By Skye Jethani
One of the reoccurring debates on this blog has been whether cultural forms used in ministry are neutral, or do forms possess inherent value that may or may not be compatible with God’s kingdom. For example, Andy Stanley shared his conviction that all leadership principles are created by God, and are therefore available for use in the church. I disagreed, arguing that some popular leadership models contradict biblical values. And Shane Hipps has written about the way technology and video preaching impacts the message we are seeking to convey.
Invariably, when the debate over the neutrality of cultural forms arises many people quote 1 Corinthians 9:22 (“I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some”). Well, Tyndale House—the publisher of the immensely profitable Left Behind books—is poised to test your utilitarian philosophy of ministry.
Tyndale’s new video game, Left Behind: Eternal Forces, is set for release in October, and its already coming under fire from both conservative and liberal Christians. Set in present-day New York City, the game pits the army of the Antichrist against born again Christians. Players are rewarded for winning converts or killing those who resist the gospel. Dialogue in the game includes Christians shouting “Praise the Lord” before blowing away unbelievers.
Players may also switch sides and fight for the Antichrist with an army of cloven-hoofed demons that feast on the faithful. One of the game’s creators finds the “prayer button” particularly nifty. Before going into holy war, a Christian may pray to boost their “Spirit Points.” Honestly, I’m not making this up—I wish I was.
Tim LaHaye, author of the Left Behind books, says the video game was created to reach a new population with the gospel. “We hope teenagers like the game,” he said. “Our real goal is to have no one left behind.” So far Christian video games have been unsuccessful at breaking into the very lucrative youth gaming market, but Eternal Forces’ co-creator Jeffery S. Frichner is hopeful. “It’s got all the Christian stuff, and it’s still got all the cool stuff.”
Troy Lyndon, the CEO of Left Behind Games, says the game will probably appeal to the same audience that was undisturbed by the violence and gore in “The Passion of the Christ.” Lyndon says he anticipates those on the liberal left will criticize Left Behind: Eternal Forces, "but megachurches are very likely to embrace this game." And they will be the main marketing outlets for the product.
Jack Thompson, a Miami attorney and critic of video game violence, is quoted in a Washington Post article. He says Tyndale’s game “breaks my heart.” He continues, "The game is about killing people for their lack of faith in Jesus. The Gospel is not about killing people in the name of the Lord, and Jesus made that very clear."
After seeing Tyndale’s Left Behind game Thompson cancelled a publishing contract he had with the company.
The same article quotes Heath Summerlin, a Christian gamer who believes Eternal Forces "could reach a broad spectrum of people who wouldn't necessarily be exposed to the [Left Behind] books or go to church." Yes, but reach them with what message? Convert or we’ll kill you? The message is more al Qaeda than agape; more Bin Laden than Bible. It makes me wonder if anyone who developed the game has ever actually read the New Testament.
The popular notion that forms are neutral, that the medium can change as long as the message is the same, that we can and should use any means necessary to spread the gospel— has finally reached the level of absurdity. Did anyone at Tyndale stop and consider that maybe packaging the gospel of love in the form of a murderous video game is poor brand management? Or was the game produced simply with profitability and nothing else in mind?
Perhaps this is the wake-up call the church in America has needed. The ends don’t justify the means. The medium does impact the message. And proof texting 1 Corinthains 9:22 is a sad excuse for a philosophy of ministry.
By Skye Jethani
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