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Is Video Gaming a Threat to America’s High School Jock Culture?
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Is there anything more American than our high school athletic culture? From small town rivalries to Little League Championships, from cheerleaders and their pom poms to young firm men filling out new crisp football uniforms, a pair of bulging muscles below soccer shorts, the pep rallies, the bleachers packed with parents and victory pizza parties, in every way teenage jock culture is the epitome of wholesomeness. This sports world teaches our children to decide between right and wrong in realistic situations. They treat their bodies as temples by exploring and mastering their physical powers. They learn to be part of a social group where the glory of the whole is based on the sacrifices of the individual. It is, in essence, incredible training for the Christianity inherent in our beautiful American boys and girls.
There comes a time in every youngster’s life when they must decide to follow the jock world, to work hard on their bodies and skills, or to chose another path. Often, it’s the freshman year of high school when social pressures are high and the girls start to look awfully pretty. Choosing to be a jock insures a boy popularity, a fantastic group of friends, the love of parents and eventually success with the female persuasion.
When video gaming first became popular, experts warned of the likelihood of increased amounts of obesity, apathy, suicide, school violence, Satanism, masturbation, homosexuality and unemployment. Despite the fact that these predictions have come true, not much effort has been made to stop the production and distribution of video games. Grand Theft Auto, World of Warcraft, the Sims, Halo, Guitar Hero and Mario Brothers, just to name a few, have made unscrupulous corporations rich and taught a generation of our children to hate society and their parents.
Now video gaming is developing into a high school “culture” itself, as more and more children chose this pathetic and harmful lifestyle instead of joining a fun sports team. It is a world of couch potatoes and basement dwellers. Mentally, they have not developed past the 12-year old stage. They were raised on imaginary cartoon characters like SpongeBob, Pokemon, Barney, Transformers, Scooby Doo and Raggedy Ann. All they want is to return to that tv funtime, but their bodies have become so pumped with hormones they’re confused. Video gaming turns their childhood dreams upside down. Suddenly, Raggedy Ann is killing Scooby Doo while SpongeBob sexually pokemons Barney and these kids have found a new outlet for their mixed-up physical urges. It is no wonder, then, that we have increased episodes of violence like Columbine today. Video gaming is an addiction scientifically proven to be just as dangerous as crack cocaine and it’s making our kids immoral and angry in the process. They have lost all sense of right and wrong. They cannot tell the difference between fantasy and reality and shooting guns seems like a fun thing to do. This is all the more tragic when they shoot the jocks, the very thing they wish they could be but failed at so miserably.
Adults who were video gamers in high school are far less likely to become investment bankers, real estate salesmen, doctors, lawyers and sports coaches. They do not become our pastors or politicians. With less athletes learning social and moral skills in high school, we have less of the people who make this country truly great. Instead, we see young adults who cannot accept maturity. They find comfort in worlds of dragons and blue-skinned girls with wings, androgyny and dirty muscular fantasy men. They’re far more likely to meet strangers from the internet in public parks. These poor souls may never have the courage to ask a girl on a date. Homosexuality is often an easy answer for their awkwardness. Out of terrible shame, they will lie to your face and describe themselves as successful, goodlooking heterosexuals with gorgeous girlfriends and a rich social life. But we know this is not true. It’s a desperate attempt to cover up utter failure. Professionally, the video gamer may grow up to be your Radio Shack employee, your bug exterminator, your cable repairman or maybe if you’re lucky, your half pleasant IT guy. But is that what any parent really wants for their child? So please, parents, be vigilant with your children and push them into sports. Take it from someone who knows, you will be saving their lives.
Stephenson’s Five Tips for Happy Jock Kids!
- No laptops! Kids can sneak these into their bedrooms for late-night play. Instead, get a heavy desktop computer and set it up with the screen facing outward in your family room. That way you can monitor you child’s computer use (homework!) at all times without interrupting your television viewing.
- When you’re not at home, unplug the power cord to your computer and hide the mouse. You can always put it in one of your sock drawers. This is a great way to make sure no video games are played when you’re not around.
- Be honest with your boys and tell them they’ll grow up as failures if they don’t excel at sports. Make them go outdoors! Lock them out if necessary. On birthdays and Christmas, buy them sports gifts. Every kid enjoys a new baseball mitt or a football! (I’d avoid skateboards, however, there is too much drug use and anti-social behavior connected with it.) And when they’re 16, it’s time to consider the appropriate “muscle car” for your boy.
- Have a private talk with your child’s friends (maybe when you “accidentally” lock your own kid outside) and ask them some of my video game slang trick questions: “What level paladin are you these days, buddy?” “Gosh, this town is nothing like Vice City, isn’t it?” or “Did you lose your Wee? I found one in the station wagon.” If they answer with any knowledge whatsoever of these terms, you have a secret gamer on your hands. Beware!
- Be concerned about the physical shape of our young people. You don’t even need to be a parent to do this. Watch them run and throw and jump. Encourage them to lift weights. With a handsome firm body, you don’t need an afternoon of sweaty wrestling with a soccer ball as an excuse to celebrate the beauty that our Creator endowed us with. Remind them that jocks can tan themselves shirtless anytime! There is just something so wonderfully wholesome about America’s strong and cocky high school jocks. The pale and pimply loners in black t-shirts too afraid to shower in the locker rooms will never be able to compete with that!
6:34 pm
“young firm men filling out new crisp football uniforms, a pair of bulging muscles below soccer shorts”
That sounds mighty gay, Billings.
“This sports world teaches our children to decide between right and wrong in realistic situations.”
No, it teaches children to be constantly competing with one another, and that physical violence (i.e. tackling) is an acceptable means of winning a game.
“They treat their bodies as temples by exploring and mastering their physical powers.”
So then what’s all this I hear about steroids, eh?
“Mentally, they have not developed past the 12-year old stage.”
Oh, right, and jocks are just sooooo smart…
“That way you can monitor you child’s computer use (homework!) at all times without interrupting your television viewing.”
So, you’re berating children for playing video games, but giving parents tips on how to keep their child’s homework from interfering with their own television viewing? Shouldn’t parents have their priorities straight as well?
“When you’re not at home, unplug the power cord to your computer and hide the mouse. You can always put it in one of your sock drawers. This is a great way to make sure no video games are played when you’re not around.”
Haven’t I already explained to you that if a kid wants to play video games badly enough, he/she will *gasp!* figure out how to plug the computer back in and manage to locate the mouse? By the way, what if the child needs the computer for homework?
“Be honest with your boys and tell them they’ll grow up as failures if they don’t excel at sports.”
So you want parents to lie to their children? My father did not play sports as a kid (he HATED them) and he turned out very successful. He married a wonderful woman (my mother), and they had two kids together, the elder of whom was among the top 3 females in her high school graduating class, got into American University, and has been on the Dean’s List for her entire college career.
“On birthdays and Christmas, buy them sports gifts. Every kid enjoys a new baseball mitt or a football!”
So, so, so untrue.
“There is just something so wonderfully wholesome about America’s strong and cocky high school jocks.”
Probably the second gayest thing you’ve ever said.
Now that I’m done picking apart various quotes of yours, I would like to add some more of my thoughts:
I HATE jocks. I DESPISE jocks. I’ve hated them my whole life. You know why? Having grown up as a quiet, shy little kid, I was the PERFECT target for teasing from the jocks (even before they were old enough to really be called “jocks”). Jocks are buckets of testosterone, and they feel the need to impress people wherever they go. They are also incredibly, incredibly greedy. It is absolutely mind-boggling how much food they eat in one sitting. In my college’s dining room, you can be guaranteed that whenever you see a jock, he will pile onto his plate: at least 3 hamburgers, at least 2 hot dogs, whatever specialty they are serving that day (usually some kind of meat, potatoes, pasta, etc) as well as several slices of pizza, and at least 4, count ‘em 4, overflowing glasses of powerade. They will LITERALLY pile all that food onto their plates. One time when they were serving something crappy for lunch, I had to resort to getting a hamburger. I had to wait in line for one, as they weren’t quite ready yet. There was a jock in line in front of me. The chef took four burgers off the grill and placed them on the serving plate. The jock took ALL FOUR, without any thought that there were people behind him also waiting for food. One time, during some sort of family day thing, my friend was waiting in line for a burger with her dad, and all of a sudden from across the room, I hear the dad yell “Did you see that? He took five burgers!”
However, NOT ONLY are jocks greedy, they also caused the possible deaths of three of the school’s beagles. Our Veterinary Technology program gets beagles and cats every year for us to train with (I know, it sounds inhumane, but rest assured, they live in very good conditions, receive LOTS of love from us, and are adopted out to loving families at the end of the year). We fall in love with them instantly, and they want love, too, so it’s a win-win situation. Well, one night a few years ago a group of the school’s football players thought it would be funny to break into the kennel and set the beagles free. We got all but three of them back, and for all we know those three little doggies could be dead.
That is why I HATE jocks.
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8:25 pm
athletes eat a lot cause they burn it all off playing around! dont you know anything about the body? i thought you was a nurse. and they growing up to be strong and big. some of them are real big, over 6 feet, so they have to eat. you’re really showing your colors here claire. this is just too bias your hate and all. so what if there good at sports and better looking? its how the world works!
and sorry about the beagles but what does that have to do with food or anything? your just trying to blame someone for anything.
and i like this story. reminds me of the chioces i try to make as a mom. you dont want kids getting all weird in lviing in there bedrooms all the time.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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9:01 pm
“athletes eat a lot cause they burn it all off playing around! dont you know anything about the body?”
I’m AWARE of that, you dolt. However, NOBODY needs to be that greedy when it comes to food. Yes, they do need to eat more than the average person, but they take it to the extreme, and it needs to stop.
“so what if there good at sports and better looking?”
Who said that they were “better” looking? In my opinion, they’re disgusting pigs.
“and sorry about the beagles but what does that have to do with food or anything?”
Why do you assume that the beagle story is connected to the food story? The beagle story was yet ANOTHER example of why I hate jocks. It has nothing to do with food. Do you need me to sum it up for you?
I hate jocks because:
1. they killed three dogs
2. they’re greedy pigs
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9:13 pm
Well I Still Think Your Jealous!
Hot debate. What do you think?
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9:17 pm
Please explain to me why I would be jealous of people who KILLED OUR DOGS?
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9:36 am
Everybody stop agruging!Whoever posted this is a closet homosexual,and anyone who takes this even remotely seriously is as stupid as the OP
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1:14 am
For Christ’s sake, its You’re. YOU ARE, not your. A typo is a one thing but if you’re arguing for one side and you can’t understand the difference of you and you’re you make everyone look bad.
Also, an interesting fact is online video games tend to not only encourage but will force players into working together if they want to win, improve cognitive thinking and increase hand to eye coordination. The truth is that videogames (like Dungeons and Dragons and various tabletop activities) are something that family values groups can sink their teeth into and blame when they do something wrong with raising their child.
Also the man who wrote this must be a closet pedophile. Just the way he describes the jocks really creeps me out.
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1:09 am
okay so my first day of high school i’m obese even though i eat less then i should due to asthma i cant be on a sports team so because of that i would’ve been unsucesful.okay let me see quarter back ended up in jail for dui.receiver just dropped out of school in his third year.i am making more money then the rest oh and now im in shape i out grew my asthma and now their the ones who are over weight
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9:38 am
Hahaha, the best part about that is they keep eating that much after they’re out of school and at home sitting on their asses. Almost every jock I knew from high school is now overweight with a dead-end job.
Nerds have this thing called intelligence that ends them up in high-paying tech jobs. And every nerd I know has a hot girlfriend, whereas the jocks just have ugly ditsy overweight ex-cheerleaders with the mental capacity of a football.
Thankfully, we don’t need to justify this article because everyone knows those above facts. This article is hilarious as hell.
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11:37 pm
You know whats funny… most jocks that I know have turned out to be complete failures in life. A good amount ended up in prison and another portion had their girlfriends prenant before they left highschool. Me one the other hand I am a “gamer” and I am going for a P.H.D in forensic psychology, have a wonderful girlfriend who I planning to marry as soon as I graduate and I have had no problems with my friendships and have had some of the same friends since 1st grade. I do not have an aggressive bone in my body, I am no homosexual, and I also work in a contract pharmacy not a fast food resturant (no offense to those who do.) Playing video games does not reflect your intelligence or social level. Also just because someone is a jock doesn’t mean they are stupid or cruel. Some of my best friends are what you could consider jocks and they turned out just fine. A good portion that I do know are idiots and really don’t have a bright future.
Clair much praise to you bringing logical and thought out responses. Too bad most people don’t do that and leave rubbish like “f**k you” or “you suck.” Keep up the good work. Billings… I really don’t know what to say to you… maybe get an education that isn’t so far right that it would scare the crap out of the Nazis. Or just maybe try logics some time instead of biased responses that hold no substinence. I’ll agree that violent games can breed violent behavior in children but it is rare and easily manageable. Increased obseity is another vaild arguement since kids just are not getting outside as much as they should. However the decreased social life and homosexuality or totally unfounded. As for the a “pair of bulging muscles below soccer shorts” thing… thats all yours… ummm enjoy?
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6:30 pm
You don’t hate jocks. You hate yourself
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11:43 pm
Well nobody cares what you think claire, because you’re going to hell anyways.
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1:50 am
I’m really glad that you’re not the one who gets to decide that, dumbass.
“Nothing impure will ever enter it… but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
How about you stop being a judgemental asshat and start living with the attitude of your damn savior.
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3:04 am
Claire, just because I celebrate the success of our young Americans, you shouldn;t work yourself up into a frenzy. You accusations of homosexuality are offensive and childish. I’m sick of your outrageous and inexplicable claims. Obviously a man like myself, a dedicated Christain with incredible ties to his community, would not stand such words in person. It’s so easy, however, for you to throw this horse dung at me online. That’s just shameful and shows how low you have sunk. If you had pride, you could say these things to my face instead of in some anony chat room. Well, shame on you!
Hot debate. What do you think?
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6:22 am
Stephenson Billings, oh you arrogant retard.
Everything you post just makes you look like more of an idiot.
Tell me, who dropped you on your head as a child to make you think like this?
Yes i would say any of this to your face and no you would not do anything about it.
you are retarded.
THAT IS ALL. BE GONE NOW, FOOOL
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9:40 am
“If you had pride, you could say these things to my face instead of in some anony chat room. Well, shame on you!”
Rest assured, if I ever do meet you face to face, I WILL say those things. I’m not afraid of you.
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10:23 am
You sound like a jock, that had a few girls around you that played football in high school and are now depressed because a VIDEO game player makes millions while you sit on your butt all day writing worthless articles about nothing.
How is it christian to talk about men’s sexy bodies, cheerleaders, and how cool jocks are?
Writing this article is not being a christian, please review it over and over again.
I am a gamer, I make $45,000 a year, I am a IT professional, and without trying to figure out how to fix my computer so I could play games I would have never understood a computer. So yes video gamers can be successful and many I play with make a very good living.
Saying a gamer most likely will not be a lawyer or politician means nothing, how is making a living lying all day christian and right?
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10:48 am
haha, what an absolutely ridiculous article… I dont mean to sound like an ass, but why is it that whenever christian’s tend to speak there mind, its always far fetched and extremist..this article almost should have been put in the movie jesus camp. And I am open to the idea of new beliefs, however I can never seem to meet you nutjobs half way.
Anyways, you are so incorrect its not even funny.. Why do you have such hard feelings over video games? You have no control over this issue. What you should be doing is trying to unify the two groups instead of making people seem as if gamers are the devil… Unbelievable, I would really love to see your proof for that accusation. And another things, whats with christians and the devil? I was raised catholic although Im not anymore (because of video games probably!) and we never droned on about the devil as much as you guys.. leave it alone, please.
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12:36 pm
Dear Stephenson Billings:
It’s people like you that have caused my generation to become “heathens” and “godless pagans”.
Your article sounded more homoerotic than almost anything I’ve ever read. While you were busy jizzing all over yourself, writing about muscular and sweaty teenage boys, some of us were doing good in the world.
Does your God not preach of tolerance, acceptance, and love? Did he not heal a leper, and did he not wash the feet of others? Yes, he did.
I play video games, yes. I’m not a virgin and I’m unmarried. I curse, I look at pornography, and I enjoy movies with a violent and graphic plot.
Yet, I am the same person who holds doors open for others, and says ‘please and thank you’. I am the same person who was never kicked out of class or reprimanded in school for being disrespectful to a teacher or others, unlike many of the ‘jocks’ I attended school with. I’m the same person who would never mistreat a woman. Many of the jocks that you dream about being the ‘good future of the christian faith’ often cheat on, abuse, lie to, and generally mistreat women.
I’m sorry. I have values and I am a generally good person. I’m respectful, kind, courteous, and willing to help others when I can. I’m not perfect.
But neither are the jocks that you blow your wad over. They do more harm in the world than someone like me. If you can’t see that, you were either a jock in high school, or you are overly delusional.
I wish I could still believe in God. But it’s people like you, Stephenson Billings, that make me unable to believe that there is an all powerful God who loves each and every one of us.
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7:06 am
Your post makes me feel awkward about being a christian.
I didnt fail at school.
My parents never pushed me into sports, I’m studying to become a teacher.
I am a voluntry youth worker and you know what? I play video games!
Also every ‘Jock’ I have met has been a selfish idiot who bullies everyone around him who is not like him. I personaly will not force my children into sports.
I would also stop my children getting into the crowd of jocks to begin with.
So I would be saving my childs life by stopping them getting into sports, as most of the jocks ive known over the years have died in pub fights, car accidnts (their faults), drugs and getting involved with riots.
Out of the 20 or so jocks I went to school with only 4 of them are alive today.
Worst part is their all over weight and jobless.
I seriously hope your going to reconsider this post.
I have given you a non christian awnser to your non christian argument.
Next time you feel about ranting on your weird glory days do it on a sports site.
Its people like you who make christians look bad.
You have had enough of my attention now.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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3:59 pm
I am at such a loss for what to say, here, but I felt the need to say something. Mr. Billings, it’s people like you that have made it so difficult to even mention our Savior in front of my peers without being greeted with a slew of horror stories about bad experiences with alleged Christians.
I know we’re called to rebuke, but we are called to do so LOVINGLY. This is just mean.
I am a Christian. I teach a 3rd and 4th grade Sunday school class, assist the worship ministry as a soundboard technician, and work on the IT team. And yes, I am a gamer. I am not, however, obese, or even overweight. Nor am I underweight. I’m healthy. I’m not pimply or pale (although acne has nothing to do with athleticism, and I think it’s unfair to bring that up), nor am I unintelligent. I have a 3.7 GPA, and have just been inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society.
I will concede that I’m not a part of the WOW crowd, nor the GTA fans, but I loved video games all through my childhood, and still do. I play Mario Kart and Dance Dance Revolution with my students (with their parents full knowledge), and we talk about Wii Fit and Sonic the Hedgehog during leisure time. There’s nothing wrong with it.
I can see that you’re passionate about what you believe, but please stop being so closed-minded! Jocks are NOT the only face of future Christian America. I could never play sports because I had asthma. I cooked, read, studied, sewed, drew, and played video games. So what if I was shy and still am? So what if I preferred solitude in my room during adolescence? Does that make me a liar or a hypocrite or a threat to society? No. You’re alienating your own family, and making Christians out to be a cruel, prejudiced, and narrow-minded people. It hurts my heart to read through your article and see such intolerance for diversity within the body, and makes me ashamed to have kinship with you through our Lord.
I will pray for you.
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9:08 pm
So, I’m trying to figure out if Stephenson Billings is a Troll, does this for the collection plate funds or is just clueless
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2:01 pm
To Claire and Stephenson;
Dear Claire,
Thank you so much for everything you have said. You make excellent points, and honestly if Stephenson wants to keep dodging answering, there is nothing we can do. I was a jock in high school. It was a small Montana school, however, and I was respectful to all women, and enjoyed the game, exactly as it’s meant to be enjoyed. A game. I currently am in Pre-Med, and I do not think being a jock was a bad decision. It taught me leadership, honesty, and to enjoy life. However, I agree that most jocks are complete tools, and, although from Stephenson’s picture, which looks like he himself is either a necrophiliac, or a pedophile, and that it does not take “being a jock” to be successful. The whole article seems hastily written, by someone who is so numb-skulled and set in his ways that he can “assume” whatever he wants about America’s Youth. Thank you Claire, you are a very intelligent person, and the world needs more of you than radical egotistical assholes like Stephenson.
Stepehson,
How in the world can you say any of the things in your article with any confidence? I know you are the extremist religion type, but for God’s sake, this is completely ridiculous. Honestly I know why I’d never heard of you until a friend dropped the article by in college because it is a hilarious attempt to push your propaganda. All I can say to you is that you honestly have not contributed to society any more than a video game player. Video games are completely fine! If it’s raining and ya don’t want to read, or you just want to relax it makes no difference. However, people writing half-witted, moronic articles such as yours are the real problem today. I was All State Football, placed at State track, and All Conference Basketball, and I still am not the Herculean depiction of a successful person you claim will come without personal effort. I strive in school through school work, not my sports achievements. Sports ARE good things, but they are not life in general. Life, is what motivates you. To me, life is spending time with family, camping, recreation. My life has not/will never be affected by video games or your religious/ignorant rants.
Thanks people who realize that this is completely retarded and poorly thought out by a biased writer, who most likely is hypocritical in his beliefs, sexual orientation, and most likely never actually had a sports career in the first place.
Peace.
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8:07 pm
Excuse me, assmunch, but how the hell is she supposed to say that to your face when she doesn’t even know you in person?! And with all that talk about muscles beneath shorts and whatnot, you sound an awful lot like some kind of pedophile. Judging by your picture, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were.
I know one thing: if I were to meet YOU in person, I’d see to it that my LaVayan Satanic boot would make quick friends with your ignorant conservative ass. And trust me, you wouldn’t like it.
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8:43 pm
dude, Billings is so gay.
Have you seen the bananna filling thing? You’re so gay I don’t even have anything mature to say here. You are just so gay it blows my mind like your load all over some poor high school football player’s back.
anyway I just wanted to point that out.
did I mention how gay that billings dude is.
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10:16 am
Wow! I would unsubscribe to this site just for posting that crap. First off it says video gamers most likely wont be politicians or lawyers? The writer is saying that like its a bad thing….No instead video game players are inventors of google, facebook, and are some of the richest people in the world!
I am also christian, and when is talking about bulging muscles, and girls all over a jock being christian? The author basically said that being a jock makes you more popular and sexy…hmmm ok.
Anyways, so the author of this probably makes $25,000 a year and is angry that gamers are making millions in game, out of game, and still writing better then he or she.
I am a gamer, I play 25+ hours a week, plus I work 40+ hours a week, I own a house, 3 cars, I work in IT and am 24. I have played since day 1 and guess what! I would not have my job without gaming and being determined to fix my computer so I could play games!
So the author of this is false! And he, or she needs to understand the culture of gaming before he, or she starts typing on that fancy computer that was MOST LIKELY BUILT BY A GAMER!
Thx for posting this I have officially vented!
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11:27 am
I think the much more important concern is the effect of spending hours and hours more or less motionless in front of a TV or computer rather than the effects of the content of the some silly games.
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9:24 pm
Where is your data to support the claim?
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10:18 pm
you guys are so stupid it makes me want to puke i am the star quarter back in my skill and guess what i own all the systems so every thing you said is stupid also one of my dearest friends killed himself over football from taking steroids to get bigger i dont hear video gamers dieng of that dumb shits
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1:15 am
Nerds rule the world just think about it a nerd could steal all of you account information and the jock would have no clue!!i myself and a videogamer and i run so am i good or am i bad?also if a jock picks on some one in school then when will the memories come back to haunt them…When they get a job working for the person they picked on!so i think nerds/video gamers rule the world cause through cyberspace they can do what ever they want.
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6:46 pm
Oh wow, this entire article has confirmed to me that you’re actually a pedophile. It probably wouldn’t be so bad if you didn’t use phrases like “young firm men”, “they treat their bodies as temples”, and let’s not forget the best one: “a pair of bulging muscles below soccer shorts”.
Oh how I laughed.
And as for computer games being the root of all obesity, could that not also be blamed on the wide availability of automobiles and increasingly popular fast food chains, not the mention the ease to simply order a pizza out and eating it while watching the television? Surely that plays some kind of role.
Apathy? Well I can surely tell you that I’d be just this apathetic with or without computer games.
Suicide? Who’d want to kill themselves when Command & Conquer 4 is coming out next year?
School Violence has always been a problem. I’ve a feeling that the jocks you worship so much are major players in THIS particular sport.
Satanism has always been there, computer games hardly promote that kind of thing. You’re more likely to be fighting demons in a computer game than siding with them.
Masturbation has always existed, and there’s no argueing that bit of fact, I’m afraid. If you’re going to blame anything, blame the wide availability of porn. Or are you bored of that one already?
Now that society is beginning to accept people with different sexual preferences to others, it only makes sense that homosexuals, who have ALWAYS been there, are beginning to show their true colours. Um, which would be all of them, in a rainbow. I suppose.
Unemployment, blame the economy. Jobs are being cut and people are being laid off of work, it’s not their fault, but with these cuts comes a rising unemployment figure. In actual fact, people out of luck with work are trying their hand at creating their own games, with many proving successful and earning them a small fortune. The growing market for computer games is creating jobs in an economic climate that is doing the opposite.
Now really, you should research these topics more. I KNOW it’s easy to just blame it on something and be done with it. But isn’t that a bit… You know…
Lazy?
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8:29 pm
if you sit on the floor all day playing a game on the tv of course your going to get fat! you have no logic. thats just stupid. and sure some of that other stuff has been around, but the whole video gamer thing just makes it all worse. there are plenty of science behind that so dont try and be all crazy here and just blind yourself to thr truth! and if a boy is sitting around all day what skills is he learning for a job? its the kids who get out there and network new people and shake hands and do honest work who get ahead. if you sitting home alone all the time that just sad.
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16
6:27 am
Who says the person spends all day playing video games? I go to the gym a few times a week. I’m actually a tad underweight, how is that so if I spend a bit of my time playing video games? Maybe this only happens in America because most of my friends in England who play video games are thin and quite a few are athletic.
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6:28 am
Helolo I am JaniceFun I LIEK to say MeANIngless and biASEd garbage with strANge PUNctuation so thAT i can THink IM CLever and stUFF LOl.
Seriously… get a fucking clue
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1
7:27 pm
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
36 
1
8:27 pm
I think you just gave Billings a Hard on by posting those pictures…
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1
8:34 pm
that’s just not proper to say such things here, sorry.
Hot debate. What do you think?
3 
28
9:25 pm
That’s probably a very good bet. You could make bank off of it.
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0
5:22 am
Oh, YOU’re telling people what is proper to say and what’s not? Not only do you treat homosexuality as some sort of desease, you confuse young people with false statements, trying to “push” them into stuff they do not want to do.
If you want your kid to end up derailed and criminally, push them to do stuff they do not want, and raise them with an orthodox view on the bible. I’m sure they’ll thank you for it when they grow up to discover the truth.
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6:30 am
Jeroen you say that they’re calling homosexuality a disease when in the article it says:
“These poor souls may never have the courage to ask a girl on a date. Homosexuality is often an easy answer for their awkwardness.”
Sounds like the author thinks the same thing.
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5 
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7:39 am
I was talking about the author and JaniceFun, the reply wasn’t posted where I wanted it to.
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2 
1
12:55 am
Hmm…. let’s look at this. Janice syays- ah, screw it, I’m just going to copy/paste the entire string I want to flame her with.
Frank says:
September 8, 2009 at 8:27 pm
I think you just gave Billings a Hard on by posting those pictures…
Praise or Condemn: 3 1
Reply
JaniceFun says:
September 8, 2009 at 8:34 pm
that’s just not proper to say such things here, sorry.
Praise or Condemn: 2 3
Reply
The Defiant Soldier says:
September 8, 2009 at 9:25 pm
That’s probably a very good bet. You could make bank off of it.
Praise or Condemn: 0 0
Reply
Jeroen says:
September 9, 2009 at 5:22 am
Oh, YOU’re telling people what is proper to say and what’s not?
HYPOCRITE!
By the way, Commisar, (or however you say it, I’m not going reply hunting again) WARHAMMER 40K IS AMAZING! CAN’T WAIT FOR THE MMO!!!
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2 
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9:30 am
As much as I Agree,Rules 1 & 2
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0
7:59 pm
Well, I think Claire and Chris pretty much summed it up, so I guess I’ll take the “Pot-Shot.”
“Are those…..”(ok get ready for this.)
“Are those the little altar boys that sit under your desk? Wow. You must doing pretty well billings. Did you take beefman up on that offer to split halfsies on facebook? You naughty boy!”
There. I’m done. And Claire and Chris, GOOD JOB!
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7 
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8:47 pm
Well I think this artical is VERY BRAVE! You people all love your video games and talk it all the time but you know what? There are so many bad things that come from that life and there is a whole nother world out there away from you computers. Kids who plays sports are just happy and nice. I am a MOTHER and I know these things. I am happy that my sons always loved there sports. They have good friends and I am proud there life. I just think you guys are so fast to attack what you dont understand. Well this one is plane and simple to me! I am happy my boys are old enough (17, 19, 23) that they dont get into this silly stuff. Its all just a big watse of time really.
Hot debate. What do you think?
2 
32
9:10 pm
“Kids who plays sports are just happy and nice.”
Happy? Maybe. Nice? No way. Throughout my ENTIRE school career I was teased, simply because my quietness and shyness made me an easy target. You know who teased me? The sporty kids, primarily. Also, it’s not really “nice” to kill three innocent dogs.
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9:26 pm
Thank you, Janice. I always appreciate your words of support. It is interesting that there is so much anger from some of the people posting replies right now. It perfectly exmeplifies the type of angry, loner character that I was referring to in my article. I am happy to hear that your sons were raised with an involved and loving mother. It must really show in their promise!
Bless you, Janice!
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1 
27
10:22 pm
Janice… did you just reply to yourself an hour after your comment? are you that lonely?
and jocks don’t all turn out successful, we all know jocks are “cool” and drugs are “cool”, put them together, most jocks take drugs, usually not the heavier deadly one like cocaine, but softer ones like pot. Does God want kids to take pot, i doubt it.
and why are video games evil? if they are, then theres a flaw.
we all agree sports are good(its true!
)
you say video games = evil
a sport videogame is what? it cant be good, cuz its a video game, but it cant be bad cuz its a sport, not a “gay-inducing” magic weapon buying game (lol)
You say a kid played for 24 hours? well thats not the kid’s or video game’s fault, thats just bad parenting.
please use common sense, video games are like any hobby, too much of it is bad, just like too much sports, or too much exercise or eating, yet all these things in moderation arent bad for you.
Let kids play video games if they like it, but make sure that they understand that the priority list doent change:
1) yourself
2) family and friends
3)School/work
—-
x) video games
you need to take care of yourself and your family before other things, that completely true, but starting lies about magic items making you gay and satanic dress up parties with wild sex isn’t the way to set priorities straight.
I’ve played video games since i was a wee lad (like 4 years old), I’m going to college in nutrition, i could be the one making diet plans in hospitals or preventing you from getting the swine flu from that dinner you ate at.
video games are a hobby, if they become to much more than that, it can be dangerous for your self and your social life, but if you take care of yourself and take all things in moderation, video games are a fun way to spend the evening.
PS: Don’t hate gays because they like men, its like hating someoen because he like blue instead of red. I dont mind them, i dont want them hitting on me, but i dont mind them, in their core they are people, just like you and me, and thats all that matters in Gods eyes.
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11 
1
7:20 am
“Janice… did you just reply to yourself an hour after your comment? are you that lonely?”
Nah, she didn’t. Stephenson just forgot to log out of his Janice account and into his actual account before posting. Way to go, Stephenson! *cheer*
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20 
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10:28 pm
Uh oh, looks like Janice is talking to herself again.
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1
6:44 am
oh i heart you claire <3
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0
6:33 am
SAMEFAG LOL
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9 
1
4:33 pm
HOW DOES I LOG OUT
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12 
1
12:00 am
Lol I take back what i said. You dont deserve a second chance. I thought you were just a misinformed reminiscing old fart. But you have to be about the stupidest person on earth. you blow your cover as janice wide fucking open then continue to use that profile to back up your arguments.,.. what a bitch little samefag. OMfg i didnt know stupidity came in that level. It shouldnt be possible, but damn.
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8 
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8:13 pm
Well hey, there are some people who are actually adults who really enjoy video games. because they were raised under different beliefs. and what sickens me is the idiot sports kids who pick on those who WERE raised or grew up differently. it’s like kicking a starving African child in the face because they are that way. It is YOU people that are ruining it for the kids who like video games.
also, having a girl doesn’t mean INSTANT WIN at life. have fun being dragged around the town and to the mall with your fat wife you met in high school.
I’ll have fun with my life, hope you enjoy yours and we never meet.
-stan has fooled you :3333333333
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6 
1
9:31 pm
“… a whole nother world”??? I suppose you work as a publishing editor when you are not forcing your kids into sports?
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1 
0
8:01 pm
OH MY GOD. You’re a mother?! I thought you were some confused preteen judging by your lack of grammar skills and basic knowledge of the English language. That’s terrible, people like you shouldn’t be allowed to procreate.
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0
8:54 pm
OP is right
but jocks (most of them) are crazy single minded stupid people. true they maybe strong at body but they are weak at mind. what people should do is to invest thier time on what is going to benefit them now and in the future.
