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A '''video game''' is an electronic game, which is played on a device such as a computer or console. Some video games are designed to be addictive, as this helps to build and maintain a profitable user base, and sell the product to those who may try it.

A '''video game''' is an electronic game, which is played on a device such as a computer or console. Video games are generally designed to be addictive, as this helps to build and maintain a profitable user base, and sell the product to those who may try it.

Violent video games have been bashed on by both ignorant liberals and ignorant conservatives. Despite not having a single well proven correlation that fake violence influences mature individuals to conduct real violence, gaming has become the common ground scapegoat of any atrocious event. While nearly every mass shooter has watched television, listened to the radio, and drank water many claim that a shooter indulging on one of the most popular mediums of the 21st century proves games cause violence. Despite not a single video game portraying a level of violence even close to that of the saw films, gaming has been targeted and made a "greater evil". As history repeats itself the previous hatred and bias towards the newspaper, radio, television, and movies has shifted on to gaming; mostly thanks to the main stream media exploiting the ignorance of the public for a quick buck.  

Violent video games are particularly addictive and harmful for teenage boys and young men. Often the more violent a game is, the better it sells.  '''''Many of the [[young mass murderers]] have been linked to addictions to violent video games, and video games are also associated with dropping out of school, obesity, and other bad effects'''''. The video game industry is criticized for exploiting its workers, too.

Of course, video games can cause the same destruction that TV, Alcohol, Tobbaco, and Marijuana cause to those who lack self-control and morals. Thanks to America's destruction of the family and loss of faith in God, many have made video games the sole purpose of their existence. As when any society creates pleasure to be their god, violence and hatred will inevitably flourish

At least one study showed that "young men are playing video games instead of getting jobs," as reported by the ''Chicago Tribune''.<ref>https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-video-games-jobs-emploment-20160923-story.html</ref>

== Nature of video games ==

== Nature of video games ==

== Various genres ==

== Various genres ==

Video games in the course of their existence have grown from the simple arcade-style games, and have become more detailed and separated from one another. Genres can now include [[first person shooters]], [[racing]], [[Simulation game|simulation]], [[role-playing]], [[sports]], [[action]], [[strategy]], massively multiplayer online (MMO), puzzle, Sport simulation, Survival-Horror and many others.<ref>https://www.idtech.com/blog/different-types-of-video-game-genres</ref><ref>https://thoughtcatalog.com/jane-hurst/2015/02/12-types-of-computer-games-every-gamer-should-know-about/</ref> Even then, games can combine genres, such as ''Mass Effect'' (Role Playing and Third Person Shooting), or not fit nicely into any genre, like ''The Mystery of the Druids''. The most popular genres tend to be shooters, action, and roleplaying games. Some video games are based on movies, such as Star Wars.

Video games in the course of their existence have grown from the simple arcade-style games, and have become more detailed and separated from one another. Genres can now include [[first person shooters]], [[racing]], [[Simulation game|simulation]], [[role-playing]], [[sports]], [[action]], [[strategy]], massively multiplayer online (MMO), puzzle, Sport simulation, and many others.<ref>https://www.idtech.com/blog/different-types-of-video-game-genres</ref><ref>https://thoughtcatalog.com/jane-hurst/2015/02/12-types-of-computer-games-every-gamer-should-know-about/</ref> Even then, games can combine genres, such as ''Mass Effect'' (Role Playing and Third Person Shooting), or not fit nicely into any genre, like ''The Mystery of the Druids''. The most popular genres tend to be shooters, action, and roleplaying games. Some video games are based on movies, such as Star Wars.

== Popularity & Controversy ==

== Popularity & Controversy ==

Games have risen in popularity over the years, as is shown in the rise of video games sales from the 1980s until today. This has brought with it a various amount of controversy as the video game industry continues to grow with its original player base.  

Games have risen in popularity over the years, as is shown in the rise of video games sales from the 1980s until today. This has brought with it a various amount of controversy as the video game industry continues to grow with its original player base.

