Study: Video games depict religion as violent and problematic

Many newer-generation video games equate religion with violence, finds a new study from the University of Missouri.

[DV_Bastian]

What do people think the Crusades and the Inquisition were? Tea parties?

[CadDad]

I have two theories:
1. Violent
2. Problematic

-caddad

[NewMonday]

Religion Doesn't Kill People, People Kill People

[IRetrouk]

anyone else remember this?

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[Tachyon_Nova]

@newmonday

I'm reminded by your comment of a quote which goes along the lines of:

"With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil — that takes religion."

Religion isn't neceassary for murder to take place, but in many cases it allows it to happen by being means of justification for such appalling acts in the eyes of believers

[Silly Mammo]

Hospitaller from The Kingdom of Heaven ~

“I put no stock in religion. By the word religion, I have seen the lunacy of fanatics of every denomination be called the "Will of God". I have seen too much religion in the eyes of too many murderers. Holiness is in right action and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves. And goodness. What God desires is here
[points to head]
and here
[points to heart]
and what you decide to do every day, you will be a good man - or not.”

[Tolkoto]

This is a trend that I've noticed as well, and as a Catholic gamer I've always found it a little uncomfortable. Certainly people are allowed and should explore the unsavory side of religion, but it would be nice to just once see someone in gaming use their faith as means for positive action.

[trenso1]

Well there is always a bad side to anything religion isn't above that. If they only showed the good and none of the bad I don't see how that can be any better, I'd rather see the bad as its more interesting story wise for a game.

[Lord_Sloth]

He's not saying ALL the time, just have a hero doing the right thing and not always have the religious guy be crazed or evil.

[Shackdaddy836]

Ya. I'm Catholic too and it does get uncomfortable from time to time.

I always think that it's more about corruption rather than religion though. Like there were extremely corrupt Popes throughout history. I've accepted that. But it's like in AC EVERY person linked to the church is trying to kill a mass amount of people and doing other horrible things. There are still a lot of good people out there...

It would be nice to see a nice religious character though. Like, I've only played two of the AC games so IDK if this has been done or not, but it would be nice to see a person in the Church who wasn't super evil and gave you tips on people.

I guess the monks you hide in are good guys...

[IRetrouk]

you know that the church used to kill people simply for not agreeing with there views, also suppressing info and generally being very naughty, yes there are good people out there, but they aint all religous.

[TheGOODKyle]

Welcome to history...fact! Now put aside the bashing...there are good games out there that depict religion in a good light. Castlevania Lords of Shadow is one I can name immediately off the top of my head. So it's not only bad religion no matter how much more of it there is.

But if you don't want things to inspire people to create things off of...maybe religious institutions shouldn't play apart of some of the most gruesome things in history. I'm not blaming the religion, but the people who abused it.

[roblef]

I think video games skew to violence in general. I don't see how games that deal with religious settings should be any different.

[Parapraxis]

So...they are accurate?

[SybaRat]

Thinkin' real life depicts religion as violent and problematic.

[Hufandpuf]

Even I know religion has a tendency to start stupid wars and disputes, and I'm Catholic.

[Lord_Sloth]

Stupid people start stupid wars. They just use religion as an excuse.

[Shackdaddy836]

It's really the people. If all those corrupt people through history actually payed attention to the religion they were hiding behind, then there wouldn't be a problem...

[Tachyon_Nova]

You're wrong, there would still be a massive problem. We would still have the Catholics assisting the spread of aids and overpopulation in Africa by preaching against condom use. We would still have the Christian lobbies trying to interfere with advances in medical science which could help relieve immesurable pain and suffering from the sick and dying. The Muslims would still be fighting with the Jews over they're holy lands.

I could list a hundred truly disgusting things that religion would still be willingly responsible for if 'those corrupt people' did not exist, but I hope you are capable of thinking of some of them for yourself, and if everyone sat down and looked at the thousands of appalling acts happily carried out over the years under the banner of religion and realised that religion itself is corrupt, then the world would be much better off, and much less likely to have a future in which we are crippled by a religiously motivated nuclear war.

[Majin-vegeta]

Mehh religion is nothing but a s*it to start war but come on their just video games.
http://youtu.be/xTTGU4yXO3Y

[D3mons0ul]

Religion IS violent and problematic.

I'm not seeing the problem with a little truth in advertising.

[SovereignSnaKe]

Huh? In that case, More people should play Video games. >:}

[Bathyj]

Well its only fitting.

Religion is responsible for more killing than any disease, or natural disasters.

[baodeus]

Not all religion have to rely on wars for expansion, like Buddism for example, but religion often are used for political agenda because people are willing to die for their faith.

Violence possibly stem from the severity of their faith.

[ZeRoyalViking]

This is simple enough... Religion is violent everyone killing each other just because they are different