Oh my fucking God...

[Naja]

http://www.talk2action.org/story/2006/6/12/31011/1474



These fucking people really see themselves as the white, Christian mujihudeen.

As we speak, they are poisoning the minds of children to be "God's Army" against the 'infidels.' Shar'ia law - eat your heart out!

[Panzer Grenadier]

Im glad to see a lot of Christians are being consistent and coming out agianst this game... I really dont see much of a diffrence between this game and GTA. My own personal opinion is it is just a game and should not be banned.

[wautd]

Old news

[LadyTevar]

Once again, this just proves that the Fundies have no clue what Jesus was really teaching. I saw the game at the local Gamestop and was just shocked. The guy behind the counter told me that he'd not touch it with a 20ft pole, because it "wasn't Christian as (he) was taught".

[Davis 51]

http://www.talk2action.org/story/2006/6/12/31011/1474



These fucking people really see themselves as the white, Christian mujihudeen.

As we speak, they are poisoning the minds of children to be "God's Army" against the 'infidels.' Shar'ia law - eat your heart out!

This is really fucking old news. It's a Christian game based on the Left Behind book series. I've seen the game in action, and I am frankly not impressed. If people want to play it, let them play it. Don't bitch about "poisoning the minds of children," It hasn't even been released yet, for FSM's sake! You're sounding like Jack Thompson himself!

('sides, if we ban all things related to the Bible, we'd have to start banning all works of fiction.)

[Davis 51]

Ghetto Edit: I just discovered that, apparently the game features spyware a la Battlefield 2142. Now that would be a more legitimate reason for hatred of the game.

If you dislike the game, dislike it from the mechanics, or the fact that it contains spyware. Don't dislike it from the premise. You get what you payed for, after all.

It's probably gonna suck, and do poorly in sales, but if it doesn't, then, well, good for it.

[Darth Wong]

It's not a question of whether it should be banned, so much as a question of what it says about the state of the modern evangelical movement in the United States, particularly the "megachurch" movement.

[Nephtys]

Oh yeah, that game. Where converting someone to your cause gets you two points, and killing them with guns gives you one point. I wonder which one stacks up faster...

[LadyTevar]

I just showed that to a woman who has read every one of the Left Behind series.

"I dont' believe that! That's not him (the writer)! That's Muslims, that's not us!"

I bring up the LeftBehind website, and the HUGE review/advertisement they have there.

"I don't believe it! He's not doing that! Anyone could have done that! That's not him, that's not the series he wrote! That's MUSLIMS!"

What a nice "lalalala-I don't hear you" rebuttal

[LadyTevar]

Oh... from the Left Behind dot com website:

An ESRB rating of Teen is equivalent to the movie rating PG-13 and is given to video games that have content deemed suitable for ages 13 and older.

"As expected, we have received a Teen rating, putting all preconceived controversies to rest," said Troy Lyndon, CEO of LBG. "As we have said all along, it is a game with positive values; there is no blood, no profanity, no gratuitous violence and no inappropriate content."

SOmeone wanna call BuuuuulShit on this?

[DPDarkPrimus]

There's a typo in the screenshot of the game. Classy.

[Davis 51]

Oh... from the Left Behind dot com website:

An ESRB rating of Teen is equivalent to the movie rating PG-13 and is given to video games that have content deemed suitable for ages 13 and older.

"As expected, we have received a Teen rating, putting all preconceived controversies to rest," said Troy Lyndon, CEO of LBG. "As we have said all along, it is a game with positive values; there is no blood, no profanity, no gratuitous violence and no inappropriate content."

SOmeone wanna call BuuuuulShit on this?

BULLSHIT! I CALLED IT!

To say there's no profanity or blood is one thing, but to say there's no gratuitous violence and "inappropriate content" (whatever the fuck that means,) is bullshit.

I never said the game wasn't going to be a pile of crap, mind you. Just that screaming about corruption of youth was retarded. As Panzer said, its no different than GTA, or even Bully in terms of consequences.

From what I hear, there's not much difference between the game and the book/movie series. I heard somewhere that you can also play as the anti-christ forces. Cause if that's true...

(I still won't be buying it, spyware and all, but will try it out at a friends house, if he gets it.

[Naja]

Just for the record, I'm not one of those sanctimonious Tipper Gore-type censor-happy people. I'm not in favor of any form of censorship, really (I'm typing this from my ACLU office - go figure).

