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A La Carte (3/9)
- 03/09/11
- 22
In a couple of hours David Murray and I will be recording a podcast in which we’ll try to answer questions from people who listen to it (or people who just want to ask a question). So if there’s something you’d like to have us take a stab at answering, just leave a comment below.
Calling Men on International Women’s Day - Mary Kassian: “The message is that ‘true equality’ requires that women be treated exactly the same as men. Women will not be equal until the sexes have interchangeable roles, interchangeable jobs, interchangeable responsibilities … and even an interchangeable identity. Equality means interchangeablity.”
Band of Bloggers - Timmy Brister has put together another Band of Bloggers. This year’s edition will be held at Gospel Coalition. And I get to be one of the panelists. Fun!
Highest-Paid Players - A little baseball to brighten your morning. MLBTradeRumors (a must-visit site for the baseball fan) has a roundup of the biggest salaries from today, ten years ago and twenty years ago. It’s more than inflation.
High Fascism - This op-ed at the Times offers an interesting take on the fashion industry. A recent blow-up by a famous fashion designer invites “consideration of the curious relationship between French fashion and fascism.”
The Break with Bell - Denny Burk writes about why Zondervan broke up with Rob Bell and stopped publishing his books.
Livingstone Online - “Livingstone Online is an ongoing project that provides access to the medical and scientific writings of the missionary, doctor and African explorer David Livingstone (1813-1873). We currently offer detailed transcriptions of many of his letters and we aim to make all his medical and scientific writings freely available online.” (HT:PJ)
Video Games Aren’t Sinful - No, they’re just stupid. That’s what Mark Driscoll says in this video:
Morality may damn as well as vice. A vessel may be sunk with gold as well as with dung. —Thomas Watson
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
Releasing on April 1, The Next
Published in 2008, this book
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Comments (22)
I can see what Driscoll’s big point is, and I agree with it, but I think he obscures it by making his point about videogames. Drew Dixon has written a pretty thoughtful and balanced response to this video: http://www.christandpopculture.com/featured/driscoll-video-games-are-stu…
The Driscoll video seems to be a case of “the things that other people enjoy in their leisure time are stupid!” Well, I think ultimate fighting is stupid, so sorry, Mark.
Unless Driscoll is making the case that all leisure time is bad, which he almost certainly isn’t.
It really comes down to being a Romans 14 issue.
I play video games occasionally. It’s a leisure activity, similar to other leisure activities I enjoy (reading, landscaping, gardening, exercise, sports, etc). Obviously, any of these can become sinful if they become idolatrous or addictive (and I avoid some games that seem more likely to lead in that direction - like World of Warcraft).
Now, some games that glorify vice and violence may be a different story. But in and of themselves, video games are not innately sinful, any more than soccer games.
Haha! I get what Driscoll is saying… but the video game connection is foolish. I mean, shall we pick on the chess team next because they’re conquering kings in a board game?
What guidelines do you recommend for teens’ use of technology (facebook, iphone, Wii, etc.). Time restrictions may be best, but can come across as arbitrary and externally imposed, and may not do much to help them self-regulate. But without time restrictions, teens may not self-regulate well. Are there better ways to limit a teen’s media diet? What other guidelines do you recommend?
I’ve been waiting for information on the Band of Bloggers session. Thanks for posting this. I am really excited to learn from a group of men I highly respect!
I definitely concur with his point about video games. I appreciated that he pointed out a specific activity that is quite rampant in our culture and made a relevant point about it. So often pastors just generalize and no one has to think through specifics in their own lives. I have a lot of really great men in my life, including my husband, dad and father in law - I do not want this in any way to be a “man-basher” post … but it would be awesome to see more men sacrifice their own leisure activities, ones that they enjoy partially because of the “mission” of the game and make a difference in the things that are going to matter eternally. I think another point could have been made for women and their obsession with FB … stop all of the quasi-relationships and get out there and invest into kingdom relationships on a face to face level. I am not advocating either a complete give up of FB or video games, but both lead really easily into a lot of time being wasted.
I think his point is that video games instead of doing real things, the real battle, is really stupid, because it’s a childish playing at what we’re supposed to be doing. Really, imagine if grown men ran around with wooden swords, or pointing their fingers at one another going “bang,” for hours and hours a week. And I think he’s right.
But I don’t think he’s attacking guys who spend an hour or two a week playing video games instead of engaging in some other leisure activity, while most of their time is actually spent productively. And Sarah’s point about equivalent distractions for women is also well made.
I do like Driscoll but he loves making some very sweeping statements. I play video games very little and do think that if someone is spending hours upon hours each day, then that is a problem but I don’t think there stupid.