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4 
2
9:37 pm
Once again, a claim with no evidence to back it up. Why, oh why, do people try to make unfounded claims, assuming that their own prejudices are backed by fact?
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3 
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9:09 pm
This article is an embarrassment to everyone involved. I am a 17 year old gamer, a senior in high school. I have a dozen close friends who I hang out with regularly, I am friends with almost everyone else at school as well, and I do not plan on shooting the jocks any time soon, although the jock-y-est of them are shallow assholes who I have seen sell out their friends over a girl or a game. I know exponentially more drug-abusing jocks than gamers. The image of the “popular football player in high school who fails later in life” exists for a reason, and is far more well known than the “gamer who fails later in life”.
And sadly, you are too wrapped up with your fond image of jock-culture being a great thing to realize that that aspect of America is already dead. Giving a muscle car to your son for his 16th birthday?
Dead.
Preventing your kid from experiencing any videogames?
Impossible. If they go to friends’ houses, they will see them, play them, and wish they had them.
The thing that shows that you honestly just don’t belong writing articles, however, is your claim that gamers never grow up in maturity past 12 years old, when you in fact are stuck at 16 yourself, as you’ve proven with this article.
So I am going to tell you a terribly ironic statement coming from a 17 year old gamer:
GROW. UP.
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13 
0
9:58 pm
Rezeil, I’m glad you’re one of the lucky ones. But not everyone has it so easy with the poor life choices they make as an early teen. I hope you put a greater value on friends and schoolwork than on your video game world. It really contributes very little to you later in life. And maybe kids will always sneak behind their parents backs, but don’t you think it’s important to get the word out about the dangers they face? I do. And I’m trying my best to inform parents who really don’t know any better.
As I noted in this article, I am older and experienced enough to know what the future is for people like this.
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2 
26
6:38 am
No, you’re old enough that you don’t understand anything about this culture. You say that people who play video games will end up with bad jobs. Who do you think created the internet? How do you think you have this website? Do you really believe a jock developed the internet while at the sidelines of a football game? Video games have no impact on what job you could get as long as they don’t affect you work. I’m sure Bill Gates and Steve Jobs have played video games at some point in their lives and they’re doing a lot better than most, if not all, of the jocks who were at their schools.
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11 
0
8:16 am
I could care less who created the internet. It’s been around much longer than your gamer “culture” so stop confusing yourself. I was writing about a very real and sad issue here. Gaming has made our children so sedentary that they’re losing physical stamina. And morally, it’s teaching them nothing.
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1 
25
9:22 am
Losing physical stamina? I’m sure there are many other things contributing to that in America. It is very easy to play games and exercise. Maybe we won’t have that body of yours you keep saying about but I can live with that. Hey, it doesn’t matter anyway, you’re just going to be rotting in the ground when you die!
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13 
0
9:35 am
It saddens me you have to throw such childish and negative language around. I pray that I’ll be in heaven in my afterlife.
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0 
21
7:54 pm
Technically, the computer game came before the internet.
The first computer game was a tic-tac-toe game in 1952
http://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/history/timeline_flash.html
The internet arrives in 1957.
http://www.davesite.com/webstation/net-history.shtml#1957
Both the internet and video games started at roughly at the same time. And they all eventually made their strides into what they are today.
Please do more research before making incorrect statements.
I mastered multiplication as a kid from a School House Rock computer game. Games aren’t the problem. Obsession over a game is the main problem and is often caused by poor parenting due to lack of discipline. The parent has the right and responsibility to look at the ESRB rating on the game and take it away.
Also,
Do you really think Tetris is the work of the devil? Or do you think Grand Theft Auto is the work of the devil, and then summarily lump all video games, including Tetris and all the educational games targeted for children into a generic statement and lump them together?
Please write better and refrain from lumping everything in the same boat.
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17 
1
11:52 am
Are you fucking kidding me? The time between the birth of the internet, and the gaming culture can be measured in DAYS, you moron!
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9 
0
9:13 pm
I’ll bet that Billings sniffs jockstraps.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
29 
0
10:42 am
claire why do you put up your photos here? you should shave your legs laughing out loud!!!
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3 
12
5:35 pm
Those are some damn fine legs, right there.
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8 
0
9:22 pm
So, wait a second, I think you got some of this backwards. First of all, Video gamers are more likely to become the successful businessman than some slovenly failure, unlike a jock. Also, you seem to have missed that most people in the military (yes, the defenders of your countries freedom!) either got the idea to join up from videogames, or actively play video games during what little free time they may have overseas. Along with that, Video gamers usually make the best pilots in the world for both military and commercial applications (working as an ENGINEER (holy craop a successful gamer no way!) I see pilots who make over 10000 dollars…just for getting off the ground), and their highly developed reflexes help them avoid potential hazards.
With this article, you are also telling parents that allowing thier children free choice is bad (what about democracy?), censorship is good (so, you’re korean I take it?), and that anyone who is different deserves to be shunned from society.
Another problem I have with this article is how you consistantly emphasize that jocks are so perfect, and how everyone should aspire to be a muscleheaded roid rageing failure. You are telling these parents that the people who constantly abuse fellow students, are one of the HIGHEST causes of violence and depression in schools, and who frequently fail half thier classes…are the perfect examples of christianity. Violence and ignorance sounds pretty christian to me actually, so I guess you got that one part right…
Now, if anyone is willing to have an intelligent discussion about this, and not just consistantly say “Science tells us so!” without having any proof, or supporting statements, feel free to leave a reply and I’ll get back to you ASAP. To any parents reading this-TALK to your children, ask them WHY they play video games, dont just mindlessly push them into something they may hate.
-[LM] CjAy
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11 
1
10:20 pm
First of all, I highly doubt your connection between military men and World of Warcraft players. Look at our soldiers and their body types. They look more like football players than gamers. Though since the military is so high tech these days I’m sure there are a few nerds in the back rooms keeping the radios running and all.
Also, you say gamers grow up to be successful? Sure, you can look at Bill Gates and a few other internet millionaires, but the bulk of Fortune 500 company CEOs are serious, hardworking men where the ability to socialize intelligently, including navigating obstacles is very important. They’re also the types who know how to motivate large groups, their sales forces for instance. This is a definite ethic learned in sports and being a team captain or a school president. Again, our CEOs and politicians did not grow up geeks. Maybe their number crunchers did.
And don’t give me the free choice nonsense. Parents need to be PARENTAL! And that means making choices for our children and leading them down the right path for development and success. I wouldn’t let a 14 year old girl go on a date with a 30 year old, just because she felt it was an expression of her “Free Choice”.
And of course, I find some of your claims to be outright exaggerations. That’s precisely what I was referring to in my article when I stated: Out of terrible shame, Video Gamers will lie to your face and describe themselves as successful, goodlooking heterosexuals with gorgeous girlfriends and a rich social life. But we know this is not true. It’s a desperate attempt to cover up utter failure.
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4 
22
11:19 pm
kk To the OP who claims out Military men and women are not gamers…..several of my buddies are in the Military with me (a gamer) considering the Air Force…..gtfo….this is why I don’t believe in God
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9 
0
2:05 am
Actually in world of warcraft there are these things called raids where you get 25 people together and kill bosses with scripted abilities. Each boss does different things and each player will have certain jobs in the fight in order to be successful.
Someone has to lead these raids. Guilds will die on a boss for weeks and weeks before getting it right. Do you think that takes some kind of motivation and leader to kill these very difficult encounters? In fact, in the higher guilds, you might have to fill out an application on why you are a good player and what will you bring to your guild that someone else won’t. This is JUST LIKE A JOB APPLICATION. Spelling/grammar/intelligence count for A LOT on these applications. It takes teamwork, dedication, and organization as well as accuracy and precision in order to lead and accomplish a raid.
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7 
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8:20 am
Oh what a simplistic mind you have… You think wrangling with your joy stick will really teach you the skills to hold down a job? You’re far too myopic to truly understand what I was trying to say here. There’s an incredible difference between hanging out with your computer screen and actually interacting with live human beings in person and getting them to accomplish things. Sports teaches our youngsters some great values and life skills. Why else do we put so much emphasis on athletic scholarships at colleges?
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2 
13
9:54 am
Stephenson there are some very good Christian video games. I think you overlooked that. Guitar Praise for instance is very popular with Christian adults and children.
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0
8:35 pm
Unfortunately, the majority of the high-end universities have gotten rid of their sports scholarships.
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0
2:55 pm
Ooo, I know why! Offering high dollar scholarships to good athletes means better athletes for your athletic programs and a better athletic program means more students paying to go to your school and better ticket sales. Ka-ching!
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4 
0
9:30 am
“And don’t give me the free choice nonsense. Parents need to be PARENTAL! And that means making choices for our children and leading them down the right path for development and success.”
Parents do have the right to tell their kids to take a break from video games, but they do NOT have the right to force their kids to play sports. There are lots of kids like me, who FUCKING HATE SPORTS.
And, there’s always the possibility of severe injury or even death when you play sports. If I were a parent, I’d feel mighty guilty if I had forced my child into sports and then the child died.
CSB image warning.
“I wouldn’t let a 14 year old girl go on a date with a 30 year old”
But you seem to find it okay for a 60 year old to hit on an 18 year old.
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10 
0
9:44 am
Seriously Claire? This is what you’ve debased yourself to? Posting nasty bloody pictures because you’re so confused by my journalism? I worry for, my girl.
And believe me, I am only interested in your soul. Please do not let others trick you into thinking I am inappropriate towards children. That is quite upsetting to me.
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1 
19
10:23 am
“This is what you’ve debased yourself to? Posting nasty bloody pictures because you’re so confused by my journalism?”
Confused by your journalism? Hardly. I merely posted those pictures to make a statement about how dangerous sports can be.
“And believe me, I am only interested in your soul.”
My soul is for me to be interested in, nobody else.
“Please do not let others trick you into thinking I am inappropriate towards children.”
Considering how I wrote the first reply on here, I’m pretty sure I managed to find out all by myself how perverted you are. If you don’t want to be labeled a pervert, perhaps you should stop posting things such as: “…to young firm men filling out new crisp football uniforms, a pair of bulging muscles below soccer shorts…” or telling 18 year old girls about your body.
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11:45 am
“And believe me, I am only interested in your soul.”
Yeah. That’s the only reason you were hitting on her. Riiiiight. So I wonder…..
If I went through this entire site, how many times could I count Stevy contradicting himself?
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2:27 am
“First of all, I highly doubt your connection between military men and World of Warcraft players. Look at our soldiers and their body types. They look more like football players than gamers. ”
That’s just plain bullshit I know of atleast 10 people who play World of Warcraft while they’re not on patrol in Iraq and I mean frontline soldiers I’ve played with a soldier who was on medical leave after getting getting shot twice while in Iraq. What do you have to say about that?
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2:52 am
Exactly! I mean, when I played on Crushridge in my guild there were so many soldiers from all over Europe! Some were still in Iraq and used WoW to relax a bit.
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9:59 pm
I am a former commissioned officer in the U.S. Army. I was a Chemical Officer (a specialist in surviving nuclear, biological and chemical warfare). I went to OCS (Officer candidate school) with a whole bunch of people who were convinced that PT (physical training) was leadership. This was a problem (not an asset) with the Army. These ‘PT is leadership’ types failed to use their brains for much other than keeping their hats and/or helmets above their eyes.
Gamers have joined the military (as have jocks). Neither group has an exclusive capacity to lead, organize, motivate or succeed. I played table-top wargames (Avalon Hill) when I was younger (my father got me into them). I had nearly died as a baby, so I was not much of an athlete. I did play some sports for a while, but found that I was too small for most of them.
AFAIK, you believe that my ability to: Help train troops for the first Iraqi war; help to double the product line of the #1 OTC Pharmaceutical company in the U.S, work on AIDS research for three years, and finally work for a year on the toughest-to-analyze pharmaceuticals (gels, creams and pastes) all before I became disabled at the age of 34 (from a syndrome that the medical community is still yet to understand properly) is abject failure.
Oh yeah, I also have 4 children (ages 16 to 23) who are loving children who never got into drugs, don’t have a greedy bone in their bodies and help others whenever they can.
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4 
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9:26 pm
As a teenager in high school I had very, very little to do with the “popular” crowd. I pretty much hated the lot of them, seeing as how most of them made fun of me all through grade school up until about senior year. In my freshman year, myself and a handful of the “unpopular” kids, i.e.:gamers, LARPs, bad geeks and the like, started playing rugby after school on the band practice field a couple days a week. In junior year, some of the jocks got interested in playing and actually showed up one or two at a time. Every single one of your precious jocks that ever came to play left with minor concussions, broken fingers, lacerations, avulsions, and abrasions out the yin yang.
So there’s what I think of your oh so wholesome jocks and the phony, wannabe badasses they think they are. Oh and by the way, I play World of Warcraft and have actually progressed quite far in the game, all while passing exams through paramedic school with high B’s and A’s. I also have a terrific girlfriend named Katie, who is working through nursing school to be an RN. I am also not fat. I’m about 5’9″ and about 150 lbs. The Air Force served me as well as I served it, I think.
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5 
1
10:09 pm
Daniel, hmmmm… So you’re telling me you beatdown a bunch of jocks because of your physical superiority picked up fooling around with a joystick? Please don’t make up nonsense for me so easily. I’m older and have been around the block far too many times.
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3 
17
1:57 am
Just like you haven’t made up any nonsense? Where are ANY of your sources?
“When video gaming first became popular, experts warned of the likelihood of increased amounts of obesity, apathy, suicide, school violence, Satanism, masturbation, homosexuality and unemployment”
“Video gaming is an addiction scientifically proven to be just as dangerous as crack cocaine and it’s making our kids immoral and angry in the process”
“Adults who were video gamers in high school are far less likely to become investment bankers, real estate salesmen, doctors, lawyers and sports coaches.”
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6 
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8:21 am
Welcome to the internet, my young friend. In case you’re unfamiliar with it, there are these things called links. I have provided several with my article. Just click on them! Please do this before posting your wrong-headed silliness.
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11
6:50 am
Okay, let me first of starting by saying.. I dont belive in god, heaven or hell or ANY other religion.. i am an Atheist and if you find that wrong.. so be it.
Second. YES World of warcraft have gotten the official ”title” of being the most addictive game in the WORLD..Even got a place in Guinies worlds records.. However, this dont mean that EVERY player in the WORLD that plays world of warcraft is addicted to it..
Looking at the replies you gave us.. You hate Gays/lesbians.. Though alot of people think of being Gay as an insult, i dont.
People have a tend to look down on things they dont see as normal, in this case. You dont see video gaming as normal. You think playing too many video games will make you stupid and fail in life.
I dont say i can proove you wrong. What i do say though is. We live in a world were, like it or not, technology is becomming part of the day. Today we declare war, and ”Do” war with weapons and other ”close up” stuff.. Seeing the way technology evolves.. i belive that in maybe about 100 years from now, we will start the first ”Internet” war. Meaning that we wont use guns and other stuff.
About the ”People are getting stupid from video games” part again.
I live in denmark.. In my class we got 22 students, 9 of which plays world of warcraft (Indluding me). ”Strangely” enough its those 9 students who are ALWAYS getting top rating when it comes to english essays.
Also, its those 9 people who are ALWAYS getting top rating when it comes to Medie/IT..
People who play video games WILL become VERY handy with computers and such.
And seeing the world we live in at the moment. In only a few years, you couldent care less about being in top shape when applying for a job.. You NEED to be handy with computers.
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4 
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10:44 pm
On a side note I started to Learn english when I was around 6-7 YO doing that and playing video game ( and I’m born french in Canada)
Oh and By the way the people who actually fail at school are the Jock in almost everything
Oh and for the military there is a Lot of soldier who play video game not just WoW but FFXI as well ( I had a party with 3 US soldier, 2 japanese and me
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4:49 pm
Yeah, that’s because you’re too drunk to find the house!
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6:41 pm
That’s cute. I’m writing that one down, Charlie!
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9:38 pm
haha you know what guys im a jock and a gamer and guess what JaniceFun<—gay you need to shut your shit mouth(yes you ate shit for breakfast) because jocks are fine some are gay shits. You need to understand that your being opionated i hope u can understand that word because you dont seem to understand that this is a troll site.
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9:57 pm
just hope that author of this text don’t have any kids. “you have a secret gamer on your hands. Beware”. wtf is that about??? does he think there’s a devil hiding in pc? and btw computer kids are smart (most of the time:), cuz u need more than hand/leg-eye coordination to use it), not like jock’s, strong and brain-dead. and shame on u Stephenson Billings, Investigative Journalist publishing yuour work on internet, maybe even using pc to write it, shame on you
sorry for bad english, not my native tongue, and what i know, learned it from computer, not from jock
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6:44 am
I’m sorry, you’re wrong. It has been scientifically been proven that if you play video games for so long you turn into the character you’ve been playing. For example, if you are playing GTA you will go out, pick up a hooker, screw her in an alley and then mow her down and steal her money.
You have been warned, go to this website now! http://www.god-helps-gaymers.com
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3:49 pm
Well obviously, the solution is to play Madden 24/7
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8:23 am
I am not a father myself but I do work with many children and have learned a great deal about their struggles with internet and gaming addictions. Try not to be so facetious with your comments, it’s really not productive.
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9:14 pm
Hey Stephenson, you’ve already acknowledged yourself that you have no children of your own and are basically basing any and all arguments you’ve put forth on pointless conjecture, backing up your own arguments with ‘evidence’ that consists of posts written by other bloggers on this very website. That’s the kind of thing you would get an F for writing a grade school essay.
Oh also, a soda bottle collector has absolutely no business deriding someone else for a hobby. That was probably the funniest part of your post.
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10:00 pm
i cant believe that i acctaully read all this. and for once agian i came into the same conclusion, that when christianity is in danger (loosing ppl) they start blame the way the lost them cuz less ppl = less money and less crowd control. so good job blaming the ones who choose a different way of living and dont believe in that bullshit called religion and to make all the religion fanboys happy YES i will burn in hell!!! happy now? good
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10:28 pm
Haha oh wow, this site is really full of it. This site pretty much explains why no one takes Christians seriously anymore, and why the agnostic and atheist population continue to grow. If parents actually follow the advice posted here, you’re the most laughable parents in the country. Disregard this comment though, as most here probably will. So very close minded and intolerant…
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10:31 pm
Articles like these are the reason fundamentalist fanatics shouldn’t be allowed in the internet, they keep breaking the boundaries of stupidity.
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10:55 pm
tottaly agree with u m8
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11:00 am
I got one thing to say and one thing only…
Those who agree with the OP if this post will all burn in hell.
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10:59 pm
10/10
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11:47 pm
You know, someone else had a very similar view on topics like this. He knew He had the answers, and could show people the Way. He promised that if you followed Him, the world would be a better place.
I’m talking of course, about Adolf Hitler (What, you thought I meant Jesus Christ??? lol)
Hitler preached just this kind of intolerance and hatred that you are streaming on this website right now. Kind of makes you feel a little sick inside doesn’t it? No, it probably doesn’t, since your ego has inflated to the point of being the only actual thing you have left. I pity you. Christianity is supposed to teach tolerance, and peace.
You are a very perverse individual, I hope you change someday.
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8:27 am
As many of my friends here can attest, I find Nazism and Adolph Hitler incredibly awful. It’s also personally offensive to me that you accuse me of having these types of sympathies. The Nazis were very cruel to Christians and Adolph was never one himself (he persecuted priests, married out of a church, invaded Christian countries like Poland and France, etc. etc.). So save you rhetoric for the Daily Kos.
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10:04 pm
Oh dear, poor Mr. Billings feels bullied. What’s the problem Mr. Jock? Why don’t you just shove all of us into lockers like that poor kid at the end of your article? You’re clearly a strong member of the jock master race, so I think you should have no problem.
Sarcasm aside, this article is disgusting. Would you really compare the actions of modern jocks with the Christian ideal? If there is a parallel there, I think I’ll have to rethink my faith.
Video games are one of, if not the most popular forms of entertainment these days. In fact, many social boundaries have been lessened or eliminated due to this common ground where you don’t have to have a chiseled body or play sports to compete. More and more people of every gender, age group, and lifestyle play games because it gives them all an even playing field, not to mention they’re entertaining.
I’d love to see your reaction to how the Wii is being integrated into nursing homes as physical therapy and entertainment. Would you take that away from the elderly and claim you did it for Jesus?
I’m just appalled, honestly.
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12:28 am
Are you serious with this article? You even have a picture of a jock bullying another kid in the article. Guess what???? bullying is now a CRIME in most states which can result in time in Juvi for the most serious cases. Guess who is leading things like our nation’s military…….that’s right video game JOCKS! We have the brain power necessary to do something more then grunt and beat people. I say GO TO HELL CHRISTWIRE!
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12:30 am
“When video gaming first became popular, experts warned of the likelihood of increased amounts of obesity, apathy, suicide, school violence, Satanism, masturbation, homosexuality and unemployment”
Whhyyyy the fuck do you people think that homosexuality is caused by video games? Homosexuality has been around longer than video games.. They are just coming out of the closet now because it is slowly getting more accepting to society.
And no, just because a man isn’t all muscles and firm buns DOES NOT mean he isn’t going to get a girlfriend. You are promoting shallowness based purely on looks, thus also promoting the whole ‘women are property’ bullshit.
You fall in love with who shares similar interests, not those two can bench press 200 pounds. I would stay away from an idiot like that, men with egos are suck assholes. Your kids SURE are going to be successful like that.
Oh, and if you look at a lot of suicide victims.. You don’t see a lot of these kids killing themselves because video games told them so. Pressuring parents, sports, and school is a lot more likely to lead to alcoholism and drug use. More of these ‘perfect jock kids’ that I knew in school used drugs and alcohol than any of my gaming friends. I used those jocks as an example NOT to follow, because greed, being full of ones self and thinking they’re better than everyone else in the school is SO christ like.
You people are seriously fucked up in the minds. Pressuring your kids to be chiseled into what YOU want them to be is really going to work, your brainwashing is pathetic.
FAIL MORE PLEASE!
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1:16 am
NOT TRUE! Homosexuality started at THE SAME TIME as video games. TRY TO PROVE ME WRONG! Homo inhibitor!
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1:24 am
Get off your high horse. Go look up some history.
How about Saddam and Gamorrah?
Or the Romans? Check out some of those emperors.
Homosexuality has been around for a LONG time.
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5:47 am
Hey, hey, how do you know his horse is high? you must be one of those internet stalkers PEDO!!! And also his reply was a fact written by the mighty Linken DONT ARGUE WITH THE FACTS OR YOU ARE ARE A FAGGOT, and i need someone to go up and down with me in the elevator. i’m also a slow learner
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6:54 am
…what?
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1:39 am
K, I’ll prove you wrong. ^^
“Pong (marketed as PONG) is one of the earliest arcade video games, and is a tennis sports game featuring simple two-dimensional graphics. The aim is to defeat an opponent—either computer-controlled or a second player—by earning a higher score. The game was originally manufactured by Atari Incorporated (Atari), who released it in 1972.”
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pong
“The first known appearance of homosexual in print is found in an 1869 German pamphlet by the Austrian-born novelist Karl-Maria Kertbeny, published anonymously,[12] arguing against a Prussian anti-sodomy law.[13][14] In 1879, Gustav Jager used Kertbeny’s terms in his book, Discovery of the Soul (1880).”
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality
FAIL MORE PLEASE!
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2:07 am
MOAR!
“Hitler popularized the ideology that Germans were the master race of Earth and that everyone else was inferior. Hitler used the Jews as a scapegoat for Germany’s problems, and believed that they and any deemed as a life unworthy of living was no use beyond working in a labor camp. He basically targeted anyone who wasn’t German, many of which did not have blonde hair and blue eyes. Some groups besides Jews that he targeted were the homosexuals, the blacks, socialists/communists, anyone who opposed the Nazi ideology, etc.”
So, according to you, Hitlers nazi’s must have busted down the door of homosexual jews playing Super Smash Brothers back in the 1940′s and 1950′s?
And here’s some more Christian hate in history, sounds a bit like our little Hitler, don’t it?
“In the year 342, the Christian emperors Constantius II and Constans declared the death penalty for a male who aped the role of a bride.[7] In the year 390, the Christian emperors Valentinian II, Theodosius I and Arcadius denounced males “acting the part of a woman”, condemning those who were guilty of such acts to be publicly burned. [8] The Christian emperor Justinian (527-565) made those who would now be called “homosexuals” a scape goat for problems such as “famines, earthquakes, and pestilences.”
Year 342 AD! Wow! I wonder what kind of video games they had then!
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3:13 am
Why should i defend myself against inaccurate and inane quotes you’ve picked up from wikipedia? I have made no such claims in support of Nazism and in fact I find the suggestion is highly offensive to me. I am a journalist with many, many years under my belt. Why don’t you leave the intelligent studies to me? You’re clearly not capable of handling anything more complex than 10th grade algebra.
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4:10 am
How is this an intelligent study? Sounds like a close minded rant screaming “I’M RIGHT YOU’RE WRONG.”
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7:02 am
Wait what? What does algebra have to do with anything, you ancient retard?
Wikipedia is actually surprisingly accurate, since anything on there that is stated as fact must have its source cited so people can confirm it themselves if they wish.
More than I can say about your articles, though.
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9:51 am
I know there are a lot of young people reading this article and I know you’re not about to give up your game consoles, so may I suggest some really wonderful video games that will keep your moral values intact:
Guitar Praise
Noah’s Ark
Bible Adventures
Left Behind Eternal Forces
There’s also the Christian Centered Gamer website which I highly recommend: http://www.ccgr.org/
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10:00 am
it would be nice if these kids tried other games once in a while. thanks for the links i sure they will try them.
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12:27 am
give it up OP. In cae you cant do tech no lo gy here is what OP means. You know when you wrote that piece of shit and hit post that means you are the OP. Your teh motherfucking poster you piece of shit, give it up.
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9:01 am
I didn’t write that bit about Nazism, so I’m not sure what you’re accusing me of. Please see my previous responses in regard to Hitler’s fascism and why I find it horribly offensive. There is so much joy and promise in Christianity. I just wish you children could welcome His light into your hearts!
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” –Psalm 23
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10:06 am
I believe they were referring to the aspect of the Nazi movement which favored physical perfection above all other traits. Blonde hair, blue eyes, large, well formed muscles. A jock culture.
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10:35 am
kevin that just dumb just because some boys are better looking and hav nice hair you cant say were nazis. you liberals always throw that nazi term around but you have no idea what it means.
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10:55 am
I found this article very helpful. Thank you.
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11:04 am
New studies from the University of Indiana Medical School show that violent video games like World of Warcraft and Grand Theft Auto disrupt the functions of the frontal lobe, desensitizing the brain and making habitual players less able to understand the effects of actual violence. The brain changes are most apparent among heavy users.
We also know that under George Bush the military used computer simulations to desensitize soldiers and make them able to kill, overriding their natural human aversion to extreme violence. This same technology is now our fastest growing form of children’s entertainment.
This is not a First Amendment issue! It is child abuse, pure and simple. The marketers of these games, and the parents who buy them, should be held accountable.
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11:26 am
I dont have any evidence but i think its possible that children get violent from games.
I don’t believe children should play violent games but there are self proclaimed experts whos unprofessional careers are devoted to banning video games with any violence, and somethimes i think all videogames. Adults I believe should be able to make the choice whether they want to play them or not.
Its just that when i hear thinks like this i ask do they have an agenda?
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11:45 am
I have no secret “agenda” with this article, except to promote the solid, moral values on which this country was founded. I realize it has upset a lot of you younger folks, but ultimately I think it’s for your parents to decide. They are my targeted audience for this, I want to inform them about the perils of video gaming and give them guidance on how to draw their children away from it.
Many parents just don’t have a clue what their children are up to. Technology is often out of their realm and few have the patience to witness or explore all the levels of a video game that their boy or girl is addicted to. But it is important to understand the broader effects here.
Many people of my generation grew up around a sports culture. Parents today are shocked to see that it’s fading. And it’s fading precisely because of things like the internet and video games. Kids, and I realize this is an old cliche, but kids are just spending too much time indoors.
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12:07 pm
“Many people of my generation grew up around a sports culture.”
NEWS FLASH: Not everybody likes sports.
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1:51 pm
I don’t see how someone posting they are successful and play Warcraft means they are lying. You have no way of knowing or proving them wrong or correct. Just like I have no way of proving or not proving that you are a giant boy toucher(”young firm men filling out new crisp football uniforms, a pair of bulging muscles below soccer shorts”). That has to be on one of the most homoerotic things I have ever read. Just saying “sports makes kids fit” would have done just fine. The internet has no accountability, I can say and do what I want with no consequences. But why do you use something you dispise as a outlet for your writings? In the time it took you to write this article and respond to the comments its more time then I spend playing Warcraft. So now who is the one that spends too much time infront of the computer?
Sports are fun and a great hobby. Warcraft is fun and a great hobby as well. Homosexuality and video games are linked together as much as the sky being blue and cannibalism are link. You prove no facts at all. Alexander the Great who conquered most of the known world at the time “kept the company of men” if you get what I’m saying. Alexander was gay, and he has done more in his time then then you will ever do with yours.
You completely warped Columbine. The jocks picked on the two kids so much that there hate and rage blinded them into committing one of worst acts in recent history. I don’t blame video games I blame the jocks for picking on them, the teachers for not stopping it, and the availability of guns. No where do video games come into it.
Janice, I weep for your children. You honestly have no idea what is going on. Please just stop now. “Boys will be boys” and it “toughens them up”, are you honestly serious with that kind of thinking? I have three older brothers and quite often got picked. At no point do I feel tougher or more thick skinned. You fail at parenting completely. Please stop thinking like its 1930, no one watches Leave it to Beaver any more. “you liberals always throw that nazi term around but you have no idea what it means.” I don’t think you know what a Nazi is. Nazi was a term for the German Workers Party. The Nazi, German Workers Party, were a political party set up by Hitler. However, when most people use the term Nazi, they are thinking of a Totalitarian person who forces there ideals on other people. So please don’t blame the “liberals” for something you dont’ understand yourself.
The only thing I will agree on Billings, that there is a connection between playing too much video games and being overweight. However, that is why people need to view it as a hobby and not a way of life. As for “why don’t World of Warcraft Players have Girlfriends” article I find your pie chart most amusing. Because I have an 80 paladin and a girlfriend. So where do I fit in on your chart?
As for your tips. Locking your childern outside? That in 50 out of 50 states is called Child Abuse. Having talks with your kids friends and throwing out “slang”. That is the dumbest thing I have heard. You will be laughed at, and your child will be made fun of to no end for having a creepy parent.
This all being said, I feel like the rest, and this is just one giant troll. I normally don’t like to feel trolls, but here is a nice tasty morsel for you.
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3:12 pm
Well pea brain you really are a piece of work saying those things. You dont know anything about me or my life? I happen to have raised three wonderful and great CHRISTIAN boys. Thank you. ANd I am happy they like the sports they do because it has made them strong and show them to compete. Life isnt all fantasy and internet chats. Sometimes you got to deal the real things and people like you are just living with your head in a well. My children are happy and well adjusted and I have been a very good mother to them. You dont know anything. What did your mothe teach you?
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4:14 pm
“Remind them that jocks can tan themselves shirtless anytime!”
Stephenson what the hell does that mean? You want to see more naked jocks? Is that the real reason you wrote this garbage?
You old perv, I would call the police if you ever came to one of my soccer games!
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5:25 pm
Lets all go back to why alot of people, well majority of people trashed this article with disgusting and very harsh remarks. A decent un-biased well written article doesn’t deserve these kind of responses. Unfortunately, Mr. Billings’ article is far from anything described above. If he’s ignorant enough to wrote things like:
“Adults who were video gamers in high school are far less likely to become investment bankers, real estate salesmen, doctors, lawyers and sports coaches. They do not become our pastors or politicians.”
“This sports world teaches our children to decide between right and wrong in realistic situations. They treat their bodies as temples by exploring and mastering their physical powers. They learn to be part of a social group where the glory of the whole is based on the sacrifices of the individual. It is, in essence, incredible training for the Christianity inherent in our beautiful American boys and girls.”
“These poor souls may never have the courage to ask a girl on a date. Homosexuality is often an easy answer for their awkwardness.”
“Professionally, the video gamer may grow up to be your Radio Shack employee, your bug exterminator, your cable repairman or maybe if you’re lucky, your half pleasant IT guy.”
Just STOP, and think about these very offensive, demeaning, biased, non-credible, anti-homosexual, faith based arguments he put in his article. You can only expect these kind of arguments come from self-righteous, religious nut, delusional, hater, old cranky bastard type of individual. Now, immediately, people will jumped on these instead of looking and try to understand author’s good respectable intentions he try to delivers. There is no use defending this article, there are few of you that try to defend this article while there are so many others that got offended by it, and it really shows! You got flamed NOT necessarily because you deserved it, but because there are reasons behind it. Expect more to come, you just offended millions of gamers around the world which many don’t fit your ugly descriptions of “gamers”.
Janice, your personal experience alone can’t be used to justified what he wrote in this article just as others on the other side of the fence that experience quite different can be used against yours. People, just because you can testify by your personal experience, it doesn’t always hold any truth for everyone else.
Reasons, not faith.
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6:31 pm
Atheist, I am a certified Investigative Journalist. I am sorry you don’t like the “angle” of my story, but this is clearly a CHRISTIAN website. We practice conservative traditional morality here. Is that concept so inexplicable to you? What sort of world do you come from that you describe yourself as an atheist? You have absolutely no room in your heart for the light of spirituality? That’s genuinely sad. Jesus is YOUR salvation! People called Jesus “delusional” too, and look at what He accomplished!
