Basically, the schema of their movies is to fulfill a prophecy , etc, and it's sorta like a Fantasy theme, as opposed to religion.

The entire meaning of gaming et cetera is to bring out the imagination and bring up new ideas and such, and I think that that's what their movies and music have accomplished.

In a cruel irony, it is sorta areligious to have such unconventional ideas in order to promote something they don't even profit from.

In reality, anything in life could be connected to religion. It is a fact that a vast majority of the residents of the US today are religious, so this is pretty much a mainstream concept.

I say that there should be a firm line between rligion and entertainment. If it's entertaining, amuses us, and makes us laugh, then we should enjoy it regardless of anything.

Frikkle

gimnastikas

There's a 50/50 chance they'll get a fanatically devoted and annoying fanbase regardless...

This is why I hate indie music. Mainstream pop FTW!

Sabre_Justice: Okay, no more long name.

Just because you are a devoted Christian it does not mean you have to sit in Church praying all day. We have lives as well and that the author of this article seems to have trouble respecting that is just sick.

You described the music as 'blanned' and implied that it was bad music. Just because you did not enjoy it does not make it bad music. This band has an almost cult-like following - just check the comments on YouTube.

I think the most disturbing fact here though is that you would waste so much time writing this article just to try and rip to shreds the hopes of these guys with a great future ahead of them.

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK XBOX BOYS

Chris12

Honestly, after reading this article I have no idea what you're trying to prove. Do you not like their music? Or do you purposely want to pour ice water over their heads? Because from what I see (as well as countless other people), these kind of musicians are simply performing artists who want to be heard, want their ideas out, and although may seem less obvious to you --- they simply love XBOX and music, and they want to incorporate the interests into each other. Tell me now, what is so wrong about that?

I suggest you look at this situation in their shoes, and think before you write an article like this.

leviathon

Doki

I pray that my customers never find out that I am secretly funding my charitable donations to those orphanages in Africa with the money I make with their purchases!

BobbyMike

Ratmaster

dsvella

You should be ashamed Phil. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

What kind of a past would you like to have investigated, brought to light, and made known here on the forums.

Consider carefully what you do with your heart... a man can not serve two masters. He will love the one and hate the other. Which is more important, acting out your faith correctly, with humility while pursuing other financial interests, or getting a pay check.

Trying to make money on Xbox: no problem. Acting disgracefully to achieve your ends... shame.

lostthenfound

Conway

They need to do things like pay bills and what not.

Your attempt to break them by saying that the Xbox Boys are Cristian is wrong. They might be cristian but the reason they started the Xbox boys is not directly related to their religion. They have a right to have a band and do what they want financially. Saying that they are wrong because of their religion is just a repulsive and imoral remark.

kratos18

Were I the editor, I would have taken the article as is, confronted the band with it and used the last few paragraphs as a response. Without any damning evidence, you owe it to them to at least response to Erika Doss' opinions before publishing the article.

Also, as my first post, i'd also like to salute crecente for representing pirates everywhere. Arr to you, matey.

Lov3

Brian Crecente

Brian Crecente

common sense can guarantee you that

BigChiefSmokem

pixelsword

I also consider worshiping a company that is only out to make money ("fanboyism") worst than just simply following blind faith and idol worshiping, and I'm sure (my) Jesus does too.

How naive humanity remains so long after his death.

God did not give me wisdom, knowledge, emotion, and my innate human drive to fall prey to such nonsense - he gave me all of that so that I may expand my consciousness to the universe around me.

What you people are doing is NOT part of the gaming culture, it is an attempt by "the followers of Jesus Christ" to keep pushing their agenda (and that's all it is, an agenda... it is not true faith) onto the rest of the world.

And THAT is what I believe; it is what I hold true in my heart.

BigChiefSmokem

I do look forward to reading about your dark and dirty past though.

They do sound very christian though. Just like all the good folks over at http://www.fstdt.com/

little_dragon

Oh & in the mean time in the other place beyond work, paying the bills & fame - they happen to believe in god too?

