Question about Compromising

[AJV]

Hi there,

I'm more of a lurker than a poster but I thought I'd should ask this to you all.
I need some good Christian advice on how to deal with this.
(I hope this is the right forum)

Ok so I got a XBOX360 and I have two games: Fracture and SoulCalibur 4.
Well I pretty much always play the later.
Now having XBOX Live I've been playing with people and friends online.
Everything's smooth sailing so far.

Here's where it gets messy.
Since I don't have a tv in my room I could use the xbox on because my tv is really small so I play on the living room tv.

First my Mom starts saying that it's very violent. Ok she's got a point. I explain it to her why it is and that it could be worse, etc...and I think she understood.
But then she happened to see someone online playing Ivy...(you can see where this is going) she immediately says it's p0.rn.
Then she says I'm compromising and is it really worth losing my soul over.
Now she's going on about how none of the girl wear clothes etc...
And I get where she's coming from. But it doesn't really affect me that much when I trying to KO (or trying not to get KOed by)somebody. You know what I mean?
Then my Mom keeps going on about I should stop playing it.
But I really enjoy playing it... :bang:

Otherwise I got plenty of more important and crazier stuff going on in my life, but this is really bothering me and it's a bit fresh in my mind.

Sorry for posting something so unimportant like this here.

[Cognitive Gear]

Generally, my opinion on this kind of thing is as follows:

1) If you are living under your parents' roof, you have to live by their rules.

2) If something that isn't obviously a sin does not bother you personally, then you can do it. However, if it stumbles/bothers someone else, you shouldn't do it while they are around.

[Peanut]

A few years back I had something similar happen with me and my parents though that's really a bad example for this since the way that hole issue was resolved was by me just letting the hole thing blow over without selling said game. Still I did learn somethings from it so my advice to you would be to sit down with your parents or just your mom and explain things civilly from your perspective. Both of those games are rated T for Teen so you can use that to explain to your parents that it really isn't that bad. Compare it to watching a PG-13 movie which you can legally do without your parents consent. Another thing that might help is if you assure them that you never play as Ivy in Soul Calibur 4. If you do play as Ivy...well...you might need to change that if you want to keep playing these games. If they still say that you need to stop playing these games then, at this point, you might just have to relent for now and do what they say. This really isn't a good thing to cause a rift between you and your parents over even if they are being a bit ridiculous. Plus, once you turn 18, then their opinion about what you play and watch becomes just their opinion which, while you should still respect it, can be ignored. So, if you have to stop, just think of it as a temporary fast until later. Anyway, I hope this helps and I pray that you'll come to a point of reconciliation with at least your mother.

[Midori]

Now see, I've played Soul Calibur 2, and in that game Ivy has an alternate colonial-looking outfit that's actually really cute and not suggestive at all. I just don't understand game designers. Actually, I just don't understand men.

[Nate]

I just don't understand men.

*looks at your gender symbol*

...something you're not telling us?

Anyway, serious and on topic now, I agree with the first thing Phil posted. You live under your parents' roof, you live by their rules. Bible says to honor your father and mother, so I think it's pretty clear that you have to do what your mom says. When you move out, it's up to you what you want to do, but as long as you live there, obey them.

[ABlipinTime]

*looks at your gender symbol*

...something you're not telling us?

Anyway, serious and on topic now, I agree with the first thing Phil posted. You live under your parents' roof, you live by their rules. Bible says to honor your father and mother, so I think it's pretty clear that you have to do what your mom says.

I echo this.

In Corinthians (chpt 8??), Paul talks about food sacrificed to idols. You can read the passage yourself, but basically Paul says, Hey guys, your brother doesn't like you eating meat sacrificed to idols, so you need to stop, not because it's not affecting you, but because it is hurting them spiritually.

On one hand, I would question the morals of your KOing, but that's just me.

[Rusty Claymore]

*Select All* ... *Copy* ... *paste*...
I second the advice. n.n/)

[Hiryu]

Eh, I can see where your mom is coming from. The standard outfit for Ivy does make her look like a dominatrix o.o .

