Outline

  • My Background and experience
  • What do I mean when I say "Stop Playing Video Game"
    • What kind of video games? All Video Games?
  • Reason Why We Should Stop Playing Video Games
  • Answer to known objections
  • Conclude

My Experience

  • league is the worst
  • Also played side scrolling MMO RPGs like Maple Story (which is actually known for being a time sink because it's all grinding)
  • DS Games

There are some "Productive" benefits to video game

  • it increases certain type of problem solving skill
  • it increases hand eye coordination
  • there are games that require you to use your mind (puzzel games)
  • games that help you learn
  • There are games that tells you story (much like a tv show or movie) but better in that you are more active in the story

Objections

If you think I'm being too legalist or strict, know that I believe that the Gospel should affect all area of our lives. Even things that might seem little such as how we spend our leisure time. Though I am talking more on un-healthy video game use, I do think even if you doing it healthily there is still benefit to use that time on something else.

  • Not everything has to have to be productive
  • Video Game is not all bad, there are some benefits
  • Video Game as a social activity
    • I see the argument here but for most video games, my experience is that you don't get the same kind of bonding as you would with other alternatives.
  • Portal 2 is kind of good
  • There are some good ones, but not the broad cases or atleast with the kind of games that i play (League of Legend)

Danger of workaholicism

Danger of legalism

  • What is legalism?
  • Is this legalism?

Using it as a way to reach none-Christians?

  • Don't know the effectiveness of it. So I don't know.
    • If people can do it in a way where Video Game doesn't take over there lives then I say go for it!
  • But perhaps there is better avenues to get to know none-Christians that are interested in knowing about God?
    • From what I've seen, a majority of people playing video games aren't genuine online.
    • If you are talking about social gaming with known IRL friends, then I'm not talking about those kind of gaming
  • Would it be fair to say that this is the same as saying "I go to brothels to meet none-Christians" to share the good news?
    • probably unfair to say that since "Video Gaming" isn't a sin

What about movies, stories, books, art and beauty?

How to have fun as a Christian?

Falling Away from God

  • I have seen people stop going to church because they want to play video games on Sundays (when they already played the rest of the week)

[!QUOTE]+ [[Ephes 5#15|Ephes 5:15-16]] $^{15}$ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, $^{16}$ making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

Paul is exhorting believers to evaluate how they're living. To live wisely. To make the best use of their time.

[!QUOTE]+ [[1 Cor 10#23|1 Cor 10:23-24]] $^{23}$ "All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. $^{24}$ Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

Video game is not a sin but there are things that are better to spend time on.

Honor Your Parents

[!QUOTE]+ [[Ephes 6#1|Ephes 6:1-3]] $^{1}$ Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. $^{2}$ "Honor your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise), $^{3}$ "that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land."

  • Seems to be a common experience where parents call their children for meal but the children is busy playing video games
    • Parents not knowing that there are certain online games where you can not pause it
  • Arguments comes from this as parents some would want their children to stop
  • A fight ensues because of video games

Online Toxicity

  • If you are playing games such as League of Legend where you have to rely on your team mate. It is possible (and perhaps likely) that you will end up feeling worse if you end up experiencing online toxicity.

  • Why are you wasting your time on something that actually makes you feel worse?

  • Not all games are like this, there are single player games where you can have a pretty stable experience

  • It is not good

    • you may become toxic
    • Your day will be ruined (or at least affected)

"Dailies"

  • I have seen people more enthusiastic about doing "dailies" on mobile games instead of doing devos with God

When You Should Be Doing Something Else

  • Home work
  • Chores
  • Going to Church

Video Game Stunning the Growth of Maturity

[!QUOTE]+ [[1 Cor 13#11|1 Cor 13:11]] $^{11}$ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

I have spent in rough estimate about 630 days playing video games.

If I had spend that much time on something else. I would have been in a better place.

  • Working Out, going on walks
    • Would not have as much back and hip problem
  • Spend time reading, more knowledgable
  • Learning skills, practicing an instrument, more able to serve

When I look at many of the men before the time of social media and video games, they mature a lot faster, and started to contribute to society at a much younger age. It is true that there is other factors that make it so they are able to do it at a younger age. Mainly, everything was cheaper.

C.H. Spurgeon, started preaching when he was 16. Many people married a lot younger than people today.

Not coming from an angle of judgement or calling video games bad or sinful.

But from an angle that there's is things better to spend time on

The Death Bed Test

  • If you were on your death bed.
  • Would you more likely to say "I wished I spend more time playing video game" or "I wished I spend more time with friends and family"

Do you really want to be known as a really good "League" player at your death bed?

Life is more than spent infront of a screen.

Service At Church

  • The Body of Christ is suffering
  • Give your time to the church!

Time is Valuable

  • In term of resource that a man has: out of money and time
  • Time is probably the most valuable, since it is always being used up. We all have an defined "end of time", materialistically speaking, there is always eternity for those who put there trust in Christ. This can spur a whole nother conversation about leisure in heaven.
  • Out of the different option available of things you can spend time on. Is video game really what you want to spend time on?

In The Grand Scheme of Things Playing Video Games seems to be Morally Wrong

  • When I see the things that are going around the world, such as men going into the jungles to spread the good news
  • Christians persecuted in closed countries like China and Turkey. It feels wrong for me to use my comfort and time to spend it on meaningless thing like video game

Video Game is Vanity

  • Video game is virtual and often an substitution for real life (escapism)
  • Games have these elements to be fun:
    • It is challenging
    • Metric of growth
  • These are things that people/men are attracted to
  • We like to do something challenging, we like to nurter and grow something
    • It is why so many people like to go to the Gym, they can nurture and build their body
    • It is why people like to be ambitious and do hard things, start business, learning something difficult, learn music instrument etc..
  • Video game takes that and traps us, to spend our time and effort on small things
  • We want to feel a purpose in what we're doing. Video Games kind of gives us that or it "replaces" the real thing with fake things.
    • Why aren't we actually spending time doing something that really matters then?

Commanded to Think About Good Things

But as a Christian, shouldn't we change our appetite so that we can enjoy things that are good, acceptable, and perfect?

[!QUOTE]+ [[Phil 4#8|Phil 4:8]] $^{8}$ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.