Sounds like most of the people who have made derogatory comments here don't have too much going for themselves-It doesn't appear that most of them would know branding & marketing if it jumped up & bit them on the butt - I will guess too that most don't have the guts to look so absurd or have the drive to actually try to make dreams come true like The Xbox Boys are doing.

And that brings me to ask - have you done anything at all lately that required you to use every ounce of courage, time & drive & every dime you had to risk doing something really amazing ? even if only to amaze yourself?

My opinion of the story about how they came together is that - It was a good idea gone slightly goofy! I understand it - but, would have advised them to go a little bit different route. Anyone seeing a Religious connotation with that tale needs to go get a reality check! If I know anything - It is that church & glowing Orb ( an idol ) do not have anything in common! A bit more Alien don't you think !!

Back to the main article which started all of this - I do not know anything about the writer nor the ? expert they quoted (Erika Doss, a professor of Art and Art History at the University of Colorado Boulder and soon to be chair of Notre Dame's American Studies Department) ? However, one of their comments really doesn't make sense to me at all!
Erika Doss stated that ( "It's rare when you listen to Christian music that you would hear the word Jesus," she said. "But everyone usually gets it, there's this pervasiveness of Christian rhetoric.") When this persons ship comes in she will be at the airport!

I have never heard a larger piece of Bull- misinformation. Possibly she has her radio dials confused?
8 out of 10 Christian songs either use the word God or Jesus ( occasionally using the other names used to depict God and Jesus) .
If doing something fun or trying to promote yourself has suddenly become a bad thing - We are all in really big trouble!

passportt

I can understand why it may put some people on edge, because there are some Christian organizations that are highly offensive and hurtful to certain groups - but these guys seem to just be having fun with some lighthearted music and occasionally mixing a little personal philosophy in. No harm, no foul. They aren't in any way obligated to keep every aspect of their music secular simply because some people don't hold the same beliefs they do.

Reserve the outrage for the lawmakers who try to legislate morality, not the Xbox Boys. They haven't done a thing wrong.

Sympho

I like when Kotaku has real articles on the site like this one of the one on the "New" Shin Building (not the Shin Shin Building).

@mikeymix: Nice! I wonder if there's a real conection between XBox and Christbox.

PENI_MASTA

P-Box P-Box is offline
Administrator

Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Kirkland
Posts: 19
Default bad press
Well,

We had our first round of bad press today:

Feature: The Truth Behind The Xbox Boys - Kotaku

This guy called us telling us he wanted to do a nice story about us and totally exposed our identities as well as just a one sided story.

I wanted to tell you all to NOT email Brendan about the posts to the forum. The forum moderators at Kotaku, the Gamer’s Guide have seen fit to only post BAD comments about is. We have received almost 2000 emails in our Keepers inbox and each one of you says the same thing:

We post a comment about you and he wont publish it.

I would like to thank all of you for trying to post in our defense, but he wont publish anything at all that says anything good about us. He is a hater who hates anything original.

Well I found out through the grapevine (its good to have friends in high places) who Brian Crecente (the author) is. Where he lives, his nice little past that he would not want published on the internet (it would kill his reputation), and even his home phone number.

It's seems that Brian is hater type of person who is the subject of jokes in gaming circles.

I want to thank all of you for posting on the site, but he wont publish them.

P-Box

Also, I didn't contact you saying we had a positive story, I contacted you to ask about your ties to religion.

Brian Crecente

Seacub

If I was forming a band I would have done without the whole 'vision' aspect and even if I was bored enough to come up with a comic or backstory it would have been something gamers could relate to like:

pirates
ninjas
cake
pie
etc
etc

I mean... you're a gamer or so you say. I kinda think you would know better.

Jabbertrack

I pray that Christ will convict you heart towards HIM.

In Christ ALWAYS, Ty Maier.....

bfluid

Most of the comments here seem to be saying, in effect, that if you are a Christian, you'd better not make songs about things you like. 'cause who knows what you're trying to really say?