And no, this game is different from GTA. Unlike GTA or say, Postal 2 - both of which are just ultraviolence for its own sake - Left Behind has a focused objective. And that is the further socialization of theocratic militants - one more (calculated) step in their dehumanization of anyone who's not a right-wing evangelical. The same is, truly, a symptom of the larger problem. But beyond being merely a representation of what goes on in a fundy's head ("no one is neutral"), it also suggests where that movement is headed, or where it envisions itself heading.

If you look at the superchurch movement, the gullible potential young demographic that the right is seeking to ensnare, the incredible money that is supporting the theocrats, AND you factor in the conscious struggle to socialize fundamentalists into militants - then you have "God's Army." And it is poison.

[Covenant]

I can't wait to get this game and mod the shit out of it. I wanna get the freaking Baelrog from BFME2 and have him stomp around. Seriously, this is a hilarious game idea--a buncha well armed fundies battling the forces of evil? If it wasn't made by people who devoutly believe this tripe, it would be awesome. I hope it turns out to be good--people already like playing the 'badguys' in games. Nod, the crazy terrorist dudes in C&C generals, Nazis, evil people-eating monsters like Zerg, the Federation, and so on.

So if you're giving me the ability to directly control the legions of Hell in a battle against religious fundamentalist nutjobs, that's what I call a good time.

[DPDarkPrimus]

I've got a feeling it's not very moddable, because the engine is so crappy.

People on PA had fun playing the demo. Apparently the evil people convert followers with *gasp* rock music!

[Covenant]

I've got a feeling it's not very moddable, because the engine is so crappy.

People on PA had fun playing the demo. Apparently the evil people convert followers with *gasp* rock music!

We'll see about that... here's my review of the hot new title Jesus II: Judgement Day!

Glory be! A Disciple!

Yes, upon downloading the mod, I was not greeted with a potent military machine, but a noble defender of truth. He's got a history in journalism, and apparently his class project was to... prove or disprove religions? What? Well, facts be damned, he liked the evidence. Now that's a Godly soldier for you. The fact that he looks like a head-shaved psycho doesn't help much.

And the Lord said, Let there Be a Longass Tutorial. And it sucked.

And God was bored. These cultists keep saying stuff like "Enlighten me," and "What is your bidding?" and such. Best of all, when you select multiples of them, they do it in a culty monotone. As you can see from that screenie, we've finally been introduced to our nemesis--the forces of international peacekeeping. Damn those peacekeepers! Keep your spirits up men, don't let their logic shake your faith!

Allahu Ackbar! My camp is formed!

I think they could have tried harder to make my camp look like a shady terrorist cell in an abandoned warehouse, it wasn't nearly disturbingly creepy enough for a subversive fundamentalist paramilitary group. As you can see, my Builder's faith has dropped to 78, and soon he will be a godless heathen like the rest of them. I better have him pray soon--or I can send him to the indoctrination building to bring up his spirits. Haha, oh wait, there really is one.

Shits.

The gun-slit windows and barbed wire is nice though, nothing says open-and-life-affirming protected speech group like machinegun nests and bunkers. My resistance is running really low on apples though, and if we do we might forget about the difference between Good and Evil and that'd throw all our dogmatism out of wack. God! Help us!

Not exactly Mana from Heaven, or Loaves and Fishes.

But I suppose that hopping up my crusaders on expresso is a fair substitute for, you know, nutrition. I've got a cafe now, I'm posed to slowly take over the world through the creation of high quality beverages and faith-based pastries. But alas, it was not to be, for the Tutortial is a harsh mistress. Despite being God, I've got a blinking box that just won't shut up. Sadly, these poor folks just come off as retarded for listening to me as a deity, especially when I commanded them to go punch out an old lady. GOZOR COMMANDS IT.

Grease up your camels, we're going to Heaven!

Get it--easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter into Heaven? Seems like God, that is me, has a new mantra. No money, no Heaven:know money, know Heaven! Those foolish heathens and their banking institutions! It's a good thing I've seized a local bank for my own devices, can't have--you know--neutral people doing things with that cash when I can subvert it to my Tribulationist causes. I can also upgrade it to a national bank. Perhaps one day to an oil company or something. Now there's only one thing left to do.

SAVE THE WORLD!

To the fires of perdition with you, Iron Chariot! My Godly powers of command are nothing compared to my engineer's ability to bold down repeating firepower and churn up the unbelievers. Don't worry, I'll sort 'em out later. Sadly, my gun was not able to bring down this SUV.

