The Pope Condemns Video Games

Pope Benedict said on Wednesday that the media were "perverse" and harmed children when they exalted violence and trivialized human sexuality in the name of entertainment.

[Maddens Raiders]

pedophilic maniacs draped in black suits with white collars are harmful to kids? / hmm.. nah...mainly just young boys. Now that should be condemned.

[MicroGamer]

the fact that Benedict is German and speaking out against video games and Germany also wants to outlaw video games means anything?

[Grown Folks Talk]

games are much more hurtful and devastating than grown @ss men coveting little boys. that's the problem. the little boys want to play games all day instead of accepting the "Followers of God"s candy.

[Ghost 0f 0nyx]

I agree with both your comments! This coming from a guy that only likes to wear expensive Prada shoes! This guy is a joke.

[JIN KAZAMA]

We should respect what the Pope says. He knows whats best for us and the children. Now Lets end the bikcering, turn off our systems, throw them away and pray.
PRAY B3YOND

[Maddens Raiders]

I think your possessed.lol =]

[HaKeRsCanRotINHEL]

Catholics/people in general treat these guys ( Popes ) as if they were Jesus Christ? I don't get it.

[Runnin n Gunnin]

We Catholics (I happen to be one myself) believe the pope is the Vicar of Christ on earth, a representative if you will. I could explain why but that would start a huge theology talk that I'm not willing to go into. I respect this man greatly, and I agree that little kids, especially those annoying 12 year olds on xboxlive, shouldn't be playing violent video games and thats why there is a rating system. You can disagree all you want with the pope, but that doesn't mean you have to attack people's religious beliefs. It sucks to see so much intolerance of other people's religious beliefs on this website...

[kornbeaner]

I to am a Catholic man, but in no way to I believe that the pope is a "jesus on earth" if you will. All popes are human, just like you and me. Just because they have dedicated themselves to the religion doesn't make them of a higher power. This man should not concern himself with issues as unimportant as videogames. He should be focusing more on trying to bring peace on earth, or a way to reduce world hunger and way more important issues. Videogames are not that important, and have no place in a religious discusion when they are way more horrible things going on, especailly within the ranks of the religion itself.

[HaKeRsCanRotINHEL]

I'm a GOD fearing person myself and meant no harm to you are any other person with religious beliefs but the Pope puts his pants on one leg at a time like everybody else. Christ, this guy isn't, he has a mortal soul and will be judged just like You and I.

[Legionaire2005]

You condition yourself to believe everything this guy said. Rumor has it,that the Vatican is hidding the Dead Sea Scrolls from us so we can't be empowered by it's message. They could possibly lose their jobs if revealed, and it will devastate the foundations of mankind if everyone sees it. Not kidding!!!!

[Zinswin]

Oh crap, now I can't play Guitar Hero II when it finally comes out for the 360. Here's to hoping Rosary Hero is coming out soon...

[grifter024]

This is funny hahaha, So aparrently we should just stop watching or doing anything then huh. There goes everything in the world. Maybe we should all just become his lackies and do everything he says. Maybe he should do something about his priests around the world before he gives a lecture about what is "perverse" in the world and what isnt.

[TheMART]

The pope should shut up

He also says people may not use condoms. By his faulth and the katholic old church thoughts many people die of aids.

Thanks pope!

Furthermore, his fellow priests, many of them are g@y and hit on the little boys singing in church. Nice one pope!

Games shouldn't be condemned, the pope himself and the church he leads should be condemned. Actually there is a game that's named Condemned, they should send him a copy with a 360 maybe he would shut up

[Hey Zeus]

Using condoms.

[TheMART]

You're right my girl is with me already for 10 years so we can do without indeed.

The thing you should do with it, is put a condom over your head so nobody would have to listen to your nonsense anymore. Anyhow, we all know you're Juevani's alterego, living in Germany and not Harlem. I would have you for lunch guy no match for any grown up, as you are 12 year old

[The great 1]

Is she blind and Death Marty!

[Hey Zeus]

Your being an a*s, just looking 4 shi*e to talk about, come to Harlem and get a taste of reality son.

[Marriot VP]

go to somalia and get a real taste of reality....son!

[MikeIsOnFire84]

Im from NY and you making comments like "come to Harlem" is just outta controll.If anyone in here thinks Harlems a scary place,its not....its just wanna be thugs like this guy that give it a bad name.

[JIN KAZAMA]

that is because, he prolly keeps gettin his A$$ whooped online playing Gears Of War, or Resistance.
So he thinks, man Fu(K this, if I cant win, i am gonna tell everyone to stop playing.

I bet his online name is GodsRightHandMan.

PRAY B3YOND
PRAY IN

[The_Firestarter]

...who cares what the pope says? He has no real authority.

