Video game addiction

Tek7

Tek7

CGA President, Tribe of Judah Founder & President
Staff member
We've had our fair share of, "Is it okay for Christians to play violent games?" or "Is it okay for a Christian to play game X?" threads in the last several years. I can summarize the general consensus regarding the topic thus:

If the game does not cause you to sin and you do not feel convicted to stop playing after genuinely seeking guidance in prayer, then you are free to continue playing in moderation and so long as you place God before games and all else. If you feel convicted to stop playing the game, stop playing immediately, but do not try to enforce personal (individually applicable) convictions on others.

And while it's important to be aware of how the content of the games we're playing affects us ("The eye is the lamp of the body"), I often wonder if we're overlooking a more subtle but more pervasive thread: video game addiction.

If your hand or your foot causes your downfall, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes your downfall, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, rather than to have two eyes and be thrown into hellfire!
Click to expand...
Matthew 18:8-9, HCSB

Video games, like many forms of entertainment, can offer a healthy way to relax, both in solitude and in fellowship with others. It would be contrary for the President of a Christian gaming community to say that all video games are wastes of time.

But it's important to constantly evaluate our priorities and make certain that we are making serving God our first priority. Our society is designed in such a way that a person going with the flow will consume without producing. We must be aware of the corruption of this world and strive to be set apart, even in our recreation.

So what about you? Have you ever struggled with video game addiction? Are you struggling with video game addiction? If you've overcome addiction, what helped you overcome?

Why do you think video game addiction is so tempting?

I'd also like to discuss how the prevalence of achievements in modern video games resonates with an innate desire for measurable accomplishment often frustrated by the average vocation and how achievements relate to video game addiction.

One last side note: I will say that I am encouraged by the many posts where members of our communities have stepped forward, admitted they are struggling with addiction, and have decided to put aside gaming, whether completely and temporarily or partially and permanently. I'm also encouraged by the responses from others in this community.

If any members of the community are struggling with video game addiction, rest assured you will find encouragement toward moderation here.
 
Relevant

http://i.imgur.com/on1tA.jpg

I imagine this devolving into a skruffy looking fella with his laptop and a shopping cart in an alley. "Hey man, you got some WiFi???" Itching his sides. Bulging eyeballs... "YOU got it man???"

Anyways.. that's what a I think of when I imagine video game addiction. You are right though. It's much more subtle.
 
Last edited:
Great post Tek. It is true, I know, I was once addicted. Its a tough one to break. However it can be done. It just takes a lot of patience, prayer and choice.
 
I don't know if I consider myself addicted to games. I spend more time gaming than the average person, I'm guessing, but I drop gaming in an instant if something or someone requires my attention; in light of that, I don't think I fit the typical "gaming addiction" label.

On the other hand, I have one heck of a hard time passing up good game deals despite owning more games than I've beaten. When a game I want (or wanted at some point in the past) can be acquired for a couple bucks... it's (for lack of a better word) a struggle to pass it up.
 
I struggle with it myself. Every so aften I have to walk away from gaming for a while when it starts to consume too much of me. I just recently had to walk away from guild wars for a while because It was becoming an idle.

I'd say it is so tempting for people because you are entering a fantasy world, It is a safe way to escape from the difficulty of real life while you are playing.
 
Last edited:
I was definitely addicted to WoW at one time. Not that i would quit my job to play it or anything, but it took up 90% of my life. Only thing that changed that was me going to church and praying and such.

I still play games but tend to try and stay away from becoming too attached to them. As in always feeling the need to play like i did at WoW.

Id rather play a game here and there, than play a game for 8-10 hours a day like i used to. I can still go on a spree and play for 3-5 hours, but i dont "have" to anymore.
 
RISE, 8.5-YEAR OLD THREAD, RISE!

So I recently had cause to think over the very real temptation of video game addiction and I thought we might have discussed the topic before. Sure enough, I found this thread and decided to bump it rather than start over from scratch. (This is the beauty of having 17 years worth of posts easily searchable on one platform.)

I'm interested to read about others' experiences on this subject and would like if you could share what you found helped you overcome or prevent addiction.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top