Culture
Watch: Grand Theft Auto
Recently, newspapers have been filled with articles
about the change of rating to the popular video game Grand Theft Auto:
San Andreas.
Last year, this video game sold over 5.1 million copies and was rated
“M” for mature. But, in mid-July, the video game industry changed the
rating to adults-only because of explicit sexual content on the disc.
Now, playing this video game is the equivalent of going to an X-rated
movie or subscribing to a pornographic magazine or web site.
Still, some Christians try and justify playing and purchasing this game
and others. Several video games glamorize violence, sex, stealing and
sins. Worse, it puts people in control of committing these acts that God
deems sin. In other words, acts deserving of hell (Is. 59:1,2; Romans
6:23).
In Matthew 5, Jesus emphasizes that murder, sexual immorality, lying and
evil begin in the heart. May we all steer clear of influences that will
taint the desires of our heart. “Evil company corrupts good habits”
(1 Cor. 15:33).
August 2005