Why does BlazBlue have the MArk of the Beast in it?

Yes it bothers me. I don't play BlazBlue (though I know what it is) but this sounds like just another example of the "referencing Hell/devil makes you tough" syndrome society has. Japan has that affliction with Hellsing, Mr. Satan from Dragon Ball Z, etc. It is prevalent in western cultures as well (vampires "rolls eyes") and more and more so as time goes on. To non-Christians Christianity is an interesting mythology to exploit for literary gain nothing more. /throw in a random cross because it looks cool.

I know some will say it's a meaningless reference and no big deal but we should be concerned. All these meaningless references have a desensitizing accumulative effect. It's like saying God's name in vain ad nauseum it lessens peoples respect for him. If we should hold respect for anything in life it should be the ultimates. God is certainly the ultimate authority and Hell is the ultimate punishment. By the time the real mark of the beast comes in we will be so desensitized to these references people won't see it. Having said all that I know there are worse things we need to be avoiding before BlazBlue. Some things are way farther out than meaningless drivel. If Japan has non-Christians who play with the truth America has virulent Atheists who will deliberately contort it.

It is worth mentioning these things can be used as discussion starters with friends as to real Christianity.

EDIT: I had actually read the wiki on Blazblue's plot a long time ago and concluded it was an all to typical nonsensical plot.
 
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The Mighty Gerbil said:
EDIT: I had actually read the wiki on Blazblue's plot a long time ago and concluded it was an all to typical nonsensical plot.
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Blazblue has a plot? My friends and I just played vs each other (terribly) in college. It was an extremely entertaining game and was probably the second most played console game with friends after Halo 2 (ah, those were the days...). Can't say as I ever really noticed or anyone ever brought it up. Symbols have no innate power and while slightly jarring to see them used completely at random (looking at you japanese media) it's nothing to worry about unless it is something that may cause you to stumble. As to why it is there? Like Gerbil said, the developers thought it was cool.

On a side note, seeing people the inverted cross never ceases to make me laugh. Usually out loud. That's right wannabe God hater, stick it to the Lord by unwittingly showing your humility and unworthiness before Christ.
 
[toj.cc]phantom;478843 said:
*facepalm*

Isn't summoning demons to fight for you a major plot point in the Persona series? Slayer from Guilty Gear is a vampire, and Deathbringer from Battle Fantasia is basically the devil.
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I wasn't going to bring up plot points in those games and give him a complex XD :p (they are from Shinto-buddist Japan after all what do you expect XD).

Unfortunately most media nowadays has something objectionable in it. It's just a question of how much we should put up with :/ . On these forums I've always been pulling for you guys to make stands of conscience against medias' march towards immorality, ANY stand. I'm glad he was at least drawing a line. To often I see people on these forums seemingly blinded by the glitter of games when we should always be asking WWJD first.

On a side note I'm more concerned about avoiding the push for homosexuality that is everywhere today than demonic symbols. I can give you a laundry list of mainstream games that actively seek to normalize and make it acceptable. That is having a much larger impact on the world right now.
 
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Personally I've always held to the belief that if you feel something is morally wrong don't do it regardless of what anyone or everyone else might say. Everyone has their own things that might cause them to stumble in the faith, for some its the various popular addictions (drugs, alcohol, games, sex, etc.) and for some its symbolism and myth. I cannot possibly fathom how anything containing summoning demons, necromancers, dark magics, and random symbolism etc. (I'm a huuuuge fan of Hellsing for instance) in games, books, and movies could ever hurt my faith, or even have a desensitizing effect on the overall culture, because I know it is so far from the truth it is like comparing an orange to a picture of a tree -there's a vague relationship there somewhere but you'd have to have in depth knowledge and a willingness to go deeper than intended to get to that relationship. So I'll still enjoy whatever media I was enjoying before it appeared and continue to enjoy it. For all we know it might have a positive impact by constantly keeping the symbolism in the public consciousness, because if someone gets curious, they'll wind up neck deep in the Christian history and culture whether the symbol has a negative connotation or not.

But for the person for whom that kind of thing is a stumbling block, when he runs across something that doesn't sit right with him, he needs to close the book, stop the movie, uninstall the game, and listen to his conscience. If the number 666 appearing in Blazblue is an issue, don't play it. You've got a line, don't cross it.
 
Elader Arkon said:
Personally I've always held to the belief that if you feel something is morally wrong don't do it regardless of what anyone or everyone else might say. Everyone has their own things that might cause them to stumble in the faith, for some its the various popular addictions (drugs, alcohol, games, sex, etc.) and for some its symbolism and myth.
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Elader Arkon said:
... for the person for whom that kind of thing is a stumbling block, when he runs across something that doesn't sit right with him, he needs to close the book, stop the movie, uninstall the game, and listen to his conscience. If the number 666 appearing in Blazblue is an issue, don't play it. You've got a line, don't cross it.
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+ one, up to this point.

Elader Arkon said:
I cannot possibly fathom how anything containing summoning demons, necromancers, dark magics, and random symbolism etc. (I'm a huuuuge fan of Hellsing for instance) in games, books, and movies could ever hurt my faith, or even have a desensitizing effect on the overall culture, because I know it is so far from the truth it is like comparing an orange to a picture of a tree -there's a vague relationship there somewhere but you'd have to have in depth knowledge and a willingness to go deeper than intended to get to that relationship. So I'll still enjoy whatever media I was enjoying before it appeared and continue to enjoy it. For all we know it might have a positive impact by constantly keeping the symbolism in the public consciousness, because if someone gets curious, they'll wind up neck deep in the Christian history and culture whether the symbol has a negative connotation or not.
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The thing is you are grounded in your faith secular people are not. It wasn't always "cool" to be the vampire and now it is. Something changed and someone bought into the allure. We used to drown witches now they are the heroines in T.V. shows staring them. There was always the allure of power but the fact is media made it acceptable. People will have the desire to go deeper as a direct result of it being shown as cool. Could inaccurate satanic representation lead secular people to Christian truths? Possibly but when you idolize vampires it's much more likely you'll seek to be a vampire than a saint.

I don't want to get into talking about Hellsing but I've seen a bit of it. When it comes down to it I'm not seeing much mercy or true Christian doctrine in it. Granted I don't agree with Catholics on everything but they are just portrayed freaky in Hellsing even the ones that are supposed to be "good". Then there is Alucard "I'm cursed and you totally don't want to be me even though the crescendo to every story is me looking cool and impossibly powerful" mixed messages anyone?
 
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