The Pope says "F#$%" Videogames

[phk]

'Perverse' media upsets pope
POSTED: 10:19 a.m. EST, January 24, 2007
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VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -- 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.

The Pope made his comments in a message for the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Communications, whose theme this year is "Children and the Media: A Challenge for Education".

While recognizing that many people involved in social communications wanted to do what is right, commercial competitiveness often meant lower standards, he said.

"Any trend to produce programs and products -- including animated films and video games -- which in the name of entertainment exalt violence and portray anti-social behavior or the trivialization of human sexuality is a perversion," he said.

He said this was "all the more repulsive" when programs were directed at children and adolescents.

"How could one explain this 'entertainment' to the countless innocent young people who actually suffer violence, exploitation and abuse?" he said.

Globalization had led to an even more pervasive effect of the media over children and their influence was rivaling those of school, church and home, the Pope said.

"I appeal to the leaders of the media industry to educate and encourage producers to safeguard the common good, to uphold the truth, to protect individual human dignity and promote respect for the needs of the family," he said.

[Gabu]

This is clearly why youth violence is at the highest level we've ever seen in history.

[Joe Republic]

Yep, video games are most definitely to blame for the upsurge in violence among children.  If I had kids, I'd make damn sure that they never play any of that kind of filth, and I'd make them watch something more wholesome like the news instead, where they can see children in distant lands being blown to pieces with their guts all falling out and stuff.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

before video games, we played cowboys and indians

but I don't allow my kids to watch or play anything with nudity, vulgar language, or senseless violence.

And it would be very helpful if video games included controls for coarse language, simply place a slider in the settings.

[Joe Republic]

but I don't allow my kids to watch or play anything with nudity, vulgar language, or senseless violence.

Waiting for them to discover them in their own time, eh?

[Gabu]

before video games, we played cowboys and indians

but I don't allow my kids to watch or play anything with nudity, vulgar language, or senseless violence.

And it would be very helpful if video games included controls for course language, simply place a slider in the settings.

I can't think of a single game that had course language and that didn't also have violence, though.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

I can't think of a single game that had course language and that didn't also have violence, though.

Fry Cry has some coarse language and lots of violence, but the violence isn't senseless or in cold blood.

[Joe Republic]

Fry Cry?

[Gabu]

Fry Cry has some coarse language and lots of violence, but the violence isn't senseless or in cold blood.

What do you consider to be "senseless" violence?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

What do you consider to be "senseless" violence?

when you're playing the role of a thug

[Bono]

FOr a while, I thought the Pope had actually said "". I was amused.

[Gabu]

What do you consider to be "senseless" violence?

when you're playing the role of a thug

That's an unusually narrow definition, compared to what I've seen that concerned parents usually restrict their kids from.

Not saying that's a bad thing.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

What do you consider to be "senseless" violence?

when you're playing the role of a thug

That's an unusually narrow definition, compared to what I've seen that concerned parents usually restrict their kids from.

Not saying that's a bad thing.

what's the normal definition of "senseless violence"?

[tik 🪀✨]

What do you consider to be "senseless" violence?

when you're playing the role of a thug

That's an unusually narrow definition, compared to what I've seen that concerned parents usually restrict their kids from.

Not saying that's a bad thing.

what's the normal definition of "senseless violence"?

hockey

[Gabu]

What do you consider to be "senseless" violence?

when you're playing the role of a thug

That's an unusually narrow definition, compared to what I've seen that concerned parents usually restrict their kids from.

Not saying that's a bad thing.

what's the normal definition of "senseless violence"?

A lot of parents I know prefer their kids not to play anything with any kind of realistic violence whatsoever.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I agree w/ the sexuality--and some violence--10 yr. olds don't need to be playing grand theft auto.  But I personally liked (and still do) many war games that are "violent."  I mean, heck, Frogger is violent in that you go "splat" when the car runs over you--so there is a line to be drawn, and I draw that line at senseless violence (gang--not war) and sexuality.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

I agree w/ the sexuality--and some violence--10 yr. olds don't need to be playing grand theft auto.  But I personally liked (and still do) many war games that are "violent."  I mean, heck, Frogger is violent in that you go "splat" when the car runs over you--so there is a line to be drawn, and I draw that line at senseless violence (gang--not war) and sexuality.

You're right 10 year olds don't need to be playing grand theft auto. By then they should have moved on to hardcore pornography as well as extreme hentai such as "legend of the overfiend".

[Michael Z]

Ah, I'm sure he enjoys a good game of Counterstrike every now and then.

[Gabu]

Ah, I'm sure he enjoys a good game of Counterstrike every now and then.

Am I going to hell for winning against xXkilla_popeXx a week ago?

[Beet]

7 year olds were already playing Contra back in the day. The only difference is that the graphics are better now.