A Time For Beer & Video Games
I recently heard Dr. Dobson saying video games are bad because kids come to church talking about them instead of Jesus (you should ban them from your homes). I thought to myself, “why single out kids and video games?” Adults come to church talking about their latest toys, jobs, recipes, cars, technology, anything but Jesus, all the time.
As I sat down to read a bit of “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis tonight, he presented an idea that applies to this issue. It is the cardinal virtue of Temperance. Lewis defines it as the idea of “…not abstaining, but going the right length and no further.” I see this as a greater thing to teach my children than what Dobson is proposing. We can’t keep our kids in bubbles from potential threat — everything is a potential threat — but we can teach them that in God there is a time for everything, even beer and video games. I leave you with this quote by Lewis to ask yourself the question, “What mania consumes my mind?”
“One great piece of mischief has been done by the modern restriction of the word ‘Temperance’ to the question of drink. It helps people to forget that you can be just as intemperate about lots of other things. A man that makes his golf or motor-bicycle the centre of his life, or a woman who devotes all her thoughts to clothes or bridge or her dog, is being just as ‘intemperate’ as someone who gets drunk every evening. Of course, it does not show on the outside so easily: bridge-mania or golf-mania does not make you fall down in the middle of the road. But God is not deceived by externals.”
— C.S. Lewis
June 23rd, 2005 at 11:00 am
I find the issue of being Biblical and being balanced runs this course. Being biblical in my outlook demands balance, aka. temperance. The challenge in the chase for balance runs on both sides. On the one side I am called ot be radical in my God-centered living and, therefore, can think that balance is a synonym for compromise. On the other hand I can get so balanced that I actually blend in like a professional cameleon never changing my enviornment, but suiting my surroundings.
Ahh… Life… I am in need of much grace..
June 23rd, 2005 at 9:35 pm
Cheers!
Being in the world, but not of the world . . . that is the question. If we look, talk, and act like everyone else how can we call ourselves salt and light? If we hold up in a spire somewhere and pledge our existence on this third-rock exclusively to the service of God how are we going to Judea, Samaria and all the Earth?
I think we engage people with the true Gospel in the arena God has brought us to. The game played at the arena is not what we are to be about, but we are called to serve others there, here, now. God wired some to be Preachers or Teachers. We often refer to these folks as being in full-time ministry. I say as a believer in Christ you are in a full-life ministry. That means if God has wired you as an electrician, serve God as an electrician. A lawyer, then litigate as unto the Lord. A homemaker, then serve Him in the home. In these roles serve God, not the law, or the house, or even the membership of the Church. Serve God in these roles, don’t serve others and then find room for God. Serve others as if you were doing the job for God.
Be who you are in the area God has put you. Endulge in a video game unless you know that is your area of weakness and it may cause you to stumble in your service to God. And be sensitive to those in you sphere who may have the same weaknesses and be gentle with them, so that you don’t become their stumbling block.
Whose up for a game of Chip’s Challenge?
- James Moore
June 24th, 2005 at 10:08 am
I hear you James - To quote a song, “Jesus, be the center”. If my recording gear is an end to its self, then its an idol and Jesus is no longer the center. But if I use the gear to the end of making God famous, there is some safeguard or temperance if you will, that the gear is not the idol but a means of making music for the creator of all galaxies.
To add some humor and irony, I heard Adventures in Odyssey on WWEV hacking, get this, a video game!
http://www.family.org/resources/itempg.cfm?itemid=4815
June 24th, 2005 at 10:34 am
my previous post should have read “…WWEV hawking…”
June 24th, 2005 at 10:57 pm
To be fair they advertise their video game as a “Video Game Alternative” when it is actually just an alternate video game.
I think they should make positive resources for us to use as alternatives to the worlds stuff. I like DC Talk. Aren’t they just a Godly alternative to Eminem?
- James
June 27th, 2005 at 3:53 pm
I just read an interview of the guitarist/songwriter for Tree63, John Ellis. This was his last comment of the interview:
John: Well, again, when I follow Tree63’s vision and mission – it’s to kind of turn on the lights when it comes to Christian music. And to try to get young Christian kids to listen to it and see the reality that it has an agenda. It’s not there just to entertain them and to give them alternatives to Eminem – it has a specific thing of lifting up Jesus. And unfortunately, over the years, it’s gotten a bit sidetracked.
I agree. We should be creating art for God’s glory, not pale substitutes for the world’s art in order to have an alternative for kids. And for awhile dctalk and crew were doing that.