And I don’t know why you’re bring up flaming– are you suggesting homosexuality or the fiery depths of hell? Are you acquainted with both? Frankly, I find your comments here condescending and poorly written. You sound like a blogger.
Sure, I’ll admit my writing style has some colorful flair to it. That is essential in getting your point across, particularly when the point is so important, like it is here. I am not biased or inhumane, I just happen to live by my FAITH and love of GOD.
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” –John 15:13
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7:47 pm
“People called Jesus “delusional” too, and look at what He accomplished!”
I find it interesting that you make snide remarks about people’s anecdotes in these comments and that they can not possibly be true (because they would disprove your point), yet you make this statement which is based on your belief of another anecdote.
Were you alive circa the year 0? No, the story of Jesus was told to you as an anecdote, yet you believe that. Faith is a strange beast indeed!
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8:31 pm
Honestly, I find all this ganging up on me terribly unfair. You people should be ashamed of your actions. You have no sense of what is right and wrong. You are bullying me. And that is something you all claim to abhor. Well, I am very upset. I just don’t think you’re the sort of people I want around me. The truth is, your posts here clearly prove my point that gaming corrupts the brain of the young. Please forward this article to your parents. They clearly are not raising you right.
Calling me fat, elderly, homosexual, pedophiliac, stupid, hateful, etc. is just plain childish. I happen to be an established Christian journalist! And I am professionally certified.
Since you people seem to be insanely curious, YES! I did play football in high school. So what? You seem angry that I myself was a jock once. It was a glorious time of my life and it still means a great deal to me. I remember those hard practices and the camaraderie of the locker room.
So, is this your revenge? Teaming up to harass the old jock? You should be ashamed of your selves.
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9:35 pm
Look Stephenson, I’m sorry for teasing you. I was wrong for calling you fat, old, homosexual, a pedophile, and stupid; I feel genuinely bad about it. The only person on Christwire who I could bully without ever feeling remorse is Adam Nelson.
Every single person who posts on this website is a hypocrite, myself included. We all demonize people who we don’t agree with and accuse them of being hateful, only to turn around and call JaniceFun a bitch. For example, I’ll yell at you guys for being intolerant, but then I’ll turn right around and degrade you for reading the bible. Even you, Stephenson, will tell people to stop hating on jocks, but the only reason we’re openly hating on jocks is because you just wrote an article demonizing non-jocks. We’re ALL hypocrites, and the hate train just goes round and round, round and round.
And as for your time as a high school jock, I’m glad that you enjoyed that period of your life. But just because you enjoyed it, doesn’t mean that all teenagers like sports, and doesn’t mean that you can try to force us into sports. Just like the stereotypes that you see in movies, high schools are made up of SO many different groups of kids – the jocks, the artsy kids, the goths, the nerds, the shy kids, the druggies, the ESL kids, the special kids, the rappers, and then the kids who are just sort of…there. In your article, you made it seem like if you’re not a jock, then you’re automatically a lazy game addict who spends every waking moment of his/her life in the basement with the XBox, which simply isn’t true, considering all the groups that I just mentioned.
So you see, tolerance is needed on both sides of the argument. I was wrong for making fun of your weight; making fun of physical appearance is a childish tactic that I have not grown out of yet. I was also wrong for calling you a pedophile, but the truth is, in today’s day and age, grown men have to be careful with the things that they say, especially on the internet.
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12:29 am
It’s great to see you finally have some understanding into your wicked ways, my friend. But it’s sad that you have such malice toward me. I’m just a guy who enjoys reading news every day and this site is one of my favorite stops. I know at times everyone gets a little tense, but I still keep everyone in my heart and thoughts in a good way . I have nothing but Christian love for you, Claire. Can we be friends?
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3:14 am
I just want to let everyone know that I’ve already copyrighted the idea for “Godless Gamers vs. Aging Christian Closet Cases: The Epic Trolldown.” It should be hitting stores in time for the Christmas season!
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8:52 am
I’d play that game to death.
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9:32 am
Everyone is mad because you fail to see any other point of the argument beyond your own. ALL Jocks=Good wholesome Christian boys and ALL gamers= fat lonely failures at life that have to lie on the internet just to make themselves feel better is just false. You make all these statements with nothing to back them up. If you can prove me ONE single piece of evidence showing clear link between Homosexuality and Gaming I will be impressed with your “certified Investigative Journalist” abilities for proving something Biologist can’t figure out.
You bash all people that bring a counter-argument, and then hide behind your Christianity. I am a catholic born and raised. I was taught that Jesus loves one and all. And that during his time on earth, he hung out with the undesirables. He is a champion of the poor, the sick, the people that everyone else shuns. So why is it that all of a sudden Homosexuality is wrong. If you try to prove homosexuality is wrong with the bible please don’t. The bible is not fact, because if it was, then its cool if I own slaves, beat my wife because she wasn’t subservient to me.
You direct attack gamers, and expect them not to respond with anger? What if I say that ALL White people are Ben Afflick and have massive hands. Some guy says “Hey I’m white, but not Ben Afflick”, I have no way of proving or disproving his argument so I just say “Nope, sorry I did research you must be ashamed of your Ben Afflickness and massive hands.” You completely write off what disproves your argument.
I was Captain of my crew Crew team in highool, went to Duquesne Univeristy and graduated. I am currently working on getting my Masters in Education. I’m not just showing off my epeen (thats gamer slang). Now I am on my 3rd year of coaching crew. I did this all while playing video games.
However you will just write me off as a lonely loser who is lying, just because I am living prove that your entire argument is complete and utter crap.
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1:40 pm
“Can we be friends?”
No, we cannot. As I’ve said before, I do not make friends with people who view me as inferior because of my gender. I do not make friends with people who believe that every single cat on earth should be exterminated (step into a vet. clinic and say something like that, and you’ll come out in a body bag, I kid you not). I do not make friends with people who refer to Native Americans as “savages”. I do not make friends with people who demonize and torment homosexuals. I do not make friends with people who accuse me of plagiarism, simply because I’m a female, even though they cannot provide a single piece of evidence to support their claim. Need I go on?
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10:34 am
Good for you. I like people who stand up for what they believe in, who stand up for their morals in a way that does not infringe upon the rights of others.
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11:00 am
Dear Peed, you have your own liberal view of history from the liberal media and I have my own memories of what happen. I was alive and watching tv for the first gulf war and i remember very clearly when the iran hostages and Reagan. Saddam was a very evil guy and all that stuff about CIA giving him money is just progander. He was in power long before we noticed. And so stop trying your conspiracy theory on me, ok? I know your crazy and probably believe that 911 was a inside job, that Hoover shot Kennedy and the moon was fake. Your just stupid.
And deviant you are a little dumb to! the comments when they more than a hundred post upwards and if you want to be at the bottom you got to hit the “reply” button to the very last one to be at the bottom.
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12:24 pm
Liberal Media? Liberal Propaganda? Since when fact considered Liberal Propaganda? Fake moon landing, 911 an inside job, hoover shooting Kennedy? I was alive during the Gulf War too, but does it mean I’m the end all be all expert on it? The United States is the biggest arms supplier. We sold weapons to Osama Bin Laden to fight the Russians in Afghanistan, we even trained them too. we did this because we didn’t want the spread of communism. We sold weapons to Sadam during the Iran-Iraq war. We did this because we didn’t want the spread of the Iran Islamic Revolution. Because then there would be no way for us to get out oil. These aren’t liberal rantings, propaganda, or conspiracy. Im not even a Liberal, I’ve been a Republican since I was 18.
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6:35 am
Will you crazy nerds stop pestering me about the sources for my story here? Don’t you think I have better things to do? Are you too limp-wristed to click on a link? Because they’re all up there in the story itself you whiney gamers. Ok, to put this all to rest once and for all, here are the very legitimate sources for my journalism:
Video Games and Obesity, Best Evidence Yet
http://www.healthcentral.com/drdean/408/60891.html
World Of Warcraft More Addictive Than Crack Cocaine
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1157362/World-Of-Warcraft-addictive-crack-cocaine-teenager-suffers-convulsions-24-hour-long-game.html
World of Warcraft and Cosplay With Destroy Your Child
http://christwire.org/2009/03/parent-alert-world-of-warcraft-and-cosplay-will-destroy-your-child/
Gay Characters All Over Video Games
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_characters_in_video_games
Violent Video Games Produce Violent Behavior
http://mentalhealth.about.com/cs/familyresources/a/vidgameviolence.htm
Satan and World of Warcraft Cataclysm Release
http://christwire.org/2009/08/world-of-warcraft-cataclysm-release/
Brain Damage Caused by Gaming
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article786445.ece
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Caused by Gaming
http://www.time-scout.com/register/index.php?act=tv_adhd
Computer and Video Game Addiction
http://www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_gameaddiction.shtml
World of Warcraft Boy Goes Insane
http://christwire.org/2009/06/world-of-warcraft-is-evil-boy-goes-insane-after-parents-cancel-account/
Why WOW Players Don’t Have Girfriends
http://christwire.org/2009/09/why-dont-world-of-warcraft-players-have-girlfriends/
Epilepsy Caused by Gaming
http://jnnp.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/57/8/925
Obseity Caused by Gaming
http://children.webmd.com/news/20040702/video-games-tv-double-childhood-obesity-risk
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8:09 pm
I like how several of the sources for this article was christwire its self. Because a horribly biased website is for more accurate than any other source available on the internet.
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10:53 am
Will you crazy kids stop harassing me about the sources for my article here? Don’t you think I have better things to do? Are you too limp-wristed to click on a link? Because they’re all up there in the story itself you whiney gamers. Ok, to put this all to rest once and for all, here are the very legitimate sources for my journalism:
Video Games and Obesity, Best Evidence Yet
http://www.healthcentral.com/drdean/408/60891.html
World Of Warcraft More Addictive Than Crack Cocaine
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1157362/World-Of-Warcraft-addictive-crack-cocaine-teenager-suffers-convulsions-24-hour-long-game.html
World of Warcraft and Cosplay With Destroy Your Child
http://christwire.org/2009/03/parent-alert-world-of-warcraft-and-cosplay-will-destroy-your-child/
Gay Characters All Over Video Games
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_characters_in_video_games
Violent Video Games Produce Violent Behavior
http://mentalhealth.about.com/cs/familyresources/a/vidgameviolence.htm
Satan and World of Warcraft Cataclysm Release
http://christwire.org/2009/08/world-of-warcraft-cataclysm-release/
Brain Damage Caused by Gaming
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article786445.ece
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Caused by Gaming
http://www.time-scout.com/register/index.php?act=tv_adhd
Computer and Video Game Addiction
http://www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_gameaddiction.shtml
World of Warcraft Boy Goes Insane
http://christwire.org/2009/06/world-of-warcraft-is-evil-boy-goes-insane-after-parents-cancel-account/
Why WOW Players Don’t Have Girfriends
http://christwire.org/2009/09/why-dont-world-of-warcraft-players-have-girlfriends/
Epilepsy Caused by Gaming
http://jnnp.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/57/8/925
Obseity Caused by Gaming
http://children.webmd.com/news/20040702/video-games-tv-double-childhood-obesity-risk
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8:31 pm
Six of those “sources” are irrelevant.
Four of them lead to your own site (the equivalent of just saying “it’s true because I said so”), one leads to Wikipedia (not moderated) and one that leads to the Daily Mail (it’s the goddamned Mail).
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9:03 pm
My sources are far more reliable and intelligent than you will ever be, my young little friend. Please stop trying to compete when the mature people here are discussing important topics.
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7:39 pm
Important topics like your lack of friends on Facebook? Then excuse the fuck out of me…
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9:56 pm
in that case itshould be easy to explain WHY they are reliable right? care to do that?
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11:36 am
I don’t know what has gotten you teens all lathered up today and frankly I don’t even know why you’re all on a Christian Conservative website that is genuinely intended for ADULTS, but let just say this: Your attempts to discredit me are incredibly immature and biased. You feel threatened by me because I am a former high school football player. That’s just unfortunate. I mean you no harm, I just want to help children out of this dangerous lifestyle. There are many great things about high school sports culture. It’s about time someone stands up for them.
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’ (this is the first commandment with a promise), ‘that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.’” –Ephesians 6:1-4
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12:29 pm
Who the hell cares about your stupid quotes? most of sure isnt, so stop hiding behind them.
Does the church stand above the law? no, and since basic human rights (including minor age) includes freedom of choice then your so called opinion (more like opression i think) is less than nothing.
It should be a direct insult to basic human rights.
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7:10 am
Please reply to my post, a tad above yours. Tell me what gives you the right to judge? And you have been calling people names the entire time while holding tight to the Christian flag. Not very sportsman like in my opinion.
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10:54 am
“I don’t know what has gotten you teens all lathered up today” No where in the English, Spanish, German, Russian, Arabic Language is that a phrase. I honestly don’t see how someone who claims to be a wise elder would ever say that. “panties in a bunch”, “pissed in your cereal” or if you wanted to keep it PG “woke up on the wrong side of the bed” Any of the previous statements, are 100% less homoerotic and acceptable in society.
No one is getting back at you for being a jock in high school. Everyone is mad that your trying to pass off a horrible, offensive, STEREOTYPE off as fact. Yes, there are great lessons learned from sports. Honestly you can get most of the lessons that you learn, anywhere else. Throwing a football, baseball, or kicking a soccer ball isn’t going to get you far in life. Unless you become a pro athlete, those skill sets are useless. No employee cares what you did in high school period.
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11:11 am
“I don’t know what has gotten you teens all lathered up today” No where in the English, Spanish, German, Russian, Arabic Language is that a phrase.”
What the heck are you trying to say? Is English not your first language? How should I respond to the comments from an avowed imbecile?
And I’m sorry you imagine homoerotic imagery in my articles. You’re clearly projecting your own personal issues onto my journalism. I am in no way interested in the gay lifestyle. And you should be a little more circumspect about your private problems.
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1:06 pm
This site isn’t meant for adults, it’s meant for racist stupid twats. Everyone from all ages is converging on this to try and give you a glimpse in reality
When people gang up on your that’s a really really really obvious sign that everyone thinks your wrong, usually for a very good reason.
English not being someone’s first language is not being an avowed imbecile. Racism, Homophobia, hatred and fear of Gamers, hatred and fear of Foreign people, liking Jock’s, those are all very good sign’s of being an avowed imbecile.
I honestly can’t come up with an adjective that aptly describes how stupid you are.
I thought dead zero IQ (-273) might come close but it’s still not quite there.
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3:58 pm
you completely miss what I’m saying. “I don’t know what has gotten you teens all lathered up today”…..that isn’t a phrase that mean someone is angry for no reason. It means that are soapy and wet.
Lather- A foam formed by soap or detergent agitated in water, as in washing or shaving.
“young firm men filling out new crisp football uniforms, a pair of bulging muscles below soccer shorts” “Remind them that jocks can tan themselves shirtless anytime” Most of your references to teen jocks, have them either naked, wet, shirtless, or bulging muscles. Sure we can admire athletes. But do we have to admire the THAT closely.
You talk about sports teaching lessons, and skills. What does being able to throw a football 50 yards with a perfect spiral have anything to do with the following professions :doctor, lawyer, preacher, priest, investment banker, teacher, accountant? I get that sports teach teamwork, motivation, and determination. But honestly most anything can teach those lessons, drama class, school, carpenter or any hobby just to name a few. The horribly offensive STEREOTYPE about gamers that you promote is beyond stupid. More people have died during sports that gaming. More jocks die to do drinking and driving than gamers. Pro Athletes are horrible role models. Ray lewis killed a man, Plexico Buress shot himself, Mike Vick ran a dog fighting ring. Bill Gates the head nerd, gives millions each year to charity. You know nothing about gaming, video gamers, what World of Warcraft is.
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3:43 pm
English is my first language and the phrase you were looking for was “In a lather” not lathered up. I thought you were Certified Journalist? So how did this imbecile figure that out, when you didn’t? How did you get that I am a Homosexual from what I’m saying? You know nothing about me, you ASSUME that I’m projecting. “When you assume, you assume, you make an ASS out of U and Me(get it?)” Meaning when you make blind assumptions you end up looking like an ass.
“Why should i defend myself against inaccurate and inane quotes you’ve picked up from wikipedia?”
You, the amazing journalist you are, used a Wikipedia entry in part of your argument linking homosexuality and video games. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_characters_in_video_games is the article you linked.
Beyond the completely failing in this ignorant article. You also fail as a Christian. Didn’t Jesus say “he who is without sin may cast the first stone”
For someone who hold himself as a christian, your casting a lot of stones here.
“You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Matthew 5.38-41
So why insult back, when in the bible it says that if someone insults you, you let it go? See I can throw around bible quotes too. And since my quotes show that you are bad person, and the bible is the word of God. Then you sir, according to God are a bad person.
The holes in your argument are bigger than then ones in Titanic. Please just admit you made blind assumptions, video games are not the Anti-Christ and you have no idea what you are talking about. And I will apologize for calling you a Little Boy Toucher.
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10:18 pm
I find it rather repulsive that you all comment on here what great young bodies you have. Why are you so preoccupied with male beauty? What are you boys trying to prove? And you accuse me of homosexual tendencies! That’s a bit of the pot calling the kettle black, isn’t it?
First off, anyone can say they’re a fantastic athlete on the internet. Clearly, everyone who posts here wishes that was true about themselves. But the fact is, there’s no way to back up your childish claims. Honestly it’s very offputting that you stress how much you weigh and how big your muscles are and what sports you play. Am I really supposed to believe you’re all jocks and gamers and A plus students all in one? Hahahaa. Not so fast. I’m not that easily fooled so crawl back under your rocks and stop trying to overwhelm me with your fake responses. It’s just childish, but not surprising considering how you people over identify yourselves with magical dragon slayers on video screens. You live in rich fantasy lives.
My article made many important points and the fact that it upset so many of you must mean it hit a nerve. I know many parents today are worried about the culture that their children are growing up in. Many of us older people grew and learned and prospered because of the value system we learned playing sports in high school, outdoors with other children and pushed to our limits by our coaches. Frankly, it’s very sad to me personally that you’re all missing out on that.
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9:03 am
“Why are you so preoccupied with male beauty?”
We could ask the same of you, Mr. Billings:
“young firm men filling out new crisp football uniforms, a pair of bulging muscles below soccer shorts”
“There is nothing wrong with celebrating the male physique”
“There’s nothing wrong with celebrating the successful bodies of our fellow Christians!”
“A healthy Christian is handsome to me!”
“Honestly it’s very offputting that you stress how much you weigh and how big your muscles are and what sports you play.”
You do realize that you just wrote an entire ARTICLE about teenagers with big muscles playing sports, right?
“Be concerned about the physical shape of our young people. You don’t even need to be a parent to do this. Watch them run and throw and jump. Encourage them to lift weights. With a handsome firm body, you don’t need an afternoon of sweaty wrestling with a soccer ball as an excuse to celebrate the beauty that our Creator endowed us with. Remind them that jocks can tan themselves shirtless anytime! There is just something so wonderfully wholesome about America’s strong and cocky high school jocks. The pale and pimply loners in black t-shirts too afraid to shower in the locker rooms will never be able to compete with that!”
You are the world’s biggest hypocrite.
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9:29 am
Religion is acceptable in sense of teaching base of what is good and evil..
now having Mr Billings argumentation based on religion makes it subjective..
Subjective is ones point of view which in this case sounds pretty gay to me..
Objective gives change to all without condemning anything..
as objective point of view is required to be taken seriously…
Mr Billings you are a FOOL
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10:28 am
“But the fact is, there’s no way to back up your childish claims.”
You realize that there is no way for you to back up any of these following claims that your name is Billings, you were a former jock, you are a christian, or you are a certified investigative journalist. Well, just about anything you said can’t be backed up. Hell this entire article could have been made up. So you claiming everyone to be a liar, the same can be said about you.
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5:03 pm
The amount of drug abuse claims and sexual confusion in your responses truly saddens me. You people are so awfully young. You have no idea what future awaits you. Sitting around in front of your video screens for hours on end stunts your physical and emotional growth and contributes nothing to society. You will grow up with no moral foundation.
The jocks clearly upset you people because you were never able to make it into that high school group. Society exists with structures and hierarchies. These people have competed and won. You are the losers. Your online bullying does not change that.
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17
7:09 pm
“The jocks clearly upset you people because you were never able to make it into that high school group.”
Not all boys aspire to be jocks in high school, just like how not all girls aspire to be cheerleaders. I have always disliked jocks and cheerleaders alike, the jocks because they’re sweaty, testosterone-saturated hulks who have no respect for women, and who worship a game that teaches that violence is okay in order to get something as insignificant as a ball and that requires an ambulance on-site, and the cheerleaders because they buy into the sexist stereotype that females should be on the sidelines cheering on the males. Jocks and cheerleaders also tend to be rather whorish; the jocks believing that they can get any girl they want simply because they’re “sports heroes”, and the cheerleaders being the type of teenagers who delight in displaying their bodies, whether by wearing skin-tight jeans or skimpy cheerleading outfits, and who smear their faces with makeup.
To summarize: I have no reason to want to be a jock or a cheerleader; I have many reasons to not want to be a jock or cheerleader.
“These people have competed and won. You are the losers. Your online bullying does not change that.”
You can’t be a loser if you weren’t competing to begin with. Jocks have huge egos, and therefore may THINK that everyone wants to be them, but in reality the majority of people don’t give a flying fuck about being a jock. Some people have better things to do, you know, like studying to be nurses, or doctors, or veterinary technicians.
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2
2:05 pm
Whatever
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14
4:24 am
It’s sad to think that most of these video games are bought by PARENTS for their children.
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10:39 pm
So, Steve-o, where does that put you? Winner? Or loser?
I think you may be too old to understand this, Steve, but the world is running out of uses for people with sports scholarships. It is turning out that sports is just a past-time. What employers seek these days are people with brains. They want people who think out of the box. People who can re-invent. Hell, if they can fix the photocopier… It is a different world, now Steve. People like you are outdated. Your way of thinking is archaic. Primitive and superstitious. People don’t like that anymore. Nobody respects fear. Especially your trivial fear. You might win in a game of football or wrestling, but you have failed at the game of life.
And you fail at being American. What you desire is a single religious center in a country. America is not about that. America is about religious freedom whether you are Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Baptist, or even Pastafarian. The country you want to be in is a tyrannical dictatorship, where you are told what to believe [in], where to worship, what to wear, how to act…. this is not America. This is not your country. You do not belong here. If you feel you DO belong here, then it is not your place to judge whether homosexuality is a sin. What people should and shouldn’t do with their lives. It is their decision. Not yours. That is the American way.
And molesting children is not the American way, Steve-o. No matter what your reasons are or what religion they hail from. The supreme court is pretty clear on that, just so you keep that in the back of your mind when you ‘counsel’ children for your little church group.
The 50s are gone, and no one wants them back.
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5:40 pm
I cant believe that sports are seen as wholesome google sexual assaults and sports and you will find lots of articles for every sports season.
As for chrisitianity how many Ted haggard instances have popped up recently as well as churches whos leaders have been found to be child molestors.
If you want to look for rampant sexuallity it is found in the lockerrooms im afraid.
And having been in the Marines i can say that gaming is used to simulate environments for field exercises as well it is a very popular thing for us to do in our downtime so please get in touch with todays military.
There is balance in all things if you focus in only sports you will lack education and self reasoning abilities and if you only play video games there will be health and social problems.
Please stop viewing the world in black and white as many of the fundamentalists do it does not show true christian morals but bigotry and ignorance in spades.
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6:35 pm
dear Mr. Billings please be quiet and let the adults speak because it seems as if your mental maturity is the same of a brainwashed 5 year old and stop saying it’s weird to be talking about male human bodys because you idolised muscle ripped teens and i suggest that if you want to chill a little bit smoke weed because god made it must be good for you peace my fellow homo sapiens
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7:40 am
What the hell?
Okee dokke i’ll start with this.
I am a national level swimmer, i placed 6th in canadian junior nationals in the 50free last year. I have stopped swimming, and am now a swim coach with our local swim team, and i am also a lifeguard at our local pool. i am 18 years old and have already been around dead people, and have to had to bring a few back myself. I would say so far i have been quite successful in my lifetime, and now i have stopped these things to go and travel the world to see what the world has to ofer, to open my mind a little bit to how it all works, and if this is what i am going to find then i might as well go home. Because you wanna hear a real big shocker coming from a national level athlete/coach and lie guard? i played videogames! The fact that you can be so closed-minded about other culture just amazes me! i would love to hear your views on the the rest of the world. Open your eyes man! there is a world out there to see and apperently you are blind because you assume that these “gamers are wrong” i am going to ask you something, how do you know any gamer is wrong? what exactly makes them wrong, why are they wrong to not go and play sports? because i guess apperently you come from, choice is no-no. well darn i was hoping to have the choice to play video games or sports, or have the choice to go to the gym every other day or have the choice to play video games or not. but i guess i don’t get that in your world do i? Oh well, i am glad in the real world i get the choice to be open minded and do what i want, thank god…well not really because i made those choices not him, he really doesn’t have anything to do with it.
Cheers,
Jason
Ps.Time to grow up bud, because life doesn’t really work like that.
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12:54 am
LOL. shame is for the weak. you brought this upon yourself. don’t go baaaaawwwwwwwwing about it. or should i call the waaaaaaabulance?
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10:27 am
You sir, need to shut the fuck up. I know you don’t care, but can you even imagine how mature you really have to be to be able to admit that you were in the wrong? It is extremeely difficult sometimes. I know from experience. On stephensons part, he may think he is helping us. The thing is is that I for one just don’t want his help. I live my own life and have my own opinions. If you can give me that zone of comfort without infringing on it…then I apologize Stephenson. And Janice and Tyson. But not ABE. I hate Abe.
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11:13 am
Yeah, that was meant for the anon….My computer keeps fucking up.
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11:33 am
Janice, please read a history book before you comment “Your comment is plain stupid. America was very happy when Saddam Huseein was caught. He was terror to his own people, dropping them in acid baths and his sons raping girls. You really think it was so wrong to free Iraq from him? Not to mention the ties with terrorists and nuclear bomsb. I just think you people need to grow up and learn the values of responsibiluty when your adult.”…….who put Sadam in to power during the Iran Iraq war? OH WAIT, America did! Why did we do this you might ask…because Iran Revolution happen, and Iran kicked out the Pro-Western Shaw and the Ayatollah Khomeini took power and cut us off from Oil. So we gave Sadam a country and supplied with weapons to fight Iran. And while we are at it, we gave weapons to Osama Bin Laden during the Afghan War to fight the Communist Russians. We are fighting the same terrorists we gave arms to 30years ago.
My Mother raised me to be a good CATHOLIC boy. She also raised me to be respectful, when people are deserving my respect. Your “I’m a mom, so I know everything” kind of thinking is just plain wrong. I’m glad your kids love sports, I loved Rowing in high school. But don’t go bashing video games when you don’t know anything about them.
Billings, I get we should respect elders, but why would I respect or listen to when you honestly contribute nothing. You claim to be a christian, and investigative journalist just like a video gamer claims to have a girlfriend and a nice job. So why is it that they are lying and you aren’t? So like you, I’ll will blindly assume that you are just some man who stumbled into the internet to rant since parents won’t like kids come to your house. “I remember those hard practices and the camaraderie of the locker room.”…..Hard Practice, OK….Camaraderie, Ok….Camaraderie in the locker room????? There are nothing but naked boys in locker rooms. So why talk about it? Camaraderie outside of school, work, and practice is what I liked best
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5:33 am
“Honestly, I find all this ganging up on me terribly unfair. You people should be ashamed of your actions. You have no sense of what is right and wrong. You are bullying me.”
Hmmm, that’s a little hypocrtical don’t you think? Considering that in your article you are pretty much encouraging bullying on teens that aren’t your ideal lover child. And before you start writing your reply about how wrong I am, just take a look at the picture that you posted with your article, of a jock (complete tosser) pushing a decent teenager into a locker. If this still doesn’t do it for you, take note of the name of that picture: ‘Jocks win’.
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12:33 am
Jesus was a bastard child.
And given the location of his birth, his skin was probably brown or black, unlike the fair skinned lumberjack seen in todays art.
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4:58 pm
I am sorry you don’t like the “angle” of my story, but this is clearly a CHRISTIAN website.
Many don’t like your ‘angle’ of your story, and there are good reasons for it. I’ve already explained this in my previous post.
““Professionally, the video gamer may grow up to be your Radio Shack employee, your bug exterminator, your cable repairman or maybe if you’re lucky, your half pleasant IT guy.”
In what kind of ‘angle’ do you truly believe that statement of yours coming from? Christian? I was a Christian, and in no situtation any decent Christian
will spout that kind of hatred and cruel remark for any purpose. Please do explain if you don’t mind. I truly, honestly want to understand.
“You have absolutely no room in your heart for the light of spirituality? That’s genuinely sad. Jesus is YOUR salvation!”
No I don’t have much room in my heart for spirituality. I’ve spent time praying for guidance and praising this Christian God in my time for nothing.
Absolutely nothing. Prayers were answered 50-50, time were spent praising the god that may or may not exist, may or may not care, may or may not
even acknowledge my own very existence. “God have divine/ultimate plan for you/everyone” “God work in mysterious way” If these kind of answers
are good enough for you, that’s genuinely sad. Did you ever wonder why God answer the same prayer to certain someone but not others? What makes you
think that certain people are so special and others not? You don’t, because “God work in mysterious way”? Did you ever wonder why God waited
for so long to save and intervene his so proclaimed ‘His people’ from Nazi’s concentration camps? Did you ever wonder why God decided to answer
the prayers of this girl in Austria who were raped, abused, jailed by her own father in a cave after 20 years?! Should I go on and on with this? If your answer are
the God’s divine plans and the mysterious way of God, then I’m sorry Stephen. You are delusional.
Jesus is YOUR salvation? Keep telling yourself that. This kind of statement is preaching and doesn’t hold any kind of evidence or truth behind it
but the ones that been told by the bronze age scriptures and indoctrinized to you since you were a child.
I find your comments here condescending and poorly written.
With our fundamental difference in what to believe and what not to believe, I think my comments are bound to offend believers.
I’m not very good at writing things. It’s something that I’m trying to improve upon.
“Sure, I’ll admit my writing style has some colorful flair to it. That is essential in getting your point across, particularly when the point is so important, like it is here.
I am not biased or inhumane, I just happen to live by my FAITH and love of GOD.”
What you call some “colorful flair” have outweigh the point in your article. Have you not learn this by now?
“yet you make this statement which is based on your belief of another anecdote.”
If you would like to call this belief of mine, ok, let’s call it a belief for the sake of this argument. My belief of the non-existence of super natural, omnipotent, timeless being
that govern our day to day life is based of the issuffecient evidence that presented to me to this moment. Btw, that sounds weird, because it’s not a belief system of another anecdote
like you claim. Extraordinary claims requires extraordinary evidence. I only see an extraordinary claims here, based on bronze age scriptures that clearly ‘man’ made as the evidence.
Sorry, if that’s enough to proves the ‘god’ existence for you Stephen, that’s just genuinely sad.
“Faith is a strange beast indeed!”
It is strange for people that’s blinded by faith. It is not so strange for people that use “reasons”. You declare your faith in your god based on what you’ve been taught to believe at some point in your life
You declare your faith by your own personal spiritual experience and you label it ‘God’ and therefore you beleive it’s true. If you were born in India
then you will label the similiar spiritual experience with ‘Krishna’ or other gods you would’ve been taught into. How do you even know that out of all
these religions which one, is the true religion that will take you to heaven? They’re all can’t be true?! It’s just a matter of probibility that most people will go to hell for this multiple choice
given by ‘God’. What a God we have here huh?
Thank you for this exchange, Stephen. As it may seem strange to you, how an atheist like myself can still appreciate other things in life,
we’re all just normal people. It’s just a matter of different time and probability in life that we have choosed a different path in life.
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12:12 pm
“Atheist, I am a certified Investigative Journalist. I am sorry you don’t like the “angle” of my story, but this is clearly a CHRISTIAN website. We practice conservative traditional morality here. Is that concept so inexplicable to you? What sort of world do you come from that you describe yourself as an atheist? You have absolutely no room in your heart for the light of spirituality? That’s genuinely sad. Jesus is YOUR salvation! People called Jesus “delusional” too, and look at what He accomplished!
And I don’t know why you’re bring up flaming– are you suggesting homosexuality or the fiery depths of hell? Are you acquainted with both? Frankly, I find your comments here condescending and poorly written. You sound like a blogger.
Sure, I’ll admit my writing style has some colorful flair to it. That is essential in getting your point across, particularly when the point is so important, like it is here. I am not biased or inhumane, I just happen to live by my FAITH and love of GOD.
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” –John 15:13″
A certified investigative journalist? oh my god!!! you are of course then, completely incapable or writing a bad article and I take back anything I said to insult you, you clearly know so much more than me and I am privileged to be talking to someone with such qualification. God Bless you.
(as someone as thick as you might need a hint that was sarcasm)
I have plenty of room in my heart for the light of spirituality, the only thing that’s missing is the light of spiritually. I strongly advise you read my reply to:
http://christwire.org/2009/05/15-questions-that-will-stump-secular-evolution-teachers/
There has yet to be ANY evidence for god, but when you dig some up maybe I will see the light.
