tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post8148888084111044429..comments2024-03-17T02:44:49.387-05:00Comments on Catholic Video Gamers: Final Fantasy IX- some reflectionsAndy Kirchoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06675860534294083557noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-69784128663698681662019-03-17T19:36:23.406-05:002019-03-17T19:36:23.406-05:00Thanks Helen! I agree, it's great to have a pl...Thanks Helen! I agree, it's great to have a place like this.Dan Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16881389609720643106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-47384523754579491242019-03-01T19:31:09.217-06:002019-03-01T19:31:09.217-06:00Dan those are excellent points too. Love that this...Dan those are excellent points too. Love that this is a place we can all debate and talk about video games and faith.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17090769599883369932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-25790971753199987862019-02-18T20:52:24.366-06:002019-02-18T20:52:24.366-06:00I'm unsure whether FFIX's ending is someth...I'm unsure whether FFIX's ending is something to worry about or not ... aside from the memories thing, Vivi's conclusion is that "<b>life doesn't last forever. That's why we have to help each other and live life to the fullest.</b>" (emphasis mine)<br /><br />In context, it seems to me that Vivi's saying they need to stick by each other in their times of need (good!) and to make the most out of life, to not waste it. Yeah, many atheist materialists would come to the conclusion of "living life to the fullest", but so would many Catholics and other Christians -- they just wouldn't stop there, because they'd know what living to the fullest means: helping others! That's pretty much what Vivi says too, though he seems to mean on a more personal level (within the cast of FFIX).<br /><br /><b> I interpret Vivi's conclusion as this: one must make the most out of their lives, and support others as they also go through the same struggles. What "the most" is will depend on the player's point of view. </b> (It's kind of a cop out, actually!) To me, it doesn't seem particularly atheistic, just vague.<br /><br />I thought about Necron's speech, too, but I see it as an opposing, false ideology the protagonists are fighting, similar to the nihilism of Kefka in FFVI. Necron claims that life only exists to die, and that death rules over all ... but Zidane tells him that the protagonists will defeat Necron and prove him wrong! Nothing will be ended as long as they have the will to live. Sure enough, Necron is defeated, never comprehending how strong the will to live truly was. So I don't think the game is trying to make a mockery of Christ and support a view that evil reigns supreme.<br /><br />I think FFIX <i> does </i> have undertones of the humanism that becomes sacreligious atheism in FFX and FFXIII, because it glorifies the human will so much. But it doesn't pit humanism against religion and claim the former is better, like those games do.Dan Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16881389609720643106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-76933369952403918942018-06-25T18:06:39.363-05:002018-06-25T18:06:39.363-05:00I agree that it is very confused philosophically. ...I agree that it is very confused philosophically. The conflict is between what I would call the game's main theme - the transcendental value of personhood - and the pantheistic cosmology that its universe is built upon. A charitable interpretation would be that it's a pagan philosophy struggling in the direction of Christianity but falling short; so Vivi's stuff at the end about his memories living on "in the sky" is a clumsy attempt to give eternal value to his personality, i.e. he has a Christian feeling for the value of the human person, but his pagan cosmology prevents him from truly being able to understand and justify this vague sentiment.<br /><br />I don't think that the crystal is meant to be seen as a physical entity as such. I think it exists on some higher dimension, and would be better seen as a kind of pantheistic "World Spirit" - all of the world's particular spirits flow to and from it. Kuja's attempt to destroy the crystal is not an attempt to destroy a glittering rock, but the very ground of being/existence itself; it's an nihilistic expression of his hatred of life/existence. In the end, it's the party's friendship that overcomes this nihilism, something akin to Christian charity.<br /><br />Memoria exists in a different dimension as well, as the collection of all the planet's memories (of all the souls that have lived there). The fuzzy notion about all of our memories being one and enduring forever on some higher plane tries to do two things, (1) affirm the eternity of our personality, at least in some way, (2) affirm the inter-connectedness/dependence of all life, as a cosmological basis for the value of love/friendship. <br />Love, memory, identity/personhood - these are the game's main themes, and their importance can only really be seen in the light of a Christian cosmology. It's difficult to reconcile the game's central love story - and the transcendent value of their love and of love in general - with all this stuff about soul recycling and planets merging, etc.<br /><br />Helen may be right that it is demonically inspired. But whether the player comes away from the experience feeling that the importance of the human person has been affirmed, or confused and dismayed by its bizarre cosmology - will vary from person to person. Being sentimental, my mind has always glossed over the fuzzy philosophy at the end and rushed to see the happy ending to the love story (which is beautiful, and Christian insofar as it emphasises the importance of self-sacrifice and devotion). The theme "melodies of life" speaks to me about the immortality of the soul and centrality of love, totally separate from the game's attempt at cosmology. I think it helps that I grew up "pagan" (non-believing) and had to struggle my way to Christianity, so the game's bad philosophy probably doesn't disturb me so much (I'm not unfamiliar with it). But I can see how such false teaching could confuse the minds of those who have been brought up Christian, especially if they are young. So I wouldn't recommend this game to young Christians.Jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13858873453982708283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-8166577057436499022017-11-01T22:00:18.369-05:002017-11-01T22:00:18.369-05:00Looking at this again. The ending of FF9 seems dem...Looking at this again. The ending of FF9 seems demonically inspired. Satan often wraps his lies in deceptively beautiful packages.