Justice Force, Asssssemble!

Okay no, not really Justice Force. Just my rag-tag bunch of bible-thumping babykillers led by the mighty Bubba Strong. I think he's one of those army recruits that really responded to the new army slogan, but didn't pass their psych exam. Did you know I train my soldiers in an abandoned warehouse in the middle of New York? Maybe that's why they're such terrible shots, but God bless 'em and their zeal for the cause. My cause. Afterall, it can't really be a tribulation with a little mindless chaos, can it? Just so you know, this force was dispatched to take out some random 'evil' guy who was just standing around by a hotdog stand. We put about 3 bullets into him before my Musician sang him into tolerable uncertainty.

Also, as you can see, gender roles have been returned to good ol' yesteryear. All women become nurses! I have yet to see a black person in the game, but I bet they're restricted to the Musician and Taxi Driver classes.

Oh yeah, and all new recruits are called 'friends' in the most creepy of fashions. I had upgraded my Disciple to an Evangelist, and he was quickly recruiting more 'friends' from the people at the crosswalk. Every time I befriend a male, he gets a sweatervest. Wierd.

HOLY WAR OF CHAOS or GLOBAL PEACE!

The choice is yours!

[Lisa]

Wow, I'm surprised it's allowed to sell.

[Covenant]

Wow, I'm surprised it's allowed to sell.

That's the best part, they're going to distribute a fuckton of copies of the thing to megachurches across the country, so even if people don't sell it the yahoos this stuff plays to are still going to be able to get their hands on it.

[DPDarkPrimus]

I think this screen here sums up what a quality game this is.



I swear to you, I didn't edit a single word of that.

[Battlehymn Republic]

Man, I'd never knew there would have been a way for me to disrespect Jack Thompson less.

[Yogi]

The sad thing is, from what I read the game does have some pretty innovative gameplay elements that could have been put to better use in another game.

[Covenant]

The sad thing is, from what I read the game does have some pretty innovative gameplay elements that could have been put to better use in another game.

From what I've played in the demo, I haven't seen it. Sure, I can convert people. Faith operates similar to morale in that collateral damage makes your people more faithless and 'evil', so prayer after butchering people is what you need to do to keep people cheery. I take over buildings and such. And so on and so on, so while the game may have a few elements that are interesting, I wouldn't go so far to say they'r all that innovative.

Hell, let's say I give you an assignment to come up with a strategy game based around, say, Zombie Outbreak in a major city--and mention that capturing existing buildings, rounding up survivors and such are some good gameplay ideas, I'm sure you could drum up some more innovative stuff right away and not saddle it with so many other rather horrific elements. Sadly, these demons aren't even on fire. I was hoping for all-out war between Heaven and Earth, not some bullshit story about UN peacekeepers working with rock and roll musicians and gang members to summon dumpy-looking demons.

[Ravencrow]

I swear to you, I didn't edit a single word of that.

That's rather awful writing. Fragmented sentences and all. Like yeah.

If you can play the other side, it might be worth something, but I heard you can only play on the side of christian.

I can't help but just think: the horrible side of christianity is showing. Maybe the game will cause some christians to really examine the contents of the bible. I would imagine the parts where God's people were slaughtering their enemies that they were shouting praises as they did it. This game was simply simulating that. In the church environment amongst charismatic pastors and joyful faces, these events seem rather glorious to the unquestioning mind; if they are actually confronted with what it might look like in reality, it may cause them to question the validity of what is written and whether they agree with it. (Maybe I'm being too optimistic.)

People on PA had fun playing the demo. Apparently the evil people convert followers with *gasp* rock music!

Incredible as that sounds, there did exist a sort of campaign against rock music in the late 80's; I have attended meetings where there were these videos about the evils of rock music and how they cause young people to turn to devil worshiping.

[CaptJodan]

I swear to you, I didn't edit a single word of that.

Wow.....just....wow. People pay money for this? "Like Seven" is about the age of the person who must have written these bios. Or perhaps the person is 23, but with the mental capacity of a seven year old.

[K. A. Pital]

That sucks. I thought there would be the Four Horsemen, blood-turning powers, two witnesses who can ruing buildings and call lightning with bare hand movement, giant meteorites and angels with cups of hatred. Pooh. This game is crap. Not even close to what an Apocalypse game could've been.