As for what you practice here, it’s traditional racist immorality. That is to say how America has operated 50 years ago. I have never written any form of blog, as for my comments being poorly written, I have some evidence and research in every major post, unlike you, who pull false studies, statistics and experiences out of your arse.
“What the heck are you trying to say? Is English not your first language? How should I respond to the comments from an avowed imbecile?”
(I know that is related to someone else but I might as well answer there as well anyway)
English not being your first language is not the sign of an imbecile. Intolerance is a sign of being an imbecile. Intolerance of people who don’t have English as a first language, or are a difference race, or are a gamer or are gay etc. is the sign of being an avowed imbecile.
Jesus achieved as much as Derren Brown, just Derran Brown admits it’s all tricks and hasn’t, so far, got himself nailed to a cross after he went insane… Let us bask in the enormity of Jesus’s achievments…
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11:45 am
So your no way interested in the gay lifestyle but you’ve written a large in-depth article on it and claim that you can’t lose an argument of gay life styles.
It’s hard to believe you beat 1 million other sperm, your father’s cock must be pathetic.
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3:56 pm
Stephenson, I enjoyed your article. I seem to be the only one! Ha ha ha! My own kids are very attached to the XBox and I regret having purchased it for them last Christmas. They can spend the entire day on it and sometimes they’re not interested in their meals. I think it is a phase, though. I’m hoping they’ll grow out of it. One thing I worry about is the content of these games. I don’t know much about them and sometimes I do Google certain titles to find out more (Amazon is a good resource for quick synopsis of games) but sometimes it can be cryptic. I doubt I could get away with taking video gaming out of my family’s life but your suggestion to gently nudge them towards sports is a solid one.
Take care,
Richard
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8:30 pm
FYI is says right on the video game box what age the game is for and what kind of content it has. It’s called an ESRB rating.
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8:27 am
I am not sure why everyone is so worked up over this. Your article was pretty spot on about sports and how kids are just spending too much time on the couch. Also, Guitar Praise is a pretty great Christian vid game for those who are interested. There are some good Christians ones.
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4:16 pm
Wha’?!
America was founded on a jock culture?
History lesson ahoy. With a tad bit of salt and humor just because you’re so horribly wrong I can’t help making fun of you.
America was actually founded on a man’s first correct assumption then incorrect assumption that randomly led to the discovery of a new continent. As soon as he brought the news, hundreds and thousands of people living in utter poverty decided to migrate across the sea because the Christian lords preached about rivers of gold in the area.
Being gullible idiots living in deep poverty, they simply went like $.$ and took a nerve-wrecking, ridiculous and utterly hazardous trip across the Atlantic Sea in boats of wood and then proceeded to wipe out hundreds of civilizations and then almost dissolve themselves again in civil war and chaos.
Thankfully they’ve outgrown that since then and changed – at first into the jock culture and now into a gamer culture. It’s going to change again, I assure you.
Also – jocks are responsible for huge part of the mockery, and they are always portrayed in the media as being big, brainless dudes who like picking on people that are smaller than themselves but with a brain a billion times brighter than their own. Why do you think that is? Why do you think the avarage IQ in America is so low? Because all the stupid jocks made their way in life while mocking the “nerds” so much they lost all self-esteem and never got anywhere. Or worse yet: Killed themselves.
Yes, you guys sure have mighty good reason to be proud of your past. Whoop-de-freakin’-doo.
Also, I’m a gamer and studying in University in Lyngby north of Copenhagen. Absolutely no problems and I raid (that is “mandatory” 12 hours of playing video games a week) plus more if I want to and I do damn fine.
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1:56 pm
Because knocking on my intelligence is really going to make a point here, isn’t it?
“There is so much joy and promise in Christianity.” There is SO much joy in christian radicals that outcast groups of people and focus on the bulging muscles of teenage boys!
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12:36 pm
You left out the fact that Christianity caused at least three crusades in which handfuls of people were massacred… at a time. This means that in each crusade masses of people were killed in the name of Jesus Christ and his “light”.
Also, you (the author) stated that wikipedia isn’t a valid source, yet you used it yourself. Oh, not to mention the other contradictions that I see within your incredibly stupid and outrageous accusations.
Also; posting as another person simply to boast your own cause? Are you really that weak? Can’t you even defend your own argument, or do you (like most religious people before you) use lies and deceit to spread your cause?
People like you are why I left Christianity. Your “values” are so maniacally twisted and naïve that it makes me sick to my stomache.
If being a jock makes me upstanding and moral, then I am proud to be the immoral, furry heathen that I am.
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2:45 am
HAHAHAHA So video games were around the same time as the ancient greeks? WOW! I never knew that!
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12:45 am
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Thank you for this wonderful laugh at the morning. I think you are just plain retarded.
While gamers actually develop their minds playing games and doing well in school, jocks go around, smoke pot and start working at Burger King.
It is a fact, when you play you develop and expand your mind. After jocks went out of high school, what do they have? A year salary which a gamer who took his studying seriously earned in two months as an engineer or something else.
The fact that you are christian isn’t making your argument better. Actually, people like you are the reason that the atheist and agnocist community is growing.
Screw you, I am not even gonna go further into this, because you just broke every boundary of stupidity. Now go fuck yourself.
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8:30 am
I’m getting very fed up with you angry teens posting such deliberate lies here. There are clearly so many wonderful reasons to participate in team sports. You’re just not up to the task, are you?
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10:49 am
“I’m getting very fed up with you angry teens posting such deliberate lies here. There are clearly so many wonderful reasons to participate in team sports. You’re just not up to the task, are you?”
Mr. Asswipe, let me ask you something. Have you ever been picked on by those testosterone driven meat heads to the point of wanting to kill yourself? Have you ever been so lonely that every night you lay your head down you think it would be easier for you to just not wake back up? The reason we are so angry with you is because of the fact that you are so far up on your high horse that you can’t see where the real problem lies.
Read this artticles, and tell me that the problem lies with us angry teens.
I don’t care that it’s wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbine_High_School_massacre#Psychopathy_and_depression
Bullies tend to pick on targets they think are weak. Jocks, for example, will target geeks or nerds who are smaller than they are, along with people who look different because of race, disabilities, or fashion sense. People who appear emotionally weak may also be targeted for bullying. Bullies themselves are often jocks or students that have a superiority complex. Also, teens who have unstable home lives may take out their frustration and aggression on other students. So I really don’t see how that shit you write about is even close to the truth.
Now I will admit, I am not exactly athletic, or fit for that matter. I am a pretty big guy, but any day of the week i can truthfully say that I am able to kick anyones ass. My problem through high school was confidence from people picking on me. But now those same people don’t fuck with me anymore. You know why? Cause I can snap them like a twig. And I won’t hesitate anymore. So Billings, Is that clear enough for you?
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1:13 am
This article is ridiculous, so are a lot of the comments.
I’m a devoted follower of Christ, I’ve had an excellent sporting life which ended early due to knee-damage and asthma(9 premiership trophies in basketball) and I now play World of Warcraft quite competitively (well, as much as you can in an RPG). The guy that wrote this article is a crazy. So I apologise to everyone who is reading it on behalf of Christians who actually love and follow Jesus. Don’t assume that all “Christians” think like him because I can tell you right now that they don’t.
Like anything, video games can be abused, which is the message that I think the author is trying to get across, but fails to do. You can make the same argument about super-competitive ‘Jocks’ that use steroids to excel at their chosen sport, or at writers who spend all night at their desks trying to think of new stories to write so they don’t have to deal with their problematic kids (Stephenson?).
At the end of the day, getting on your high-horse about something as trivial as video games not only shows a lack of understanding about humanity, it’s also a sign of an incredibly narrow mind that refuses to see beyond the object at the end of its pointed finger.
Well Stephenson, I challenge you to turn that finger around and point it at yourself! You’re an aging man in a generation of aging men who have aged thoughts about modern things. You’re trying to grapple with a topic here that you clearly have no understanding of.
Did you ever think that video gaming could be used to PROMOTE christian love? I personally use the game as a means to spend time (even if its not face to face) with some close friends who work away from home for extended periods of time. At our churches youth group we regularly meet up for LAN events, or even SingStar nights where people come dressed as their favorite artist and battle it out vocally for a prize.
Anyway, WAKE UP mate. Video gaming is a fact. It’s wide-spread, it’s common place and its accessible. Use that mind that God gave you to figure out how to make use of it instead of giving yourself heart failure over HOW EVIL VIDEO GAMES ARE!!!!!!!!!!11 Because they’re not evil. People *can* use them for evil purposes, like anything (including your precious “Sports”).
ps. Your style of writing and narrow minded attack reminds me of the type of ‘teaching’ I’d expect to find from someone at Westboro Baptist – are you connected at all?
-Disciple of Christ
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8:34 am
I am very sorry to hear about your injury. It is a terrible thing to have something that gives you such pleasure ripped away from you. While we may disagree, I think you understand where I’m coming from. I may not be as young as all the kids responding here, I do know a thing or two about moral responsibility and teaching children the difference between right and wrong. I guess some of those very same children are exercising a bit of rebellion here.
“The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” — Psalm 18:1
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11:30 am
Hmmmm… could this be expanded to watching “violent” movies and tv shows as well as other undesirable activities? Probably. I’m sure there are all kinds of university “groups” waiting to politicize this.
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1:18 am
Yes. Because only jock males have ever been successful.
Also, forcing your kids into a stereotype and not letting them be who they are creates a few problems:
1) Low self esteem / Lack of confidence- How are children supposed to learn to be happy and confident with themselves if their parents are pigeon-holing them to be ONE kind of person. Parents should teach children morals, responsibility, and how to socially interact. They shouldn’t tell them what they should like and dislike.
2) Pushing kids too hard can cause rebellion. It’s the classic case where kids get tired of the structure and just want to do whatever they want to prove to you that you don’t have control. Structure is good, but forcing to be someone there not is just a mutiny waiting to happen.
“That way you can monitor you child’s computer use (homework!) at all times without interrupting your television viewing.”
So you are allowed to watch violent programs about investigating murders, bad language, sex, all the things that are on tv, but a child can’t use their brain on a video game in their free time? There are definitely limits to how much ANYONE should spend time doing things that aren’t constructive, but with video games there is less bad language, less sex, and the violence doesn’t even look as real. Best of all, playing video games (most of them at least) requires more thought process and motor skills than TV and is more beneficial in brain development. Online games even have a social component to the game as well as a business component with an economy and buying and trading items with fluxuating prices.
“experts warned of the likelihood of increased amounts of obesity, apathy, suicide, school violence, Satanism, masturbation, homosexuality and unemployment.”
Please link this study and where it was proven true if you want to be credible.
Also, a lot of your statements are just plain false. Some people play games as a stress relief and a way to spend your free time when you’re not working. Playing games is no worse than watching tv. Both can be addicting and equally as bad if a person has little self control. The statement that gamers are at the 12-year old maturity level is blatantly false. I have been playing video games since I was a kid and I am in my 3rd year of college as a junior on scholarship with a fiance. Video games are not evil and are not the downfall of society. Limits do need to be in place and children under certain ages cannot even buy mature games with strong themes. If you let your child watch tv, video games should be just the same.
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8:40 am
“A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.” — Proverbs X, v. 1.
Well, there are many links in my articles. Did you not notice them? Also, gaming is known to cause Epilepsy:
http://jnnp.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/57/8/925
And damage the brain:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article786445.ece
And Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder:
http://www.time-scout.com/register/index.php?act=tv_adhd
And obesity!
http://children.webmd.com/news/20040702/video-games-tv-double-childhood-obesity-risk
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8:56 am
Epilepsy is not caused by videogames. It can be triggered by heavy use and abuse of videogames, but not caused. The causes are an abnormal cerebral activity. It’s a neurological condition that has nothing to do with videogames.
For brain damage, well, if you pick the console or the computer and bang your head with it, yeah, I guess it can cause brain damage. But Football can damage your brain too. Just as all other sports.
Attention Deficits and Hyperactivity Disorders are the same as Epilepsy. Not connected to videogames.
Obesity…well…obesity is caused by a bad diet with too many fried, greasy food and not enough fruit and vegetables. Not by videogames!
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3:36 pm
Wow just wow. Mr. Billings I am a Christian and quite frankly I am ashamed to be clustered into a “group” with you. You are egotistical and quite frankly in need of help. I played sports in high school and I play video games now, and I would say that video games helped me far more towards getting my job than playing sports ever did. The arguements you are putting forward are ridiculous and foolish.
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1:57 pm
mr. billings
“Well, there are many links in my articles. Did you not notice them? Also, gaming is known to cause Epilepsy:”
I think the only people that can say anything about seizures are those who have had them, have you been diagnosed with epilepsy? I have becuase i once had a cluster of seizures and this is what they know about epilepsy; NOTHING! the first thing the doctor will come out and tell you is “we THINK seizures are caused by…” but in all actuality they have no clue. Read all the articles you like on the subject, they have all sorts of THEORIES as to why people have seizures but no real cause. it could be anything from flashing lights that trigger it or the devil’s music who knows. If you ever have such an event in you life, you’ll know what i’m talking about once its you who cant get a real straight answer about your condition from any of the specialists around you.
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1:23 am
Excellent! Someone has placed his finger directly upon the pulse of the festering vein that America’s high schools are becoming! Clearly, the insidious Satanistic terorists have implanted their video gaming culture into our youth, seeking to drain their glistening musculature from these young men and reduce them to sniveling, worthless she-men. Indeed, jocks are the core of all Western culture in the world! After all, it wasn’t a bunch of blurry-eyed, nasal-sounding nerds who founded our glorious country! No, the Founding Fathers were real men! Man’s men! Men brimming with muscles, carefully oiled muscles, sweat dripping off their immaculate bodies.
Yes! That is America! Ten men in a locker room, naked, dripping with sweat, helping each other cool off and get clean in the showers after a long, long, hard, hard game!
But these video games! These satanic tools! They would deprive our youth of their God given right to huddle together tightly in the locker room, oiled abs rubbing against each other, bodies grinding together in a ritual of pure manliness!
They must be stopped! These… nerds… filthy subhuman creatures that they are, cannot be allowed to infiltrate Christian communities! They pollute the minds of our children with their Video Gamings and their Dee Andys, whatever they are! They give the impression that INTELLECT can advance a Christian man’s status rather than the glorious manly beauty of his rock hard body! Intellect is for the weak!
No, we must stand against this threat! We must beat any of our children who dare recite the dark words of Video Gaming in our houses! Offenses against God like this must NOT be tolerated! Our children will have the freedom to become truly masculine men, and truly subservient and obedient women, and NOTHING ELSE!
That is God’s way! For men can only truly find companionship with other men, and women exist simply to bear children! That is the way of the men in the Bible, and that is the way of a Christian! And these homosexuals who would have us treat women as equals and mate with other men must be stopped!
I would say more, but I must return to the gym now, and rub oil on the wonderful bodies of my fellow, taut, muscular Christian men!
God bless you, sir, and good luck fighting this fight!
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1:30 am
To be honest, I cannot tell if this article is meant to be satirical or some other form of parody. However, assuming it is not I just wanted to throw my two cents in the pot.
I am currently a college student attending American University. Here I play rugby, major in journalism, and hold a 3.9gpa. I have been in the honors program since accepted and am only able to attend due to a full ride academic scholarship i received. If you dont believe me feel free to email me and I will be more than happy to provide you with transcripts and other documentation.
Now, all that is well and good. But thats no fun. Here’s the kicker: I have been playing World of Warcraft for almost 4 years. Before that I played Grand Theft Auto and halo religiously. I grew up on video games and they will always hold a special place in my heart.
My question is this: Who are you to make the claim that jocks are better people than gamers? Although I myself was a tri season athlete for 4 years straight, ending my high school career with 12 varsity letters, a beautiful girlfriend (who i will likely marry), and an offer to row at Cornell University (following my older cuisines footsteps as he was captain of their world renowned crew team for close to two years).
However, I also left highschool with something else. Thats right, you guessed it, a level 70 Restoration Druid decked out in full Sunwell Plateau epics.
And although I will be the first to admit that little world of warcraft character of mine will never bring me any material gain it has provided me with several things which I would simply not be who i am today without:
1. An opportunity to be part of a community of over 15 million users. Through WoW (and other online games) i was able to meet and get to know people from all over the world. Something like this would have been beyond impossible in the small town of 30,000 which i grew up.
2. The ability to step outside my comfort zone. By engaging in wow i was inherently dealing with a demographic of people i had not (on such a large scale) previously encountered. Thats right, i made friends with your so dreaded “nerds”.
Through WoW and other video games I was able to further my ability to interact and easily communicate and befriend people from all walks of life. I did not limit myself inside of a close nit circle of friends and essentially don blinders in order to ignore things which made me uncomfortable. By embracing that which i did not fully understand at first and even befriending it I was able to grow as an individual.
As for your argument regarding drug use etc I regret to inform you that is simply not based in any form of fact (at least that i have encountered) After wrestling for 5 years I can comfortably say that far and away the most frequent (and heavy) drug and alcohol users I have seen are straight off the football, wrestling, and lacrosse teams. Perhaps it is the fact they they (unlike me) did not have an easy way to relax after long and exhausting practices. Instead of going home and playing video games and hanging out with friends via Internet based games, they turned to pot and other heavier drugs in order to help them relax.
As for sports helping boys with girls this may or may not be true. Regardless the relevance of this decreases by the second but it brought up another issue with your argument.
Now this may be shocking but the big football high school star very rarely will take his cheerleader girlfriend out to the movies and pizza. In todays day and age a high school date generally consists of under age drinking, drug consumption, and sex (usually unprotected). This is not a theory or guess. This is fact. Believe it or not but i too (as were you) a teenager in high school once and i too was just as stupid and irresponsible as the kids today. Although they may great you during the day with a friendly and respectful smile, wave, etc. You can rest assured the limp you see in the cheerleaders step as she walks around was not caused by a bad cheer.
The vast majority of highschool athletes i have encountered are either extremely high strung do either directly or indirectly to the sport they play. Be it the pressure to perform or simply the nature of the sport rarely (once you get to know the person) do you see the “wholesome and hearty” jocks which are so commonly depicted in American Cinema.
I am not asking you to change your views as that is an unreasonable request. Just as it would be unreasonable for you to ask me to change mine. In stead I only implore you to listen more, open your eyes and realize that gamers are nothing new. They have been around long before video games even existed. Physical sports are wonderful dont get me wrong, however, they are not for everyone. Different sports are great for different types of people and for some no sport makes them the most happy.
I can say this was a relative degree of authority that comes with not my age (as you so accredit your authority) but my EXPERIENCE. Currently i play rugby for one of the strongest teams in the United States. Rugby is a sport which requires something else in a person. It is not a mental toughness or even physical prowess. There is just something in a ruggers soul that few others posses. My point here is this:
I have seen star high school football players not even make it halfway through one of our practices let alone a game. Your so called “wholesome jocks” with their toned muscles and other American cliches, sitting on the ground openly crying because they could not handle the demand of arguably the worlds most difficult contact sport.
This does not mean they are any less men, athletes, or people. It simply means that it is not for them. That is okay, and they should not be talked down to because of it.
This applies to your “nerds” as well. Simply because athletics are not for them for whatever reason does not mean that they are any less of human beings. In fact one may argue that they are actually more comfortable and self aware because they are able to determine what they do and do not enjoy. I hate to tell you this Stephenson but teenagers do not play sports so you can admire their “toned bodies”. They play because they enjoy it.
I have several other major problems with your article and myself being a practicing Christian, church member, and acolyte for almost 15 years I must say it is ignorent, fauls and otherwise offensive writings and statements like yours which put the majoirty of us in a bad light.
I hope you take the time to read my posts and if you do respond I hope we can get into a CONSTRUCTIVE discussion about your article, its intent, and other points pertaining to this piece.
Thanks for your time and I hope to hear back,
Felix
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3:22 am
You hold a fantastic GPA? Well, that’s just fabulous. What is your concentration, lesbian ethics or art history? I really don’t care for your giant essay of nonsense. Obviously my article spoke some deeper truths to you and you felt moved enough to respond. I respect that. You have a pleasant but anecdotal story to tell- that’s all fine– but I really don’t buy it. You’re a master Worlds of Warcraft player and you’re a wonderful athlete? Is that what your mommy told you? I know you types love to exaggerate, make yourselves out to be superheroes in real life, but honestly I know it’s not true. Stop trying to snow job me with your nonsense. I feel sorry for the dishonest person that you are.
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4:05 pm
I’m simply tickled pink that all who contradict your “facts” with their very lives are instantly liars and charlatans.
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1:48 pm
Well, Mr.Billings, besides the obvious pedophillic tones in this article that I won’t even begin to go into (I mean, I know that your type has an affinity for those “young firm men filling out new crisp football uniforms”),this article is ridiculous. First of all, I doubt you have done any research at all about these subjects. Do you have any proof that the supposed rise in “obesity, apathy, suicide, school violence, Satanism, masturbation, homosexuality and unemployment” have any link to video games. My, they also happen to coincide with the rise gas prices! And the rise in pollution! These things must also contribute to Satanism and unemployment. The funny thing is, not all the kids who are not jocks “failed miserably” at it. What you are really advocating, Mr.Billings, is young “firm” boys running around in tight fitting uniforms, who come to church on Sunday so that you can ogle them, as far as I can tell. You want boys who are dedicated to tormenting the “nerds.” These high school foot ball boys who are failing out of class because they were never taught the importance of anything else. But I know how “your type” disregard cognitive thought, choosing to believe in fairytales and blind faith. So you can put this in your next article, I am a seventeen year old from a small town with straight A’s, the president of a community service and substance abuse controlling group, Captain of our state championed varsity academic team, and in the top 4% of the nation academically. Meanwhile, our “wholesome” high school football team has a bet as to who can sleep with the most Freshman girls this year.
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6:32 pm
Hi,
I am in gr 11, have a 95% average, am in the Gifted and Talented Education program, I am in 4 classes above my grade level, and I LOVE learning. I am also a L80 Draenei Hunter in Alleria’s top guild (that is in World of Warcraft). I am hot, dance salsa (with some dirty regaetton
Take that ignorant christian!
Deep down, you know that you were once a monkey, (you actually did have a tail when you were in the womb…)
With love,
Me
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1:33 am
Either this is greatest troll article ever, or 2 of the most misguided minds. I honestly can’t believe anyone could think like this completely trumped up witch hunt. Or this is just one of the ballsy trolls ever? I honestly can’t tell, Thank you Billings and Janice for making my night, you win the internet.
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1:49 am
After looking around this site a bit more I’m more or less 100% convinced this site is straight satire. This is truly a work of art and genius. If im really wrong please tell me but I’d put money I’m not. I’m a bit pissed i just wrote a 4 page response but whatever, i need something to do at 3pm.
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9:14 am
Although I’m more than sure this site is nothing but satire; in the off chance it is not could you be a doll and provide us with some reference to these “studies” and “science you keep quoting. After all every time someone says something that does not jell with you articles you just call them a liar. So could we get a little proof to back up all your statement?
Though I’m willing to guess this will get no response.
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2:10 am
i wrestled for 8 years. and i did very well, went to state multiple times, placed a couple times as well. was i a jock? no. i was actually picked on quite a it because i was short. i knew that at any time i could kick the crap out of them. when i was ranked best wrestler in our city and had my name mentioned on the morning announcements for my contribution to our team winning (by contribution i mean i kicked the shit out of someone form another school) they (the jocks) all started to hang out with me. honestly i was disgusted. they were so fake and insincere. i stuck with hanging out with my friends. the ones you describe here in this article for the most part, along with myself. and now we’ve graduated and are all pursuing degrees in college. ive run across some of the jocks at bars (yes im 21 now) and local party’s. for the most part they’re alcoholics and drug addicts. so much for the wholesome values youth sports teaches.
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3:15 am
You have a fantastic imagination! If only it were true! I’m sorry, but I really doubt your claims of being some “super” athelete. Grow up and stop trying to sell yourself as something more than you really are.
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6:54 am
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9:34 am
I must say that I find it impressive how you can manage to assume that because they have posted a testimonial that contradicts your own view of the world, that they must be lying. A physically fit person who plays video games must be impossible, because in your world, all people who play video games are obese slobs.
Here’s the piece you are missing: video games are like board games, or card games, or word games, or physical games. They are used to stimulate either the body or the mind as a form of entertainment. Competitive nature exists equally in both sports and video games. Video games can generate greater hand eye coordination, increase reaction speeds, and promote logical problem solving thought patterns. These are all things which can lead to better jobs.
Sports and Video games equally promote teamwork, especially in modern times. Most video game players have access to a headset, and must learn how to communicate without body language, or eye contact, and form a cohesive team that successfully completes an objective. One might argue that due to the anonymity involved in video games, a gamer learns to work better with a team regardless of it’s members, where a jock might just work well with his buds.
When problems occur is when there is no balance, when there is no moderation between time spent in front of a screen and outside. And I agree with you that parents must be involved in this matter. However, utterly depraving their children of this common form of entertainment might be just as unhealthy as giving them unlimited access. You get curious about things when they are forbidden to you, and children have an impressive talent for sating their curiosity. If it is forbidden in your household, when they play it at their friends, it becomes an act of defiance towards you, and they won’t stop playing, so defiance towards you will become less intimidating a prospect.
I have played both team sports and video games quite often during my childhood.
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9:40 am
Unfortunately Kevin, you missed the entire point of my article. It really wasn’t intended for children though, it’s for your parents to read. I find it amusing that all of the hate-filled respondents here claim to be incredible jocks and top notch students themselves. Too bad the internet doesn’t allow for factchecking.
“Sports and Video games equally promote teamwork.” – this is such a hopeless falsehood. I don’t even know where to begin on that doozy. Do you really believe connecting with some dirty old men via the internet can compare to the team spirit of constant training, the thrill of a big game, the excitement of victory or the pains of defeat? In a video game you just hit reset and start over. There’s really no comparison.
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9:48 am
In the future, refrain from calling me a child sir.
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10:00 am
I choose a moderate side of this argument, where I admit there are circumstances in which video games can be a problem in this context, but also that you inflate the problem dramatically, and you respond by telling me to go play with my toys?
I thought this was a reasoned forum where voices could be heard and discussions could be made.
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5:48 pm
This must be one of the best troll articles ever?
Theres no way this can be serious… it just can’t.
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2:27 am
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2:59 am
“That way you can monitor you child’s computer use (homework!) at all times without interrupting your television viewing.”
Yeah, that’s a good way to be a parent, keep an eye on your son or daughter for a second and spend the next two hours watching trash on the TV.
That makes perfect sense!
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4:00 am
Judging by your article, it seems you’re fine with jocks bullying others because they’re different. Is that very Christian?
I wasn’t a jock in high school, in fact, I hated them. Why? Sure, they had lots of “friends,” but they were always getting in fights, going out to parties to get drunk, and usually had girlfriends, but most of the time, they would end up breaking up because she found out he cheated on her at a party. Is this what I was supposed to do in high school to be happy? I guess having a few good friends I hung out with at the bowling alley or at movies was a bad idea. Or some nights we’d get together and play video games for awhile, and frequently had girls that never played video games drop by, and they loved it. Sorry I chose not to be a jock asshole.
As far as being failures, most jocks from high school are still stuck back at home because their party lifestyle kept them from succeeding in college. After all, Al Bundy wasn’t created off a stereotype, am I right?
Basically, jocks are some of the least Christian people I know. They label themselves Christian, but have no idea how to follow it. It’s websites like this that make Christianity look terrible.
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8:43 am
Where do I say bullying is appropriate or Christian? You’re just making nonsense up. I wrote this piece as a celebration of something wonderfully American! Where would we be as a nation without the values competitive sports teaches the young? You really don’t get that alone in your basement playing fantasy land.
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2:05 pm
You don’t promote bullying?! That is the biggest load of bullshit you’ve said so far! Am I blind, or do you not have a picture of a jock shoving a less fortunate child into a locker.
You, sir, are a moronic piece of shit.
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4:32 pm
Why would you put up a picture of a jock bullying a smaller kid? This is a Christian website, shouldn’t it promote Christian values? You could have just as easily picked a more appropriate picture, but you chose the one showing the jock picking on a smaller kid, leading me to believe you’re ok with that kind of violence in schools.
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10:03 am
just because one kid is strong there is always going to be some bigger boys in school and i think your making too much out of a little fun that boys have. if they dont learn that how will they toughen up?
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4:45 am
THIS IS A BULLSHIT!
I’m playing wow since 2005 and, just in case you’re interested, i have social life, i do sport, i have a girlfriend and i’ve eccelents mark at school. things are nearly the same for all my friend that plays wow. between it looks like for you the perfect boy is the stereototype of the typical all muscles – no brain boy and the perfect gril is someone like paris hilton when she was going in high school. then why someone that play videogames shoul be attracted by homosexuality? or satanism? usually in a videogames you play the part of the hero.
and for an hint about how you may grow up playing videogames or role playing fantasy: bill gates was an appasionate player of D&D (for the ones that does not know one of the most famous role-playing game), and look what he is now. also another hint: richard garfield, crehator of the card game Magic, was an university math teacher. looks like being a genius of computer tecnologies or an univeristy teacher a failure? don’t think so.
sorry for any kind of grammatical error in my message but english isn’t my language
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8:45 am
“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.” — Psalm 37:25,26
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4:52 am
Janice and OP are faggots.
/thread
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8:25 am
Oh, but didn’t you know? Janice=OP. They are one in the same. Janice is Mr. Billings’ puppet. I’m not even kidding, Billings has sunk so low that he made another account just so he could agree with himself without seeming foolish.
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4:55 am
By the way, If they are so muscular, why is it taking upto 5 of the faggots to hold up their “Plaque” in the picture.
Dumbass!
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9:58 am
I think they’re all excited to have won their game. They’re not so weak that 5 of them are needed to support a wooden trophy.
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4:56 am
This is so unreasonable, I’m not sure what to say.
You’re about as far from a christian as you can possibly get. This is a clear defacing of God’s word.
You’ve thoroughly written this debacle of a textual abortion with almost exclusively baseless stereotypes. So far are they from the truth, that you’ve pushed more people away from your fake christian views than towards.
Come to think of it, random nameless article-writing nobody, I think I know why you did this. You’re trying to work up a shock value with any certain social group you choose just for the sake of getting more hits. This backwater nowhere of a website cannot draw in readers with your fabricated word of God, so it has to be done with the most extreme hook. Using things like “video-gaming” (which most people do), “threat” (everyone wants to know about THREATS), “America” (a given), and “culture”. Words like these are an opiate to the masses and exploitation is a sin.
You’re going to burn in hell. I hope you’re very aware of this.
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10:46 am
evan thats really not nice of you to post such things. i am a mother and i would be very angry if my child posted such angry and profanity. i hope you parents check your browser history and watch what your doing because you are really just wrong and bad. as a parent myself, i think letting kids run wild online is very bad and parents should keep a better eye on the children.
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12:53 am
Yet getting drunk at parties and cheating on your girlfriend is okay. Dumb bitch.
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4:59 am
That’s odd. You’re registered through GoDaddy.com. That’s a pretty obscene website, super christian.
You’re made of lies.
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5:00 am
pretty obscene website host***
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5:16 am
HI I SAW THAT THE POST WAS FILLED WITH MUSCULAR BOYS
CAN I HAVE SOME GAY SEX NOW?
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5:43 am
Listen asshole I’m not going to sit here while spew pure slander about the video gaming culture…fat nerdy and socially awkward kids have been around since the beginning of time, and your whole theory on video games indefinatly effecting the outcome of a child’s future is beyond laughable and outlandish. So from me the rest of /b/, go fuck yourself.
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8:47 am
I’m sorry you feel that way, Anon, but have you even tried to do any research on the subject? I guess not.
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9:57 am
I agree. There’s no reason to post swears. We can have a civil discussion, can’t we?
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5:45 am
Listen asshole I’m not going to sit here while spew pure slander about the video gaming culture…fat nerdy and socially awkward kids have been around since the beginning of time, and your whole theory on video games indefinatly effecting the outcome of a child’s future is beyond laughable and outlandish. So from me and the rest of /b/, go fuck yourself.
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5:48 am
Well first of Mr. Bilings. According to all the nonsense (sorry, but it’s nonsense to me) you’ve spouted out I want to be one of the first to tell you that your thoughts and beliefs are as far from Christian as Satan is from being God.
Anyway, on to your point that, basically, gamers are losers who are obese and will fail at life, where-as jocks are the best and will, without a doubt, succeed in life. . . .
Please sir, just no. I am a gamer myself, been since I was about 10 varied from Nintendo consoles to Playstation to Computer. I was on the football team for a couple of years, quit due to the mental state of your precious jocks resolve around: Drinking, smoking, fornication outside of marriage (yeah, real hero christin of ‘em) – but that’s not even the worst part of it, the thing that annoyed me the most about them is the way they treat everyone who is not on their football team, or as you would say, a loser who ain’t muscled up enough to be part of the team. Which is horrible treatment, they beat “the nerds”, bully them, make their life so intolerable some (too many) commit suicide or walk down other ill-lit roads.
Almost all of your replies to every person in here have been close to “Shut up, you’re so young and immature, I am old and got years of experience and I am oh so’ intelligent.” – First of, pride, look it up you self-proclaimed Christian man. Secondly, bashing down on people with such disrespect when people state their opinions in as much of a respectful way they can, is itself immature and childish. I could go on, but I won’t, it’s too easy and I feel bad for pointing out your flaws.