As with any new phenomenon; books, newspapers, radios, television, movies the majority of smart free-thinking individuals will share skepticism and suspect nefarious motives at first glance. However after the phenomenon has been put to the test and showed to be harmless to moral, self controlling individuals, many will keep an unstructured and superstition like bias. When added with the medias love for exploiting the ignorance of the public, fear and controversy will be prolonged, increasing their ratings and fattening their wallets. As people now properly have stopped blaming television for the effects of the destruction of the family and loss of god;video games promptly steps into the firing line. While video games have been around since the 80s it wasn't until around 2005 until games technologically evolved to the point at which they could portray a decent amount of violence.  

Video games are addictive activities targeted at teenagers, sometimes with tragic results.<ref>Some claim that 2/3rds of videogamers are over 18 years old, but far more people are over that age and a much higher percentage of minors are videogamers.[http://www.pan-o-matic.com/blog/?p=45 Only a third of videogamers are under 18]</ref> Certain genres of games are becoming increasingly violent and offensive, attracting the attention of legislators in many states to protect the exploitation of children by them. Games such as ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' are very violent, sexually explicit, and feature [[criminal]] behavior. These games are rated "M 17+" for "Mature," but courts have stricken down laws preventing retailers from selling them to children, under an interpretation that the First Amendment protects offensive video games even for children.<ref>http://gamepolitics.livejournal.com/148962.html</ref> After a ''Conservapedian'' filed an [[amicus brief]] with the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] to consider this issue, it surprised [[liberal]]s by granting ''[[certiorari]]''.

However, in 2011, the Supreme Court denied a ban on the sale of violent video games in California, claiming they were protected as they "qualify for First Amendment Protection" and pointing out that there has historically been no shortage of violent imagery in children's fairytales, classical literature, and comics.   Writing for the majority, Justice Scalia pointed out that "disgust is not a valid basis for restricting expression", and continued that any effects of violent video games on children "are both small and indistinguishable from effects produced by other media".<ref>[https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/08-1448.pdf BROWN, GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA, ET AL. v. ENTERTAINMENT MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION ET AL.]</ref>

 

However, in 2011, the Supreme Court denied a ban on the sale of violent video games in California, claiming they were protected as they "qualify for First Amendment Protection" and pointing out that there has historically been no shortage of violent imagery in children's fairy tales, classical literature, and comics. Writing for the majority, Justice Scala pointed out that "disgust is not a valid basis for restricting expression", and continued that any effects of violent video games on children "are both small and indistinguishable from effects produced by other media".<ref>[https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/08-1448.pdf BROWN, GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA, ET AL. v. ENTERTAINMENT MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION ET AL.]</ref>

 

 

It has also been suggested that it is the role of parents to regulate what their children play, and that laws restricting video game vendors are an effort to replace parents' decisions with the government's decisions.<ref>https://www.deseretnews.com/article/700150989/Violent-games-2-Its-parents-responsibility-to-monitor-what-kids-play.html</ref><ref>https://segmentnext.com/2018/03/09/dear-parents-take-responsibility-kids-stop-blaming-video-games/</ref>

It has also been suggested that it is the role of parents to regulate what their children play, and that laws restricting video game vendors are an effort to replace parents' decisions with the government's decisions.<ref>https://www.deseretnews.com/article/700150989/Violent-games-2-Its-parents-responsibility-to-monitor-what-kids-play.html</ref><ref>https://segmentnext.com/2018/03/09/dear-parents-take-responsibility-kids-stop-blaming-video-games/</ref>

Many godless and moral drenched people will often neglect family and work to spend a copious number of hours playing video games including online games as World of War Craft.

As some wake up to how harmful violent video games are, the video game industry declined in 2012,<ref>http://www.nbc12.com/story/20289219/us-video-game-sales-drop-11-pct-in-november</ref> though it remains much bigger than Hollywood. Video games are likely the single biggest cause of bright young men dropping out of college. While video games were originally designed for children and adolescent males, video games have become too popular with adult males, many of whom will often neglect family and work to spend a copious number of hours playing video games including online games as World of Warcraft in a video game addiction.  [[Liberal denial]] discourages people from recognizing the problem.