[JIN KAZAMA]

TONS of authority. Just to brainshwashed goons that believe he is closer to God than the rest of us.

[Zinswin]

That the pope looks JUST LIKE the Emperor?

[grifter024]

FUnny zeus wow... That blatnent attack on mart!! HAHAHAHA wow havning nothing to do with the topic haha sooo funny.Wow Mart guess you know what type of ps fanboys are in this world, There just little kids who attack people for no aparrent reason. That is kinda funny zinswin he does look like the emperor just with white robes lol1!!!!!!

[FeralPhoenix]

I try to be respectfull of all religions and cultures etc., but I have to agree with the "overall" theme of the posts I have read so far, which is that: videogames should be the last concern of the Pope when their are far more urgent matters of human suffering going on in this world. Yes he is the Pope and Iam in no position to tell him what to do, but just watching the news and all the violence in Iraq, Africa and many other places with CHILDREN living in poverty it just seems like common sense says "there are more important issues in the world"....but the Pope is "only human" and I don't believe any "one man" can solve the worlds problems....NO, that will only happen when we learn to disagree with our neighbor without wanting to kill him because "our way is the only right way". Sometimes I believe "leaders" like the Pope are "good people" but they are "out of touch" with the reality of what's going on in the world, they just listen to their aids/advisors but they don't have first hand knowledge about how people are really living their lives, they are catered to and live sheltered from the world, they hear "bad news" and "give great speeches", but its the regular guys like me and you who have the "tough job" of making things happen instead of just being a "sideline critic". I have a simple idea about whats wrong with the world and its not videogames or entertainment, No its because there a some bad people who CHOOSE TO DO BAD THINGS...the ironic part is that these "bad people" overall are a very small minority compared to all the "good people" in this world but, too few "good people" ever rise to the occasion and do something about it. OK, my apologies, sorry for preaching.....but thats how I feel. The End.

[MicroGamer]

In addition to being head of the Catholic church, the Pope is also Head of State for Vatican City, which is a sovereign nation, so in a way he is like an emperor or king. It's ironic, in a way, because it was Mussolini, a fascist, who recreated the Vatican as a sovereign state. After Garibaldi evicted the French from the Vatican and the Papal States earlier in the century, everything the church controlled became part of Italy.

[nice_cuppa]

hail.....hail.....HAIL !

[Giro]

I agree with you Feralpheonix, although I do think that I'm sure the Pope means well in what he is saying but that doesn't mean I agree with it. (and by the way I'm not Catholic). Him saying that violent games are worse when they are directed at children is ridiculous because there are age limits on violent games, movies etc.

I don't think playing video games can cause someone to become violent, they're probably potentially violent already and it may just take playing a game or watching a certain movie to just spark it off.

If games and movies were to blame then surely everyone would be running around killing each other as I'm sure everyone (over the age of 18) has seen or played a violent game or movie.

People were being violent long before Movies and Video games were ever invented.

If anything I think the imagery and stories shown in the news are far more disturbing than any video game or movie could ever be.

Thats my opinion anyway. thanks for reading :-)

[Rooted_Dust]

Did anyone notice Darth Vader standing behind the Pope...anyway...here's to 2000 more years of Intolerance and Violence in the name of our lord.

[BIadestarX]

"We Catholics (I happen to be one myself) believe the pope is the Vicar of Christ on earth, a representative if you will."

That's because most Catholics don't read the bible (not trying to insult you). First of all, the idea of having this one person acting as God and treating him as if he is greater than anyone (gold chair, etc) is anti-biblical.

This goes completely against Jesus’ teachings:

Matthew 23:9, 10 - 9. “Moreover, do not call anyone YOUR father on earth, for one is YOUR Father, the heavenly One. 10 Neither be called ‘leaders,’ for YOUR Leader is one, the Christ. 11 But the greatest one among YOU must be YOUR minister. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus himself said those words. Heck he even washed his disciples’ feet. That would be the day a ‘pope’ does something as humble as that.

How come Jesus didn't accept this treatment? And yet a "representative of his" doesn't have a problem being treated like royalty.

[uxo22]

You guys should kinda just chill, although some of you points is understandable. This is just one of the things where discretion is best used for whatever reason.

I don't think religion and video games should be mixed especially when some people TALK before they think and say things that can be highly offensive to some elses religion. This is an area where we all should just take the high road.

[MikeIsOnFire84]

Mikeisonfire condemns the Pope.

[Bullseye]

Childrens welfare is the concern of us all. The pope is the representative of a very large religous community and therefore has every right to speak on this subject.He may also have a valid point if you are prepared to listen.If you disagree thats fine, but don't deny his right to express concern.