Now for me, the “loser gamer”, 25 years old – I took up swimming after I left the jocks, so my body is “muscled” and fit. I got a wide circle of close friends (who also, are gamers) all of which are drug free, got a stable job, college degree or been successful in the military. I am rather wealthy, have a steady and nice income, above the “average” yearly income. As a pilot and an educated aircraft mechanic. I enjoy spending my time with my Fiance, watching movies, playing MMO or other games either on the computer or my xbox. I meet up with my buds regularly and they have more or less the same life style as I do.
Now, if you haven’t been able to comprehend it by now, I am too, a religious man, not a fanatic as a certain someone (whose beliefs fails him in o’ so many ways), I am also rather intelligent and mature.
Now, if you’ve read through my entire wall of text, you should be able to summarize the difference in this generation of jocks compared to _most_ gamers.
Oh and to finish off, as you said to someone else. Shame on you, shame on you, hiding behind God and your ‘profession’ spouting out garbage nonstop – Open your eyes sir, look around, games not only increase language skill(s), they heighten your senses (well, shoot em up games kind of games do), gives you the chance to interact with people from different cultures, oh heck, there’s unlimited amount of knowledge that comes from games.
I have nothing more to say than, if anything, games save lives, not ruin them. If only from the bastard jocks at schoo, or from parents with the mindset and attitude such as yourself, games can offer you a time-out from all of it, whilst being a positive influence on so many aspects of your being. However, I do agree that playing 24/7, literally 24/7 is bad and un-healthy. But with the majority of gamers, that is not the case.
-Michael
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5:58 am
Really well said, I agree with all your points Michael, and it was a very nice read.
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6:01 am
I do apologize for the errors/typos in my first post, was typing haste.
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6:04 am
Sigh, again I made an error ^^ I obviously meant:
I do apologize for the errors/typos in my first post, was typing with haste.
Anyway, seems that Mr Billings is determined to ignore my post, was looking forward to his reply.
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8:52 am
Michael, who will teach us if not our elders? Don’t people of faith have a responsibility to share their wisdom with the children struggling with faithlessness and addiction? Oh, and you claim World of Warcraft will teach you French? That’s rich!
And yes, I do pay homage to the joys of jock culture because there really is so much that is wonderful there. I don’t want to quote myself but,
“This sports world teaches our children to decide between right and wrong in realistic situations. They treat their bodies as temples by exploring and mastering their physical powers. They learn to be part of a social group where the glory of the whole is based on the sacrifices of the individual. It is, in essence, incredible training for the Christianity inherent in our beautiful American boys and girls.”
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9:43 am
‘who will teach us if not our elders?’
The young people can teach each other when the elders are too far gone into the insanity.
You do NOT promote Chrisitianity, stop with your bible quotes. Ive shown this post to my entire church and a forum of many churches in my area and they all think your a stark raving idiot.
Enough said.
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10:40 am
Stephen, I think you have a lot of wonderful point here and people should apreciate the good American values of hard work and taking care of yourelf. I just dont think people like Michael really understand what your talking about. There is nothing wrong with being a athlete and being good at it. Its a great thing to play football or baseball and have all those friends. So I just think these people are jealous or something. They dont know what its like to be good at a outdoor activity and have popularity with teamates.
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4:11 pm
“65 percent of America’s adults are overweight and 31 percent of adults are obese and at risk for chronic diseases”
Good old hard working americans!
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4:24 pm
I think you want Stephenson. You do. Well Stevy….I guess you can go make her do all the work and the rest of the shit. Go make some babies and whatnot. I on the other hand am going to take my best friend, who is a young woman, and take her out to dinner for her birthday. SO have fun living your sad excuse of a life. I’m gonna go have fun.
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5:50 am
To the author:
I’m not going to waste time arguing with such an arrogant individual which is obviously ridiculously biased.
I’m 15, I play videogames. I’m popular at school, I am also in top classes with top marks.
In summary:
Go fucking die in a hole you idiotic, biased piece of shit.
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9:04 am
It saddens me that you are so young and you use such language. This article is intended for parents and other adults. Clearly, you don’t have the maturity to comprehend it, so please stay away.
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7:32 am
Ohh hai there billings, I don’t believe you’ve been introduced, Pot meet Kettle.
Keep your children away from this man people, or they’ll be walking like John Wayne for the rest of their lives.
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5:52 am
Go fuck yourself with you’re pathetic article, Not my fault if stupid american kids get fat and do nothing of their lives except playing video games; It’s because you all are dumbshits.
You are the only problem.
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5:52 am
It’s funny because most preacher kids or devout christian kids end up being horrible adults and end up resenting their parent…see that’s speculation that’s what you just committed sir.
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5:56 am
Video Games didn’t start an ancient war that is still spilling over into our childrens lifetimes you fucking coward.
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5:57 am
I like it how you claim learning to kick a ball will help you in the ‘real’ world when in fact most jobs these days involve little or no physical activity (apart from manual labour), where in fact technology and computer ability play a much much more important role.
I’m not saying that all ‘Jocks’ will be manual labourers but skills gained while on a computer are so much more valuable these days. How many ‘Jocks’ can type 60 words a min?
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5:57 am
Such a load of crap.
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5:57 am
THE FUCK IS THIS?
YOU BEST BE TROLL’EN.
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6:35 am
he must have been on crack when he wrote this article.
He claims to be Super intelligent and pretty much the man half of this is BS.
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6:49 am
Who says people who do sports don’t play video games? There’s no better way to unwind after a hard days work, because you all know this planet is fucked up, turn on the news and its nothing but wars, crime and occasionally the odd joyful happening (that the reporters HAVE to actually LOOK for, just to keep us all from being depressed, because if we actually cared about all those things we’d kill ourselves in despair). SO playing a game is like reading a book, you get to escape into what ever you want, wether you fancy hello kitty or zombie killing. It’s all good!
Be kind unwind!
As a note: Reading that article… wasted a few minutes of my life, which I wish I spent playing a game without retards like the OP.
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8:54 am
I don’t know who the “OP” is but clearly you should be spending more time on your homework than fooling around with fantasy games.
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7:29 am
‘Cause gamers never go outside amirite?
Please get some decent facts and proof before writing a piece of cr*p.
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7:38 am
Im fucking laughing my ass off here.
VIDEO GAMES CAUSED SCHOOL VIOLENCE?
NO. JOCKS DID YOU FUCKING CUNT.
JOCKS ARE THE PEOPLE WHO PUSHED DYLAN KLEBOLD AND ERIC HARRIS AROUND, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DID IN 1999 BECAUSE OF IT? YEAH THAT’S FUCKING RIGHT YOU MUPPET.
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8:56 am
All of the perpetrators of the horrible acts of school gun-based terrorism in the last decade or more have not been jocks, but poorly adjusted outcasts with terrible social skills. Are you not old enough to remember Virginia Tech or Columbine?
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9:01 am
They also listened to Marilyn Manson, so you american people made a crusade against him. And you didn’t realise that there are far more dangerous bands and singers here in Europe, or even there in the US. Try to listen to Judas Iscariot’s Albums, then you’ll tell me if Marilyn Manson is dangerous.
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9:02 am
Edge, that was an entirely pointless comment from you, as usual. My argument still holds true. Did you not bother to read it?
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9:11 am
Pointless? Don’t tell me you have forgotten the crusade that started out against Marilyn Manson when the massacre at the Columbine High happened! You took the Columbine massacre as an example, and I made another example about the same happening. I play videogames but I’ve never killed anyone, I’m not obese or what and I don’t have any sign of mental illness. Why? Can you tell me why I am perfecly sane? Because there’s no correlantion between violence and videogames! I spent my life playing violent videogames (started with Doom when I was a kid)but I have never killed anyone or act like a maniac.
The only problem here is education. If parents leave their kids in front of their computer totally uncontrolled, almost forgetting about their kids, they will start believing that the game is the real worl. If a parent teaches his kids the difference between reality and videogames, no one will ever kill anyone screaming “In the name of the Holy Light I set you free from the Scourge!”
That’s all.
Oh, by the way, even here we know that what you call “Jocks” are often insicure guys that take steroids or amphetamine to excell in their sports.
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8:31 am
I love this thread, it’s so full of ignorance and stupidity. One of my best friends plays Call of duty 4 (and other similar games) like crazy. He is very fit, has a beautiful girlfriend and is the goalkeeper for my country’s national soccer team (under 20). He probably plays video games like 3-4 hours a day.
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9:37 am
whatta stupid article..grow up man!
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10:47 am
I’m a Christian and a video gamer, and I want to be a lawyer. I’m also in very good shape.
If I could prove that to you, Mr. Billings’, I would. Anyway, I find your article a very interesting read.
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10:49 am
Mr. Billings, you talk a lot about jocks and men in this article but don’t mention much concerning your opinions on females. Do you apply the same logic to females as you do to males? Do you think that females should be jocks too, playing sports and tossing balls around and any girls who stay at home are destined to become fat layabouts too?
While probably the majority of boys do have some interest in sport, competition and athletics, many don’t and you say those boys are doing themselves harm. Okay, lets accept that for a moment, but what about girls? Not every girl is into sports and traditionally that’s fine. Are the girls who stay at home and play with dolls bad people too? Should they be out playing football? If not, why not? What’s the difference?
Or is it okay for women to not be active sport lovers because their all destined to be in the kitchen cooking dinner for their husbands and cleaning anyway?
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10:58 am
I don’t think many girls are into video games. It’s really a young boy thing. And what’s wrong with female sports? I played soccer and field hockey when I was in school and it was really fun!
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11:25 am
There’s nothing wrong with sports for girls, I did not say there was. However it’s widely accepted that not all girls are into sports.
This article seems to imply that all boys who stay at home and play video games instead of being out playing sports and becoming jocks are bad people. I want to know if this logic applies to girls who don’t like sports too, and if it doesn’t why is it different? Why is it ok for a girl to not play sports but if a boy isn’t interested in sports he’s going to fail at his life?
I’m not here to argue whether girls play games or not, but with the increasing popularity of massive multiplayer games and casual games, girl gamers are getting increasingly common. Systems like the Wii and DS, casual games like Peggle, and games based around social interaction like World of Warcraft all draw an increasingly female crowd. Heck, my grandma even enjoys playing video games on the Wii.
Again, that’s not the point I was trying to make though.
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10:56 am
No. You are all Muslamic Jihadists who cryed their hearts the day Saddam Hussein died. I believe I already proved this and you are doing nothing to deny it. So I guess I was right.
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3:39 pm
Your comment is plain stupid. America was very happy when Saddam Huseein was caught. He was terror to his own people, dropping them in acid baths and his sons raping girls. You really think it was so wrong to free Iraq from him? Not to mention the ties with terrorists and nuclear bomsb. I just think you people need to grow up and learn the values of responsibiluty when your adult.
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3:49 pm
I proved that Stevy and his buddies are all jihadists. When you believe something like everyone who doesn’t in the same religion as you should burn in hell? Yeah, that’s exactly islamic EXTREMISTS believe in. So therefore, you guys are in kahoots.
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6:19 pm
No, The Defiant Soldier was making a point doing exactly what good ol’ Stevy has been doing.
No, that’s nobody’s “responsibulity”.
Do you know what samefag means?
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11:34 am
rof rof
that is all
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11:45 am
Wow, no article has ever made me consider becoming agnostic so badly. You are a shame to Christianity as a society. You think computers are so bad and that by even looking at a video game will cause you to become a failure.
I am born a Christian and have been a believer ever since. When I grew up I was quite shy, withdrawn and quiet. Reading was my favorite pastime and when I was 4 I could read at quite a pace. I also spent a lot of time playing my Game Boy or on the families PC. At the time I was like a sponge when it came to knowledge and by the time I was 8 I had, without being mentored, achieved a basic understanding of English. Now, at age 16 I am on the second year in one of the most prestigious in Northern Europe (I’d guess that at least 75% are gamers) and am doing quite well. In fact, I got a perfect score on my last maths exam. (Note: My school has a reputation for being extremely challenging when it comes to science and maths.)
About my physical prowess, I am lightly built (63 kg and 179cm) so I don’t really have great potential when it comes to weight-lifting or such, but I do have tremendous stamina. E.g. I could run 8 km in 35 minutes COMPLETELY without training. A month later I ran my first 10 km in 45 minutes.
P.S. I use the metric system, deal with it.
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11:47 am
> When video gaming first became popular, experts warned of the likelihood of increased amounts of obesity, apathy, suicide, school violence, Satanism, masturbation, homosexuality and unemployment.
Obesity is about the only argument where you might have a point, one who plays video games (a lot, mind you) is likely to snack a bit and get less exercise. But don’t worry, the Nintendo Wii is certainly out to combat this!
Apathy? I’m fairly sure that gamers find video games interesting. And seeing as there’s no lack of gamers out there (I’m betting that this ‘jock culture’ of yours is the minority), I’m fairly sure that by their very nature, gamers can’t be apathetic. “Hey dude! Check out this new game!” seems to come to mind.
Suicide? Because depression is linked only with video games. No one has ever committed suicide because of fundamentalist and extremist religious views. Let’s not forget the apparent sexual abuse of children from trusted religious officials, suicide bombers and even the occasional exorcism. Next to old age itself, I’m willing to bet that religion in general is responsible for most of the deaths in throughout history (if not, coming a close second to disease). (Please note my comments here aren’t directed at any one religion. I personally believe that all religions are nothing more than an outdated system of control. Disestablishmentarianism, deal with it.)
School Violence? You are aware that you do have a picture of a one of your so called jocks shoving a helpless visually impaired kid into a locker, right? Are you trying to argue that if everyone was one of these jocks, that this kind of thing would never happen? You’re probably right, it’d probably result in a proper fight, none of this targeting the weak crap, which your image also reflects. I guess jocks are needlessly violent or simply just assholes?
Satanism… I’m just going to continue laughing at this statement. Any other fundamentalist religious statements you wish to make? Seriously, I’m all for them, they make my day!
Masturbation? Oh yes, people who play sports don’t masturbate at all, nope… I guess their too busy patting their team mates on the ass after a successful game, before stripping down to have a nice steamy group shower… Hm, looking at that, I can see where the need for masturbation disappears. Which brings me to the next comment.
Homosexuality? “You do have a point though: writing code all day is much more homoerotic than patting your jock buddies on the ass after a sweaty game of catch, then winding down with a nice, steamy, group shower.” – Maddox Fri, 31 Oct 2003 11:20:28. Simply replace the words “writing code” with “playing games” and we have the perfect summing up statement.
Unemployment? This doesn’t work, without a source of income, one can not afford to play games. Sure, piracy is always an option, but true gamers would rather own legitimate copies of games instead of illegal ones. So to be completely honest, you can’t be an unemployed gamer, you need money for your hobby. Much like one needs to purchase sporting equipment.
And for the record, while gamers don’t often become investment bankers, doctors, lawyers and what not, they do quite often get jobs in the information technology industry. I’m willing to bet that more gamers get jobs in information technology than your jocks here.
With that said, those very gamers are the ones who become the software engineers, website programmers et-al. Not only very lucrative businesses, but also very important in today’s heavily technology influenced society. I’d also like to point out that, to be a computer programmer, you need a mentality greater than that of a twelve year old.
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12:27 pm
saving the jock culture?
wow, yeah great idea! its not at all a fact that jocks are almost always drunken duchebags who beat up other people who they believe are “below them”, right?
oh and claire is right, not everyone likes sports, how about that?
if you cant get your children to play videogames within certain times and it gets addicted to it then its THE PARENTS fault! thats right, YOU failed to teach your kids the common sense to play games for an appropriate amount of time!
and those tips… wow, thats ridiculous! look at #4…
a private talk to your kids friends? really? come on! is there a way to fail even harder? thats the most humiliating thing you could do to your child! if people at school start talking about “franks dad who talked with us about his paladin and didnt have any idea what was going on or what he was talking about” your kid is the moron of the school! congratulations…
conservative values? how about lighting up and going with the times?
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3:48 pm
Mat just cause your not a jock doesnt mean you should go all out an attack them with your anger. Boys do drink lilke when they in college and thats bad, but sometimes its experiemtning and boys will kind of be boys. Its no reason to avoid athletics. And almost eveybody likes sports its very healthy! Playing in your cellar all the time with the tv is NOT HEALTHY. So stop trying to make some crazy case that you all superior.
You know what? we agree about the parents stuff. It is the responsibilty of the parents what trouble there kids get into. I think thats THE WHOLE POINT OF THE ARTICLE!!!!
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1:09 am
So, “experimenting” with drugs and alcohol is okay, but playing video games is terrible? What kind of inbred family did you grow up in, dumbass?
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12:46 pm
lol gayest post ever, nice one closet gay christian man.
I live in the UK and from what ive seen Jocks are the sort of scum that bully poor children and turn them into adults who are crippled by fear.
Im not one to go around knocking peoples faiths but you are a fucking moron if you believe god hates gay people or geeks or blacks. Im not a christian but i know for a fact that christianity was meant to spread love not hatred like you do. I think you are the fucking devil Billings.
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1:34 pm
I don’t see how someone posting they are successful and play Warcraft means they are lying. You have no way of knowing or proving them wrong or correct. Just like I have no way of proving or not proving that you are a giant boy toucher(“young firm men filling out new crisp football uniforms, a pair of bulging muscles below soccer shorts”). That has to be on one of the most homoerotic things I have ever read. Just saying “sports makes kids fit” would have done just fine. The internet has no accountability, I can say and do what I want with no consequences. But why do you use something you dispise as a outlet for your writings? In the time it took you to write this article and respond to the comments its more time then I spend playing Warcraft. So now who is the one that spends too much time infront of the computer?
Sports are fun and a great hobby. Warcraft is fun and a great hobby as well. Homosexuality and video games are linked together as much as the sky being blue and cannibalism are link. You prove no facts at all. Alexander the Great who conquered most of the known world at the time “kept the company of men” if you get what I’m saying. Alexander was gay, and he has done more in his time then then you will ever do with yours.
You completely warped Columbine. The jocks picked on the two kids so much that there hate and rage blinded them into committing one of worst acts in recent history. I don’t blame video games I blame the jocks for picking on them, the teachers for not stopping it, and the availability of guns. No where do video games come into it.
Janice, I weep for your children. You honestly have no idea what is going on. Please just stop now. “Boys will be boys” and it “toughens them up”, are you honestly serious with that kind of thinking? I have three older brothers and quite often got picked. At no point do I feel tougher or more thick skinned. You fail at parenting completely. Please stop thinking like its 1930, no one watches Leave it to Beaver any more. “you liberals always throw that nazi term around but you have no idea what it means.” I don’t think you know what a Nazi is. Nazi was a term for the German Workers Party. The Nazi, German Workers Party, were a political party set up by Hitler. However, when most people use the term Nazi, they are thinking of a Totalitarian person who forces there ideals on other people. So please don’t blame the “liberals” for something you dont’ understand yourself.
The only thing I will agree on Billings, that there is a connection between playing too much video games and being overweight. However, that is why people need to view it as a hobby and not a way of life. As for “why don’t World of Warcraft Players have Girlfriends” article I find your pie chart most amusing. Because I have an 80 paladin and a girlfriend. So where do I fit in on your chart?
As for your tips. Locking your childern outside? That in 50 out of 50 states is called Child Abuse. Having talks with your kids friends and throwing out “slang”. That is the dumbest thing I have heard. You will be laughed at, and your child will be made fun of to no end for having a creepy parent.
This all being said, I feel like the rest, and this is just one giant troll. I normally don’t like to feel trolls, but here is a nice tasty morsel for you.
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2:11 pm
Billings, this article just doesnt make sense.
Playing a game an entire night doesn’t make sense as well as practicing sports 20×7.
It’s a matter of education. If you know when to stop, if you know your own limits (mental and body) you’re not gonna be that ridiculous.
Sure we have people addicted to games, but the problem is not the game itself, but the ease to addict whatever the thing is.
- If you care about your kids, dont lie to them. What makes you think that they wont lie to you as soon as they grow up?
- If you care about your kids, give them liberty to do what they want. With the liberty comes the responsability. And if they fail or made a mistake, they need to face and understand the consequences to not repeat the mistake again.
- If you care about your kids, stop trying to manage their lives and time. As a parent, you need to educate them (not control)
I could say many more here, but I’m not sure if you re a guy with a “360º view”.
So I just hope ppl reading this can understand that you’re probably mad abt something and chose a random subject to blame.
Will pray for you.
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2:20 pm
I masturbate to pictures of Jesus and Thrall.
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2:22 pm
Mr. Billings,
I’ve read you article and I think, to some degree, it holds alot of good lessons for unsuspecting parents on how to anticipate all kinds of negative consequences that could come from videogames. However, you’ve completely failed in terms of constructing a non-biased, credible arguments to support your cause. You’ve clearly putting alot of faith base arguments in your work, almost too much for general audience, and even for other Christian like yourself. It is a very honest article, it doesn’t hold much reasons and credible justifications, but very honest in terms of how you potray yourself as a person of too much faith. Stephen, if you have not notice from all the comments and flaming responses, this is why you have to put credible evidences to support your arguments. Your faith or believe on something is not in any way translate to sufficient evidence for anyone in this matter. This is a problem with people with too much faith, when you feel so right about anything, sometimes you just end up so wrong. Btw, I’m sorry, but I have to ask you this, do you really believe that sports can teach kids sense of right or wrong? If you do, how?! How could you break this down, explain what you mean by this? I’m not saying that video games could, but this kind of argument deserves an immediate and complete dismissal by anyone with reasons. Last thing I recommend for you Stephen, drop that bronze age teaching they called The Bibble. It deludes ppl mind and intellectual creativity. I’m pretty sure you’re a smart guy, why do you believe in an omnipotent imaginary friend that look after certain ppl in this world but not others, Noah’s ark, a virgin birth which have hundreds of accounts in many other older religions, talking bushes, ressurection. They’re not even original… And its clearly man made, just look at how women treated according to the bible, and your imaginery friend many times approved! Slavery? Do you approve slavery or say.. eternal punishment? If you don’t then you’re more moral than your god. Congratulations! If you can pick and choose which one is right and which is wrong out of your bible, then you don’t need it, it helped humanity to be at where we at right now, It’s time for us to move on. Get rid of it. It’s a bad shit and you can’t even make a credible argument or article(*cough*) out of it.
Btw, I have problems with all religions not just Christianity. I’m just using the ‘holy’ bible for the sake this arguments against your faith and your beliefs based article.
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6:17 pm
Atheist, this is a Christian Website!!! Are you too slow to comprehend this? We express Conservative Values here! Morality! Do you have a clue what any of this means? I don’t want a general audience, I don’t want all these creepy gamers suggesting I’m a pervert! I just want to warn parents about video gaming and talk about jocks. So stop your crazy, biased rants! You’re clearly, by your screen name, a disbeliever so what good are any of your values? Jesus wants your faith, not your silly typing.
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2:30 pm
I have been a gamer since childhood, and to balance the arguments against video games from this article (without commenting on them whatsoever), I would just like to share what video games HAVE given me:
1. I had a passion for video games, and wanting to understand “what was going on”, I taught myself English through them. I was one of the weakest students of English in my class, but three years after discovering video games I had already read several classics in English, and was nearly as comfortable with it as I was with my native language.
2. I discovered a newfound passion for writing; and subsequently, reading, through the fantastical and surreal worlds many wonderful video games have introduced me to.
3. I learned computer programming in-order to create computer games myself (which I have). Because of this I had to learn advanced mathematics — which I did, after having my parents hire a tutor for me. I am now studying for a degree in philosophy and mathematics.
4. Finally, I have alleviated countless hours of boredom with games, and these games form a significant part of my life even today.
The only regret I have about video games, is not discovering them earlier!
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3:20 pm
well clearly you people like to write look at all the junk you game kids are writing here. i just dont understand why you all so nasty and anrgy the time. its just sort of wrong you so obsesed with your fantasy life. should you do homewok or make the world a better place instead?
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2:55 pm
HAHAHA this is by far the funniest post i have seen in forever! This guy is either the world’s greatest troll, which would be hillarious, or the world’s greatest retard, in which case it would stil be hillarious! ty for making my day
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2:58 pm
OH OH, I GUESS JEZUS DOESNT APPROVE THIS TRHEAD
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3:08 pm
># When you’re not at home, unplug the power cord to your computer and hide the mouse. You can always put it in one of your sock drawers. This is a great way to make sure no video games are played when you’re not around.
>hide the mouse
You want to create Linux nerds, don’t you?
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3:28 pm
Stephenson, are you able to post a reply to someone’s comment without:
1) …being slanderous.
2) …preaching.
3) …responding in a condescending attitude.
4) …sucking your own cock (e.g.: I’m a great journalist. All of my stories are well researched) 5) …saying you know more because you’re older.
Just curious. All of your articles and responses are very combative. Were you abused as a child?
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5:56 pm
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” –Romans 8:28
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10:23 pm
Wow, instead of typing that trite nonsense, you could’ve simply said, “No.”
Everyone has the right to be stupid and given the opportunity, most people will exercise that right to its fullest potential. – Unknown
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9:03 am
G`day all my name is troy and i have Asperger’s syndrome just thought i tell you so you understand why my typeing is so bad but any way there alot for stuff said that was good and bad but want you need to see ok so alot of you think that computer games are evil no there not but to much is not good but the same can be said about sport to much can all so be bad but what i am trying to say is there is good and a bad said to everything like alot kids that love to play computer games go on to become computer repaire men/women some go in to IT jobs and same for jock`s they might go on to have a football for caree some of them after high school don`t see football as a caree. ok that the good side the bad side some of might not like so if you still live in the stone age do not read this part, bad side of being a jock. some of them once they can drink or befor they can drink get hook`d on beer or other drug`s like pot there are other drugs but i think you get the point and stuff up there lives in really bad ways some can happen to nerds but about the computer games making people less like to want to go out and have fun can and dose happen to some people but all i can is that having asperger`s is that i not a big people person and don`t likt to go out and do stuff with friends to much and i do play games like world or warcraft and call of duty 4 and other`s like i was saying i not a people person to meany people around make me angry but now that i said “Make me angry” most of you are going to blame computer games. no no no my angree is link to my Asperger’s syndrome not the games but over the last four maybe five years i see that if i angry gta 4 or cod 4 was a good ways to help calm down, ok one of my mates play`s compter not a alot but he dose play them when he not at work or out with friends he all so plays soccer every sunday, sorry that it`s along post but i hope that is help`s you understand both sides of people view about jock`s and computer games and sorry about all the spelling error`s
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3:35 pm
They know that your sounds like that of a stripper or porn star.
Are you either of those? I don’t really feel like writing much after that other one.
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3:55 pm
[citation needed]
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3:57 pm
you people give good chistians like me a bad name, your seriously retarded
you seriously think that gamers are like this? im addicted to wow and go to church,read the bible
pray every night ext and last time i checked im not “driven by the forces of Satan to do crazy, depraved things, even if it involves becoming a devilwhore.”
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5:54 pm
Wowplayer, you have no clue about the deep and beautiful traditions and values of Christianity. Please don’t insult us with this sort of childishness!
“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” — Isaiah 40:31
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4:07 pm
So children have to play sports to have friends? Your article seems to say this, but if you ever stepped into a high school, you would see this isn’t true. Also, where is all this parenting advice coming from? You’ve said yourself you’ve never had children.
It would be a shame if you had children; by your parenting guidelines, your children wouldn’t have many friends if they picked up your same elitist Christian attitude. They’d be too high and mighty to make friends with normal people.
Please leave the internet, you’d be doing it a big favor. Instead, just stay at home and live in your fantasy world where everyone in the world agrees with you. And please, do not reproduce. Last thing we need is another one of you showing up with your insane rants.
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5:50 pm
Winney, of course some children find friendship through activities other than sports in high school, but teammates share a deeper, more profound sort of friendship, a codependence if you will. Sports brings out great strength’s of character in our young ones!
Why do you think they offer sports scholarships to colleges and not “video gamers” scholarships? It’s because our educational leaders understand the value of sports in our society.
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6:19 pm
“Winney, of course some children find friendship through activities other than sports in high school”
Um, MOST children find friendship without sports, not just some.
And it’s not just athletes who form strong bonds, either. All the girls in my Health Careers class in high school grew very, very close. By age 16, we were training to be CNAs in a nursing home for half of the school day, and we would train in a hospital every other week. We were going into elderly people’s rooms who we didn’t even know and performing very personal care. We were bathing them, changing their soiled diapers, wiping their bottoms, cleaning their dentures, feeding them, getting them dressed, etc. One time, in the hospital, we were caring for a man who was dying of cancer. His family was there, and as we were tending to his hygiene needs and making him comfortable, his family was essentially waiting for the end to come, which was difficult to watch. Several of my classmates even had to perform post-mortem care, which left them very shaken for the rest of the day. Needless to say, the experiences that we shared were very poignant and even though we’re all going to different colleges now, I’ll still always remember them and love them. No, we weren’t big muscular jocks scoring touchdowns, we weren’t surgeons saving people’s lives (although my classmate did recognize a man having a heart attack, and told the attending doctor, who managed to save his life), but we were helping people and learning lifelong skills.
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6:38 pm
Claire, nursing is a blessed career. You know I only hope the best for you. I wish more young people were as excited about issues today and concerned about other people’s welfare like you clearly are. In some ways, you remind me of myself when I was a teen.
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6:56 pm
Well, now I’m going to school to become a Veterinary Technician.
“Claire, nursing is a blessed career.”
So then why aren’t you a nurse?
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7:07 pm
Claire, I’m not a nurse because instead I have chosen to be a Certified Investigative Journalist, an equally helpful and blessed career.
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8:03 pm
Sports build a bigger bond than hanging out with friends? I did play tennis in high school, but never built a very big bond with most people I played with. I had stronger friendships with people outside of tennis. Also, you say colleges give scholarships because they like the values? Right, it couldn’t be the fact that college sports are a source of revenue for schools.
“Claire, I’m not a nurse because instead I have chosen to be a Certified Investigative Journalist, an equally helpful and blessed career.”-Comparing investigative journalists to nursing? Get off your high horse. Based on your articles, you haven’t contributed much to society. I’m surprised you can even claim that job position.
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5:05 pm
You clearly don’t know what you’re talking about, have you ever played a game or taken any interest into one ? You’re just some guy who think Gamers sit around in basements alone playing games 24/7. I’ll have to tell you i’m perfectly happy with playing games in my room, i’m not that fond of the basement
And why is it so hard for you to believe we can learn stuff out of games ?
I’m from Belgium and i could speak and write English before i even learned it at school. you know why ? Games. Also movies and such but mostly games. So, please before you say things like this go actually play a game. Besides Computers are the future, you can try and deny it but it’s not gonna change anything. If it weren’t for people playing games and sitting at their computers, you wouldn’t be writing this stuff here right now, because there would be no such thing as the internet and such. And for someone who thinks we should all go out and play sports you’re spending an awful lot of time on this site. And you still haven’t said anything towards female gamers and sporters…
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5:07 pm
Having just finished this article but having not yet perused the comments, I have taken it upon myself to translate the article into a freeverse poem. I hope you like my (re: Billings’s) work.
Jock Strap Jamboree
by Stephenson Billings
Boys
Teen boys
Taut, tight teen boys.
Locker room laughs,
Locker room love.
Jock straps joy as
Tight muscles bulge
Beneath silken soccer shorts.
Chests heaving,
Muscles pulsing
Sun-kissed bodies entwined
As the dying light
Of the setting sun
Comes to rest and reflect
On oiled loins.
I wanted to add a line about taking off their uniforms and hanging them up – you know, so they don’t get wrinkled – but then I thought… there’s probably not any room in the closet for them to hang them up.
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5:45 pm
Jason, you have quite a familiarity with homosexual tendencies and imagery. That’s quite offensive and uncalled for. There is nothing wrong with celebrating the male physique and the successes of our wonderful high school athletes, but you’re going too far by accusing me of anything but a professional and Christian interest in their mind and bodies. A healthy Christian is handsome to me!
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5:51 pm
Billings, I’m pretty sure that the mothers and fathers of high school athletes would not want you salivating over their sons’ bodies, and I doubt the athletes themselves would, either.
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6:11 pm
CLAIRE I AM ABSOLUTELY 100% NOT GAY! STOP LABELING ME WITH YOUR LIBEL!
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6:23 pm
Hey, if you don’t want to be labeled as gay, don’t write about how much you like the bodies of young athletes.
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6:50 pm
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body,” — 1 Cor. 6:19-20
There’s nothing wrong with celebrating the successful bodies of our fellow Christians!
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5:13 pm
i play sports and video games and it hasnt affected me negatively at all.
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5:17 pm
You clearly don’t know what you’re talking about, have you ever played a game or taken any interest into one ? You’re just some guy who think Gamers sit around in basements alone playing games 24/7. I’ll have to tell you i’m perfectly happy with playing games in my room, i’m not that fond of the basement
And why is it so hard for you to believe we can learn stuff out of games ?
I’m from Belgium and i could speak and write English before i even learned it at school. you know why ? Games. Also movies and such but mostly games. So, please before you say things like this go actually play a game. Besides Computers are the future, you can try and deny it but it’s not gonna change anything. If it weren’t for people playing games and sitting at their computers, you wouldn’t be writing this stuff here right now, because there would be no such thing as the internet and such. And for someone who thinks we should all go out and play sports you’re spending an awful lot of time on this site. And you still haven’t said anything towards female gamers and sporters…
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5:42 pm
Tr4nn3, I happen to be a Certified Investigative Journalist and I have done my homework on this issue. There are many, many scientific studies that prove my points, you will find the links in my article. Or try Google. There is barely nothing on Google about video gaming being healthy for you, by the way.