Soul Calibur's not really any more violent than other fighters out there.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Maybe play another fighting game?

Er... granted they all have suggestive-looking characters. I like Tekken, but I'm sure Tekken 6 has some characters in questionable attire too. XD

[AJV]

Hey Guys,
Thanks for all words of advice and prayers and stuff.

I totally respect my Mom even though I disagree with her to a point and I don't want to cause a rift.
I've been explaining it to her and about why certain things happen like: why they loose their clothes,that you can add clothes to characters,etc..
I do enjoy playing as Ivy BUT I don't use her regular outfit (never really played Ivy because of that till I made a custom character) and (or) use a character with her move set instead.
I'm not playing it as much when she's around though I'm not hiding it from her since I let her know and stuff like: "I put up the dashboard (pause?) when somebody played as and Ivy (AKA to my mom as a stripper)" and stuff like that. I think it'll work out but it might take a little time.

Today my Mom dragged (took) me over to gamestop (because she wants me to get another game) so I could trade some unopened games that were for the Wii that I wouldn't probably play. But they said the wouldn't take them unless they were opened and they'd probably give me $15 for SSBB and $3 -$4 for some other games...Their Trade-In deal is such a rip off. -_-;

On one hand, I would question the morals of your KOing, but that's just me.

Don't worry I don't (and hopefully won't) KO anybody in real life, just in video games.

Eh, I can see where your mom is coming from. The standard outfit for Ivy does make her look like a dominatrix o.o .

Oh my gosh! That's what my Mom called it when she first saw it (though she called it sadomasochist).




God Bless you all
AJV

[ABlipinTime]

The only reason I said I would question your KOing is because of the effects that it has on the mind. Sure, you're not going to go out and kill anyone, but your mind is still dwelling upon thoughts that aren't, shall we say, Jesus-like?


Your game store is ripping you off. Although... Half-Price Books will give you even worse deals.

[Hiryu]

Wow, Gamestop's only going to give you $15 for SSBB? That could easily go for twice that, if not, thrice if you bought it new. Tell them to look that up again.

Also, their card that they offer you isn't of any use unless you buy a lot of used games.

[Nate]

I'm surprised they'd give 15 dollars for SSBB. That sounds really high. Hiryu, you're confusing how much they'll sell it for, which yeah, will be around 30-45. He's talking about how much store credit they'll give him for it, which 15 sounds really really high...I would think maybe 10 at best.

[armeck]

this has been one very interesting thread to read.. i think most all of the advice has been good advice.

[AJV]

The only reason I said I would question your KOing is because of the effects that it has on the mind. Sure, you're not going to go out and kill anyone, but your mind is still dwelling upon thoughts that aren't, shall we say, Jesus-like?


Your game store is ripping you off. Although... Half-Price Books will give you even worse deals.

Hmm....that's something I never really put a much thought into. You do have a point though.

Here's a quote from a Catholic seminarian's review of Soul Calibur 4 that I found while looking for some Christian reviews of the game:
[quote]So just what exactly redeems this game, anyway? Well, I didn't find the concept of "fighting" in and of itself to be particularly problematic, not being a pacifist. As creatures, we're actively engaged, whether we like it or not, in a battle between good and evil]
The rest of the review is quite interesting and if you want to read the rest
check it out here http://catholicvideogamers.blogspot.com/2009/06/whats-within-your-soul.html

About trading in the games...well yesterday while going to Target to get stuff (like stuffing) for Thanksgiving I thought maybe I'd try to exchange the games (that Gamestop wouldn't take new) there.
Well wouldn't ya know, I was able to exchange two of 'em (SSBB and some other no name game) and get $68.88 in store credit.
Eat that Gamestop! XP jk

Thanks for all the helpful advice guys.

[Rusty Claymore]

Just to clariffy, KO is NOT kill-off. No matter how amusing that sounds. XD It actually stands for Knock-Out, and is not nescessarily morally condemnable.