I don’t get UFC or MMA . I know some men who love it but unless its effecting their commitment to Christ and ones wife and children , its not a stupid or a problem. Leisure time or entertainment has a place in even a Christians life.
My son’s love the strategy games like Civilizations where you play as great empires and try to defeat others using tactics and planning. For me I prefer Mario Kart classic. Guess I’m old school.
Good discussion on Driscoll and the video. I’ve been known to play video games myself every now and again. It can be fun at times. So I do not fully agree with what he is saying. And yet I do think he draws out some valid points. You don’t have to swallow the whole thing to find benefit in it.
I don’t see that there is a great difference between playing video games and watching that mixed martial arts stuff he raves about. I don’t know that one is a much better use of time than the other.
Tim,Driscoll has a point and for years I have argued with my son over video games, my daughters never played them, my son has since moved out of the house and lives in another state. He and a bunch of christian guys, who are part of a very vibrant church, have a house and sure enough a big screen TV $$$ with all the video gaming paraphernalia attached $$! Ive seen 2-12 guys around the games loud, laughing and having fun together. But these guys are very active in the church and evangelism in their community, and they have traveled to different parts of the world to preach the gospel and are getting ready for a trip to Africa in a few weeks. I personally think watching more than an hour of tv a day or playing golf is a waste of time not sinful but stupid but that’s my own personal opinion. If your addicted to video games, yea its a problem and young guys should express that innate need to do battle in fighting for the Gospel, and I think that’s what Driscoll is saying and his point is right but over stated. Mark Driscoll is awesome and I always listen to what he has to say. My son grew up playing video games and if there was any damage, I dont believe there was or is, I believe the Lord has and will redeem it. Mike
@Pentamom: I think his point is that video games instead of doing real things, the real battle, is really stupid, because it’s a childish playing at what we’re supposed to be doing.
Wouldn’t this relegate, say, chess, to the “stupid bin” as well? Or, for that matter, any competitive sport played in one’s leisure time.
With regard to Kassian…it occurs to me that she personally benefits from a number of freedoms fought for and won by the feminist movement, while simultaneously criticizing it. She’s a professor, has a graduate education and spends a lot of time away from home on speaking tours. Presumably she also votes.
Do you think it is correct to say Joseph adopted Jesus? Can we say that Joseph was Jesus’ stepfather?
As linked above, I wrote about Driscoll’s statements on video games and no one seems to be picking up on why what he said is rather unfortunate.
Here is the issue—everyone seems to agree that he wrongly stereotypes/generalizes gamers but then everyone seems to go on to say, but his main point is really great. I agree that we should focus on things that matter unto eternity—amen to that. But to stereotype gamers in the process of making that point is not good and it hurts his argument. He stereotypes eople he would presumably like to reach with the gospel or influence for the sake of the kingdom. That actually hurts his main point. It understandably keeps people from hearing him out.
Its like going to a library and telling people “books are stupid” then proceeding to say some really wonderfully helpful things. No matter how helpful what you have to say is, people aren’t going to hear you out because they are thinking about the unfair generalization you just made. The only difference is the “library” in this instance is 183 million Americans.
And for the record I greatly respect Driscoll as I do any preacher of the gospel. But why can’t we just say this video isn’t helpful because its clearly makes an inductive fallacy that stereotypes a rather large group of people?
Anyway, the point of my article is that we should be careful about what we say for two reasons—because we want to be honest in our communication and because we love the people we want to reach for Christ.
Agree with you Tim, “You don’t have to swallow the whole thing to find benefit in it.”
I read Drew Dixon’s response and I just don’t see where Pastor Driscoll is “condemning” anything, and more importantly anybody…
I am deeply concerned about what I see as a HYPERsensitivity among Christians to perceived offense. Mark Driscol was stating his opinion. He never once said that PEOPLE who play games are stupid, he only conveyed that HE BELIEVES that the games themselves are a waste of time. We don’t need any hard statistics to know that this is most certainly true for a great number of people. If you are a person who enjoys gaming but does NOT waste time doing so, then this message (stop wasting time playing) was NOT for you. I think there is a hidden pride (everything is about me) within us that makes us think that every message is FOR us. Every message isn’t for (or about) you.
Mark is not going to run off potential Christians because he *unlovingly* gave a message that bad-mouthed something that a large group of people enjoy. I think we Christians really need to check our tendencies toward being offended where none was intended or even presented. I just didn’t hear Mark Driscol offer an indictment against *people* who play video games. I didn’t hear that at all.
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How close to theological rock-bottom must a guy be for Zondervan to refuse to publish him?