And while I have had only limited experience around video games, I have counseled youths about various addictions and can clearly see the warning signs here. I was also somewhat of a fan of Ms Pac Man in my earlier years, very briefly, but it showed me how absorbing these games can be.
It’s great that you learned English from a video game, but you would have learned it much quicker by actually doing your homework and staying in school.
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5:46 pm
“There is barely nothing on Google about video gaming being healthy for you, by the way.”
Nice double negative there, Billings.
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10:24 am
what are you talking about ? i didn’t say gaming is healthy and i said i knew English even BEFORE i learned it at school. that means i couldn’t do any homework because i didn’t have the class at that time. and i’m still in school thank you very much. i never said i wasn’t anymore…
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5:38 pm
Well, I’m ashamed of everyone one on this site. Its shameful to see this. I’m embaressed to be human.
I laughed (very hard mind you) at this article. I laughed all the way to the comments. Then I realized that this was serious.
First off, if these are your views and opinions then I will respect you for how honest you are, BUT I don’t see the logic that you “say” you used. Personally it appears that you were a “jock” when you were in high school and you are so close-minded that you can’t help but shove your thoughts and opinions down other peoples throat. Good to see you are adamant about what you believe in, but that doesn’t justify this at all. You say that jocks are kind-hearted, intelligent, and strong people. Well I’m 15 and I can honestly say that most of the jocks at my school are nothing like the ones you describe. My best friend is on the football team and we have known each other since 2nd grade. We talk inbetween classes and what not and overall he is a nice guy. He isn’t a very smart guy and he isn’t very big and he has shown some rather “homosexual” characteristics before but he is kind hearted. I’m a gamer if you will, I don’t play all the time but I play everynow and then. Now through my friend I have gotten to know some of the other people on the football team. Infact, i have several of them in my CAD class (thats computer aided drafting in case you were about to make a quick trip to google), and in that class i have learned that they are NOT NEARLY AS CHRISTIAN AS YOU THINK THEY ARE. I swear to you that every other word in that class is penis, or cock, or some other word for a male reproductive organ. I learned that pretty much the entire football team has a 360 or a Ps3 or a wii. I learned that even though CAD is one of the easiest classes in our school some of them still barely scrape by with a low C. I learned that many of them drink alcohol, smoke weed or cigarettes, or dip (Yea i live in the south, so dip is pretty common. and incase you live in the north its chewing tobacco.).
They aren’t bad people. I talk and joke with them regulary in CAD. I’m a bit of a nerd or geek, but I’m not that geeky or nerdy. I’m slightly below average in weight, I’m about 140 ,which I think is below average for my age, so I’m not obese. I work out after school although with little impact. I’m not the most religious person on earth but I have very strong morals or so I think. I play guitar, play video games, enjoy most forms of media (movies are going down hill in my opinion.) and I used to play sports but I quit around 6th grade due several things. I never had fun, my coach injured me twice on the same day (one of those injurys left some internal scaring, not much but enough that it hurts when its cold out, and yes it is in my pelvic region), people took sports way too seriously which bothered me horribly. If I lost a game my dad would yell at me so much, even if it was by a point or two.
I could counter your argument in so many ways but to do so beyond this point would be disrespectful to you and god.
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5:47 pm
*sigh*
I can’t help but comment on this post. I make 6 figures a year….I didn’t do many sports, except for fencing and basketball, in my free time. I went to columbia on 6 scholarships, because I worked my ass off in Middle and Highschool. I graduated with a 4.5 GPA. YES A 4.5!!!!!! Because i got Straight As and a 1600 on my S.A.T. I only come to this website, to laugh at you immature racist dumbshits. It is people like you, that make me feel ashamed to actually be a republican. After Columbia, i went to Harvard MED, i didn’tdo a single sport. I only got Straight As, so fuck off. I played alot of video games.
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6:08 pm
What kind of doctor are you that posts such profanity on a Christian web site? You don’t sound very mature or moral. Are you a Christian or just some angry gamer who has wiggled his way through the most radical liberal institutions in the country so that he could walk away with a few lousy pieces of paper so he could perform liposuctions on morally debauched types who try to be 20 years younger than they really are?
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10:37 pm
I am a neuro surgeon, I operate on nerves. first of all, i am not a christian, I have nothing against people who beleive in a religion, but i don’t beleive in god, i beleive that the beleif is god is stuid and and pretty much a total sham. On my death bed, its not god who will save me from Cardiac Arrest, Cancer. If he is real he will not do Jack Shit. Technology will, doctors will cure you, in my line of work, I see people who pray to god, to make sure they go safely under the knife, I don’t bad mouth them because of it, because frankly I don’t care. As long as they are safe and i walk home with my paycheck, I am happy. I was and still am a gamer, I play world of warcraft, and i am a star wars geek. Guess what, I work for my self because of it, I have my own office. I came across with your website, when I heard my 13 year old cousin laughing his ass off, over the utter douche baggery and idiotic beleifs you people follow. I got laid when i was 14, I have studied at Abortion clinics, and I find it interesting, and needed in some cases (unwed 16 year old mothers who beleive they can not handle it). I beleive gay people should get married, so their goes, “Are you moral?” question, i am not in your beleif. I am a republican, I beleive obama is doing a shitty job in office, considering we have 9 billion dollar debt, and you know what me and my cousin have noticed reading your site, you focus on propaganda, and opinions, you never talk about the views in which fox makes statements about, you idiots won’t even mention how we have a 9 billion dollar debt, instead you waste your time bad mouthing liberals, because they made something of them selves, and your frankly sitting on a tractor, smoking pot, while your mother works the corners every night. So I am a gamer, I am not a jock, in my experience, Jocks are idiots, who think they are better then everyone, because they are strong, good at sports, can dunk, can run a touch down, frankly I don’t give a shit, I was picked on, i got beat up every day, my childhood was pretty much flat out bad in school, but you know what I had friends, I had ambitions, and look where I am now, or shall I say where i am not now. i am not sitting on a tractor, I am not mowing lawns, and by the way, unlike you I have heard of tooth paste and dental floss, Instead I chose to work my ass off, go to a respected college like my mother and fathers (whom are also republican), and guess what I make 6 figures a year, incase you failed math, that is six zeroes, so I appreciate your ideal of utter idiocy, because you just proved my point, Jocks are not successful, some jocks are who work their ass off everyday like Dwyane Wade to become professionals, and then their is you, you score a couple of high school touch downs, had a leather jacket, and think your all that, well your not…. Thank you for my long and boring rant, this is Richerthanu, logging out.
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10:51 pm
oh and one more thing, for all you high schools who read this idiots rant, and feel bad by it, heres a quote that should help you.
“Things might look rough now, but trust me. Out there, we OWN shit.”
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1:24 am
a reference close to many peoples hearts. but that brings up a big point PENNY arcade, a gamer webcomic has a charity dedicated to supplying toys to childrens hospitals
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12:35 am
AMEN
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8:50 pm
You know, i feel as if i owe you an apology stephenson. I made rude and fale implications when i attacked you, and for that i feel bad. I should have read your comments alittle further, to understand everything. You are a Journalist, thats a good thing, I should not have called you the stereotypical Jesus is everything beleiver. Out of all these article writers, you don’t make implications, that god hates all exceptfor the people he likes. You are not like Abe, whom i’ve grown to loathe, so for that i apologise. Im guessing the main thing that made me bad about this article though, was the fact that you had no hard facts, no sources, you were just basing it all on opinions, just as I had with the whole farmer and drugs. So yes as I have said i am sorry….Just alittle word of advice, write your source.
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5:51 pm
Hahaha im fucking laughting my sexy ass off. Really, this just shows how retarded Americans, and especially Christians are, fucking hell im glad I live in Europe. This Stephen dude is just a fat troll that needs to get fed. Thise articles are just based on bullshit. Have you ever played this game? guess not, woop wopp fucking ownd! Now GTFO and give up this shit. Christianety is acutally one of the the stuff that have lead to mass murders. And Jockeys are just faggs running around school acting cool with they’re so called “Friends”.
kkthxbai
PS: This is just a troll site, dont belive a shit what is stated here.
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6:01 pm
This is classic! – an overtly homosexual religious nut commenting on a topic he clearly has no comprehension of. ‘An investigative Journalist’ and ‘Motivational Children’s Party Entertainer’? this just gets better! Thanks for giving me a laugh this morning and keep up the good work, your comedic ability is something to be admired.
P.S you even look like a pedophile in your picture! well done sir.
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6:20 pm
Old Nick, you are disgusting and it’s people like you that should not be allowed near children to express your radical and frankly appalling views. I am not a homosexual. Frankly the idea of all that sodomy is so offensive to me I want to vomit.
And I happen to look fine for a man of my age, thank you very much. Fat jokes are low.
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6:33 pm
“And I happen to look fine for a man of my age, thank you very much. Fat jokes are low.”
You know what else is low? Degrading people who choose not to play sports. So on with the fat jokes!
Hey Billings, you’re so fat, your cereal bowl came with a life guard.
You’re so fat, when you take a shower, your feet don’t get wet.
You’re so fat, you show up on radar.
You’re so fat, you can only get on the elevator if it’s going down.
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6:45 pm
THAT IS NOT FUNNY! And honestly, I am not really fat. I have a masculine girth appropriate for someone my age.
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6:58 pm
Here you go with the excuses, just like Cartman: “I’m not fat, I’m big-boned!” “I’m not fat, I’m festively plump.”
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6:01 pm
Richard D., thank you for your words of support. I am glad this article is getting across to the kinds of parents who care about their children.
Edward, the studies you reference are VERY important! Thank you! It’s frightening to realize the very genuine PHYSICAL dangers of gaming! And I agree with your statement, “It is child abuse, pure and simple.” Absolutely!
Ishayu: America was founded on a glorious mix of Christian Faith and Capitalistic Entrepreneuralism and Individualism. Much like apple pie and baseball, America’s athletic culture developed later but it is now truly in the blood of every red-blooded American!
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6:10 pm
I love how you make it seem sports were invented in America. Guess what, the only American thing in America, is burgers. So stop with the nonsense.
You’re just some old bag who’s mad at the technological world that is starting to come. Do us all a favor, and just leave.
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6:10 pm
How much do you charge for Motivational Children’s Party Entertainment? you seem like a trustworthy person to have round my infant son and his friends.
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6:14 pm
I’m in the Army currently in iraq I play WoW and got a level 80 druid! w00t bitches! I work out everyday and have a beautiful girl friend at home, and am not one of the nerds in the commo room, i’m a combat engineer running convoys from base to base the most dangerous job in the military right now. I would say at least 75% of the people here play video games on our free time, a lot of the play wow. it’s something to take our mind off what goes on outside the wire. So don’t try and tell people that you highly doubt that military people don’t play wow until you’ve joined and know what goes on.
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6:18 pm
Troll troll is troll.
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6:34 pm
ENTIRE ARTICLE IS TROLLS TROLLING TROLLS
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7:04 pm
“There’s nothing wrong with celebrating the successful bodies of our fellow Christians!”
That quote from the bible said nothing about worshipping other people’s bodies. There’s nothing wrong with complementing someone on how they look, but saying things such as “young firm men filling out new crisp football uniforms, a pair of bulging muscles below soccer shorts” is crossing the line into creepy, especially when you’re a 60 year old guy who looks like John Wayne Gacey saying those things about high school boys, or hitting on 18 year old girls over the internet.
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7:11 pm
“you’re a 60 year old guy who looks like John Wayne Gacey saying those things about high school boys, or hitting on 18 year old girls over the internet.”
Claire, you have a VIVID imagination!
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7:27 pm
A vivid imagination? Well, 60 years old was an educated guess at your age, and while it is simply my opinion that you look like John Wayne Gacey, it is pure fact that you were hitting on an 18 year old girl over the internet. You were telling me about your body, and that I would like it (I can’t remember the exact word you used) if I were to see you in person. Now, you have said yourself that you view anyone under 20 as being children, so you’re a pedophile by hitting on an 18 year old.
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7:33 pm
It’s retarded people like the author here that make me ashamed that my family is christian.
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7:42 pm
Stephenson Billings, I’ll be frank with you:
Morals are exchangeable. You can drop them whenever you feel like it.
Ethics are for life. What’s ethical is more important than what’s moral because ethics are derived from reality.
Above all, reality, the understanding and the improvement of reality comes before burying your head in the sand and telling yourself that you’re a special snow-flake to cover your insecurities.
You believe because you fear there would be nothing after death if you didn’t and I can empathize with that but if you make the world a better place with us instead of being just another statistic, the world and therefor the creation of your god is a better place.
Don’t just sit there on your hands and feel forgiven. DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE.
>>I find your comments here condescending and poorly written.
You’re a religious person. Those of us in the real world find it hard to take you seriously – behavior of the highly religious and the clinically insane barely differ.
>>You sound like a blogger.
Clarify. Also, it doesn’t help that the article is presented as a blog or column and not a formal article. No references. No data. No truth. Just “I think” and “I believe” glossed over neatly in well organized words.
I’m 22 and every jock I’ve ever met is either doing time or flipping burgers.
The ones who made it to college are either near-basket cases or in the goddamn closet.
This article? Horse-shit.
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7:46 pm
It’s hilarious to me that people today still think like this. Regardless of your Christian background, I find it strange that anyone would support a stereotypical “jock” lifestyle, especially in the way in which you portray it, simply a means toward gaining popularity and objectifying women. And do you honestly believe that these jocks you describe are successful in life? In general, they are certainly less prosperous than the gamers you disdain so much. Video games are not a way to divorce young people from success, they are merely a hobby. I myself am a relatively serious gamer (2-3 hours a day). However, I “miraculously” maintain a 4.6 GPA, scored a near perfect SAT, and all the while I am a state level weightlifter and have an amazing girlfriend. I suppose this may be some sort of pent up jealousy toward the “nerds” you met during your high school years, oh so many years ago. Or maybe you wanted to be one of these jocks you idolize. Your profile picture certainly suggests you weren’t the prime example of an attractive male. In any case, enjoy your closet homosexuality and $20,000 annual salary. I will be awaiting my acceptance to an Ivy League university where I will make more in my first couple years out of college than you’ve seen in your lifetime.
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7:53 pm
Quoting scripture doesn’t improve your argument.
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8:19 pm
dont feed the christfag trolls people
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8:26 pm
GUESS WHAT
In genesis it says Noah was perfect (look it up if you dont believe me)
BUT NOONES PERFECT BUT GOD
OWNED NIGGER
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8:31 pm
Personally I find this article misleading, but everyones experiences are different. I went to a Christian high school, and granted I graduated 13 years ago, a lot of what happened back then seem to happen now. I was more of a nerd and yet I don’t play video games, I’m more of your physics/engineering variety. Back in high school, I was a regular “target” for the jocks but there were more cases of violent behaviour, rape and drug use from the athletes (male and female) then any of the other subcultures. I am by far not the most perfect paragon, but I do have a nice job as a nuclear engineer while just a few months ago I had a pizza delivered by one of the guys who used to harass me. That’s not to say that all athletes go nowhere and all nerds excel after high school, but for most the ones around my era, it’s more true than false. I remember hating the jocks back in high school, but once I went to college, that hate disappeared. Now I just find it sad that anyone in school these days resorts to violence to resolve their issues. Like I said earlier, everyones experiences are different and these were mine.
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8:43 pm
Props to you, Mr. Billings. You made my day.
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8:47 pm
How established is a lowgrade website?
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8:51 pm
I have been playing Golf for three days. I get really sweaty under my man boob.
that is all.
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9:33 pm
It warms my heart to see that kids who follow the jock culture can become successful Investigative Journalisst, Motivational Children’s Party Entertainers and Antique Soda Bottle Collectors such as yourself. Children’s party entertainers earn the most money out of every imaginable job combined. Also, lol chirstianity.
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9:42 pm
I find it amusing that this asshat thinks he promotes good values and morals, when his own religion is based on the hatred of people that are different. That is why it makes sense that he bashes on all the people who play video games, and don’t prefer sports, its no different than his religions hatred of homosexuals, and anyone else that dares to be different. jesus fucking christ its like when the mormons didnt let black people into their cult. The time will come when you’ll figure it all out, and honestly any one of you disgusting christians forfeits the right to call yourselves “wise” because of your age, wisdom comes from understanding, which all your nuts have avoided your whole life.
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9:49 pm
Hate to break it to you billings, but the door swings both ways. If you shoehorn your child into a jock mentality/lifestyle without proper support and upbringing, you’ll do just as much (if not more) damage than any video game or culture could ever hope to do. I think the Dead Kennedys said it best…
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9:56 pm
Kids these days only care for their videogames and their Jap cartoons. Just the other day I asked my grandson if he wanted to go play some catch, and he just sat there and ignored me while he played his new Halo game on the Wii we got him from Christmas. I blame his mother for this behavior. His father was always trying to get him into sports but his mother was so overprotective of him that she would not let him join the football team. Now all he does is sit in front of the computer and watch those Narutos and Pokemans. I caught him masturbating one time to pictures of those cat people from the videogame with the blue dog that runs really fast. I was disappoint. How could a 22 year old degrade himself like that? I tried to perform an exorcism on him but his mother would not let me, That whore will burn in hell for eternity.
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10:03 pm
YO MUHFUGGA YOU BEST BE JOKIN NIGGA DAT SHIT AINT COOL
I PLAY DEM VIDEYO GAMES AND YOU TALKIN SHIT BOUT DEM WHAT ABOUT MADDEN DAT SHITS REAL FOOTBALL NOT YO PUSSY ASS FOOTBAL YOU WHITE BITCH
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10:10 pm
Janice=OP
OP=faggot
I’m never looking at this ever again so if you were going to reply, there’s no need to waste your time.
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11:46 pm
Lol… you guys got raided by Anon I see. Its never pleasant when your on the receiving end of that., but truthfully you deserved it so im not sorry for you. Oh and i dare you to try to get back at them, I really truly do. It would be the highlight of my life to see your ass plastered over about 80 gigs of homosexual material and at least 4 memes. as it is right now your not worth their time of day to keep their attention. They’ve hit you and moved on, just dont do anything to get their attention back again. as i said i would delight in nothing more than to see you take a little more abuse from them, but I feel everyone deserves a second chance, even a prejudice piece of crap like you.
as for your article this is all i have to say ( trying to lighten the mood here)
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12:20 am
Poe.
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12:33 am
First of all, I may not be christian, but I can still post on this site because it’s a freedom of mine, which I am exercising very bravely right now.
Second, I don’t like sports except for maybe rifle shooting and paintball.
Third, I love video games. I’ve been playing them ever since I was 6 years old and am now 20 years old and proudly in my 3rd year of college studying computer information systems, working toward a future career in programming.
Fourth, I play dozens of violent video games, such as DOOM3, call of duty 4, dawn of war, halo, gears of war, FEAR 2 (which was actually banned in austria I believe for it’s violence), and team fortress 2. Amazingly enough I am a strong pacifist and have been my entire life. I have never even hit one of my friends when they told me to to make things even.
Fifth, video games don’t make you gay. That’s something your born with. I know that video games didn’t make me bi-sexual, that’s something that’s always been there since I was born.
Sixth, what happened to “judge less ye be judged”? Even though I’m not a christian, I still know that.
Lastly, don’t push your views on anyone. That’s just plain wrong. I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t want my taoist views in your face
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1:05 am
:/ i myself do Crew, one of the most physically & mentally demanding sports, if you and your teammates aren’t in perfect harmony, it could cost you the heat. yet, i am also a gamer, raised on pokemon, zelda, and mario, still play games such as Final Fantasy, Mass effect, Earthbound. you generalize to much, not all games are like GTA, ever heard of spore? its a game of imagination, and creativity, you don’t destroy, you build. the game Okami is about restoring life and beauty to a land, LittleBigplanet is about creating as well. not everything is destruction. bioshock brought up moral questions, pushed what was morally right. i suggest you read this article: http://kotaku.com/5333593/gaming-before-chemo-a-childs-escape
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3:11 am
If the admin is interested in keeping haters off of their website, why didn’t they just turn on comment moderation? Can’t wordpress do comment moderation? (This is why I believe this site is satire. Nobody in their right minds would write crap like this unless they wanted to start something.)
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4:25 am
Wow, video games aside – what is wrong with homosexuality?
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4:27 am
Hey! Video games aside, what’s wrong with homosexuality?
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7:30 am
Oh my, if this isn’t the most hideously misguided article I have ever read. I could go as far as to provide numbers that contradict yours and therefore disprove the groundings for your argument entirely, but, given the extensive research that I’m sure you’ve done into the matter, you will know that the statistics for this subject are wholly unreliable.
What I will take direct issue with is your ignorance, naivity, and lack of respect for your fellow man. In case you’ve yet to realise, video gaming is very popular, and I’m certain many of your readers (one of which I am not, and never will be) have taken offence to this article. I thought societies and groups such as these were supposed to SUPPORT each other and help them through problems, not tell them how pathetic they are.
Let’s talk about just how ‘wholesome’ these jocks are. These are the people that STEAL money, VANDALIZE property, DRINK underage and PHYSICALLY and MENTALLY abuse their fellow students. And for what reason? Their own satisfaction and furthering of their social status. It’s the epitome of a WEAK character, that they must exercise their physicality over weaker people with minimal regard or compassion for the well being of others. Do you value such traits in your view of an ideal society? If we had a jock in the West Wing, America would probably have invaded Great Britain by now just to rub it in.
Your article promotes NOTHING of kind heartedness, a caring personality, consideration for others or good will towards a neighbour. You seem to feel that America would be better off if it were run by handsome people with social skills. Are you completely unaware of the divide between those who play sports and academics? Do you honestly think that one’s time is always better spent on the pitch than in a library studying? You need to realign your perceptions of what constitutes a wholesome human being before your opinion on those who play video games is to become even remotely credible.
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9:30 am
Everyone is mad because you fail to see any other point of the argument beyond your own. ALL Jocks=Good wholesome Christian boys and ALL gamers= fat lonely failures at life that have to lie on the internet just to make themselves feel better is just false. You make all these statements with nothing to back them up. If you can prove me ONE single piece of evidence showing clear link between Homosexuality and Gaming I will be impressed with your “certified Investigative Journalist” abilities for proving something Biologist can’t figure out.
You bash all people that bring a counter-argument, and then hide behind your Christianity. I am a catholic born and raised. I was taught that Jesus loves one and all. And that during his time on earth, he hung out with the undesirables. He is a champion of the poor, the sick, the people that everyone else shuns. So why is it that all of a sudden Homosexuality is wrong. If you try to prove homosexuality is wrong with the bible please don’t. The bible is not fact, because if it was, then its cool if I own slaves, beat my wife because she wasn’t subservient to me.
You direct attack gamers, and expect them not to respond with anger? What if I say that ALL White people are Ben Afflick and have massive hands. Some guy says “Hey I’m white, but not Ben Afflick”, I have no way of proving or disproving his argument so I just say “Nope, sorry I did research you must be ashamed of your Ben Afflickness and massive hands.” You completely write off what disproves your argument.
I was Captain of my crew Crew team in highool, went to Duquesne Univeristy and graduated. I am currently working on getting my Masters in Education. I’m not just showing off my epeen (thats gamer slang). Now I am on my 3rd year of coaching crew. I did this all while playing video games.
However you will just write me off as a lonely loser who is lying, just because I am living prove that your entire argument is complete and utter crap.
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10:28 am
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11:59 am
Alright I’m not trying to be overly insulting, but I would like to inform you how out-of-touch and outdated the ideas here idea.
First off, I want to say a little bit about myself. I’m 20 years old, from a heartland state, social, attractive, and am a pre-law student carrying a 3.8 GPA at one of the best colleges in my state. I was a three-sport varsity letterman in high school (track, basketball, and cross country) and am-Gasp!-a gamer! A fairly avid one too, somewhere between 10 and 15 hours of playing time a week. My parents never discouraged this either. When I was 5 I got the chicken pox, and my dad, who also caught it, spent the entire week with me on the couch playing Super Mario World on SNES. I would consider myself both a jock and a gamer, bound to be successful in this life, and I’m not just an outlier.
When I was in high school, a large group of my friends (16 or so) would meet about once a month at a friend’s house and hook up multiple Xbox 360s and play Halo via system links (and btw, I hope you understand what I’m talking about here, or else you lose all journalistic integrity). The group of 16 friends included the starting quarterback, fullback, middle linebacker, strong safety, tight end, #2 wide receiver, 2 lineman, the starting point guard (myself), the leading basketball scorer, a starting forward, a starting outfielder, and 2 track record holders. So out of 16 gamers, 14 were jocks, many of them rather devoted. So it isn’t impossible to be both a gamer and a jock.
Now to your points: you say that the jocks are the most popular/most successful with girls, but our group of hybrids were much more popular than the traditional, pure “jocks,” most of whom were ugly, dirty, and rude. Most of the cheerleaders were dating people in my group. You say that jocks are more successful in life; all of my group of 16 gamers are enrolled in major universities, a large majority of the pure “jocks” are either in community college or didn’t enroll at all, and they are well on their way to illustrious careers changing oil, fixing pipes, or laying sod. I’m also going to venture that video games are just as socially constructive as sports; they teach creative problem solving, resourcefulness, competitiveness, and reflexes. They are much more productive than sitting watching TV, which seems to be your ideal way to spend down time. You need to stop living in the 1950s, Mr. Billings. Times have changed, and video games are not a scourge.
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1:51 pm
You know what? I think everyone here needs to watch a video of my adorable little Charlie!
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2:08 pm
Don’t feed the troll!
(a.k.a. Mr. America-Journalist-AttentionWhore-whatever this niemand calls himself)
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2:24 pm
Don’t feed the gaylord-troll folks, it doesn’t worth the damn time.
You are failing at Attention-whoring sir anyway.
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5:38 pm
How unbelievably ignorant. Completely embarrassing. My thought is the writer IS the pimply faced, pale geek…HE is the one that is transferring his own inadequacies in the article. This whole thing was loaded with homoerotic suggestions. Talking about sweaty young men’s bodies, bulging muscles inside soccer shorts???? C’mon, are you joking!?????? This article is something that should be viewed as HUMOR! I certainly cannot even look at this seriously. My son is an A student, very skilled with computers, and not really interested in athletics in the slightest. I am very proud of him. (Not that this has any relevance, but he is also straight…seems as if your author, the one that fantasizes about sweaty boys in soccer shorts, thinks homosexuality is bad…) Funny thing is, I have this notion that he will grow up successful, likely make more money than any jock that I know, and get married and be happy. Here is another cool thing…he is a CHRISTIAN that goes to CHURCH….(However it be NOT a crazy evangelical sort…It’s a Lutheran church, do those count as churches in your freaky culture??) My point is, websites and articles like this promote your ridiculous propaganda, your ignorant thinking process, your homophobic barf bag philosophies. Anyway, I am going to leave it at that, and you can write back and argue what you will. Anyone that thinks this article has ANY merit whatsoever, is a waste of my time.
Wake UP sheeple! The evangelical right has you hypnotized to keep you under their control! You are a joke.
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6:11 pm
I really can’t tell if this guy is being serious or if he is honestly so delusional. Someone please enlighten me, he seems like that modern Jesus look-a-like on Youtube; just mocking Christianity.
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7:32 pm
LOL
The OP, or original poster, is the most retarded headcase I’ve seen in 14 years of living.
Or he’s the world’s best troll. In that case, he deserves a million dollars.
OR
he’s just trying to manipulate us to hate jocks!
(In case you don’t know, a troll is more or less someone who posts on forums just for the sake of annoying the shit out of everyone and getting a laugh out of it. Not some weird fairy monster.)
Mmkay, now to the serious part.
When I blindly stumbled onto this site yesterday, I was laughing my ass off so hard. This guy’s a fucking idoit. SO WHAT if you’re old? I don’t give a shit who you are, you’ve gotta give something of value to be listened to, not the crap you’ve been writing. You can’t just sit on your ass after you’re done playing high school football and expect to be respected after doing nothing for the rest of your life. I’ve bet you’ve not once actually THOUGHT about your religious beliefs for yourself. You just assume that what you’ve been taught by your parents/teacher/pastor(who may have molested you for all I know). Same goes for you JaniceFun. “I dun well and taught my kids good. I a gud momma. Ah rasied Them to be gud little Billings wannabees.” WTF, man you have to let kids figure things out on their own, or you’ll screw them up. I now hate playing soccer because my parents forced me into it when I was around 8, and I hated basketball for a long time, too. I’ve loved to read ever since I was young, and that’s partly why I love playing video games now. I’ve done well in school because I learned to think, read, and speak better because of video games. I’ve become much less of a Christian in the way most people put it because I’ve read and learned things on my own. You guys just want us all to be little zombies all preaching like you. Well I say go fuck yourselves.
And on a side note, I DESPISE World of Warcraft and other MMORPGs (you’ll know what these are if you actually did research)
And, don’t, and I mean don’t “Young people shouldn’t use this language, it’s a sin” me.
Facepalmed by a 14 yr old black kid
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7:40 pm
hi black guy- that was pretty awesome!
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7:47 pm
LOL
The OP, or original poster, is the most retarded headcase I’ve seen in 14 years of living.
Or he’s the world’s best troll. In that case, he deserves a million dollars.
OR
he’s just trying to manipulate us to hate jocks!
(In case you don’t know, a troll is more or less someone who posts on forums just for the sake of annoying the shit out of everyone and getting a laugh out of it. Not some weird fairy monster.)
Mmkay, now to the serious part.
When I blindly stumbled onto this site yesterday, I was laughing my ass off so hard. This guy’s a fucking idoit. SO WHAT if you’re old? I don’t give a shit who you are, you’ve gotta give something of value to be listened to, not the crap you’ve been writing. You can’t just sit on your ass after you’re done playing high school football and expect to be respected after doing nothing for the rest of your life. I’ve bet you’ve not once actually THOUGHT about your religious beliefs for yourself. You just assume that what you’ve been taught by your parents/teacher/pastor(who may have molested you for all I know). Same goes for you JaniceFun. “I dun well and taught my kids good. I a gud momma. Ah rasied Them to be gud little Billings wannabees.” WTF, man you have to let kids figure things out on their own, or you’ll screw them up. I now hate playing soccer because my parents forced me into it when I was around 8, and I hated basketball for a long time, too. I’ve loved to read ever since I was young, and that’s partly why I love playing video games now. I’ve done well in school because I learned to think, read, and speak better because of video games. I’ve become much less of a Christian in the way most people put it because I’ve read and learned things on my own. You guys just want us all to be little zombies all preaching like you. Well I say go fuck yourselves.
And on a side note, I DESPISE World of Warcraft and other MMORPGs (you’ll know what these are if you actually did research)
And, don’t, and I mean don’t “Young people shouldn’t use this language, it’s a sin” me.
Facepalmed by a 14 yr old kid
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8:21 pm
Wow, I have not read so much rubbish since…I don’t know when. I’m not sure what scares me more, the fact that you have a venue to publish such BS or the fact that there might be others like you out there.
You Sir are very naive if you believe that the jock culture represents everything good and wholesome. It’s the jocks that are out at the after parties getting drunk while the gamers at safe at home.
For the record, I am in my 30′s and all the jocks I went to school with are over weight beer swilling couch potatoes.
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12:48 am
As your reply to my statement was, well, nothing short of sadness. You totally ignored everything I said, and even threw some crap about me saying people learn french from WoW, never even had the word french in my post.
Secondly, not only from my own, but from the past of friends, they’ve all seen jocks being nothing short of immoral, sinful, disgusting being, sure there are the occasional good jock, one who actually deserves some respect from doing well academic in all ways, but you sir, you blatantly say you support all kinds of jocks. Even the immoral and sinful ones, as described by so many here, you defend their actions saying it’s a beautiful act and yet you dare call yourself Christian? Saying that alone is blasphemy.
Last thing, this is not an insult, merely an observation, if that truly is you in your picture, you’re far off from good looking/handsome – So to my point, I don’t see how you on earth could’ve ever gone through school with your beloved jocks without countless years of physical and mental bullying. Unless your daddy’s money (or something equivalent) paid them off.
Anyway, I do hope you can wake up one day, and see that your beliefs are so far off the brink of “pure and beautiful” and this is the age of technology, and games, well, as stated, games help more people than ruin their lives – And as a gamer myself, I am incredibly successful in life. So say what you want, but you have countless proof right here that you are wrong, and nothing to indicate that you are, rather the opposite.
-Michael
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10:39 am
And that was meant for claire. Fucking POS Computer…..
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10:40 am
WHAT THE FUCK? Where is my previous comment? Well it said,
This maessage was for Claire. Fucking P.O.S. Computer
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10:44 am
Why are my comments up here? What the FUCK??
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4:08 am
Okay sorry, i’ll tell you right now… I’m gay with Stephenson Billings. It was meant to be a secret but we’re both pedophiles and invite children to our house(s) for candy.
