h/t American Papist
Ok, look Electronic Arts, as much as the hardcore gaming community is full of the risible self-parodies known as the "freethinking" - the Richard Dawkins-loving, fundamentalist atheist, "I'm-so-much-smarter-than-you-are-because-I-don't-believe-in-God" types, I doubt that even they would actually be more likely to buy a game because they *think* that their ideological foes (the equally risible Fundamentalist Creationist, anti-Catholic, evangelical "Christians") happen to hate it. Gamers of all varieties will buy this product if its, well, actually a good game. So instead of engaging in a shamelessly anti-Christian stunt to promote your poor excuse of a product, maybe you ought to work on making this game, you know, something better than a blatant God of War rip-off and make it, ya know, something worthwhile?
Just saying...
UPDATE: InsideCatholic's Margaret Cabaniss has posted her own take on the whole affair here.
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1 – 200 of 279 Newer› Newest»You silly Christians and you ad hominem attacks. You always find a way to make me laugh!
Thanks for proving my point, Mikey K!
I didn't realize you had a point. I thought this was like christwire.org.
Everyone loves to hate. And it's the high profile "holier-than-thou-I'm-better-than-you-because-I-believe-God-hates-gays-liberals-and-video-games" types out there that make such a stunt believable. I think the backlash will hurt EA's image in the short run, but they got the publicity they wanted. Though I'm saddened to think that the game might actually do well regardless because of all the marketing. It's advertising and controversy that sell these days, not quality. Just look at all the GTA's out there.
so what christian people are wayyy too bothered by this...stop taking it so seriously and fucking chill
if macdonalds made a protest about people getting fat we'd laugh at it not post shit like this
As a non-Christian, wouldn't catch me in church dead, gamer.. I still find myself agreeing with this blog. It is a thinly veiled attempt to cash in on GoW, it really is nothing like the literature its based on, an easy Wiki check there, and it will sell well.
They wanted hype, so they went out and got it, and if you think these people are over-reacting... go read up on Salman Rushdie. I believe he still has a fatwa demanding his death for a fictional book he wrote.
aww is god gonna cry too? Let's all hold hands and pray our problems away instead of fixing them
Lol, lighten up people seriously. Christians getting mad at this kind of stuff just entertains us further.
you people are pathetic jajaja, catholic videogamers??? jajaja gimme a break!!
atte Rafael MS
why Crhistians are so silly, It's a game, Try other thing that bothering us. Stop messing in everything, you should let people live their lives, insted of tricking peeplo with your faith.
I'm glad to see that at least SOME people commenting here actually bothered to read what I wrote as opposed to trolling.
That so many of you, however, seem absolutely indisposed to actually engaging in discussion, however, really speaks to why EA would pull something like this. Free publicity at the expense of others - in this case, an entire body of religious believers - and, if the comments here are any indication, people in the gaming community would rather feed into the bigotry that this stunt proliferates than slam them for their shameless and callous methods of game promotion.
Then again, admitting it was a ruse is undoubtedly part of the publicity anyway...
This blog is creeping me out.
I'm loving the comments here. On the one hand there is inadvertant ignorance and then there's plain intellectual curtailing. Not recognising that the 200 word blog post that you apparently failed to read is in agreement with the only rational fragment of your point falls squarely into the latter category.
That was a great response Christian brothers ,.. a bit rough,.. but truthful !
Sorry but for a company to pull a shit like that is just shameful,.. and I agree with my christian brothers,..
Ukgamer66, so you're saying that complaining about a PR stunt that builds off of stereotypes, which are even purported by you, in order to get some cheap publicity is hypocritical?
I fail to see the connection. If they used a group of people you were affiliated with to market something via stereotypical claims, would you still be fine with it?
lol no comment
As an atheist, I would like to say "right on" to this blog. All the trolls are pretty pathetic, and worst of all, aren't funny.
That is all.
You know what? Thank you for this post, and thank you for this blog. I am (practically) a card-carrying atheist. Before I get your hackles up, though, I'd have you know that I currently live near, and grew up at, Notre Dame; I was educated by the fine monks at Moreau Seminary, where my mother was the administrative assistant to Fr. John Gerber. I am an atheist, certainly, but I have a deep and profound love and respect for not only the Catholic faith, but all faith as a matter of course.
This publicity stunt by EA was weak, at best; a feeble attempt to cash in on the basic awareness of the Inferno without any intellectual regard to the content therein. It's sad, but this is how the secular world views Christians, particularly Catholics, in this day and age. When did ridicule become a legitimate form of debate?
Who cares?
lol forgiveness.
Since when does forgiveness mean that the forgiver must agree with whatever action caused the problem?
Perhaps the trolls should consider their own ignorance.
Right, but he didn't start with forgiveness. He didn't state: "EA's guerrilla marketing campaign was distasteful and offensive, but I forgive them."
He more or less used his platform to rail against atheists and EA. But I guess that would fall in line with, you know, the wholly Christian mentality of "parody is fine as long as it's not us."
Haha, wait a second, Scientologists, Hindus, and just about every other group of people who believe in an omnipotent, undetectable, being(s) do the same thing. Fancy that!
I'm not a Christian but even I find this fake protest by EA was just plain disrespectful. I think this stunt will only hurt the sales of there game.
