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Signs of the Times Australia / NZ edition — lifestyle, health, relationships, culture, spirituality, people — published since 1886 |
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Signs of the Times Australia / NZ edition — lifestyle, health, relationships, culture, spirituality, people — published since 1886 |
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“Video games and violence have gone hand in hand since the first Space Invader was zapped 25 years ago.
Violence sells. Shop shelves are loaded with shooting and fighting games, led by the anarchic and astonishingly successful Grand Theft Auto series, which has sold more than 35 million copies worldwide.”1 This latter game inspired two US teenagers to go on a shooting spree, killing one man and wounding another as they fired at cars.2 By the time a child reaches the age of 18, he or she will have seen 200,000 dramatised acts of violence and 40,000 dramatised murders.3
Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.”
Matthew 5:21, 22 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.”
Murder is the end result of anger.While most of us have never murdered, we have been angry. Numerous studies show a correlation between exposure to media violence in childhood and aggressive behaviour in both childhood and adulthood.
Ephesians 4:25, 26 “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbour. . . . ‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.”
Matthew 5:23, 24_ “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”
Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” James says: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19).
Luke 6:27, 28 “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who ill-treat you.”
This is Jesus’ golden rule: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12). Paul says: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. . . . Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:20, 21).
Luke 23:34_ “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Romans 3:23, 24; 6:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
1 Corinthians 13:6, 7 “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
Paul says: “Love does no harm to its neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law” (Romans 13:10).
1 Jason Hill, “Shoot to thrill,” <www.theage.com.au>, April 28, 2005.
2 “Video game makers sued in murder case,” <www.fairfaxdigital.com.au>, October 23, 2003.
3 Katherine Ramsland, The Unthinkable: Children who kill, <www.crimeslibrary.com>.
Articles of interest:
Extract from Signs of the Times, July 2007.
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