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7:02 am
How would you, or would you even, define video games from chess? If I play chess habitually, it will teach me how to wage violence against a large group of people. In addition, it will cause me, were I to make it a hobby, to become much more sedentary. However, it is hailed as one of the greatest pastimes in history as it is both mentally stimulating and challenging. Many video games work to the same end. What about classic children’s games, or did your parents forbid you such games as monopoly (you win not by coming out ahead but by crushing your opponent into the ground) and operation (medical malpractice anyone?). If the content of a game teaches us values, why would you say that these games destroyed generations of children? Also, in my experience, the jocks are not only the cruelest, as I know has already been mentioned, but also the least intelligent of the students on a campus, in league with the junkies and the drop-outs, although it could be said that they are willing to put in more effort. They are, again in my experience, the most sexually active in high school, which is premarital which I believe is very much non-Christian, no? And keep in mind that plenty of modern jocks play a lot of video games. It’s never been so popular to shoot aliens, zombies, and terrorists. And what about band members? Like team captains, drum majors and section leaders are put in a position of leadership in charge of much, much larger groups of people, and the band keeps many kids lean without bulking them up and without the temptation of steroids, but there were few, if any, of us (band members) who didn’t play video games at least every now and then. So does that make band automatically bad? Or was it even good before video games, seeing as we weren’t jocks? If you tell me the band is bad I’m afraid I can’t take you seriously any more because at that point you are quite obviously simply promoting a childhood you’ve romanticized
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7:12 pm
Stephenson, I’m 41 now working a dead end mechanic job. I used to play high school football and I wasn’t bad in the least. Where’s this success you talk about?
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7:38 pm
Stephenson, I’m 41 and stuck at a dead end job. Where’s all that success you talk about here?
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3:04 am
OH HAI GUIZE I JUST SAUW U CHRISTIANDUDS SUPPORT BUYIN WORLD OF WARCRAFT GOLD IN UR ADVERT!
THNX 4 TIP GUIZE U ROXXORD MY ACCUNT!
Plz nvr stop sukkin te fiktion off Bibble in ass ef it wus reel deel guiz.
OH N PLZ STOP BEING BALD N UGLY U SCAERED MY CAT
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10:44 am
Holycow,
If Worlds of Warcraft Golden wants to advertise with this site and send us money in support of our message, than I say Hooray! Maybe they realize that a responsible corporation must alert parents about their adults-only and dangerous products.
Amen!
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3:06 am
Oh and Billings – One of our best players is a soldier.
Go hump yourself.
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7:00 am
Yes, I can see that this article is unbiased, despite having friends who play sports AND are computer nerds. Billings, you seem like a patriot, why the hatin’ on guns? That is a VERY American thing to do. Next time you’re out playing with balls (not the ones little boys have) just remember who designed them, same with the clothes that ‘boost’ your performence, and also just about everything the army use. That’s right, nerds make them. You guys have have taken one too many hard ones to the head and don’t know enough about aerodynamics, streamlining and slipstreaming. Then there is the elderly, who makes things to give them an easier life? Let’s not forget those who wouldn’t be alive, and those who are on life support. Without nerds they would all be dead or in agonising pain. I could honestly go on all day about how awful your life would be without nerds, but I have much better things to do.
“Choosing to be a jock insures a boy popularity, a fantastic group of friends, the love of parents and eventually success with the female persuasion.”
It’s called don’t be a dickhead or immature. I have lots of friends (not taking into account the ones I know on the internet.) I am a fairly popular guy, and guess what, I don’t do any sports! I have better things to do than get all hot and sweaty with other guys over a ball. Like getting a future and friends.
“Adults who were video gamers in high school are far less likely to become investment bankers, real estate salesmen, doctors, lawyers and sports coaches. They do not become our pastors or politicians.”
All of those are shit professions. All but 4 are solely nerd’s jobs. Doctors need a strong stomach, and be able to handle immense stress, you fail and someone dies, you also have long shifts and not enough sleep. Sports Coach is a truly awful job, chances are you’ll be training little kids who will not listen to you and can’t even play. Pastor is for religious people, which explains why they are (thankfully) becoming harder to find. Why on fucking earth would you want to be a politician? Guy Fawkes is the ONLY person to ever go into parliament with honest intentions.
“maybe if you’re lucky, your half pleasant IT guy.”
XD
The reason we aren’t happy is most of the time “Try turning it on” or “Have you tried plugging it in yet?” works. Trust me, I know this is the case. Dumb fucks like this should just go back to their balls which we designed for them (once again, not the kind you’re into Billings.) I’ll just be happy with my 6 digit yearly earnings. May even get 7+ digits in it.
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9:44 am
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2943280.stm
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article2678519.ece
Stephenson, you are a father who forces his ideals and blind, ignorant faith onto children and are an “investigative journalist” and very successful. What a creative imagination you have! A bit like the guy who wrote the Bible! Playing sports to be successful is an ideology that’s firmly stuck in the 1930′s, just like your bigoted, homophobic ideals. See the articles above you? I’d trust them as a more credible source for journalism than an arrogant, bitter old Christian like yourself.
http://blog.theavclub.tv/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/queen_band.jpg
You may recognise this band. These guys didn’t play sports. Their singer didn’t and was also *GASP* a homosexual! “ZOMG DIS ISZ MUSIC OF TEH DEVIL!!!!!” you will say, in a more condescending and arrogant manner. Well I feel sorry for yo- wait no I don’t. I feel sorry for your kids, who’ve had their lifestyle forced on them by their Nazi of a father. Don’t bother replying, because any argument anyone bothers throwing at you will probably be refuted by “I’m right you’re wrong!” That’s an attitude Hitler had. Oh and while you’re at it go ahead and make wild assumptions about my life. Chances are you’ll be far from the truth, but we all know what a horrible person you are judging by your comments. People like you are stuck in the past and frankly are just bitter because you can’t adapt to modern society.
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11:24 am
facepencil, well I’m not actually a father but I did play high school football and now I counsel kids about sexuality issues, among other things. I don’t know where your unhinged rant is coming from. I can barely understand your odd sentences. You sound a bit delirious. But that’s no surprise, you’re probably still up from last night hooked on some Grand Theft session. Did you shoot some bad guys yet? It’s sad to think you’re probably only an early teen.
Of course it’s no surprise that a music group with the name “QUEEN” would be composed of homosexuals. Thanks for the newsflash. I wasn’t born yesterday. In fact, I just penned a study on that very subject: http://christwire.org/2009/09/homosexuality-the-enemy-within/
And your Hitler nonsense is plainly hurtful and absurd. Any Jew can tell you that throwing around that label is a great offense to the millions who dies in WWII.
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9:50 am
Every kid enjoys a new baseball mitt or a football! (I’d avoid skateboards, however, there is too much drug use and anti-social behavior connected with it.) And when they’re 16, it’s time to consider the appropriate “muscle car” for your boy.
Muscle cars? Im sorry, but I’m sick of these well to do middle class republican types who don’t know what its like to be poor.
The new christian right fails to look at verses in the bible such as “Do not judge”, and cherry picks ones that throw around dominance.
Same goes to music.
I have a very in depth knowledge of music genres myself, and I can tell you, there is NO “satanic” music in the mainstream. You’d have to look very hard to find satanic black metal bands (though anti religious ones arn’t uncommon). Backwards messages have been proven to have NO effect on the human brain, yet fundamentalists still bash this, and pick on subjects with an extremely minor knowledge of the subject, or deem a band “satanic” due to one phrase in their whole discography.
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10:41 am
Dear James, video gaming is known to have a negative effect on attention spans. That is clear from your wild response to me about rock music. Where does my article discuss music and why must you go off on some crazy response like you did? I seriously believe that people like you are the root of the problem, the way you promote gaming as “cool” among your teen friends. It’s just not “cool” to come down with epilepsy or brain damage, and to ruin your future in my book! And yes, I do believe there is a lot of Satanism in music- what do you think ACDC and Judas Priest were all about?
As a Republican and a Christian, I do believe those who work hard and love their Lord are rewarder justly. Just because you don’t have the means right now doesn’t mean you can’t work hard to achieve your goals. Sure, some parents can’t afford a muscle car for their kids, but I do think certain special varsity athletes are deserving of these rewards for their hard work and successes. Would you really want the quarterbacks of this world riding around on bicycles?
And this “Do not judge,” nonsense is plain silly. Who is to lead the children if not the elders?
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10:33 am
What right do you have in saying how we were raised? I was raised very well, with 2 wonderful parents. Im now a nuclear med radiology practicing in 5 hospitals in my area. I make enough for me and my fiance to live very comfortably, and guess what? My entire childhood life I was a gamer. So what?
Being a good person has NOTHING and i mean NOTHING to do with your choice between sports or gaming, nor can your self be evaluated by your beliefs. Just because someone does not believe the way you do does NOT make them terrible.
I must say for a professional, you are VERY judgmental and very full of yourself. It saddens me really.
And just so you know. Pretty much my entire high school football team is now washing windows, flipping burgers, and cleaning MY car when I pull my Mercedes into the wash..
Good day to you.
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10:46 am
And I quote, “Out of terrible shame, video gamers will lie to your face and describe themselves as successful, goodlooking heterosexuals with gorgeous girlfriends and a rich social life. But we know this is not true. It’s a desperate attempt to cover up utter failure.”
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11:16 am
So to be a real Christian you need to be a racist AND sexist?
That me reminds of someone “some” years ago
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12:23 pm
i hope you all realise that he speaks some truth, being a gamer can harm your health, however, saying some ones life is phatetic because they game is quite wroung. everyone needs boundries, a jock if not educated well can see himself as superior to non jocks which is not correct. however a gamer that is not educated well may become overly fat. (not sure where you got the homosexual part) i think the original poster (OP) has some points but went about it comepletly wroung. his approach is highly ofensive and narrow minded, as is some of the responses made to him. but saying one way of life is correcty is just idiocy. sometimes i wish my childhood was diffrent, sometimes i dont. my Brother is in the Army he likes playing video games, i wouldnt call him a gamer though as its only sometimes,
and as last point, you saying that video games cause violence. have you ever thought what the sport Boxxing does ?? it does provide a violent tendency as you are trained to hit people. everything is about moderation in all things, billings had a few nice points but went about it completly wroung and i personally would like him to apologise for some of the hurtfull things he said which are not completly true
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1:03 pm
Good afternoon, Mr. Billings, (though it is likely a different time wherever it is that you exist)
I was sent a link to this article by a friend, who seems to find it hilarious. I find it saddening, and still more saddening after reading through some of the comments at the end, from people sitting on both sides of this argument. Such articles as this make me lose any faith that I once had in humanity. It shocks me that such a lack of intelligent could exist within any member of my race – though I see examples of this frequently. Perhaps you might use that statement as an argument against evolution, if you’re planning on writing an anti-evolution article next, no doubt based on Christian ‘reasoning’.
Before I comment, i’d like to make the following statements (perhaps they will be helpful to you in understanding my perspective, allowing you to better understand the truth of what it is I have to say):
I am one of these people who you say are ‘tainted’ (though you might use a different word, perhaps) by video games, so I feel I am an appropriate person to counter your flawed article.
I am 17 years of age, and have considered myself an adult for many years. (If we measure adulthood by levels of intellectual maturity, then I believe that you would be counted a child in comparison. Perhaps you will prove my wrong by telling me why my comments are flawed, in a calm, coherent and correct manner?)
My theological standing would be best described as atheist. (I come from a mainly Christian family, however, that religion and all those that use it to backup their arguments seem ridiculous to me. But that argument is for another place than this, perhaps.)
I am a British student currently studying in a school, following the IB (International Baccalaureate), and doing three A-levels on the side to improve my chances of successful application to the university that I wish to go to.
I’d also like to add that I in no way feel threatened by your activities in high-school, since you seem to think that is one of the reasons that so many voices have argued with your point of view, or perhaps the sole reason.
Now:
Firstly, you state that those of our race who decide to spend their time working on physical tasks (such as sports) are superior to those that spend their time gaining their entertainment from more virtual means (such as MMORPGs, and other genres of computer games).
I fail to see how you reach this conclusion, especially since you fail to mention that not everyone is the same, and that there are likely some ‘jocks’ who are superior at mental tasks than those who spend their time playing video games.
I’ve played video games for a large portion of my life sitting at my laptop screen playing various MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role playing games) from World of Warcraft, to Anarchy Online, and back again. (though less so now, now that I am working towards my place at Cambridge university to study physics.)
I am of the opinion that playing video games, such as MMORPGs, has improved my skills in many fields over the years that i’ve played them. For example, communication with others, mathematics, philosophy. I’ve talked with people from all over this planet and shared my views and opinions with them. (Indeed, it was one such person whom I have been in contact with through the internet that linked me this article.)
Your article is heavily bias towards your point of view, and fails to mention that those who are not described as ‘jocks’ are, in fact, more likely to be superior in so many fields than those who would be described as such. Though, since my argument (unlike yours) is balanced, I will add that ‘jocks’ will also be valuable members of society in some instances.
You constantly remind us through your comments that you are a reporter of experience. How is it, then, that you fail to write a report which even resembles a balanced argument? (Though you may be forgiven for this, many of your profession similarly fail to do so. Perhaps it is because you all spent too much time playing football as children, instead of doing something to further your abilities in another field – such as mathematics, which would gain a superior profession for you in later life?).
Anyway, to summarize my first point (in case your attention span is lacking, or you’re a busy man):
Your report is bias, and therefore you failed to note counter-arguments which I feel are important. Especially on a border-line philosophical matter which you have decided to write the above article about.
Furthermore, spending time engaged in physical activity with other children is strongly viewed as a way to build up skills such as teamwork, confidence aswell as personal fitness, and this is likely true. However, you fail to take into account that all of these skills can be improved similarly with video games (especially multiplayer ones), along with a great many others: reading ability in young children, creativity, communication skills – to name just a few. (I fear this will be lengthy enough, so I will endeavor to keep such lists short.)
So – That ends my first point. Hopefully you’ll understand what I said, if my language is too complex or otherwise unclear, then please let me know and I will try to make it easier to understand. But I am sure an ‘adult’ such as yourself will have no problems understanding its meaning with your superior mental abilities.
Secondly, you state that young people being developed physically is something that you find desirable in a younger generation, or indeed, any generation.
Now, ignoring the obviously homosexual implications of this, which i’m sure you did not intend to be there. (I refuse to be as crude as previous posters and focus solely on that as a means of pointing out the ridiculousness of your argument.)
So – Physical ability is more important than everything else, huh?
Well, the main reason that that is untrue is this: physical ability has become less and less important in the thousands upon thousands of years that our race and ancestors have struggled to survive. Higher mental functions are the thing that has allowed us to take control of this planet and become the dominant species, not physical might.
Mental ability will continue to be that which makes our race the dominant species of this planet, and allow us to advance upon whatever path we choose to walk. I am hopeful that this will be one involving space flight, since that is a field that I am interested in.
And how does one improve one’s mental ability? By solving puzzles, studying maths (or math, in your part of the world), and various other types of intellectual activity. In short, most of the things you might gain from playing modern (or many past) video games.
These are not traits gained by wandering around a rectangle of grass with a group of people, kicking a small bag of air at each other. Of this, I am undoubtedly correct.
I feel that my second point was written in a short enough way to not require a summary as my first point did, and to be honest, i’ve other things to do than teach an adult such as yourself about the way things work. Since, by your own statement, you should be able to work these things out for yourself.
At this point, i’d add something about you potentially being tainted by Christianity, and that religion is in fact a far greater danger than obesity to our children. I mean, seriously, teaching them to believe in an imaginary man who lives everywhere, can do everything, and who has great love for us all? With zero proof? Surely that is far more dangerous to a young man or woman’s mind than spending hours training themselves in puzzle-solving, maths and communicating with fellow humans.
However – I don’t believe that that point would have any effect. Since most Christians are so firmly rooted in their beliefs, that they do not listen to logic. I believe you call that faith.
I could write a third point, but I feel i’ve already made my point that what you think is important for younger generations is ridiculous, and that video games are something useful to society, not something that damages it (such as religion).
I will keep an eye on this page, and will happily answer any queries you have about any of my points.
I request that you don’t quote your holy book at me, I’ve studied it for a few years, and I understand what your religion is about. Perhaps if you took the time to read it, you’ll notice the many flaws in it.
Sources that contradict themselves are not a good place to stage an argument from.
Have an enjoyable life,
Andrew Cooper,
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10:38 am
So Andrew, you’re a pissy teen addicted gamer who considers himself mature? Why should I care? You clearly aren’t developed morally. You don’t have a clue about the responsibilities of being an adult. Children these days are coddled into their 30s, so I can’t imagine any 17 year old really being an adult. Oh, you type well. I’ll give you that. But that doesn’t mean your atheist worldview has any credence in a Christian environment.
I will admit to being biased. I am biased in favor of Christianity, that great foundation of modern society, that fountain of morality and knowledge. It has been guiding mankind for thousand of years. What have you contributed?
And yes, Jocks are successful and have impressive strengths. Get used to it.
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12:16 pm
Stephenson Billings, people like you give a terrible reputation to the Christians. Thanks to your commentaries and ideas, people who are not Christian consider us to be mind closed, homophobic and discriminatory. And how can we blame them?
Where’s the respect and the love that Christ preached? “Love each other as I have loved you.” With your article you manage to discriminate very well against the persons who do not follow a sports way, condemning it to a life of failures ” These poor souls may never have the courage to ask to girl on to dates back ” poor souls? How in the name of all that is sake dare you to call someone ” Poor soul “? The one who dares to degrade the soul of another person (and only for the fact of being gamer) only demonstrates the poverty of his own soul. Since the Biblical appointments fascinate you I remind you one: “do not judge or you will be judged “.
It depresses me to see this type of column, that finally the only thing that manages is to generate hatred towards the christianity. You have used your religious principles to divide and not to join, which causes a great repulsion.
To all the people who read this, please, do not think that all the Christians are like this man. This one is an example of how a Christian must not be.
PD: Forgive my English, it is not my native language.
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1:38 pm
Stephenson. I am an English college student, having just received my GCSEs and moving onto my IB (International Baccalaureate). I spend 1-2 Hours a day studying,(bar Wednesdays and Thursdays, when I have study leave and therefore study for 4-5 hours), and I also spend 2-3 hours gaming. On top of this, at weekends I partake in Martial Arts, Badminton and Archery. Finally, I am an Antitheist. (The direct opposition of theism, or the belief in a god/gods).
I found this site whilst researching material for a philosophy essay, and I find your comments on Atheism (And thus, Antitheism), exceptionally rude, stating that we have no spiritual side. I am a strong believer in reincarnation, and also in chi, yet I follow no religion. This shows that I am spiritual, yet not a religious person. I have forwarded this to several friends, who will most likely also be making comments.
Next, you state that gamers such as myself have not developed past the mental maturity of a 12 year old. Please show me a 12 year old that can/will -
a) Reply to posts in a mature and organised manner
b) Formulate answers to a debate in such a way as to prevent insult
c) Stumble onto a Christian site such as this, and bother to read a long article such as the one that you have written, and then reply with meaningful answers.
Next up, I openly admit that I do not have a girlfriend. Is this because I am a gamer? No. This is because I do not tend to socialise with girls, as up until now I have been attending a boys only grammar school. Does this make me Homosexual? No.
Your answer to my comment as thus may be that I am English, and thus the “Jock Culture” does not apply. I would say that this is a fair statement, however we still have people in our schools who are very similar to your “Jocks”, and I will state now, that among the students of my college, they have the greatest physical prowess. They also have the lowest grades, D’s and C’s compared to the comparatively high B’s, A’s and, occasionally A*’s that I achieve.
Next, you say that you wish to celebrate this culture that is found in America, yet it seems that you openly promote bullying, as shown by the picture that has been mentioned in a lot of other posts: The Jock pushing a boy into a locker. Furthermore you wish to celebrate the muscular fitness of these children, yet you fail to realise that to some, this “muscular fitness” is actually extremely off putting. When travelling through the halls, where my college is combined with the lower school (thus becoming a sixth form), it is not uncommon to find younger kids being barged out of the way by brutish “jocks”, as you would name them.
Before you state that I should not be on a website that is aimed at ADULTS, it will be important to note that the age of responsibility in Britain is 16, and thus I have every right to be on this site. Furthermore, before you state that I am simply lying, I would like you to read my above list of reasons that I am not simply a 12 year old posting. You may not believe that I am a college student, and that is solely up to you, however you cannot simply discount my views due to me being too young and inferior in knowledge. Truth be told, if you and I where to take knowledge based exams, I would probably win.
I find your points of view elitist and not anywhere near convincing. You say to tell your children that if they so not excel at sports then they will fail in life. This cannot be true, as I can name MANY people who have not played sports and have yet changed the lives of millions. Some of these you may not recognise, whilst others you should be ashamed if you don’t.
Nelson Mandella
Florence Nightingale
Martin Luther King
Jesus – Please find me a quote in the bible showing that Jesus played Football!
Stephen Hawking – Didn’t so much of change the face of the earth, more the face of physics.
Next up, is your statement that gaming causes Epilepsy and Brain Damage. This I find most laughable. Epilepsy is an inherant problem with the brain, and can merely be triggered by flashing lights. It can also happen for no distinct cause, as I know for a fact, due to my friend having epilepsy.
I would like to say more, however I now have to go out, so I will leave you to read what I have written and comment accordingly.
Ps. I regulate my own game time, my parents do not need to even ask about it.
Please think about your words before you comment, and try not to insult anyone any more.
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10:32 am
Raime, I’m sorry I hurt your delicate feelings but when you have the truth burning inside you sometimes you have to holler. You’re a college student? Well learn to be succinct. Your gigantic essay is annoying and unreadable. It also makes little sense. It makes me wonder how good the European academic system really is. And don’t try to tell me what to do, I am far older and more mature than you and I have seen many things in this world that you could not even imagine. When you’re a bit older and maybe even a parent, you may comprehend this.
And so Florence Nightingale didn’t play football, what does that prove? Neither did Jeffrey Dahmer, Jack the Ripper, Pontius Pilate, Adolph and Mao.
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4:33 am
“Your gigantic essay is annoying and unreadable. It also makes little sense.”
Made sense to me :/. Yes, it’s a bit long, but if you’re willing to dismiss a comment as “annoying and unreadable,” instead of actually, you know, reading it and responding/rebutting, then why write an article in the first place?
“And don’t try to tell me what to do, I am far older and more mature than you and I have seen many things in this world that you could not even imagine.”
Pretty shameless argument from authority (more specifically “I’m older then you, therefore I’m right.”) It might shock you, but the times have changed from when you were a child, and maybe a modern 16 year old would be better able to understand the issues facing teenagers today, then an adult on a perch. Or, alternatively, judge someone’s argument by the content of their argument, not how long it’s been since they have been born. In short, being older then someone isn’t proof of anything.
“And so Florence Nightingale didn’t play football, what does that prove?”
“Be honest with your boys and tell them they’ll grow up as failures if they don’t excel at sports.”
Spot the contradiction.
(Yeah, Nightingale was a woman, but others that Raime listed [Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandella, etc] are male.)
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2:39 pm
Wow, i have been reading through this website and at first I thought i was hilarious, but I soon realize that these people were serious… Jock Culture? what culture is that might I ask? The ideas of the weak being bullied and beaten? Of harassing people who are different and DRIVING THEM TO SHOOT UP SCHOOLS? Mabey if you would do some research, you would have found out that the two shooters were harassed before, after and during school hours, beaten by other students, and numerous other horrible things. Also, the best part is, THE TEACHERS WERE AWARE OF THESE THINGS HAPPENING! I applaud the shooters. I don’t agree with their beliefs but I think it is awesome that they took a fucking stand for human rights and basic human kindness. Its people like the ones who write these articles that cause these shootings to happen. By being close minded bigots who can’t see that there are two sides to every story. I am going to spread the word about this site and hopefully this hate mongering lying piece of shit web page will get shut the fuck down. I believe in freedom of speech but some people just need to STFU and keep their stupidity to themselves. And also, their is no solid evidence that Video games are an addiction and there is also no solid evidence that Video Games cause Violence. If children emulate what they see, mabye the parents are to blame. Basically, quit blaming Other people for your poor parenting skills. If you can’t control what a child of 5 watches, you are a failure as a parent and a human being. If you don’t like whats on TV turn it off. Also, all TV’s come with something called a V-Chip. If you bothered to read the instructions, you would find out that this BUILT IN CHIP can BLOCK CHANNELS FOR YOU!!! Parents, do your fucking jobs and raise your kids properly instead of blaming TV and Video games. I mean really.
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2:42 pm
What a bunch of crap, you have to be joking when writing this article and believing in it makes you an ignorant person. You will be a failure if you do not excel at sports. More likely excelling at sports you end up the high school janitor who never let go of the big game and losers.
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2:46 pm
Sports culture teaches children to be aggressive, competitive, and to PUNISH your opponent in however way possible. Football is a pussified game of rugby with steroid-pumped sexually confused men in armor plating. By the way some of your phrases hint that you are a flaming pedophile.
You are an aging old man with old values from a time in our country that has long passed. Stop trying to fight the rising tide because YOU WILL NOT WIN. It seems to me that the whole of Extremist Chrisitianity is just a guild full of clothie Mages trying to Crowd Control everything.
And in most video games, we are FIGHTING AGAINST THE EVIL, not siding with them. Paladin, yes?
Just give this up. In this coming age, technology is becoming the major factor in deciding the success of this country. Your time is over, old man, this is OUR TIME.
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10:27 am
Level 80:
Welcome to the real world! Yes, it’s tough and aggressive. I’m sorry you just have to get used to it. No, it’s not some peace and love in like your Obama fanatics want to believe. Just look at the everyday violence in Iraq! You should be on your knees thanking GOD that this country hasn’t fallen apart like that. It’s a big, bad world out there. Be prepared!
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1:11 pm
The everyday violence that George Bush is responsible for? The guy you “Conservative-Christian” lot appear to have a homosexual crush on?
Think it through
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2:59 pm
I’m sorry if someone already said this before me but I didn’t read everything:
”Everyone that agrees with me is adult everyone that disagrees is a 12year old kid and I’m hardly responding seriously to them I’m just gonna tell them that they are the lying 12year old kids.”
I can hardly take anyone seriously responding like that and as far I have seen you have responded on most posts like that.
Sorry for my spelling mistakes english isn’t my native language.
Yes I’m a gamer and I’m just 16 years old.
So you gonna give me the ”You shouldn’t read this but your parents should, please go away”? and proof me right with hardly responding seriously?
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3:11 pm
I don’t know what has gotten you teens all lathered up today and frankly I don’t even know why you’re all on a Christian Conservative website that is genuinely intended for ADULTS, but let just say this: Your attempts to discredit me are incredibly immature and biased. You feel threatened by me because I am a former high school football player.
JESUS CHRIST YOU CALL US FUXKING BIASED YOU STUPID TWAT?!? DID YOU EVEN BOTHER TO THINK ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ARGUMENT? NO! YOU JUST THOUGHT: I KNOW, IM CHRISTIAN SO SINCE GOD SAYS SO I MUST BE FUCKING CORRECT, THEREFORE SINCE I CAN’T ACTUALLY WORK A COMPUTER TO THE EXTENT OF GETTING A GAME WORKING, IT MUST ONLY BE NERDS AND OUTCASTS THAT USE IT.
NEWSFLASH, WANKER, TIMES HAVE MOVED ON. I DON’T GIVE A SHIT THAT YOU WERE A FOOTBALLER, YOU THINK I FEEL THREATENED???? I’D RATHER BE A COMPLETE FUCKING WEED WHO DOES DRUGS THAN BE A JOCK AND TURN OUT TO BE A HYPOCRITICAL NARROW MINDED FUCKER LIKE YOU ARE!
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4:19 pm
I am an ADULT and a christian so why don’t you talk with me Mr. Stephenson Billings. Sorry to bust your bubble Billings, but you must not be in touch with the new “jock”. I will give a few brief points as to my background. I am a christian. I was a top ranked O-lineman in the nation coming out of highschool. I was fortunate by the grace of God to play on a top 25 SEC football team. Also by his grace I graduated with a BS in chemistry, a BBA in finance, and later a DDS for dentistry. I played all of the aforementioned games with the exception of The Sims. The majority of football players that I know play or have played on a regular basis atleast one of these games. I would have to say that the Halo franchise is one of the most popular games that football players enjoy and we even would go so far as to have Halo parties when the games were released.
Now as for the “side effects” of games such as “obesity, apathy, suicide, school violence, Satanism, masturbation, homosexuality and unemployment.” You do not need to ban your kids from games because that will make them go behind your back to play. You need to teach them to play in moderation. This will solve the obesity issue. As for suicide, apathy, and school violence I would have to say that “jocks” bullying kids around and shoving them into lockers has more to do with it then video games ever did. Satanism? I mean really? Please show me a mainstream game that promotes worshipping satan, and if you say Doom, Wolfenstein or any of their ilke I might just facepalm. If anything Doom and Wolfenstein promote anti-naziism and anti-demonism through the simple action of blowing them to little tiny chunks of adipose and bone. The only way to stop a teenage kid from masturbation is premarital sex. I ask you which one is worse using a hand or having a baby? As for homosexuality I mean wow just wow. You obviously have not spent any time playing a MMO or online game of any kind. If anything it is the exact opposite where little kids are running around yelling “faggot” and racial slurs to everyone possible. So I would say that video games would push homosexuality into submission instead of promoting it by peer pressure. As for unemployment I would have to say it would be the other way around. Video games do not promote unemployement but unemployed people may play video games more. These lazy worthless people would still be unemployed whether video games exist or not. They would probably find another way to waste their time such as recreational drugs.
Now that all of the side effects you gave were debunked please do not be stereotypical. Saying that the Guitar Hero franchise is immoral is along the same lines of playing the guitar is immoral. That means that all music which contains a guitar is immoral. Which means that the majority of christian music is immoral. Now do you see how silly this is? I can fully understand that saying a video game such as Grand Theft Auto is immoral since it includes hookers, killing for money, and stealing cars. But that is also why their is an ESRB rating on each video game to help parents decide which game is right and wrong for their children.
Now for all of the other people on this thread that are also sterotyping “jocks.” You are just as bad as Billings is. You are doing the exact same thing he is and only making matters worse instead of showing him your opinions in an intelligent manner. Only stupid people stereotype others since they cannot conduct an intelligent conversation in which to show others their opinions. Could I be considered a muscle bound meathead “jock?” Yes since I am 6’7″, 300lbs, and 15% BF and work out 5 times a week. Could I be considered a gamer? Yes since currently raid with a top 100 US guild on Wow as a holy/ret paladin. Am I intelligent? I consider myself to be not stupid since I was able to become a doctor. Am I athletic? Once again I consider myself to be since I was able to start 3 out of 5 years on a top 25 ranked D1-A football team in college. Am I a christian? I go to church ever sunday, pray almost every night, and believe that jesus was the son of God. Now please go ahead and try to stereotype me.
Now please stop all of this stupidity floating around on both sides. Billings go and educate yourself a little more and actually play a video game or two such as Guitar Hero you might actually enjoy it. Anti-jock folks how about you go outside and play a pick up game of basketball or take a run once in awhile to get the blood flowing. You don’t have to be perfect at it just enjoy yourself. Sorry for the wall of text but I think it was needed to prove that both sides are wrong in this arguement.
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4:23 pm
I am an ADULT and a christian so why don’t you talk with me Mr. Stephenson Billings. Sorry to bust your bubble Billings, but you must not be in touch with the new “jock”. I will give a few brief points as to my background. I am a christian. I was a top ranked O-lineman in the nation coming out of highschool. I was fortunate by the grace of God to play on a top 25 SEC football team. Also by his grace I graduated with a BS in chemistry, a BBA in finance, and later a DDS for dentistry. I played all of the aforementioned games with the exception of The Sims. The majority of football players that I know play or have played on a regular basis atleast one of these games. I would have to say that the Halo franchise is one of the most popular games that football players enjoy and we even would go so far as to have Halo parties when the games were released.
Now as for the “side effects” of games such as “obesity, apathy, suicide, school violence, Satanism, masturbation, homosexuality and unemployment.” You do not need to ban your kids from games because that will make them go behind your back to play. You need to teach them to play in moderation. This will solve the obesity issue. As for suicide, apathy, and school violence I would have to say that “jocks” bullying kids around and shoving them into lockers has more to do with it then video games ever did. Satanism? I mean really? Please show me a mainstream game that promotes worshipping satan, and if you say Doom, Wolfenstein or any of their ilke I might just facepalm. If anything Doom and Wolfenstein promote anti-naziism and anti-demonism through the simple action of blowing them to little tiny chunks of adipose and bone. The only way to stop a teenage kid from masturbation is premarital sex. I ask you which one is worse using a hand or having a baby? As for homosexuality I mean wow just wow. You obviously have not spent any time playing a MMO or online game of any kind. If anything it is the exact opposite where little kids are running around yelling “faggot” and racial slurs to everyone possible. So I would say that video games would push homosexuality into submission instead of promoting it by peer pressure. As for unemployment I would have to say it would be the other way around. Video games do not promote unemployement but unemployed people may play video games more. These lazy worthless people would still be unemployed whether video games exist or not. They would probably find another way to waste their time such as recreational drugs.
Now that all of the side effects you gave were debunked please do not be stereotypical. Saying that the Guitar Hero franchise is immoral is along the same lines of playing the guitar is immoral. That means that all music which contains a guitar is immoral. Which means that the majority of christian music is immoral. Now do you see how silly this is? I can fully understand that saying a video game such as Grand Theft Auto is immoral since it includes hookers, killing for money, and stealing cars. But that is also why their is an ESRB rating on each video game to help parents decide which game is right and wrong for their children.
Now for all of the other people on this thread that are also sterotyping “jocks.” You are just as bad as Billings is. You are doing the exact same thing he is and only making matters worse instead of showing him your opinions in an intelligent manner. Only stupid people stereotype others since they cannot conduct an intelligent conversation in which to show others their opinions. Could I be considered a muscle bound meathead “jock?” Yes since I am 6’7″, 300lbs, and 15% BF and work out 5 times a week. Could I be considered a gamer? Yes since currently raid with a top 100 US guild on Wow as a holy/ret paladin. Am I intelligent? I consider myself to be not stupid since I was able to become a doctor. Am I athletic? Once again I consider myself to be since I was able to start 3 out of 5 years on a top 25 ranked D1-A football team in college. Am I a christian? I go to church ever sunday, pray almost every night, and believe that jesus was the son of God. Now please go ahead and try to stereotype me.