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17090769599883369932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-55382503034707148892017-08-09T19:17:22.843-05:002017-08-09T19:17:22.843-05:00Vivis ending is also very sad. I wanted to go into...Vivis ending is also very sad. I wanted to go into the game and tell him all about Jesus.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17090769599883369932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-88469416376184717552017-08-09T19:12:53.344-05:002017-08-09T19:12:53.344-05:00Ffvi is not perfect but thr conclusions made about...Ffvi is not perfect but thr conclusions made about life are much closer to the Christian view than FF9. Terra even somewhat seems to be an allegory to Christ in some ways, nearly sacrificing herself for her team.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17090769599883369932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-22933058135544615602017-06-27T01:37:58.031-05:002017-06-27T01:37:58.031-05:00Thank you Helen for your thoughts, I completely ag...Thank you Helen for your thoughts, I completely agree.<br /><br />FFIX just goes a little strange towards the end....<br /><br />I hope to play through ffvi again and write a review on it when I get the time. Right now I am playing through Metal Gear Solid 2Miles Mariaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07577617270241675549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-368975556246114242017-06-26T19:34:20.017-05:002017-06-26T19:34:20.017-05:00I love this gamebut the ending made me,really unco...I love this gamebut the ending made me,really uncomfortable spiritually. Jesus defeated death and so Necrons speech is a mockery of Christ's work on the cross.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17090769599883369932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-33374271289378184082014-08-01T11:46:06.125-05:002014-08-01T11:46:06.125-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Erickson Tayanghttp://www.westportfishingcharter.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-79540024458738423202014-07-21T15:12:10.458-05:002014-07-21T15:12:10.458-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Aisha Mendezhttp://www.ifishalaskasalmon.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-89050184923472740212014-06-07T13:06:44.936-05:002014-06-07T13:06:44.936-05:00I love this final fantasy gamesI love this final fantasy gamessuggested Montana Elk Hunts Rifle 7 Day Pack Triphttp://www.beartoothoutfitters.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-56975194215658029152014-05-30T00:14:44.444-05:002014-05-30T00:14:44.444-05:00final fantasy is one of my favorite games.. :) it&...final fantasy is one of my favorite games.. :) it's so amazing and coolYandel Martinhttp://www.trustprice.com/products/c-1018/software-download.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-38548183537195253732014-04-24T13:13:17.377-05:002014-04-24T13:13:17.377-05:00I loved your point of view!
I'm Brazilian, Cat...I loved your point of view!<br />I'm Brazilian, Catholic too, me and my brother are trying to bring some alike message, the God message behind things, specially video game, that is a great and effective way to touch life of peoples, because it is art!<br />I've made already a post about Chrono Cross and translated for you if it interests you. I hope you like it! It is here: http://vangolliaz.blogspot.com.br/2014/02/another-arni-village-english-version.html<br />Keep your good work!<br />God bless!Van Golliazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07411296926349287883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-33666614806037644282014-03-05T15:34:59.693-06:002014-03-05T15:34:59.693-06:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Neymar the world famoushttp://www.wallpaperview24.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-72877465402144373622014-03-05T15:32:36.952-06:002014-03-05T15:32:36.952-06:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Bruna marquezinehttp://www.travelworlds24.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-35625742687246631902014-03-05T15:31:04.688-06:002014-03-05T15:31:04.688-06:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.wallpapers, background, desktop backgrounds, images, image, pictures, picture, hd, nature, technology, photographyhttp://www.wallpaperview24.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-50918893089540193132014-03-05T08:01:25.085-06:002014-03-05T08:01:25.085-06:00Final Fantasy IX is my favorite and you did a grea...Final Fantasy IX is my favorite and you did a great job at analyzing it from a Catholic perspective. I'm a convert to the Catholic faith that is also a cosplayer, anime fan and gamer. I run a blog & podcast ( http://sacredvox.tumblr.com ) as well, where I write about similar things as this blog. Do you guys take submissions? Perhaps I'll submit something.Sacred Voxhttp://sacredvox.tumblr.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306713789040670188.post-6210571756821197522014-03-01T01:07:01.339-06:002014-03-01T01:07:01.339-06:00As a cosplayer,I contacted the first type of anima...As a cosplayer,I contacted the first type of animation is Final Fantasy.I like this anime very much ,really really like the <a href="http://www.eshopcos.com/cosplay-costume/game-costume/final-fantasy" rel="nofollow">Final Fantasy cosplay costume</a>,it's so cool and beautiful!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06176700781162796352noreply@blogger.com