Yes, the move was insensitive, but we must all admit that there are certain groups that like to protest without giving the product a shot (remember Dogma, that film was flipping harmless). You could have just as easily seen a fake green peace protest at Overlord II and their baby seal clubbing gremlins.
Sadly, Andy, your giving these people more media attention than they deserve for this stunt.
And yet still, I ask you to forgive the morons who came up with the idea for this campaign because Video Games, although not new, are still an emerging medium, and so many of these marketing people will do ANYTHING for attention.
As a non Cristian, but someone who reads into religions and is a hard core gamer. I will say that a religion can not control the media. something so large is setting itself up for being mocked and spat on, and it only makes one a lower person to freak out about it. stuff like this is also only setting yourself up to be made fun of. If it bothers you so much just avoid it. after all you do believe in free will and sin an all that, so you should know it's not within your power to make people do what you want them to. (unless you go old school catholic >.> we know what you did there!)
Those of you who are pointing fingers at me because I'm not being "forgiving" - Christ's imperative to "turn the other cheek" is not a command to "let injustice take its course." If, as KignAssmar said, a fake environmentalist protest was done to promote Overlord II, or an anti-war protest to promote CoD: Modern Warfare 2, I would still be upset. This is PR that proliferates prejudice and hatred (and the comments here demonstrate this all too unwittingly!); just because I point it out doesn't make me "unforgiving."
Forgiveness implies that someone is, first of all, SEEKING it; I cannot give something to someone if they are not willing to receive it. If EA comes out with an apology of some sort, I'll gladly extend my own olive branch. But you cannot say "you aren't forgiving!" because I actually bother to criticize EA when they've done something worth criticizing!
As for my slam on the "freethinking" - this is not a slam directed at all atheists anymore than my commentary on "Fundmentalists" is a slam against every Christian (this is a Catholic blog, after all!). That certain atheists will claim intellectual superiority only to make absolute fools of themselves is self-evident - just look at the comments on this blog. The same applies for certain types of Christians that claim moral superiority only to make hypocrites of themselves. The difference between what I wrote and what EA did is that I refuse to let every atheist be characterized by the actions of a few (hence my descriptors) while EA shamelessly employed a PR firm to make a few quick bucks off of a callous depiction of what the gaming community (and any nuetral onlooker, really) will perceive to be "mainstream" Christians.
Is such a thing excusable using either the "standard" Christian, the Hindu, the Muslim, or the Secular Humanist ethos? I don't think so!
1. I'm sure EA thanks you for the free publicity.
2. "'I'm-so-much-smarter-than-you-are-because-I-don't-believe-in-God' types."
That's backwards.
Maybe Ea was making light of some of the terror cells in christianity such as the terrorist group that murder that physician in Kentucky, and have had a free pass on their reign of terror for the past couple decades. Also don't for get that other lovely terror group called westborough baptist church. If the author of this blog post freely associate with these known terrorist then there's obviously no way to change his mind since he is mired in his own silly childhood indoctrination. Yes I did read you opinon piece and all of these gramatically erred comment make superior points to your own.
What EA did worked, people are talking about it.
I'm indifferent to the religion part.
If you want people to talk about you, why not make it a controversy with you in the middle of it? It'll last longer.
If someone insulted your girlfriend/boyfriend would you not do something... I know I would...
Is it not the same with Christianity... When you care about something so much and someone blatantly insulted "it", would you not be angry or offended. Why then are they not entitled to "feel" insulted...
Why are you bloggers so concerned about how these "Christian feel"... I suggest your worry about yourselves, i.e. eternity. but hey, I am just a self righteous Christian right... Oh no, sorry we "Christian are always wrong, and all responsible for worlds problems...
One suggestion (not a command, a suggestion) - Don't be hater fella's :)
This is priceless. Think about your religion. Do you have any proof of it? Other than the big old book, that is. The book that anyone could have written. Hell, I could have written that. Not to say that I don't understand why you worship the everloving invisible man. You worship him because you know you should fear death. The afterlife gives you assurance that you and your loved ones won't die out and be forgotten in a few decades. And that's ok. I'll just get on with my life, do things I wanna do every sunday, and basically be "freethinking" for my life. I won't ask you what you'll be doing.
Hey guys, it's me, God.
Regardless of the way you think we got here, this stunt pulled by EA was disrespectful. They are stereotyping people of a certain religion... this is not how a big name game developer should act.
"There is not sufficient love and goodness in this world to permit us to give some of it away to imaginary beings" -Nietzsche
I can't help but wonder if EA's protest was a clever marketing ploy for gamers who have actually read the Inferno. As readers may recall, the first ring of Hell is characterized by those who are separated from God because of their ignorance.
Raising silly pickets and protests against a game about which there has been little information released is fairly ignorant. Unfortunately, some Christians (evangelicals, serious right-wingers) have been associated with this kind of ignorance. Remember all the silly protests against Harry Potter? Moreover, how ironic would it be if Christians picketed against a game "based" off of an iconic piece of Catholic literature?
Anyway, I don't think that Catholics or other Christians with a good sense of humor should be so offended by this stint. In fact, we should probably share a good laugh. Also I agree that EA had so much material with which to work for the Inferno (RPG would have been cool). Ripping off GoW just seems like a quick way to get a buck with a cool title.
