Is this game o.k.? Read Moroni 7:12-17

This week we received this question:  Why can’t I play violent video games?

With all the new gaming systems that people probably received for Christmas and with the continued phenomenon of on-line gaming, we thought this might be a timely question to answer and do a post on.

Perhaps a personal story from Anthony’s life would help answer the question:

“After blessing our newborn daughter, we gathered after church at my parents’ home with family and friends.  We had the customary food for all to eat, and after everyone arrived and had made small talk, we thanked everyone for coming and got ready to bless the food.  As we all quieted down and the prayer was offered, in the background we could hear two people upstairs who were playing a video game that required them to shoot each other.  They apparently had turned it on and were playing it as we waited for people to arrive, and didn’t realize that we had all gotten quiet to say the prayer.  Literally, as my grandpa was thanking God in prayer for this new gift of life that had come to us in the form of our baby daughter, we heard from upstairs “Why won’ you die!  I’m shooting you!  Die! Die! Die!”  Although it was kind of comical, it was a stark contrast to compare someone expressing gratitude for life and another screaming for murderous death at the exact same moment.  I wonder which one is more in harmony with the gospel?  Hmmm…..”

For the Strength of Youth teaches that violent video games that glorify violence “contradict the Savior’s message of love for one another.”  The prophets further teach:  “Do not participate in entertainment that in any way presents immorality or violent behavior as acceptable…Depictions of violence often glamorize vicious behavior. They offend the Spirit and make you less able to respond to others in a sensitive, caring way” (p. 17).

Although there is debate in the scientific world as to the relationship between violent video games and violent behavior, we don’t need a research study to tell us how violent video games affect our ability to be in tune with the Holy Ghost and live the Savior’s message of kindness, love, and above all, charity.  If the video game promotes the opposite of the Savior’s message, it should be clear to any Latter-day Saint  which side of the line the game falls on (see Moroni 7:12-17).

It has always been interesting to note that the man in the Book of Mormon who was perhaps the greatest warrior of all, Captain Moroni, didn’t like to kill other people: “And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed” (Alma 48:11; emphasis added).  Based off that description, it is doubtful that Captain Moroni would have played violent video games because he was a man of a sound understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ and he had a respect for the sanctity of life.  Of the righteous Nephite warriors the Book of Mormon says, “Now, they were sorry to take up arms against the Lamanites, because they did not delight in the shedding of blood” (Alma 48:23).  If we become more like the Nephites and Captain Moroni and not delight in shedding the blood of others—even if it is on the video screen—we will be more in harmony with the Savior’s message of love and more in tune with the Spirit of God.