I'm not going to guess at this guy's motives, but it seems like everyone here is ruling out the possibility that somewhere, sometime, some person may possibly have been a Christian, and enjoyed a video game, then told someone else about that game, and how much they enjoyed it.

Wei

Infradead

"A source close to the band said that whichever the case is, Fischer does want to use the money earned from The Xbox Boys to help fund his ministry work in other countries."

That says it all, really. Whether or not they're trying to convert people at home, they are using it as a scheme to generate revenue to pollute other countries with their propaganda. And that's something I have an objection to.

akwinters

Wernstar

This article, although obviously a lot of time went in to put it up, doesn't justify its means. I do not see any reason to write such an article. The guys aren't hurting anyone and if anyone feels their content is too religious in their music, let them formulate their own opinions. I'm sure if they're accidentally putting anything that would tie back to the church in their songs it is by accident and most people probably do not even realize it.

Regards,
Dennis

RageD

ConayR

Deedo

The only problem I have with this article is that it doesn't go anywhere, so it ends up sounding like Kotaku doesn't like Christians.

So the Xbox Boys are Christians. So what? If you think they're proselytizing, if that's your point, then say it! Don't just insinuate it. That makes you sound biased (a journalistic no-no) and judgemental.

chiklet

Great article lads.

glamnesia

Look "man", I don't know if I talk your "lingo" here, or if I'm "down" with the "shizzle" in da hause (oh yes, that's the new spelling), but it appears to me that your beliefs interfere with whatever you choose to do with your life, because of the intensity that they hold in your mind. So much so in fact, that you may not even be aware of it, although it is likely that you and your A-Team of Christianity are.

This wouldn't even be an issue if you didn't allow it to permeate into your "fun and play" time, or as we shall call it; "work".

Not like I give a damn though personally, rawk on with the Xbot and the Jesus all you want - since I'm not an impressionable mind, I can easily tune out the bullshit your song propagates, it's just that I feel sorry for anyone who does listen to your music with an open mind.

What you're spreading is cut clean poison trying to "reach" the gaming communities so they can be "saved". It ranks right up there with Xenu: The Happy Scientology Alien and his cult.

ClosedAccountDueToErrorsAshCouldn'tFix

RonJeremy4Pres

Hylian-Hero

Aye, For a split second, when I read this sentence I thought you were talking like a pirate, matey. Arrgghh.

vfitzger

I really love the professional and investigative direction the blog keeps on taking. It's something I think is much needed in the gaming world. Very refreshing to see you guys doing interesting pieces like this.

Please keep up the good work!

Chris Taran

In my honest opinion, this story didn't require so much digging or any at all maybe. Cut the guys some slack, let them play, and stop trying to stone them for having fun with XBox and then writing some music. Anything productive or creative is a good thing. If people feel they have too strong of ties to the Christian faith, allow them to decide that for themselves istead of pre-formulating their opinions.

Regards,
Dennis

RageD

That particular post had me scratching my head, as the tone of it seemed to suggest that it was just this extremely bizarre premise that a Christian church would have a videogame console. Gee whiz Batman, a church that emphasizes young adult activities having.... videogames? Shocking. And Halo, being a pretty black and white presentation of good versus evil (and even being pretty harmless game of tag in multiplayer), is simply not nearly as out of place in a church's recreation area as people unfamiliar with Christian theology make it out to be.

And now we have this lovely post. What does this story prove? Well, let's take a nice look at the so called worst case scenario. Let's say these guys are doing exactly what is implied: making a sort of religious allegory via these Xbox related tunes. Hm. Not exactly Watergate there fellas. Not sure who this is harming. Better check and see if they used subliminal messages! Quick! Why don't you find another expert from "Academia" to give you some help?

But barring any sort of Christian version of "Paul is Dead," you are left with nothing more than an article that seems to be paranoid at best. I've largely enjoyed Kotaku, so out of some respect for that enjoyment, I'll give Kotaku some benefit of the doubt points on that.

Besides, there are other things you could be investigating! Did you know there was a game recently released where you play a character called "The Master?" This person lives in the clouds, has a cherub help him (I assume it is a him?), while answering prayers and interceding in the lives of humans via miracles.