@Sharmayn - if you read my article and my comment above, I think you’ll see that I tried to go out of my way to be fair to Driscoll. I am trying to encourage thoughtful, honest communication. I would hope this call to more honest communication would serve people well, let me explain:
The issue is intellectual honesty and stereotyping—both are forms of communication preachers (and all people) should avoid. That was my point.
Its great to warn people against all kinds of time-wasters and the danger of abusing various possessions or the temptation inherent in various forms of media. Write about that, preach on that, explore that. But don’t stereotype and make inductive fallacies that tell people their hobby is stupid (and thus they are stupid for enjoying it). Those types of communication are harmful to people because they make assumptions about them.
I guess you are kinda making an assumption about me—that I am hyper-sensitive. Its ok—I am not bothered by it—perhaps there is even some truth to that, but I would encourage you not to make such assumptions about people in public or in private—its not intellectually honest or edifying to them. People will righly take offense to you when you do that.
I for one really like what Driscoll says…I like black and white statements. He makes a good point…my only hope is that he made this argument for the sake of the good of his congregation and not just so that he would make a buzz on blogs, etc. I sometimes worry that people have become too obsessed with making controversial points just for attention’s sake. But I am likely jumping to unfair conclusions about him!:)
Wow Drew, I meant you no slight but I think you just really proved my point. I never said *you* were hypersensitive. I said I see a hypersensitivity in Christians in general… And even if I had singled you out, I would merely be stating my opinion. I don’t have any specific training in how to make a sound argument. I’m just a middled aged wife and mom of 4 who loves the Lord. I only know that this feels like a mental merry go round. You are making an assumption about my assumption. ( And I love you anyway!) LOL
I will say that one of the biblical definitions of love is that it is *not* *easily* offended. Mark Driscoll makes a powerful point ( that men should be passionately fighting for their families and other noble causes) in this snipet of video, but that point seems to have gotten lost in a debate over the intelligence (or lack thereof ) of video games.
@Sharmayn you may have not meant it directly at me, but it was clearly directed at what I had said.
I wasn’t offended by it.
This whole discussion is illustrating to me that we as Christians desperately need to be thinking more carefully about how we use words—the Bible demands it and living faithfully in this world for the glory of Christ demands it.
Its absolutely shocking to me that people don’t want to admit that there is stereotyping going on here merely because Driscoll’s overall point is a good one. I conceeded that—it was a good overall point—that doesn’t make the ground he covered to get there good.
We just shouldn’t overlook stereotyping—period. That is not Christlike. That was my point.
I mean you no ill will at all, but you simply have not dealt with my argument. If stereotyping is an unhealthy form of communication, if there is some dishonesty in Driscoll’s statement, why should we overlook that just because his overall point is good?
Again—let me reiterate—I like Driscoll and I think his message here has much in it to benefit many—so I am not discrediting what Tim has said above. Again—can we not all agree that we don’t want to celebrate and/or overlook dishonest forms of communication. (I say this fully aware that Driscoll did not intend to be dishonest).
In my article I go out of my way to show examples of how we as Christians stereotype and exaggerate in hurtful ways—this sort of thing that Driscoll does here, we are all guilty of at various times—I just want to say, that isn’t good and let’s try to do better.
That seems sensible and Christlike—not hypersensitive.
Tim,Your comment : “I’ve been known to play video games myself every now and again. It can be fun at times. So I do not fully agree with what he is saying” is very interesting. “I’ve been known to play … So I do not fully agree…” It seems to be saying that the reason you disagree with something Driscoll said is because you do what he is speaking against. Part of the purpose of preaching isn’t it? Don’t disagree with him because you do what he says is stupid. Disagree because he is wrong, or because it is right to play now and then and have the fun it gives. Just an observation. Not trying to cause trouble.
JPH, did you read my whole comment? I was referring to doing things to the extent they really displace more important things. But I wasn’t making the argument that “every second” that you’re doing one thing, you must be neglecting something else. I was making the distinction between doing something in a reasonable amount of leisure time, vs. making it a substitute for living life usefully.
My husband and sons are avid chess players, BTW, and it’s a leisure activity — something they only do in what would otherwise be “downtime” as well.
Ken, I think you can take Tim’s comments to mean “obviously, I don’t agree, because I have thought about this before and come to the conclusion that playing now and then is a fine thing to do.” I realize that taking it literally, one would come to the conclusion that you came to — that Tim bases his agreement or disagreement on what he chooses to do and not do. But if you read Tim regularly, and know that he is a thoughtful guy who wouldn’t argue that it’s perfectly fine to base your views on your desires, I think it is more a plausible reading that he means that his practice reflects the fact that he has a different viewpoint, rather than drives it. Perhaps he could have made it more clear, but we do have the context of Tim himself to use as a guide here.