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View Full Version : That would be an ecumenical matter.



Staurm
06-09-2007, 06:59 PM
I've decided to post this in two sub forums, with different titles. I hope the mods will allow that as I feel it's relevant to both religion AND the gaming industry. It's technically a current events post, but the discussion surrounding this is very relevant here(there), and here. I wont push it by also posting it "(there)", but perhaps someone will anyway. I HOPE this leads to a bit of a current events frenzy, because I am getting a bit fed of hearing about other trivialities in the news that are currently being talk to death about, and getting rather boring, such as the racism/BB row, or the travelling G8 circus and pantomime show. I think we need to have a serious think, as the human race in this unique and troubled time we live in, about the consequences of violence in the media, in this instance in particular, violence in computer games.

Sony use Manchester cathedral in violent computer game, Church of England not happy bunnies.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/m...er/6736809.stm

"But the Church said Sony did not ask for permission to use the cathedral and has demanded an apology and the removal of the game from shop shelves - otherwise it would consider legal action."

"The Bishop of Manchester, the Rt Revd Nigel McCulloch, described the decision to feature the city's cathedral as "highly irresponsible" - especially in the light of Manchester's history of gun crime."

Just imagine if your local church suddenly became a tourist attraction for local gameboys, they'd all be running around playing shoot the alien during the sunday service, or someones funeral.

Despite the CEO currently suffering, as it always has, from slight delusions of grandieur (no offense meant to any Christians BTW) I agree with them 100% on this. If someone portrayed my temple of worship in a violent computer game without my consent, which they would not get anyway, I would do exactly the same. Who are biggest asses, sony or CEO? It's a close call, but still, the CEO are right on this one.

A stance like that requires actions, such as... get your X rated games off the shelf now or we'll crucify you. Saying that though, a true pacifist religion would forgive sony.

Perhaps they are feeling guilty about their own violent past.

X

Stoner Shadow Wolf
06-09-2007, 07:28 PM
hmm... i dunno... this one is a toughie really...

i am all for games using real-world places and including visual accuracy. i love seeing real places remastered in the digital interactive world.
i dont see why they would be offended over a videogame either, but at the same time i also understand their position, so this is very hard to address.


oh yeah. plus i dont like sony in the first place XD


in any case, i think they are both wrong, the church is wrong to deny use of the cathedral in a work of fiction, and sony is wrong for doing it without so much as informing them of these plans.

Staurm
06-09-2007, 07:41 PM
It's not a work of fiction though, it's a computer game. They are quite different. It's a place where people go to find inner peace, and it deserves to be respected as such. I'm not thinking about the COE, I am thinking about the people go there to find peace every week, and who weren't even consulted about this.

Stoner Shadow Wolf
06-09-2007, 07:44 PM
incidentally i find inner peace when i play GTA and run people over in a fast car.

additionally, since when were video games non-fiction?

granted, they do have historical games about world war II and the like, but the gameplay itself never REALLY happened, so how is that not a work of fiction?


battlefield 1942 is BASED ON real events, but none of the real events actually take place in that game.



and on that last note, what game is this they are so offended by?

Staurm
06-09-2007, 07:50 PM
Ok it's not a book, it's a role playing platform.

Stoner Shadow Wolf
06-09-2007, 07:54 PM
fictional all the same.

does it have a plot?

hell, even if not, it's still a work of fiction, the game isnt real, therefore is fictional.

Staurm
06-09-2007, 07:56 PM
I see your point, but I think that would be an ecumenical matter.

YouTube - Yes! That would be an ecumenical matter! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b66SlBA948o)

Hardcore Newbie
06-09-2007, 09:06 PM
I'm not exactly sure how it works, but i know in movies, people have to pay fees for usage of private buildings, like the C.N. Tower here in Canada. The CN Tower is a private building, contrary to most people's assumptions, so anyone making a movie with shots of the CN Tower have to pay a company that handles private building usage (which in turn pays the CN tower and other private buildings) for it's usage.

Whether a church is a private or public building, I'm not sure. And whether buildings are allowed to decline usage, I'm not sure about either.

Staurm
06-09-2007, 09:08 PM
Last link didn't work for some reason, try this.

BBC NEWS | England | Manchester | Cathedral row over video war game (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/6736809.stm)

PureEvil760
06-10-2007, 01:32 AM
The worlds fucked up cause everyone is just chacing money..people just want more and more and they never become happy, even millionares.

Polymirize
06-10-2007, 01:33 AM
Just imagine if your local church suddenly became a tourist attraction for local gameboys, they'd all be running around playing shoot the alien during the sunday service, or someones funeral.


That's kinda an absurd point to make. These people are gamers. So it's obvious they're not running around anywhere in real life anyway.

It's like you think all the gamers are going to trade in their systems and start running through cathedrals wearing paper hats, pointing their fingers and yelling "bang bang!".


... it's a stretch.

Staurm
06-10-2007, 04:41 AM
Oh yeah gamers never leave the house these days, the portable console was invented for home use. Besides, that bit you quoted was meant humorously, although that said with all the fuss being made over it as soon as anyone catches on which church it is it's a definate possible for some you tube material.

Staurm
06-10-2007, 11:52 AM
That's kinda an absurd point to make. These people are gamers. So it's obvious they're not running around anywhere in real life anyway.

It's like you think all the gamers are going to trade in their systems and start running through cathedrals wearing paper hats, pointing their fingers and yelling "bang bang!".


... it's a stretch.

Also not my best argument in support of the CoE.

Check out this video news article see if it changes your mind.

BBC News Player - Computer game church row (http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6730000/newsid_6737300/6737355.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm)

BBC NEWS | UK | Fantasy meets reality in Church row (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6738309.stm)