This Master fella is working out a plan to thwart an evil dude, who kinda resembles a certain pitch fork carrying evil being that you might recognize. Yet he doesn't just do this from above... nope. He makes himself a flesh and blood man, and intercedes directly for His people!

How could you miss the obvious Christian allegory here? This is serious! Get on it!

Oh, right. That game is called Actraiser, and it was released on the Wii's virtual console last Monday.

Apparently allegory is perfectly fine if it is done by a Japanese game developer.

feilong80

malakas

Are they trying to convert people with their work? After looking over the website, I don't think so, since their site employs nary more than a few vague metaphors that you can find in about any console RPG. More likely, their faith influenced some of the jargon they employ (i.e. Light), but all of us reflect our worldview through our words to some extent, even those who are not actively trying to convert people.

So I say cut 'em some slack. If they are giving personal testimonies and trying to witness to people during their concerts, that's fair grounds for accusing them of being duplicitous; otherwise, they're no better or worse than, say, the Wachowski Brothers.

Nestor_Elias

Gunhaver

Balance_In_Life

*shrug*

explodingman

Yet you fail to capitalize G-d's name!

For shame!

EnigmaNemesis

I actually registered to this site only to tell you that I completely agree with you. Not only that, I, unlike all the guys in here, really like your songs. I've been involved in such projects and I know the effort you put in. I was thinking the whole time that it's actually pretty good!

I imagine how it feels to be so heavily criticized like this, but, after all, what do you expect? The percentage of people here able to appreciate your work rather criticizing in a wave with the other members is minuscule.

And shame on you Kotaku readers, criticizing fellow gamers with the same passion when you criticize Jack Thompson. Man, this is ridiculous.

tonich03

Secondly, what a bunch of jesus bashers! Some of the things written here are absolutely horrible.

I mean, I know kotaku wants your comments to be interesting and highly amusing, but there's such thing as going too far.

I don't see any kind of bible thumping going on in that video. Nor do I see any kind of hidden messages.

So what if a band member is religious and loves to play xbox. There are many others out there just like him. Not such a strange thing.

Love for Christ and for the xbox is not a bad thing. Now, go home and pray all you sinners or you're going to hell.

sonicvsmario

"The fact that I am a Christian [and] believe in a god that cannot be seen has little to do what we are doing here."

Why do you feel it's necessary to invoke His name at every opportunity? In this post alone, you've done it twice. It's creepy and inappropriate. I wish people like you would cut it out.

muppetsausages

Thanks, up until now I didn't know such thing had a name, I always thought it was a clever argument I came up with by myself, silly me.

And yeah, if you guys are so offended by the existence of such people ans such message, why listen???

carlosrodas

I, Christian. And yeah, quite right I guess, that's
Pascal's Wager.

This article, whilst nicely written in a 'To Catch A Predator' stylee, was equivalent to a pencil with erasers at both ends.

If there IS a point, is it that these guys say they're not trying to preach about their faith through their music when in fact they might be?

And even if they were trying to preach to people thru music, what's stopping them? You don't have to listen...

peanutismint

My name is P-box and my real name is Phil Fischer.

I am a gamer and the subject of the story put out on this site today.

I have come here to post a response. I wanted to post my comments in an effort to clear this matter up so that many of you could at least know what we are, and why we are doing this before you begin to post your enlightening and uplifting comments.

First of all, I have no qualms or regrets about being a believer in a person that walked the earth 2000 years ago who I believe is the son of God.

If my personal belief offends you please allow me to apologize in advance. I am sorry about that.

My involvement with the X Box boys started when I knew that the game was something that I really liked. I really like the game. I know that many on multiple forums have posted that we are extreme, but we love it. As a matter of fact, it is the best gaming console in the universe as far as we are concerned.

We began to write songs about X Box games and one in particular "gears of War". We called it Kill Raam. We also wrote one about X Box Live, titled X Box Live.

We came up with the outfits on our own on a limited budget and shot the videos on a limited budget as well. We did the best we could with what we had.

