A recent poll conducted by Ready For Harvest, an unbiased YouTube channel that educates viewers on the history and beliefs of various Christian denominations and sects, found that many professing Christians believe it is alright for themselves and other Christians to play violent video games.
Over 3,400 respondents participated in the poll.
The question was, “Is playing Grand Theft Auto a good activity for a Christian?”
Among the four possible options, the results were almost equal for each answer.
The most voted answer (28%) was ‘For some people it’s fine, for others it would be a sin.’
1 out of 4 (25%) answered ‘It’s sinful,’ to play GTA V.
24% said ‘I don’t have enough information to make a judgment call on this.’
With the least amount of votes, 23% said ‘It’s fine’ to play GTA V.
This means that 53% of respondents are, at the very least, fine with themselves or other Christians playing Grand Theft Auto V.
Here are some of the comments in response to the results:
The game glorifies criminal behavior more than many games, but where the line is may be different for some… But “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”
“Rick B”
There are advantages to playing video games -I never rule out the potential conversation starter that could lead someone to salvation
“Lilies and Butterflies”
You need an option for just “no.” A thing needn’t be a sin to be better off avoiding.
“Lane Russell”
It’s fine so far as we treat it lightheartedly and don’t actually use it as a conduit for our sinful passions like anger or bloodlust
“Scygnius”
Sinful is a harsh word. More like “less than ideal” is how I’d put it
“Herr Schmidt”
Depends on what’s going on. Robbing fake stores for fake money could be a conscience thing, but going to the strip clubs is just obvious sin. Depends on what’s happening.
“Andrew Cole”
Judge not, lest you be judged.
“Lukas Makarios”
I would say no, but I don’t think it’s a sin. So, I’m voting “It’s fine”
“Millmond”
Ignoring the whole “strip club” part of the game (because that part is most certainly sinful), killing fake people in a video game is probably fine (unless your conscience says otherwise)
“Letruweldo Nothsa”
…Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. -Romans 1:32 [KJB]
“Johnathan McEntire”
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ERSB) rated the game “Mature” (M 17+), because of “Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, and Use of Drugs and Alcohol.”
They additionally note instances of torture, prostitution, and “a brief instance of necrophilia (no nudity is depicted).”
Grand Theft Auto V was first released in 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game broke industry records becoming the fastest-selling entertainment product in history grossing over $800 million on launch, and over $1 billion after its first three days. GTA V was later integrated for the next generation of video game consoles and PC. Most recently GTA V has been updated yet again allowing players to enjoy the game on the newest Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.
On February 23rd, IGN reported that Chicago lawmakers proposed a bill that would ban violent video games, specifically GTA, due to a significant rise in carjackings in the Illinois city.
[HB3531] Amends the Violent Video Games Law in the Criminal Code of 2012. Changes provisions that restrict the sale or rental of violent video games to minors to prohibit the sale of all violent video games.Summary of the proposed bill
The bill would also redefine what it means to be a “violent video game,” which,
allows a user or player to control a character within the video game that is encouraged to perpetuate human-on-human violence in which the player kills or otherwise causes serious physical or psychological harm to another human or an animal.
The Electronic Software Association (ESA) told IGN they disagree with the proposal:
While our industry understands and shares the concerns about what has been happening in Chicago, there simply is no evidence of a link between interactive entertainment and real-world violence. We believe the solution to this complex problem resides in examining thoroughly the actual factors that drive such behaviors rather than erroneously ascribing blame to videogames based solely upon speculation.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
[14] And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; [15] I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. [16] So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. [17] Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: [18] I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. [19] As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. [20] Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:14-20
[1] This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. [2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [3] Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, [4] Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; [5] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. [13] But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.2 Timothy 3:1-5, 13
The survey results, which are notably larger than most professional polls, confirms what the King James Bible said would happen before the catching away of the body of Christ, “the pre-trib rapture” – as it’s wrongly titled. The data and the majority of comments given in response to the data are prime examples of Laodicean answers: lukewarm – a thing that the Lord Jesus Christ HATES, and makes it clear that the Laodicean church is full of false converts, hence, why the Lord will vomit out the “foreign matter” out from his body, as Laodiceans are fruitless and dead, yet in their self conceit believe that God is blessing them enormously.
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Colossians 2:8
Peter S. Ruckman, commentating on this verse, summarized what the “rudiments of the world” are. As quoted in my book, “The Lord of Glory,” he said the following:
When Satan wishes to “spoil” the Christian (see text) or damn the sinner, he uses the same set method on every human being without any reference to his size, shape, weight, color, age, station in life, attainments, background, degrees, heredity, or I.Q.
“Everybody else does it. “
“We always have done it.”
“A little bit doesn’t hurt..”
“My conscience doesn’t convict me.”
“We know when to quit.”
“You gotta make a living.”
“It all depends on how you look at it.”
These are the alibis for every sin that has ever been committed on this earth. This is the philosophy of the world, and it is the tradition of mankind. Every sin you ever committed, you committed on one of those grounds, or more than one of them. They are the bedrock foundation of the world system in any age, and the suckers who are stupid enough to think that man has progressed in the last 6,000 years are merely men who have deceived themselves for purposes of personal expediency.