Peace
And then Owen Good of Kotaku found you, and then everybody who reads Kotaku found you (including me :D). Did you read that article? He was angry that people like you got angry about it. :P
Maybe I'm crazy, but I wasn't that offended by EA's stunt (I was even a little amused). Maybe it's because when I heard about it, the fact that the protest was fake was already known. But did the people on the street that day know it was fake? Probably not, in which case, well, *sigh*. Nothing new under the sun, I guess, but EA isn't really helping anything.
Well, I gotta say, whether or not EA's getting publicity from this blog, I certainly can't complain about the attention this little speck of cyberdust is receiving. I never expected to be quoted in a Gamepolitics article during any point in my earthly existence, that's for sure. EA's anti-Christian protest just got a Catholic website scores of hits and promotion. Go figure!
However, this blog ain't about grabbing as many hits as possible, and those of you who would rather talk past each other, get off topic, or troll are going to have your comments promptly deleted. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
You know, if people didn't have these hissy-fits every time someone just made a little tiny joke about their religion the stereotype of the "Your gunna burn in hell" Christian wouldn't exist.
I'm very glad others are saying it too. I have my own rant on it at http://voxlusoris.blogspot.com/
Anyone else find it also hypocritical when EA is fighting 1st amendment issues with other game companies to even publish games in the U.S. they then mock the first amendment rights of others?
I'm an atheist, but I've got to support the sentiment in this blog. EA definitely got some publicity but has confirmed that they are a sleazy steaming pile and I certainly won't be buying this game.
I'm sorry you're so oppressed, Andy.
Most of you posters are being idiots about this, You're just attacking someone with a christian title on their hands. Grow up and stop thinking you're above everyone and everything with a religion. This is not a hit on all Atheists, some of you actually have been decent and actually understood what the poster was saying, other than bashing him for feeling offended. If someone made a similar fake protest on your beleifs, you would outraged.
And I find it hilarious that someone here is trying to ask for proof of God in this blog. Was that even the point of this blog? No, so why even bother pushing that on someone else when that isn't the subject? Because their Christian? The point is EA was stereotyping, he got offended (like anyone else who thinks that it was pointless since Dante's Inferno has very litte to do with Christianity). Hell, I wasn't offended about a game in Hell. Who cares? If they don't have that much faith in their own products that they have to try and do some publicity stunt, that's their fault.
EA's decision to have Christian impersonators stage a stupid protest is objectionable for the same reason spoofing is objectionable. LOL Xtians! loses its sting when it's all a set-up, even if actual, honest to god christians do this sort of thing all the time over LGBT issues.
But this is ridiculous: "the Richard Dawkins-loving, fundamentalist atheist, "I'm-so-much-smarter-than-you-are-because-I-don't-believe-in-God" types"
This is just a means of dismissing arguments you find inconvenient and slurring an unpopular group so that you don't have to address your views or the privilege they accord you. This is bigotry, however much your feelings may be hurt when an atheist listens to the incredible claims of theists and dismisses them as just that: incredible. They are not required to believe your claims or even find them reasonable. That people encounter derision for believing ridiculous--and in the view of this ex-Catholic queer, pernicious and hateful--claims is to be expected and cheered.
So take the beam out of your own eye and lay off the atheists.
To the guy Above:
He stated already that it's not toward all atheists. But, there are those like that. Who pretty much act that way and go like "I'm so smart". THis isn't like all atheists, but in alot of boards and on youtube, this is (unfortunately) the majority.
"Oh, I didn't mean *you*" and "You're one of the good ones" are not exculpatory. The problem is that he makes the conduct he objects to (being holier than thou) a function of the person's atheism, as well as relying on a tired strawman of Dawkins (and others) as the angry atheist who is angry and mean because he is insufficiently credulous enough of theists' claims.
It was a capitalistic pig-dog gaming company that performed the offense; not atheists.
To become upset at atheists because of CPDGC's actions is to make the irreligious the scapegoat.
"But this is ridiculous: "the Richard Dawkins-loving, fundamentalist atheist, "I'm-so-much-smarter-than-you-are-because-I-don't-believe-in-God" types...
...This is just a means of dismissing arguments you find inconvenient and slurring an unpopular group so that you don't have to address your views or the privilege they accord you. This is bigotry, however much your feelings may be hurt when an atheist listens to the incredible claims of theists and dismisses them as just that: incredible. They are not required to believe your claims or even find them reasonable. That people encounter derision for believing ridiculous--and in the view of this ex-Catholic queer, pernicious and hateful--claims is to be expected and cheered."
Do you realize I am attacking only certain atheists in my post (not characterizing all atheists with a "broad brush," as it were), and that I applied the same criticism to certain Christians, as well? Moreover, I slammed both groups for the same reason you believe atheists have a right to attack me for my religious beliefs: their claims, beliefs, and actions are absolutely outrageous and worthy of derision. How is this any different from what you are endorsing?
I am more than happy to take on the philosophical/logical/ideological objections of anyone if they are willing to listen and respond. I would not be a good Christian witness if I wasn't. That I must simply "put up with" with the ludicrous and obscene trolling is not, however, a prerequisite for my standing as a follower of Christ, and I would appreciate everyone actually bothering to read what I typed as opposed to using this blog as an excuse to whine and vent, or worse, proliferate hate speech and vapid insults. Thanks to those of you (and there are many of you!) who have done exactly that!