==Arguments against video game usage==

==Arguments against video game usage==

[[File:Stephen-Fry.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|The [[Atheism|atheist]] [[Stephen Fry]] said, "I do enjoy [[Video games|video gaming]]... In the early days of games, I would spend hours. I mean literally. I would find it would be 4AM, and I would say: 'God, I have be at work at 6.'"<ref>[http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xeuj29_stephen-fry-talks-gaming_news Stephen Fry talks gaming]</ref> ''See also: [[Irreligion, video game usage and obesity]] and [[Atheism and obesity]]'' ]]

[[File:Stephen-Fry.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|The [[Atheism|atheist]] [[Stephen Fry]] said, "I do enjoy [[Video games|video gaming]]... In the early days of games, I would spend hours. I mean literally. I would find it would be 4AM, and I would say: 'God, I have be at work at 6.'"<ref>[http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xeuj29_stephen-fry-talks-gaming_news Stephen Fry talks gaming]</ref> ''See also: [[Irreligion, video game usage and obesity]] and [[Atheism and obesity]]'' ]]

''See [[young mass murderers]] for their connection to video games''.<br />

''See [[young mass murderers]] for their connection to video games''.<br />

Video games have been accused of being linked to [[Young Mass Murderers|murders by young people]] and other [[violence]], stress-induced health problems (including unexpected heart attacks),<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/world/europe/russian-teenager-dies-after-playing-online-computer-game-defence-of-the-ancients-for-22-days-in-a-row/story-fnh81p7g-1227512824314 Teenager dies from a video game addiction]</ref> [[atheism]], [[obesity]],<ref>[http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/child_obesity/ Childhood Obesity] Department of Health and Human Services, retrieved Sept 18th 2011</ref> and [[sexual immorality]]. Several prominent murderers in recent years were inspired by video games.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-316491/Teenager-gets-life-Manhunt-murder.html</ref><ref>Adelmann, Bob (August 5, 2019). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/crime/item/33028-search-for-motives-in-recent-mass-shootings-ignores-impact-of-violent-video-games Motives in Recent Mass Shootings Should Include Impact of Violent Video Games]. ''The New American''. Retrieved August 5, 2019.</ref>  [[Young mass murderer]] [[Adam Lanza]] was "immersed in a perverse video game world" and "killed himself to prevent law enforcement from taking his 'points.'"  He plotted his rampage far in advance and "learned the principles of ... the tactical reload" from his [[video games]].

Video games have been accused of being linked to [[Young Mass Murderers|murders by young people]] and other [[violence]], stress-induced health problems (including unexpected heart attacks),<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/world/europe/russian-teenager-dies-after-playing-online-computer-game-defence-of-the-ancients-for-22-days-in-a-row/story-fnh81p7g-1227512824314 Teenager dies from a video game addiction]</ref> [[atheism]], [[obesity]],<ref>[http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/child_obesity/ Childhood Obesity] Department of Health and Human Services, retrieved Sept 18th 2011</ref> and [[sexual immorality]]. Several prominent murderers in recent years were inspired by video games.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-316491/Teenager-gets-life-Manhunt-murder.html</ref><ref>Adelmann, Bob (August 5, 2019). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/crime/item/33028-search-for-motives-in-recent-mass-shootings-ignores-impact-of-violent-video-games Motives in Recent Mass Shootings Should Include Impact of Violent Video Games]. ''The New American''. Retrieved August 5, 2019.</ref>  [[Young mass murderer]] [[Adam Lanza]] was "immersed in a perverse video game world" and "killed himself to prevent law enforcement from taking his 'points.'"  He plotted his rampage far in advance and "learned the principles of ... the tactical reload" from his [[video games]].

{{cquote|A number of Norway stores have pulled violent video games from sale - including several Call of Duty games and World of Warcraft - in the wake of the massacre carried out by Anders Behring Breivik on July 22.}}

{{cquote|A number of Norway stores have pulled violent video games from sale - including several Call of Duty games and World of Warcraft - in the wake of the massacre carried out by Anders Behring Breivik on July 22.}}

Unbeknownst to many, the video game industry is partly subsidized by taxpayers, even in the [[conservative]] Texas.  In 2015, a spat broke out between the video game and film industries about the millions they would receive from government.<ref>http://www.texastribune.org/2015/05/27/drama-between-film-video-game-groups-dooms-funding/</ref>