We are just four guys singing about about the X Box, and its games. We are hardcore fans. If that is a crime, for that I am sorry also.

The fact that I am a Christian, believe in a god that cannot be seen has little to do what we are doing here.

We just love the game, writing songs about games, and playing live. If that too is a crime I am sorry.

With regards to the comments about the songs sucking, thats ok. Not everyone will like our music. I am glad for the downloads however from people who do.

We believe in the Xbox 360 and we know its the best gaming console in the universe. That is all we are saying man.

P-Box

P-box

muppetsausages

ClosedAccountDueToErrorsAshCouldn'tFix

any chrisitians here????

carlosrodas

Millions don't travel to Mecca each year for financial gain they do it because they believe it's they are servicing someone far greater than them and doing God's will.

Jehova's Witnesses don't go door to door because they think they'll get rich.

LDS don't go on 2 year mission trips when they're young adults to 3rd world countries to sweat and build houses and help people so they can somehow retire early.

Regardless if its is true or not, the motives behind the actions of the masses are pure even if the leaders are not.

Kidd

Just bizarre.

knulpm

@Kidd: Of those groups you mentioned, only those defined as organized religions actively seek out new members to subjugate into their group for financial purposes.

p.s. God is a sock.

muppetsausages

explodingman

Boxelder

RiceBandit

NPC

and oh yeah, they <3 jesus.

that's what i think anyway...

Nadams1229

Roopet

A band whose members are involved in their local church and are open about being followers of Christ is somehow a bad thing?

You can't even properly spin this article to make it look like they have some subversive message, you've shown nothing more than they are Christian and sing about xbox... seriously man, stop the hate you bigot

Would you write the same scathing article if all the members were gay? Or black? Or Muslim? Or ex-convicts? Or Jewish? I mean seriously...

Kidd

Elly

polarenvy

I'm confused. Was it that you didn't read the entire article? Or are you uncertain the meaning of the term "proselytize"?

From the above article:

On the official Xbox Boys site, Fischer, also known as P-Box, lists a different set of laws, laws of the "Keepers of the Orb":

These laws, the site says, were delivered to the four band members in the woods of Bellevue, near Microsoft's campus, from a voice "sounding like a thousand horns all at once, but also as quite(SIC) as a single violin note".

What would you call that???

I'd agree that perhaps the article is a little fatuous, and that it forces drawing a connection between the band and it's member's faith, but for certain people there is no separation between their faith and any other facet of their existence. The real question here is whether gaming and religion should utilize similar tactics in spreading their "message". It's also trying to open a debate regarding the parallel between fanboy idolatry and the religious variety. Why is one admirable and the other offensive? To whom is one more offensive than the other? Which? Why?

Sure it's not the most well written thing to grace the pages of Kotaku, but attacking the site for printing a quote?

That just makes you one lazy critic.

stranger

raison

Or maybe we just accept the fact that liking a game console and belonging to a church have nothing to do with each other.

Funny how JT gets creamed for suggesting ties between gamers and social behavior, and look what we have here on Kotaku! Same thing! Congrats -- you've stooped to his level.

FlapjacksAreTasty

ReginaldTheSeventySecond

robinhood1013

As far as "cult-like", maybe I'm missing something, but the New Hope International Church, at first blush, seems to be your standard protestant sect. Nothing "Heaven's Gate" or "Branch Davidian" about them.

code.monkey

meltyman

TOCATL

What if the cosplayers dress like xbox's? :P

Khabi

Now some guys who go to church together and are vying for the title of "Ultimate Xbox Fanboy"... while making what appears to be a VERY sarcastic analogy of Xbox and what I would call Mormonism (with the revelation in the woods, very joseph smith)...

And then I just realized: Xmas = Christmas, right? So does Xbox=Christbox?

As for the article, it felt like it was trying to generate controversy where there was none... I kept waiting for the point... but the comment thread has been fun so far!

mikeymix

While I agree that the way the article is written leaves a little to be desired (as in give us a hint at what you're driving towards early on with a rhetorical question or something that holds the reader's interest), there is some serious weirdness going on with the xbox boys.