I think it's quite a stretch when you claim that the (admittedly dumb) stunt was "shamelessly anti-Christian." I don't see any way in which the dumb stunt attempted to stop anyone from practicing Christianity.
Hey, Andy. Would you mind deleting my former post?
Xemnas, may I ask why?
Nevermind on what I said before. You can get rid of that. I'll just continue on what I mean on this one (but, feel free to delete the post you just responded to, for reasons of consistantcy.)
What Andy is saying is, this was a stupid marketing technique. Christians didn't care it was in Hell or anything else like that. I don't know if it was antii-religious or not, it was a joke yes. But it was relying on people to get upset. I'm not really upset about it. I'm not really upset here. But, I find it pretty stupid that they chose this.
And no, I have no problem with people being Atheists, nor does the blogger here. He attacked both sides here. Religious and non-religious. When he said "the Richard Dawkins-loving, fundamentalist atheist, "I'm-so-much-smarter-than-you-are-because-I-don't-believe-in-God" types..." you gotta admit, there are atheists like that (mostly on youtube). And there are idiotic theist people too. He hit both sides at once.
Christian here, I don't really care, I don't find it offensive. Though it is a stupid marketing stunt. And yes, there are atheists with a "better than you" attitude.
Also, I'm not bothered by games and their subject material. Heck, I'm against unnecessary censorship and pulling games off shelves simply because they are deemed "unsuitable" from some overly-religious nut.
But the author was clearly attacking the extremists on both sides. I have no problem with atheists personally, I just don't like the types that like to force their non-religion on others. Yes, there are those types on the other side too. Thought I'd throw this out there. I'm not an extremist and I'll bash my "own" if they are being stupid.
Anyways, without a doubt, EA was being stupid. Do they have THIS low amount of faith in their product? Tsk tsk... I don't think I've seen worse marketing schemes, or at least, not many.
First thing you need to do if you have taken offense to this promotional stunt is step back and think "Am I a person who publically protests anti-religious games/movies/music/etc ?"
If, after thinking about it, you came to the conclusion that you are NOT one of those people, then what is there to be offended by? You aren't the type of person doing this fake-protest, and thus, are not being stereotyped. When someone makes a racial stereotype on TV, I think "am I X race being stereotyped?" and then come to the conclusion that I am not, and thus, am not offended. Case closed.
If you ARE one of those people who protest anti-religious games/music/movies/etc.... Well. First, why protest a game/band/movie/etc if you plan on never having anything to do with the product? It's not bothering you. Second, when you DO go into a public forum and protest this stuff it annoys people. Very much sometimes. In which case, consider this a truthful representation of yourself regardless of whether the protest is fake or not, and also as a retaliation for protesting to begin with.
Cut and dry, people.
Look, this isn't just going to appeal to Dawkins fanboys because they aren't the only ones who are going to be amused by this stunt. The whole PR stunt was taking the mickey out of over-the-top evangelical groups like the Westboro Baptist Church.
It seems odd that you should call the stunt "anti-Christian" when you aren't keen on calling such groups Christian anyway:
"the equally risible Fundamentalist Creationist, anti-Catholic, evangelical "Christians""
With such a low view of the people being derided, I'm surprised you are so offended at the decision to make fun of them.
Of course, you actually make it quite clear why you are offended. You are playing the 'victim' card:
"Free publicity at the expense of others - in this case, an entire body of religious believers - and, if the comments here are any indication, people in the gaming community would rather feed into the bigotry that this stunt proliferates than slam them for their shameless and callous methods of game promotion."
If bigotry is aimed at anyone here it's the Westboro Baptist Church. A group run by a man who beat his children, tells gays they are going to hell and that God hates them, and pickets funerals. If they are feeding into anything, it is the decision by many to overcome this group through laughter (like the guys who decided to 'rickroll' them for example).
The only way you seem to be able to make this seem at all controversial is by shifting the focus from the monstrous anti-Catholic hate-inspired cult that is being targeted and trying to claim that this is actually an anti-Catholic move. I have no idea how you've made that shift. Perhaps it makes sense to you, but to the rest of us it just seems like complaints for the hell of it (which, as you noted, is exactly what the game's PR group want anyway).
I thought it was pretty obvious that EA was spoofing the Westboro Baptist clan (a.k.a. the "GOD HATES x" folks, where x is something Fred Phelps hates). At the very least it's an obvious dig at the type of fundamentalists who protest children's books containing magic and the like. I have a hard time believing so many of you identify with those types of groups.
I have to agree with the previous two comments. I've never equated this form of protest with Catholicism. This sort of thing is usually done by Fundamentalist Christians and in recent memory, the fine folks at Westboro Baptist.
It sounds like you're just looking for a reason to get upset about something here and its hard to take you seriously when all you've done in response is take the opportunity to get a few jabs in on atheists.
Cry moar :(.
Too bad this game is going to suck and everyone will forget about it three days after it comes out.
This blog bringing any of this up at all is just a cry for hits, as you claim it's not, Andy Kirchoff.