Unbeknownst to many, the video game industry is partly subsidized by taxpayers, even in the [[conservative]] Texas.  In 2015, a spat broke out between the video game and film industries about the millions they would receive from government.<ref>http://www.texastribune.org/2015/05/27/drama-between-film-video-game-groups-dooms-funding/</ref>

=== Irreligion, video game usage and obesity ===

=== Irreligion, video game usage and obesity ===

In general, acquiring good habits can help drive out bad ones.  Setting goals helps: Give yourself a weekly or monthly report card on all aspects of life.  (See also: [[Beating NFL addiction]])

In general, acquiring good habits can help drive out bad ones.  Setting goals helps: Give yourself a weekly or monthly report card on all aspects of life.  (See also: [[Beating NFL addiction]])

==Violence==

===Violence===

Most of the controversy comes from the rising trend toward violence in video games, as pioneered by ''[[Doom (video game series)|Doom]]'', ''[[Quake]]'', "[[Spring]]", and the ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' series.  

Most of the controversy comes from the rising trend toward violence in video games, as pioneered by ''[[Doom (video game series)|Doom]]'', ''[[Quake]]'', "[[Spring]]", and the ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' series.  

Childrens minds have not been fully developed and lack the ability to differentiate fake violence from real violence meaning that a childs mental health could be harmed from fake violence. In the USA, all retail games carry ratings from the [[ESRB]], a video game ratings organization.

Serious crimes have often been associated with video games. For example, a 14-year-old brutally murdered a video arcade employee one morning and his cousin stands trial for murdering the store manager when he entered the store shortly thereafter.<ref>http://www.nj.com/starledger/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1212467732102240.xml&coll=1</ref>

In the [[United States|USA]], all retail games carry ratings from the [[ESRB]], a video game ratings organization.

 

Multiple studies using faulty strategies claim to prove video games cause aggression. However they do not mention that if they where to use their testing format on any sport including golf they would be able to "prove" that the sport causes aggression. Numerous tests have been conducted on showing whether or not game violence correlates to real violence and have come up empty-handed, therefore proving fake violence does not correlate to real violence.<ref>https://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/healthcare-triage-violence-and-video-games/</ref>

Multiple studies have shown a correlation between violent video games and increased levels of aggression, caused by playing some of the aforementioned video games.<ref>https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/014616702237649</ref><ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140197103000976</ref>

===Sexuality===

===Sexuality===

Due to their popularity, various corporations have begun placing advertisements for their products within the context of the game. [[Second Life]], an Internet-based virtual world, has attempted to blur the lines between real-world and virtual world, and companies such as Adidas, Reebok, and Dell have set up virtual stores selling real-world products within the game.  [[Reuters]] also operates a news bureau reporting news in the game.

Due to their popularity, various corporations have begun placing advertisements for their products within the context of the game. [[Second Life]], an Internet-based virtual world, has attempted to blur the lines between real-world and virtual world, and companies such as Adidas, Reebok, and Dell have set up virtual stores selling real-world products within the game.  [[Reuters]] also operates a news bureau reporting news in the game.

== Education in Video Games ==

== Education in Video Games ==

Microsoft Flight Simulator is another example of a video game that may have some slight educational value.<ref>https://www.microsoft.com/Products/Games/FSInsider/product/Pages/InfoEducators.aspx</ref>

Microsoft Flight Simulator is another example of a video game that may have some slight educational value.<ref>https://www.microsoft.com/Products/Games/FSInsider/product/Pages/InfoEducators.aspx</ref>

Some games are also created specifically as teaching tools.  While they may not offer detailed, useful knowledge, they typically attempt at least to teach useful concepts or general information.  An example of these is the now-dated game, Oregon Trail.  

Some games are also created specifically as teaching tools.  While they may not offer detailed, useful knowledge, they typically attempt at least to teach useful concepts or general information.  An example of these is the now-dated game, Oregon Trail.

 

== Faith in Video Games ==

== Faith in Video Games ==

==See also==

==See also==

*[[Video game controversy]]

*[[Video game controversy]]

*[[Jack Thompson]]

*[[Jack Thompson]]