Their music sucks, and just for the record: idolatry of any kind, be it for an electronic box or a carpenter's kid, is pretty frightening. Now is it just me or did Jesus build their Hummer?

Seriously- can you think of a greater walking contradition that a Jesus freak who drives a Hummer and evangelizes a game console?

I don't know if the band's existence is the grand conspiracy which the article seems to suggest, their purpose could be just as innocuous as they proclaim. Regardless, whether they're co-opting Jesus to sell xbox360's or vice versa; I think the creepy intertwining of the two is more indicative of the mentality which drives a certain kind of person's actions.

People who have come to rely so deeply on institutionalized spirituality tend to evangelize as much as they can in their lives. It's like a drug, and the only way the are able to satisfy thier ego along with their soul is by treating anyone who opposes their "good news" as a sheep in need of a shepard- a cross they're usually more than willing to bear.

Now I just hope Christ does return so he can smack that a-hole for driving a Hummer with Jesus bumper stickers on it. I don't care if it IS a hybrid. It's still a napoleonmobile!

stranger

maybe im missing the point of this article, but it seems to me that this band hasnt done anything shady, like imply they want xbox gamers to convert... if they did the article hasnt made it clear.
In other words, it seems that they are being singled out because of their religious beliefs/inclinations.

I've grown up with Christians who accused the kind of games I played preaching violence and/or witchcraft and I've always been smart enough not to believe them.
So come on Kotaku guys unless there is real concrete evidence don't get on the same ignorant boat.

ultrarobotninja

Toasticus

It's not X-Box, XBOX, or X Box. It's just Xbox.

Karttikeya

What a tool.

Dorphat

While it may be a sign of being unoriginal it borderlines cult/subversive religious advertising.

Ape.of.Gods

I've always loved reading newspapers and magazine articles, which is the sort of layout this was presented in. Seeing some truly original articles, in which the journalist actually does some research other than sending off an e-mail to rumour squash, is a huge step for the gaming media. Keep up the good work.

Faint

Also, they need much more than boring makeup. They shoulda gone full-mask. Not that'd it'd help, they are still completely boring.

Grimspoon

Culebra

This is as shoddy a piece as I've ever seen on kotaku.

Akvan

Either way, the whole thing seems sort of insidious.

Atheist Jew

talisein

Nexus6

A person's life experiences and beliefs necessarily affect the tone and attitude of that person's voice. Of course there will be some level of a Christian slant to their message... they're Christian. Just in the same way an atheist's or Muslim's or whoever's message will slant that way.

I really wonder if this article would have been written (or more specifically, written in this manner) if the group was affiliated and pushing a Jewish, Hindu, etc. faith.

Nevertheless, it is still a provocative and interesting article and I hope to see more of a similar discussion-brewing nature.

code.monkey

William "Killer" Shatner

Oh, and they're weird.

Used to think cosplayers were strange, but at least they worship characters, not a piece of hardware. This is just stupid. Next we'll see bands spreading the love of tampons to the world.

When they meet Jesus, he's going to point and laugh his ass off before pulling the lever.

Elly

LowerHouseMember

Cueil

JihadJoe

Darthvinder

Citan359

Roopet

ClosedAccountDueToErrorsAshCouldn'tFix

MonkeyC

Wolf_Dog

EnigmaNemesis

JCtheMC

IMO if that is the case they should have went with the Wii. Likely just X-Box fan boys who are also church goers as they say.

Either way that song sucks.

explodingman

Daiden

poplin

Wolf_Dog

Or if the words they speak are true, this could just be a good lesson why you shouldn't do drugs...

ReginaldTheSeventySecond

instantpop

explodingman

yurlittlepony

...

...

Why?

Seriously fan boys, just why?

That's a wee bit past sane to waste energy on things like that. At least machinema can be humorous.

Black-Dog-Howls

thebluick

Seriously...wtf?

Dr. Snuggle Bunny

creepy....just....creepy.

Cell9song

yashichi8bit