I don't agree with either side. Andy, get a life. Trolls, get a life.
I really don't consider the Westboro Baptist Church to be part and parcel of the "Christians" I mentioned in my post, just in case anyone's clear. However, even if I did, the idea that EA was spoofing ONLY that group is certainly not the message that is being received by much of anyone else commenting thus far here or on other gaming websites. The mainstream media is also getting a very different vibe, as well. Lest anyone forget, the LA Times reported that the protestors came from a mainstream Christian Church in the area, and let's face it, "Hell is not a game" is certainly a far cry from the hateful banter usually associated with a "fringe of the fringe" group like Westboro Baptist Church. Why would a stunt like this get anyone to believe that either Westboro or a group similar to it was behind this?
That's the reason this stunt is objectionable. It isn't satirizing the Westboro types, it's satirizing Christians in general.
I really do think EA did this to score a few points with the "internet atheist"/ Dawkins fanboy gamers (which they clearly succeeded at judging by the comments on this blog alone!), but as I also wrote, I don't think that's going to sell copies of what clearly looks like a cheap knockoff of a superior product. So I write a post telling them that:
a) it's not gonna work
b) why not actually make the game good instead of relying on cheap and offensive marketing ploy mentioned in "a."
Another thing: I find it quite hilarious that both my posting and Margaret Cabaniss' InsideCatholic post are being labeled as "outrage" by certain sections of the gaming community. For crying out loud, Margaret Cabaniss even wrote in her post that "the institutional acknowledgement that these kinds of protests are the best possible publicity for their target is something Christians might want to bear in mind when the next Dan Brown film rolls around."
Where is this "outrage" I'm hearing all about?
Come on, the Christian signs were funny. You may not be that type of Christian, but I know people like that. They do exist, and they are scary. Lighten up guy. It was a joke to get press. EA does make shitty games, but they do know how to advertise, which you've now helped.
a) It will work, and already is.
b) It's cheap. Thus, more money to spend on making the game good.
Andy,
Thanks for presenting a moderate viewpoint and staying level-headed through all the trolling. As a fellow Christian (although not Catholic), it makes me glad to see someone defend Christianity without insulting everyone who disagrees with them, or making a bigger deal of things than necessary. Kudos.
I would agree with the sentiment presented in the blog, it was a cheap marketing ploy that was purposely done to exploit negative christian stereo-types for free, or at least cheap, press coverage.
That being said it does little good to say anything on it as it only further aids them in their task.
How can it be a god of war rip off if it is simaliar to the original, which was made before god of war?
EA is trying to sell this game as a defiance to an authority that does not really exist. How many times can that same impulse be targeted by marketers? Haven't they gotten crass enough already? Now, it seems they need to also invent the authority in order to get us to want to defy it.
-booltox
Christians, Catholics, etc. They are all different beliefs so stop trying to stop a videogame made from one of the famous poems. Everyone has a different belief and you shouldnt change it. Who gives a crap if you believe in god or not. Stop trying to change peoples mind. Right now your acting like a dictator (Hitler,Stalin,Mussolini)You dont want that do you? and oh yea "blatant god of war" "do better"??? God of War is one of the best selling games for Sony so obviously people love it. Just because you dont like it doesnt mean other people have to like it. It makes me sick when you people have to change other peoples beleifs. We are individuals and we are meant to stay that way and as individuals we can act on our own or act together but right now this whole thing about stopping a videogame is ridiculous. "You" guys try to stop the da vinci code but that didnt work. what makes you think it will work against a video game that most people play?
Whoa Whoa Whoa!
Slow down fellas.
Simple: This protest is offensive. Listen lil' bit. In the early time of Christian history we find Emperor Ne-ro (evil guy extraordinaire). You see, Ne-ro blamed a fire in Rome on the Christians, but the problem with this was, the Christians didn't start no fire, comprehende?
This isn't like insulting your girlfriend, it's like me saying, "Hey man, I just found out you're girlfriend is an E dealer." Naturally, as her boyfriend, you don't believe me, but if I say it out loud and in public, others gonna believe me (you know they will). Even worse, even if I post on the net, tv, and newspaper that I was 'just kiddin' or that I spoke falsely, some people gonna miss it, you see?
What if I said you were something that you're not? Posted it where it will get a lot of attention?
What if I told that girl you makin' googly eyes with, that you gay? Man, that's just not right.
On the other hand, this ain't no big deal, still they crackin' wise about us.
I don't think it is appropriate for Christians to be playing such horrible games as Call Of Duty 4.
You guys are creepy.... guys don't be stupid, this's called spot!
I like how the religious-bashing invalids spout their "lighten up" vomit.
Where were you when people wanted to put up nativity scenes on gov property or say "God" in our pledge of allegiance?
Hypocrites.
I feel that what ea did to gain publicity was rather foolish, but it is in the past and there is nothing we can do to change there religious beliefs and poor judgment decisions. so if this turns out to be a rather enjoyable game, I will purchase it. What they did was wrong indeed, but I don't think that they were trying to give off the impression that they are holier-than-thou.