He then provides the opposite and gives the rudiments for Biblical Christianity:
Is it RIGHT?
Will it please God?
Does it edify?
Is it expedient?
Will it bring glory to God?
Can I sincerely thank God for it?
How will it appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ?
What Ruckman defined is precisely the same exact sinful logic as seen in the data and the comments responding to the data.
In reality, only 25% of respondents actually think GTA is sinful, compared to the other 75% that are impartial to it or at the very least is okay in some instances. What’s my answer? It is extremely vile and there is zero justification for it. I used to play GTA V not long after its release for the Xbox 360 in 2013, and I am VERY well aware of the game’s contents: it is impossible to justify a single frame of it.
And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
Luke 16:15
And bare in mind that GTA is often viewed as the pinnacle and stereotypical example of violent and mindless gaming: very few “Triple-A” games are barely rated worse. If these people who think GTA is okay, suppose ye what they will say of a game that is not quite as vile as GTA?
Video games are vice and a Christian should just avoid them altogether. Period.
KFC Launches A Video Game Console That Heats Up Chicken
The WinePress noted a report in January of the video game pandemic the world is under. We noted that sales for video games and peripherals were through the roof in 2020, and the release of the newest editions of the Xbox and PlayStation were (and still are) in such high demand, manufacturers could not produce the consoles fast enough. This has lead to insane price gouges of sites such as Ebay or Craigslist, with many scammers taking advantage of the situation, charging thousands of dollars for a PICTURE of the console.
Popular British YouTuber Memeulous documented this insanity with his friend. I apologize for the profanity. He did a follow up in February of this.
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“Sinful is a harsh word.” I can definitely tell that that dude won’t like the King James Bible…
I was addicted to video games for over 10 years, and GTA V was one of the games that I had the most hours on. That game is extremely wicked, absolutely nothing in there is justifiable. I thank the Lord Jesus Christ that I got victory over video game addiction about a year ago, when the Holy Spirit strongly convicted me through the video brother Bryan made about video games about a year ago. I’m never going back.
Amen, I here ya. I was a video game idolater for most of my life, and I’d say The Sims was the one I played and spent the most money on. That game is the pinnacle of loserdom: watching my fake self doing basic activities that I could be doing.
I am appalled that these so-called christians EXCEPT for the one who quoted Romans 1:32 KJB, the rest of them I am just flabbergasted, especially the one who said “judge not lest ye be judged” these lukewarm losers just love to twist that Scripture and use that as justification and tolerance.
GTA where you can go to strip clubs, get drunk, high, do a prostitute and have the option to kill her, steal a car at will tossing the driver out, kill innocent people, kill cops, kill rival gang members, rob banks, steal any vehicle from a Honda to any sports car imaginable, to even helicopters and planes and use a variety of weapons enough to start an army! GTA is a very evil game! Playing a game where you can kill innocent people and cops, whoever plays that and has no conviction or guilt doing so is sick in the head! It makes Mortal Kombat look like Sesame Street!
Anyone who plays GTA as a major hobby like it were a profession is going to have the potential to become violent and cross many lines.
My former security guard chief with an 8 and 17 year old sons back in 2016, he allowed them to play GTA V, he might as well let them play with live cobras and he is in major sin and he even plays it himself even as a peace officer and former deputy sheriff, then again, he’s a catholic so what do ya expect?
I haven’t played a game console for over five years and I wanna keep it that way because I know that I will get addicted and complacent.
Not to mention Anthony, the lukewarm phony who twisted judge not, they love to twist that Scripture and they need a harsh rebuking for that!
Jacob should also make an article on Call of Duty, war is not what it used to be or meant to be and it glorifies killing as well; but GTA is the worst!
I was never a big Call of Duty player, thought I am familiar with the one where you play as Russian terrorists and the player gets to mow down an entire airport of innocent bystanders.
Halo was more my speed when it came to shooter games as a lost person.
Play as Russian Terrorists and mow down an entire airport? Sounds just as barbaric as GTA!
It’s amazing how the Holy Ghost led you to write this. I’ve been dealing with both of these subjects, the rudiments of the world and video games, for the past week.
Here’s the verse that the Lord used to convict me about playing Call of Duty:
Psalm 11:5 KJV
[5] The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
Amen. Proverbs 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
“Shoot ’em up” video games are bad for the soul. I used to play CSGO, TF2, COD, and many more violent video games when I was lost, almost every day. It grooms you into being coming a psychotic stone-cold killer. Do you ever wonder why there has been a rise in school shootings and gang violence these past years? Yes, as time goes on, the world gets more wicked, but video games are a factor in the equation. Many times when people around me got hurt, I didn’t care about their well-being: I had a “better you than me” mentality; this was developed through countless years of shedding innocent virtual blood and foul language. Thankfully, God delivered me from this sin: I’ve been able to hold a job and given many responsibilities after my departure.
Abstain from video games in general: although it may not be violent, you could be using that time to get a job or praise the Lord.
(1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV): “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”