09
Indeed, but you did say that the game "insults" people who don't "agree" with its premise, right or wrong.
10/12/09
I posed the question, I didn't say that it did.
EDIT: Then again, a quick search shows plenty of cases of people who were outright offended by the ideology presented in Left Behind.
10/12/09
And since when are Catholics and Christians separate groups?
And what's up with the atheism hatred? It seems to come up every time religion is even mentioned, about those damned arrogant atheists, when no one was even saying anything.
people need to chillax a bit, methinks.
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@dracosummoner: Excellent point. The fact of the matter is, though, that I believe Mr. Good to be misguided in outright insulting an entire faith just because he doesn't believe what they do. I'm not saying he's right or wrong, but I think that kind of negative bias has no place in journalism.
@TrjnRabbit: I don't think it insults them. I haven't played it, but I can't imagine that the premise is to make everyone who didn't "make the cut" feel like shit for not making it.
@Dresan:
My experience with Christians is definitely a mixed bag. I've met a lot (grew up in a Presbyterian church) and while there are those who stand outside movie theatres and preach eternal damnation, there are a lot more who would never shove their beliefs down your throat. We only see/hear about the radicals the most, so they become the image for all Christians.
@Caelestis: Well, 60% of your comment was made up of assuming sterotypes are fact, which of course is wrong. Texas is in the southern United States. I'm not familiar with this "Bible Belt" region. Is it near the Appalachians? Also, saying Wal-Mart is taking over the world is just ridiculous. That would be like saying McDonald's is taking over the world just because it has a lot of locations. As soon as they become a lobbyist group, then we'll talk.
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Nope, no bias here.
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Who Does?
10/12/09
African American-themed movies like Soul Plane are now available in - where else - 7-11's in - where else - Harlem thanks to an agreement between the retailer and publisher Inspired Media Entertainment.
I sure feel dirty typing that particular sentence.
(Obviously, any "oppression" Christians face in the States, if it even exists, is in no way comparable to the problems African Americans face. Completely a different issue. I'm just trying to show that when you change the subject of the sentence to a something we're more sensitized to, the slight condescension is less ignorable.)
Again though, there's nothing really objectionable in this article. It's just not quite NPOV.
10/12/09
Truth it may be, but sadness is subjective.
10/13/09
We're not all crazy fundamentalists down here. And every elected official in this state is totally not my fault. And when I see Louis Gohmert rambling about how gay marriage will lead to marrying animals and whatnot, I die a little inside, because he's from my district.
So on behalf of all the other sane Texans, I have this message for the rest of the world: We're sorry. We tried.
10/12/09
you americans are messed up
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"No. You just nicked him. Now he's a Unitarian."
10/12/09
Simpsons reference for the win.
Specifically, a reference to the imaginary game Billy Graham's Bible Blaster.