There wouldn't be any controversy at all if the Christians didn't protest the protesters - I think that was EA's plan the whole time; they were quick to start media-izing the 'protest' once one or two very small time bloggers mentioned anything about the campaign. On a different note: we've seen "God of War" - a game where the hero goes up the mountain and battles all the Gods. Now we're getting a game where the hero descends into the Christian Hell and defeats Satan. When are we going to get a game where the hero has to wage war against heaven?
Bosses could include Jesus - who in the Koran and the Bible, comes down from heaven on a white horse with a sword (or double scimitar) slaughters sinners and pushes the Anti Christ into the pit of sulphur, or arch angels like Michael or Gabriel or the two guardians of the tree of life with the flaming swords, or the beasts that God unleashes from the pit to afflict mankind with poisonous stings (face like men, tails like scorpions), or the Four Horsemen (each one alone would be a devasting opponent).
The hero would finally climb up through heaven somehow, find the King of Heaven in his big jewel covered chair, surround by his hordes of prostating companions (which would all rush at the hero, and he'd have to cut them down like grass), face the four great beasts with eyes all over their bodies that protect God - and finally defeat God himself!
Christians Are Stupid And Hypocritical, As True Thieves Stealing Its Ideas Of Religion From The Pagans, And Are First To Say "Thou Shalt Not Steal"..why must people live in fear of a god..the egyptians and the greeks had more than one god yet christians are first to say "You shall have no other gods before Me." hypocrites..history tells all, yet its all fuzzy when it comes to christ and the supposed burial and resurrection..can they even prove they found the body..no wait thats right it has risen..blah...i have yet to see physical proof..and i am the type to have to see it to believe it..i just don't buy into that anymore..every person in this world has hate..and love.. both two of the most underestimated emotions we have...do animals fear god..nope.. do animals pray for forgiveness for murdering the lower end of the food chain..most likely not..we as humans are one on the highest food chain..yet were are just like animals.. we eat plants, meat..hell even eating vegetables is a form of murder..your killing a plant growing to nurture the earth and to make a food source..we as humans can be a food source..look what happened to those who were in that plane crash in the mountains, they had to eat the dead to survive..where was gods will there..they took those dead and made a food source, granted they cannot be tried for murder cause they died of hypothermia and or their wounds were to great to heal..am i the only sane person to see all this.. christians as a whole should feel some inspiration that people want to use their retarded belief system to market a video game..and yes i know what retarded means..seems those are quick to judge even words in this free country we live
Her names egg monroe shes older
HAP GNOSIS: I think the majority of the people in this argument are ignorant of what has happened. A game company fakes a protest directed toward one of its games. The protest was staged as Christians protesting a game about hell. The majority of Christians are not offended by the game and the protest is a false representation of the Christian view and makes Christianity look bad. In response, conservative republicans that promote Christian values have mentioned offense to the staged protest because it is a discrimination and a false representation offending a religious group. It is petty for them to worry with something this stupid but in this world Christianity is all but dead and it is understandable for those that believe to protect the name of Christianity in any form or fashion. Conservative republicans have always been a firm protector of Christian values and this is a prime example.
Everyone in this room is arguing that the Christians are dumb to protest the game. THEY DIDNT...THE PROTEST WAS STAGED..THE FACT THAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING BAD ABOUT CHRISTIANITY (LIKE HERE) IS THE REASON WHY THE CONSERVATIVES ARE MAD ABOUT THE PROTEST..IT BRINGS FORTH A BAD IMAGE OF CHRISTIANITY THAT WAS CREATED BY A STAGED PROTEST..STAGED IS SIMILAR TO THE WORD FAKE IN THESE REGARDS
I could ramble on and on about the comments of this blog but I aint got time.
I am a Christian because I believe in the teachings of Christ but I am not affiliated with any established religion. I also believe in the teachings of Muhammad and the Gnostic Christians and the kabalistic Jews and the Buddha and many more. I am spiritual and view religion as a journey of learning truth. I am also agnostic in my belief that humanity has not come up with the truth yet. but I’m religious in pursuit of finding that truth.
This is america any religon has the right to practice as they please, anyone can write, play or speak as they please thats why we founded this country, your religon is not law. you can have any religon you want there fore any one can say, make or write what they like, DEAL WITH IT, u like your freedom i am sure, so let everyone else enjoy theirs as well and how they please, some one says or does something you dont like shut up and move on, is it really that major, a video game, dont let your kids buy or play it, thats for you to decide but outrage over the game itself, come on now, this is america again deal with it or leave, dont be so sensitive
"Christianity is all but dead and it is understandable for those that believe to protect the name of Christianity in any form or fashion."
approx. 1/3 of the entire population of the planet (about 2.1billion people) Are Christian. I think it was just a brilliant marketing descision to offend them. (alot of them)
"This is america any religon has the right to practice as they please, anyone can write, play or speak as they please thats why we founded this country, your religon is not law. you can have any religon you want there fore any one can say, make or write what they like, DEAL WITH IT, u like your freedom i am sure, so let everyone else enjoy theirs as well and how they please, some one says or does something you dont like shut up and move on, is it really that major, a video game, dont let your kids buy or play it, thats for you to decide but outrage over the game itself, come on now, this is america again deal with it or leave, dont be so sensitive"
Your argument is self-defeating...If they have the right to offend us through free speech, then we also have the right to protest the offense. And there is no outrage over the game itself, the "outrage" (which is justified) is towards the somewhat offensive marketing campaign that slandered a group of people who were doing nothing wrong. (to them) In a way, its like they are saying "we're gonna fake this protest because we know you're gonna do it eventually anyway because you people are stupid and unreasonable like that". If there had actually been protests before they did this, it actually would have had merit, and may have been funny.
And you guys wonder why young people are deserting christianity in droves?
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Thank You EA !
Unfortunately, the views satirically expressed on the EA website are accurate portrayals of many fundamentalist Christians' opinions. While the Catholic church may not promote such views, they do not speak for or comprise all of Christianity.
who cares it just a game and not everybody is a christian
@ Derek Murphy:
Have you ever played any of the Shin Megami Tensei games? You might find what you're looking for there...though I don't think you'll find the payoff nearly as satisfying as you seem to think it is.
@ Gnosis:
Uh, what makes you think this is a "conservative Republican" thing as opposed to a plain ol' common sense thing?
Also, for everyone else: What brought this sudden influx of comments in the space of a day? This "controversy" is over a week old now!
This really doesn't feel like a big deal to me, but I feel like people overreact to everything. I would say, though, that shouldn't it bother you as a religious man, that they staged what appears to be a pretty stupid protest, and it occured to no one that it might be not be real? I realize that you probably don't associate yourself with particular sect of Christianity, but as they are the most vocal, they are the ones that become the stereotype. Look at The Golden Compass. Granted, the book is pretty harsh on Catholicism. But there were protests on the movie, which went to great lengths to disasscociate itself with anti-catholic views. They did it to such a degree that they wouldn't be able to film the second and third novels, if it got that far.
If people are against religion in general then why is it that all the anti-religious hate is always directed towards Christians and not other religions? Because it's the Christian/Western tradition of free speech and "tolerance" towards free speech that allows them to voice their hate to begin with.
People should be offended because this stunt because it falsely slanders the image of Christians. It's like how many people think Sarah Palin said "I can see Alaska from my house" just because Tina Fey said so. Or how people think Obama is Muslim because they read some emails. I'd think there are people who saw the stunt but never read this story which said it was fake.
If EA was only targeting Westboro Baptist Church (which is so out of the mainstream that even Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell have condemned it) rather than Christians in general, then they should say so.
And Andy, I agree 110% with your comment about the "Dawkins lovers". The usage of the word "freethinker" by atheists is doublespeak. I was raised by an atheist family and born in a country that is officially atheist with no freedom of religion and I'm not atheist. I may be wrong, but don't say that I didn't "think freely".
BTW I think the reason why this blog has been bumped from a week ago is because an article on this was front page on Yahoo (and the "related links" besides the article included this blog).
Thanks for your input, Pulsar.
Where is this Yahoo news story? Ifound Derek's website which mentions it, as well...but a week after the fact??!?! Come on. EA must REALLY want publicity for this game if they're paying Yahoo to cover this non-story so extensively :P
I'm getting a pretty big laugh out of it. But Christians are a good source of unintentional comedy.
Great advertising gimmick, and a great way to get your product in the headlines.
Organized religion will be the death of this planet & all of its' inhabitants, so I say flame away at them. Please note that this is NOT sarcasm.
, since I really mean it.
Every "Christian" I have ever met is a flaming hypocrite, and most have NO IDEA what Christ's true teachings were.
Take out the "only way to heaven is through me" parts, and almost the ENTIRE New Testament is about helping those who need it--- that's right--- Jesus was a Socialist.
Deal with it.
Hey, I'm not even Catholic, but I also don't agree that they should be poking fun at Catholics just to make their game look better.
I love comments here of ignorance Since forgiveness mean forgiver must agree with whatever action caused trouble
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Yeah, EA faked a protest but people were too busy comparing the game to God of War to notice.
It's funny.
By complaining you fed the fire, and now so many people know about this game because of it's contraversy.
This is what was SUPPOSED to happen.
When people do things like this, they want you to complain.
It's like when you were a kid, and you teased your little brother.
If you got no reaction, you'd get bored, you wouldn't get your parents attention, and their would be no reason.
You only made your own cause worse.
Second off;
"I'm glad to see that at least SOME people commenting here actually bothered to read what I wrote as opposed to trolling. "
No one is trolling.
Really.
We're all stating opinions, and if it's opposite to yours, it isn't trolling.
You made yourself look like a fool.
And thirdly;
"Forgiveness implies that someone is, first of all, SEEKING it; I cannot give something to someone if they are not willing to receive it. If EA comes out with an apology of some sort, I'll gladly extend my own olive branch."
http://kotaku.com/5322781/ea-apologizes-for-sin-to-win-booth-babe-promo
Umm...anyway...forgiveness...ummm...the other person doesn't have to be seeking your forgiveness...
Goes back to the hypocrite thang
turn the other cheek
When Jesus was hung on the cross he didn't go log on his computer and type up a blog slamming the people that caused him that pain...
...and if you really do believe in him...he also said "let he who is without sin cast the first stone"
I'm christian and I don't care who makes fun of it...and I also don't go around stuffing it down people's throats.
People need to grow a little thicker skin...and stop crying everytime someone makes fun of you. What does it matter if someone makes fun of your religion anyway? Does that make you believe less? Does it actually do ANYTHING to YOU? Maybe once you stop caring so much about what other people (and the media) say about you, then you'll be able to live a happier, more peacefull life.
Christians, with all the problems within their own religion, have chosen to attack a marketing strategy?! Give me a break already.
Well, I do agree that it's a stupid PR stunt (probably targeted at the Marilyn Manson fans) and that the game is gonna suck even more.
But than again this blog is named 'Catholic Video Gamers', which is funny and sad at the same time.
So stop trying to be rational, you're a catholic, give up already and go back to your dark ages promoting pagan-christan amalgam of religion.
No, really if they wanted to appeal to atheists, they should have done something more interesting.
This way you both suck. :(
(nothing personal, you may be a swell guy, but a rational religious activist is too much cognitive dissonance for me)
Oh, I read up some more on the EA PR stunt, and it seems it's more ingenious that the protest alone.
Pity that PR is gonna be more interesting than the game :(
Some excellent ideas here I don’t have a news blog as such but there are some great tips that I plan to use.
Hey Andy, you claim people should actually read your post before commenting, right? Well, perhaps you should actually play the demo of the game before condemning it as a "blatant God of War ripoff". If you had played the demo, as I have, you would know that this looks like an awesome game. Just because it's in the same genre as GOW doesn't make it a ripoff. Nor does it make it a "poor product".
What they did was a publicity stunt. And if you believed a 10th of what you claim to, you wouldn't let it bother you.
"Have you ever played any of the Shin Megami Tensei games?"
Not at all like what the poster was suggesting.
I like how you thank all those that agree with you 110% and just brush off everyone else.
I can see how this would be a problem for some.
Lol guys. It's just a game. Here we are attacking each other over a videogame. Here's what I propose: If you're American, stay. If you aren't get the **** OUT OF THIS BLOG!
Here's what I don't understand. If Christians (like me) bitch about a bad PR stunt, we get attacked. However, if it's any other religious denomination, then people are like "Hey. That's wrong and we should be more sensitive."
I just bought this game 2 days ago, and I just beat it today. It was a great game. Now you are asking if it is bad for kids. No, I do not think so. I think it is a good thing. I don't think making a video game about hell is any different from writing a story about hell. Hell is a scary place, and children should know that. This game can teach children. It will teach them in a way maybe the poem cannot. I give this game a 10 out of 10. And as a hardcore Catholic Christian, I loved playing it. I loved thinking I was fighting in God's name, and fighting to save the woman I love. Great story. Great game. Stop complaining. There are more important things out there for Christians to get mad about. Thanks. Bye.
Awww, it must be so hard when you make up 76% of the country's goddamn population.
Not to be rude....but while the stunt is shameful lets not bash a good game people i mean yeah you can yell at EA for doing it but that does not mean the game is bad so lay off something you have not played ok thats what annoying me, i mean who cares if its like god of war and thats all i can see
its a great post!thanks
hi
I like your blog - here is my take. I really detest Mr. Dawkins, but I think that he would make for a hard to beat boss at some insane level if this were to be an old SEGA type game. He just won't quit. I would pick Deepak Chopra as a character because he has lots of mana and that would probably help :)
The Wisdom of God is foolishness to man and equally scripture tells us that mans wisdom is foolishness to God.
I personally am sick of people telling me that because I have faith somehow I hold objectionable views.
John
The quick six pack Guy
wonderfull...!!
nice post
Electronic Arts have good games, I guess along with hating many types of different people God hates video games too.
What an idea, Great tips, I would like to join your blog anyway,
I can't believe that people are commenting on how these christians need to "lighten up" about the game. The entire point was that they weren't real christians! The Christians don't really seem to care about the game. The vast majority of those comments are just people who at best skimmed through the blog post, picked up "christian" and "protest" and then went right to their favourite part: flaming on them.
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This is the perfect blog for anyone who wants to know about this topic. You know so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I really would want...HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a subject thats been written about for years. Great stuff, just great!
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I find this whole thing funny because I am Christian and a gamer and games are games, I don't see how this game is "anti-Christian" in the least...
You go through hell and hack and slash, they aren't killing Christians and frankly this game did so badly it doesn't matter.
The only thing EA is guilty of is pulling a stunt in bad taste much like when you have extreme people protesting normally.
I thought the people were protesting until I found out it was a stunt and even then I found myself telling the protesters to go home.
The game is crap and a desperate attempt to boost sales but in the end it didn't matter much.
People need to relax and know that games like this aren't going to change peoples views on Christianity...
If people already hate Christians then they'll continue to, if people think Christians are ok they'll continue to and if they already are then I don't see a reason why a game would uproot them from that or change their thinking.
I wish all this crap would stop against violence in games and movies because the only people who're going to go out and do anything are those who were going to go out and do it anyway with or without the game...
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an interesting story, ive not had chance to play it yet, would like to though
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some interesting points in this post, im a christian and i dont find offence by this
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I am totally agree with this comment:
'I don't think it is appropriate for Christians to be playing such horrible games as Call Of Duty 4.'
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Video games, I am kinda tired of hearing from people about these games because a number of families are being affected by it.
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well well, those stupid religious ideas make me sick.Thanks.
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