Now please stop all of this stupidity floating around on both sides. Billings go and educate yourself a little more and actually play a video game or two such as Guitar Hero you might actually enjoy it. Anti-jock folks how about you go outside and play a pick up game of basketball or take a run once in awhile to get the blood flowing. You don’t have to be perfect at it just enjoy yourself. Sorry for the wall of text but I think it was needed to prove that both sides are wrong in this arguement.
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10:24 am
Ryan,
I really don’t appreciate your arrogant tone. it’s not welcome on this site. I don’t care what lies you want to type into anonymous website, I am one of the many who do not believe you. I am not a scientist or a researcher, but there are thousands of studies that prove my points about the dangers of gaming. In fact, I was basically writing down conventional wisdom. If you aren’t prepared to accept that, then well you manage your own personality problems. I’m not your therapist so save the hand wringing for your doctors or your family.
In any event, you make so many absurd points I would like to ruin them here, but your holier than thou and aggressive tone just turns me off. Why should I waste my time with anguished gamers like you?
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10:46 am
“but your holier than thou and aggressive tone just turns me off.”
Stephensen, I’m pretty sure that the majority of us on here agree that it is YOU who has the “holier than thou” tone, in both your articles and your replies.
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5:11 pm
This article is strange and makes Christians look ignorant and cheesy.
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8:09 pm
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9:02 pm
God can kiss my ass.
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9:19 pm
Are we serious here?
I do grasp the concept of “too much” and some people can get carried away with video games. How ever it is not healthy to take those obsessions and force other activities into you’re children’s lives. It may be fine to give them a variety of hobbies, but force feeding them false flags is just a bad idea. They will grow to hate you, and they finally reach an age to leave to college, well they’ll rebel. I’ve seen happen too many times.
Mr. Billings, how arrogant can a man be? If anyone disagrees with you, you call them liars or children, how dare you judge another human being. You say you’re a good Christian and you start casting out a growing culture because they don’t play sports?
I have a younger brother in the Navy who is due home next year. We email from time to time, but what has really brought us close is World of Warcraft. After his time on the boat is served him and his deck crew start playing World of Warcraft. If it wasn’t for this game, I wouldn’t know what was going on in his life till I got an email or a phone call, neither of which I can engage in an activity with him. Video games are a hobby that keep my brother, his friends, and mine in touch.
I don’t appreciate you blaming video games for the cause of all these problems, when in fact it’s just a form of bad parenting. As a parent, I let my kids play video games, but there is a limit. I only let them play after their school work is done, if they’re getting good grades, they helped their mother for the day, etc. There are boundries, just like I had in highschool with curfews, being grounded, not being able to play foot ball due to grades, etc.
You shouldn’t be blaming an active culture for problems, maybe that subside in your life currently. It’s not a good christian thing to do, and I would in fact appreciate an apology.
Also, I don’t see how playing video games results in bad jobs, obesity, being stuck at 12 year olds mental capacity and some of the other things said in the article. Take me for example, I have a loving wife and 2 children. I make $75,000/year as an IT administrator. 5/7 days I wake up at 5am and jog to the gym. I am very fit, and enjoy my time in the morning alone almost more than any other part of the day. I still attend school and am working on my masters in Computer Science, I graduated from MSU with a 3.8 in their CIS program. I understand you probably will reply saying I’m a liar, but this is the honest truth.
Sports in highschool did help me understand how being competitive can be a great thing, but I’ve also seen the majority of my teamates become problems and burdens on their families. I will actually be going to my 10 year class reunion next June and I know the status of some of my friends from football. They’re not in good shape, most of them fell apart after highschool.
There are many more factors in peoples lives that drive them to success and I’m appalled a fellow christian would put blame on something so innocent.
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10:18 am
Michael, I have had a great deal of experience around children and spent much time counseling them. Clearly, you’re out of your depth here.
And you request an apology from me? Oh, please get off your high horse. And grow up, too. People didn’t come to this website to read your ridiculous essay, so keep your radical agenda to yourself.
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12:54 pm
“Michael, I have had a great deal of experience around children and spent much time counseling them. Clearly, you’re out of your depth here.”
Has anybody else noticed that a recurring rebuttal of Billings’ is that his “vast experience outweighs ours”?
I wouldn’t be surprised if he next tries to claim that he knows more about the menstrual cycle than females do, simply because he’s worked with female children.
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2:17 am
Hey all im writing this from Denmark. No not the Main cappital of Sweeden but the contry just abow Germany.
Im mystified about the contens of this article. I thought it was only in the middle east we have religious fanatics, or so they want us to belive. But in truth, USA is just as fanatic as the middle east. Yes yes I know im speaking in absolute terms here.
How can you say any of the stuff in this article with out pissing your own pants from laughing so hard. I have never read so much bullshit before. I for one is gratefull that I live in Europe and not USA.
BTW Im an Officer in the Danish Army. I am a active “Jock” if you will. And also i own a Wii a PS3 and a XboX360. I also play alot of computer games, including World of Warcraft.
So yes ofc all who play computer will become failures. Especialy with people like you around. IMO the best thing you could do to help children in the USA is deport your self to a deserted island.
Sorry for all the misspellings if any.
M.Larsen
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4:06 am
Stephen Billings, it was quite a interesting article to read as I was litterally laughing out loud (Lol) while reading and to be honest (TBH) this was due to my perception that no serious article on the subject matter could be so narrow minded and not be a joke.
After going over most of the posts it is apparent that this has devolved into what most people know as a flame war, however there is something that can be taken away from it, such as points of opposing moralities and points of view, however there is so many logical flaws to your article and the overall construct, in its entirety it fails to meet its aim.
Simply a person who spends thier time playing sports or playing computer games is a choice thay make on thier own personal basis and it is up to them to manage thier lives responsibly or incase of a child who is still learning thay are to be guided by thier parent or mentor in no way is one aspect better than the other it is back to comparing apples with oranges, its what you do with the two that matters.
You claim to be christian, of which I can openly say I am not, I choose to believe there is a possiblilty of a higher being such as god, however I am asking that u do not judge what I have to say on that fact, what id like to indicate in saying this is that christian ideals are that of love and acceptance, god never stops loving you no matter what even if he doesnt approve of your actions.
In saying that, why is it a trend for the articles in your career to have sensantional accusations and degredation towards differing cultures to that of your perceived ideal christian values morales and life style, any leader will know that the best way to lead and teach is by example yet rather trying to help people you focus to heavily on the negatives, the don’t rather than the do(a problem worth noting in todays media, negative stories having more air time and human interest than the positive).
So my suggestion is to open your mind to other alternatives and try and relate to people rather than create bariers and segregate yourself and your beliefs from them (apparent by the large ammount of personal attacks on yourself by the posters due to your stance and choice of words).
In doing this you’ll find that you get very interesting constructive feed back rather than the drivel that was spouted towards you and by you to them, maybe then youll produce interesting stimulating articles that aren’t so black and white.
For reference sake I am male 22 years of age, 188cm (6’3″) 86 kilos (193.5 pounds) I play video games namingly World of warcraft (Zeussette Thaurissan for those who want to have a chat) in my spare time, I have a Fiance female named Melissa Doe 25 with two children female teleah Doe 4 years and female lily Doe 5 months, I am studying two courses in TAFE (Technical And Further Education) data Voice and Communications as well as Computer assembly and repair, I am happy with my life and strive to improve myself, surroundings and help the people I love.
Im giving out personal details in all honesty to try and receive recognition and credibilty towards combating your ill perceived notion that “Out of terrible shame, they will lie to your face and describe themselves as successful, goodlooking heterosexuals with gorgeous girlfriends and a rich social life.”
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10:14 am
Why do I care about your weight? Put your shirt back on, kiddo. I don’t care. And if you’re not a Christian, why should I care about your tirade on morals? What credibility do you have? And don’t give me this “free choice” baloney. If we let everyone have free choice, we’d have to let rapists and serial killers do their thing without interference. Maybe we should give them all a hug and wish them good luck? Your logic doesn’t stand the test of reality.
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12:07 pm
Might I ask why you have a comments section on this page if all you are going to do is attack anyone that tries to question you? This will get you no-where apart from, well guess what, equally stupid and pointless attacks in return. Stop treating everyone like they are an idiot for disagreeing with you and maybe then there will be some decent discussion that actually gets us somewhere.
“And if you’re not a Christian, why should I care about your tirade on morals?”
are you expecting a response like:
“Wow you’re absolutely right! I WANT TO FEAST ON YOUR ORGANS AND WEAR YOUR SKIN AS A SIGN OF MY ATHEISM AND LACK OF MORALS!”
Seriously, religion is not the only way to be moral. Yes there are a number of immoral atheists but there are easily just as many immoral christians. I studied Religion at GCSE level and achieved an A, and am currently studying Philosophy at Higher level as part of the IB. I can guess what you will say as a result of this so I kindly ask that you do not treat me like an idiot because I am 16 years old that is not part of a sports team. Instead, I have been learning karate for several years, and am training for my first dan grading next year.. which if you don’t know is BLACK BELT. In terms of football etc. I am nothing, martial arts however, I AM A JOCK
To get this high a grade takes so much practise, time and effort. For my last grading, I put up with a bloody nose and possible concussion and continued SPARRING. If you hadn’t guessed I also play video games and see no problem with them, if you are so concerned about them don’t let any children you may have play them… DO NOT however try to force everyone else to make the same lifestyle choices as you have clearly done so. I don’t care if you ignore my comment and dismiss it with “blah blah lies… young… idiot… immoral non-believer…” etc etc
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12:16 pm
in your name you forget that they encourage men to kidnap young women for their wives, to smite anyone who doesn’t agree with them, not to eat forbidden fruit, if you don’t like the world flood it and screw everyone else and that contraception is bad, and anti homo shit, and…
*Truly Atheist posting using his real name as Truly Atheist sounds pretentious and I don’t want anything in common with Christianity, hence I’m now just posting as Alex*
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4:49 am
OK I read the article and some of the comments. I have to say one thing to the poster:
You clearly are narrow minded!
I am no teenager and will try to explain this to You.
First of all naming gamers and gaming community “gays” and “failures” is discrimination. You have to admin that there are a lot of gays and failures from other “kind” of children as well.
You should know that every thing that is out of the limits is unhealthy and not good for You. Too much sports can be bad for You, also too much sitting in front of the computer can be bad for You (see what I did there?).
I am former basketball player and gamer, now I tend to play couple hours a day and have a game of basketball on the weekends. I work as a programmer and I in no way feel that I am a failure and if You try to put in people minds that if they play video games will became retarded and failures is rally dumb thing to do.
Like You said in one of Your posts “Welcome to the internet”, try to use that too, but also don’t read anything You come by one, only trust reliable sources ( 1 rule You learn at school ).
Bottom line: Gaming is not a bad thing and claiming that just makes You stupid. You really need to get Your facts right.
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10:09 am
You don’t sound like someone who has even finished high school.
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6:05 am
it’s people like you who make me wonder why i go to church. in fact it’s people like you that make any christian embarrassed to be one.
not only do you give christians a bad name, you are also reinforcing the stereotype of stupid americans.
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6:50 am
I am all at once shocked and appalled at some of the things I have read here. You equate parental love as something you should give if the child excels at sports.
“Choosing to be a jock insures a boy popularity, a fantastic group of friends, the love of parents and eventually success with the female persuasion.”
The love of parents is there and should ALWAYS be there regardless of hobbies.
I hope you find Christ truly and realize that you are not the person that should be standing in judgment of anyone. A TRUE CHRISTIAN WOULD NOT SO BLATANTLY JUDGE AND BE SO HATEFUL. You wonder why droves of people are losing their religion and faith? It is smut like this. Pure trash. Call it journalism if you like but to think you had the audacity to post this on a Christian site sickens me.
Additionally someone said something about Military people playing World of Warcraft and I can personally confirm that one, and no not nerds as you so hatefully described them but men out on patrol, supply ships and many other detrimental tasks that are required. Gamers are your lawyers, your nurses, your doctors, your teachers, your therapists, your veterinarians, your students, your librarians and by saying being a jock (at the very least implying it) is the only *correct venue* is incredibly ignorant as there are not near enough positions for every young person on their school teams. Degrading the ones that are not athletes is at best asking for major problems such as self esteem issues etc.
I hope you lose the hostilities and hatred that your article is so rife with and learn to live in the Light and Goodness of the Lord. You should be a positive influence on the Christan front. Put your skills to good use and stop judging and hating people who just have hobbies. Not every person takes it overboard and lives on their computers.
I will keep you in my prayers.
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7:06 am
A true Christan would never judge and release so much hatred into a place that can easily be viewed by millions. Gamers are your doctors, librarians, teachers, automotive specialists, soldiers, police officers, CEO’s, CPA’s, lawyers, firemen, therapists, veterinarians, street washers, repair men, security guards, mayors, senators, inventors, writers, cooks, maids, bankers and parents.
Judging a person by their profession is at best ignorant.
Judging such a wide variety of people is at the very least unchristian of you. Who gave you the right to judge? Is it you the masses must gain approval with to enter into Heaven? You have no right to stand by and judge people.
You stand by the side eyes wide open and awed, wondering why people by the droves are leaving the churches and losing faith and religion? This is a prime example. YOU SIR ARE CULTIVATING HATRED NOT HELPING WITH OUR LORDS CAUSE.
How dare you condemn so many people, what gives you the right? You should put your powerful journalism talents to better use and promote love and the power that God can bring forth in people. Why are you wallowing in this disgusting display of wretched disease and filth? You have an amazing talent given by God, honor Him and His cause and put it to good use!
In closing I must say that there is no way every child and young adult could play on a team schools and community teams just are not equipped to handle that so are you also in essence condemning those that cannot play (for a myriad of reasons) to the loser and nerd groups you have so hatefully outlined?
Before you say anything hateful to me sir I would like to say, yes sports does open doors but it also can contain terrible things as well. I personally was in Gymnastics, ballet, soccer and drill team growing up and now suffer from horrible hip and knee problems. My husband was in track and also played football and he has a lil round tummy! He also served OUR Country in the Navy and was not one of the nerds or losers by any means. He is successful and plays games occasionally. So before you judge an entire “society” you should be well informed that gamers are like every other group of people. Some of them fail, some of them succeed. Its all about the person not the game.
=]
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10:07 am
Destiny, I’m sorry to tell you this, but you don’t know a thing about Christianity. Passing along the wisdom of elders is an important tradition in any society, even the non-Christian ones. If we adults do not stand up and speak out for our values, who will? You seem to think I’m too judgmental, is that because you disagree with me? If I were to say, “gamers are fantastic!” would you be so upset? I think not, you hypocrite.
And your claim that gamers are our CEOs, lawyers, etc. is just plain nonsense. What proof do you have? Most successful men I know would be ashamed to waste their time grappling a joystick or being a fantasy wizard on a video screen. Please save your propaganda for Daily Kos.
“How dare you”– goodness, you are a bit self-righteous today, aren’t you? Where did you learn such outrage? You sound like all the bongo players protesting the sanctity of marriage and prayer in schools, and yet too lazy to really do anything about it. Protest marches went out of style in the 60s. When and if you become a parent you may comprehend my concern.
And don’t call me “Sir”. It’s so very contrived and doesn’t make you sound intelligent.
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11:40 am
“Destiny, I’m sorry to tell you this, but you don’t know a thing about Christianity. Passing along the wisdom of elders is an important tradition in any society, even the non-Christian ones. If we adults do not stand up and speak out for our values, who will? You seem to think I’m too judgmental, is that because you disagree with me? If I were to say, “gamers are fantastic!” would you be so upset? I think not, you hypocrite.
And your claim that gamers are our CEOs, lawyers, etc. is just plain nonsense. What proof do you have? Most successful men I know would be ashamed to waste their time grappling a joystick or being a fantasy wizard on a video screen. Please save your propaganda for Daily Kos.
“How dare you”– goodness, you are a bit self-righteous today, aren’t you? Where did you learn such outrage? You sound like all the bongo players protesting the sanctity of marriage and prayer in schools, and yet too lazy to really do anything about it. Protest marches went out of style in the 60s. When and if you become a parent you may comprehend my concern.
And don’t call me “Sir”. It’s so very contrived and doesn’t make you sound intelligent.”
Christianity teaches acceptance and forgiveness, you appear to teach hatred and violence, and support the supression of anyone who doesn’t fit your perfect, almost Aryan, person.
That is to say, you remind me of Hitler, though I guess your attempts at a righteous cleansing of everyone else have been unsucsessful, leaving you to be forced to post your pathetic drivel on this joke of a website.
If you are a parent god help that child, they’ll have a room temperature IQ and more self righteousness than a Missionary.
And there’s nothing wrong with calling someone sir, if you comment on it then your unbelievably picky, and also, defensive.
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12:45 pm
Matthew 7:1-3
Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make, you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.
Matthew 9:10-13
And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”
I am and have been a life long Christian. How dare you say I don’t know anything about it. You are what you preach, it reflects your true self and your soul.
I Agreed with you! Sports are important. I even stated my sports! Anything in excess is harmful for people. Anything. People treated with love and understanding will more than likely find the path to God than people debased and treated harshly and cruelly.
I am not a hypocrite. I attend Church Wed. and Sunday and also prayer groups to pray for the ill and lost in my church. I volunteer at the homeless shelter and also the womens help line (for domestic abuse victims). I am a R.N. and I have a complete and utter love for all of Gods creation. Be them gay, straight, lesbian, people of any and all colors, races, and creeds. Our souls are all the same. We bleed the same. We hurt and love the same. Jesus would not stand in judgment of all of these people as you have. You call each and everyone liars and other cruel names. Name calling is childish and should of been left behind in the school-yard.
I am also 29 and you sir are by far my senior. I use the term in a polite manner if that is not clear to you then your interpretation is askew.
Pride seems to be what ails you. You are attacking all who reply. You post heartless things about a large populace of people, on the internet no less and expect them to lay down and not say anything? You are the only one who may speak his mind? I think not.
Utilize what God has given you or he may take it away. You yourself are not beyond his eternal reach.
My prayers are with you, may God guide you back to his path so you can be rid of this vileness that has taken a hold of you so deeply.
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7:35 am
I agree that video games can become consuming for young kids and the younger generation of adults in our world today. Just like everything else (TV,myspace,sports,etc…) it can be abused to the point where it does have very real effects on our lives.
For teens, it is up to the parents to guide their children toward having a well-rounded life (and yes that can include video games!) and to guide them to pick content that is not of a sinful nature. By guide I do mean addressing or punsihing them for taking it to far or taking part in sinful content. The parents must also make clear comparisons between the “make believe” fun of video games and real life. They must also let them know what it takes to be successful in this world and by NO means does that mean they can’t enjoy completing a game and going to play football on friday evening. It just can’t be all they want to do. I have a 3 yr old now and I am fighting his utter and total obsessions with dinosaurs. Now is liking these creatures a sin or unhealthy, no. Is miss behaving and spending every second of the day acting and talking like them, yes.
I just want to let you in on my life experience with this matter. I owe my well roundedness and success to my parents who taught me what was right and what was wrong.
As earlier as I can remember I have been a christian and gamer. I am 28 years old now, I graduated college, worked as a business banker, and now own my own manufacturing business. When I was in high school I played football and I was friends with EVERYONE. I was friends with jocks and the geeky kids alike. People liked me cause I treated them all the same, no matter what they where into. The whole time I played video games and still do.
This whole time I went to church and was active with them, especially in high school. And too this whole time I played video games. I played video games from the very first nintendo to my favorite game World of Warcraft (played since it came out 4 yrs ago).
The reason I am successful in all that I do (school,business,video games) is because my parents taught me about god. With the teachings of god they knew how to make me a well rounded person who tries to not let any one thing take their life over. And with the help of both of them, I know to do everything I choose to do with all my might and the very best I can do it.
In summary, if the child and the parents really know god, the child will know how to treat things like video games with logic and self-control. They will know what they need to do to be succesful in their life and will always do their best in both work and in games. And finally, there is absolutetly no way that jock culture is any better than gamer culture other than physical fitness. The problem is being narrowed into just one culture!
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8:50 am
I find this article amusing, and yes, I’m 16, but if you think my opinion doesn’t count just because I’m not an adult, you will just show your ignorance.
I. Hate. Jocks. They have always bullied me because I’m not a fit guy (A bit overweight, but not obese) and that’s horrible. I’m not going to toughen up because I’m not planning to fight back. An Eye for an Eye makes the whole world blind. I play WoW on regular basis and I’m at the top of the class for every single subject. I plan to become a lawyer and WoW will not stop me doing it. Your article is very biased, as it shows only one side. Please, show the negative side of the Jocks before making this judgement.
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11:11 am
How does hiding a mouse or power cord build trust between a child and their parents? That kid is going to either have multiple mice/power cords to use if the others “disappear”, or they’ll just go to a friend’s house where their friend’s parents are more trusting.
Quote: “Be honest with your boys and tell them they’ll grow up as failures if they don’t excel at sports.” How does berating a child if they don’t excel or even try at sports in high school encourage them to do well in any part of their lives? If anything, it’s going to make them lash out at their parents and create a huge barrier between them.
To you, a Christian man: God gave us talents to use. He did not give us all the SAME TALENTS! One person can excel in sports in high school and go on to be successful in college and maybe the pros. But what of the kid who is extremely smart in his studies and goes on to change the world for the better? If he did not play a single sport in high school, he is a failure? I’m not calling you a Hypocrite as a Christian, but rethink a TON of what you are saying, because it looks like you are holding yourself to a higher standard because of your own background.
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11:18 am
How does hiding a mouse or power cord build trust between a child and their parents? That kid is going to either have multiple mice/power cords to use if the others “disappear”, or they’ll just go to a friend’s house where their friend’s parents are more trusting.
Quote: “Be honest with your boys and tell them they’ll grow up as failures if they don’t excel at sports.” How does berating a child if they don’t excel or even try at sports in high school encourage them to do well in any part of their lives? If anything, it’s going to make them lash out at their parents and create a huge barrier between them.
To you, a Christian man: God gave us talents to use. He did not give us all the SAME TALENTS! One person can excel in sports in high school and go on to be successful in college and maybe the pros. But what of the kid who is extremely smart in his studies and goes on to change the world for the better? If he did not play a single sport in high school, he is a failure??? I’m not calling you a Hypocrite as a Christian, but rethink a TON of what you are saying, because it looks like you are holding yourself to a higher standard because of your own background.
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11:26 am
Interesting theory. I have, however, noticed a counter trend in my graduating class and those shortly before and after my class. What I have seen is that most of the “jock” kids have grown up to have dead end low paid blue collar jobs. The four most popular of these christian “jock” kids actually gang raped a 14 year old girl at a party a couple of years after high school, and video taped it no less. A football player and a basketball player went on to become local cops, until they got busted for extortion and drug dealing.
Sure, many of the kids who played video games in high school have not become successful so far, but there is a noticeably larger percentage who have grown up to become engineers,lawyers, doctors etc.. than kids who were primarily interested in athletics.
Side note: incidentally, one can be interested in both sports AND video games (gasp!). Note how the top selling games each year are usually sports games… ironic, no?
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12:07 pm
This is by far the most terrible collumn i have ever read
People like Stephenson Billings Who sound like he havent been in a realistic highschool environment for at least 30 years giving good willing parents the worst advice he could possibly give.
You sound like a sexually frustrated pervert to me speaking in the name of cristianity.
Religion is a good way to teach your children the standards and values of life
Love your neighbours etc.
I cant stand preaching in any form especially if it comes from somebody like you who wouldnt match the IQ of an average squirl.
Faith etc for adults all comes down to fear of death.
Now let me preach you this: you will die, you will rot in the ground or burn till there is nothing left of you.
untill then, try to be a good person.
God is outdated, the world developed.
we dont need religion anymore to overcome our insecurities.
Forgive my grammar/spelling for english is not my first language
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12:20 pm
A perfect example of a stubborn old christian.
Refuses to accept other subcultures in society. Refuses to accept he’s wrong.
The fact that you even refer to the sects in high school is seriously messed up. Stereotypes are not what anyone should implore.
A sporty guy, stereotypically ends up only being able to do sport. Sport being naturally very competitve leads to most people being left behind. So they end up with crap jobs. However actually paying attention to lessons in school rather than just sports, will get you much farther in life, such as a gamer will likely be the one listening, while the ‘jock’ plays football outdoors, learning practically nothing.
You keep repeating that this article is aimed at adults and parents. Even those who you are aiming this article at wouldnt be agreeing with it. Not everyone can be a jock. Not everyone wants to be a jock.
No one agrees with you, except for a few other old people, who dont understand the internet culture, and do not understand anything much, except the past, which apprently they have alot of experience in.
You seem to be a fan of taking a childs free will, and shaping it after your asprations.
Your article seems to be written in a way that suggests clear homosexuality or perversion.
I myself cannot understand you fundamentalist christians.
That might be making me biased. But I would hate to even have a conversation with you in real life, if you have ever suggested this sort of thing to a person in real life.
People like you are ignorant and stubborn. In your hindsight you refuse to accept how life is today for the younger generation. And as the older generation you have no proof but the studies of others rather than actually being able to gain any first hand input. Except maybe that of some strange christian teenagers that you fantasize about at night.
Your tips are fucking stupid.
1. This could only hinder a person in life. Laptops are much more useful than a pc. PC’s are in fact better for gaming if you hadn’t noticed…
2. So the sock drawer is some inaccessible, amazing hiding place? If a child is only allowed to do things under your fundamentalist christian watch, I feel sorry for them. They would never have access to any of the more social or fun parts of the internet. Social networks, IM, gaming (the disturbing point of this article) or even porn, I guess as a fundamentalist you wouldnt promote masturbation, which only promotes sexual restriction, there’s nothing wrong with it at all.
3. Muscle car… I guess you want your drunken child to die young in a high speed crash then. Or at least pollute the environment more than neccesary.
4. Common knowledge rather than a secret gamer. A gamer is not generally secretive, as what is there to hide. Gaming is not a bad thing. Having little chats with your childs friends will lose your child friends. Thats just disturbing. Why not just ask them if they play games. PRICK.
5. GAY so fucking GAY.
I want to meet you in real life, so I could rid the world of your nonsense..
You probably are ignorant of how angry you are making normal people.
Or you dont care because you’re christian and all you care about is jesus’s opinion, yet you can’t even get that because he isn’t alive..
This article has become the laughing stock of other forums basically.
I cant think of a clearer way to put it, but.. you are a deluded retard. It must have beent he fundamentalist christian upbringing, steroid, alcohol and other drug abuse and general failure in life, which lead to the mind to create an article such as this.
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12:25 pm
Stephenson Billings, people like you give a terrible reputation to the Christians. Thanks to your commentaries and ideas, people who are not Christian consider us to be mind closed, homophobic and discriminatory. And how can we blame them?
Where’s the respect and the love that Christ preached? “Love each other as I have loved you.” With your article you manage to discriminate very well against the persons who do not follow a sports way, condemning it to a life of failures ” These poor souls may never have the courage to ask to girl on to dates back ” poor souls? How in the name of all that is sake dare you to call someone ” Poor soul “? The one who dares to degrade the soul of another person (and only for the fact of being gamer) only demonstrates the poverty of his own soul. Since the Biblical appointments fascinate you I remind you one: “do not judge or you will be judged “.
It depresses me to see this type of column, that finally the only thing that manages is to generate hatred towards the christianity. You have used your religious principles to divide and not to join, which causes a great repulsion.
To all the people who read this, please, do not think that all the Christians are like this man. This one is an example of how a Christian must not be.
PD: Forgive my English, it is not my native language.
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12:46 pm
what a fucking homo, lol, i think it’s time for you to get a life, you old faggot. you have lost the game.
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12:48 pm
What does football teach us? Yes, it teaches us teamwork, but what else does it teach us?…Oh, that’s right, it teaches us that violence is an okay tactic in order to attain something as insignificant as a ball!
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2:56 am
It also teaches people that it’s perfectly acceptable to be naked with 20 other men and that slapping another man on the ass is an acceptable way to say “Good game”. So being gay is bad but getting naked with other man is good.
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1:52 pm
Believe it or not, there is actually a logical answer. First off Billings, you made a big mistake posting on the internet something insulting to gamers. Who do you think browses the internet quite often? Gamers. So get use to the negative feedback. Instead of knocking on gamers and generalizing them, you should have spoken about moderation. The cool thing about moderation is that it can be applied to almost every aspect of life. Anything that distracts you from being successful or getting a job done can be potentially hazardous whether it is sports, video games, or other activities. Video game addiction is real, I shall not doubt that. Yet there are sport addicts as well. I am sure you have most likely missed a church service to watch a sporting event? Not everybody is the same. Not all gamers stay up to 3 a.m. each night and not every football player is the Hercules that you described in your first post. It seems more like you were bragging and insulting nerds and glorifying athletes rather than trying to get a point across that can *better* a person. Speak with a loving spirit or please don’t speak at all. You will just end up giving us Christians a horrible image (which is already bad enough).
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2:35 pm
Why so troll?
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3:54 pm
Show me on the doll where the gamer touched you.
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10:24 pm
Mr Billings,
So very, very much is wrong with your article, but I do not have the time to explain to you why, but I’m sure plenty of others do.
Wrong, so, so very wrong.
Mary of Nagrand.
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12:21 am
Hahahahahahahahaha.
Hahahahaha.
Video games aren’t the problem. Crazy parents like you are. Get a fucking grip. Be a friend to your kids. Not an uptight asshole. There’s a fine line between morals and uptightness.
Does it make you comfortable to know that thousands of gays have killed themselves, been killed or the victims of hate crimes because of people like YOU?
Seriously. Would your idea of God want you to be like that?
I know if I was God, I’d have three words for you.
“Good job, faggot.”
Also, Queen rocks.
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12:20 pm
I forgot to mention that Jesus was a carpenter. Which by the way is about (in pay) $13.55 and $23.85 an hour. So about as much as a security guard with a mediocre company or an IT guy with a chain store such as Frys Electronics.
I also did forget to mention that I don’t play games. I utilize MySpace to keep in contact with friends and family that are out of state and old college friends!
If you were reversing the demographics of your article and putting all jocks down and giving gamers props I would have to say the same things in defense of jocks. Because some jocks are jerks but some are not. No personality traits or temperaments can be 100% across any social group. Some gamers are quite fit and beautiful and some jocks are pimply and shy.
How do you suggest people *prove* anything they say to you? Will you come to my home and meet my husband? Will you come to my church and participate in worship? Will you individually go meet every gamer and every jock to see if your points are proven? No, you cannot and I believe I speak for EVERYONE here when I say. I don’t feel the need to prove anything to you. I speak the truth as I know it and that is that.
You say I am self-righteous yet you’re the one who cannot believe there is a single gamer out there that has a life? Morals? A job? You cannot possibly have met them all.
My husbands friend from their high school football team is gay, not only that but he is married to his male counterpart and they have a child! He does not play games aside from maybe charades or some silly game at get togethers (cards or jenga etc).
This is my last post as I have much better, positive things to outlet my energy on such as my garden! Fall is coming fast and I have beds to prepare for squash!
As always I will keep you in my prayers.
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1:01 pm
What the hell?
Okee dokke i’ll start with this.
I am a national level swimmer, i placed 6th in canadian junior nationals in the 50free last year. I have stopped swimming, and am now a swim coach with our local swim team, and i am also a lifeguard at our local pool. i am 18 years old and have already been around dead people, and have to had to bring a few back myself. I would say so far i have been quite successful in my lifetime, and now i have stopped these things to go and travel the world to see what the world has to ofer, to open my mind a little bit to how it all works, and if this is what i am going to find then i might as well go home. Because you wanna hear a real big shocker coming from a national level athlete/coach and lie guard? i played videogames! The fact that you can be so closed-minded about other culture just amazes me! i would love to hear your views on the the rest of the world. Open your eyes man! there is a world out there to see and apperently you are blind because you assume that these “gamers are wrong” i am going to ask you something, how do you know any gamer is wrong? what exactly makes them wrong, why are they wrong to not go and play sports? because i guess apperently you come from, choice is no-no. well darn i was hoping to have the choice to play video games or sports, or have the choice to go to the gym every other day or have the choice to play video games or not. but i guess i don’t get that in your world do i? Oh well, i am glad in the real world i get the choice to be open minded and do what i want, thank god…well not really because i made those choices not him, he really doesn’t have anything to do with it.
Cheers,
Jason
Ps.Time to grow up bud, because life doesn’t really work like that.
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1:26 pm
Look not everyone CAN be a jock. Not everyone is physically suited to it. Not everyone has an IQ low enough to slam their heads into other people (American Football) for a living. Some guys are good with girls, some aren’t and let me tell you THAT IS NOT BASED ON BEING A JOCK. Try going to a University sometime – most of the guys at University are intelligent people, only a small fraction are “jocks” and they all live perfectly happy lives, most of them in happy long term relationships with women.
Next, you CANNOT blame people like gamers for things like Columbine. The issue there was a lack of proper parenting (notice that both the boys involved BOTH WENT TO CHURCH) and other social factors.
Yes, there are kids who take games too far, but there are also those that manage their time and use video games as a non-violent method of venting frustration and using their imagination.
I personally don’t agree with the type of gameplay in Grand Theft Auto however I do believe that games like World of Warcraft teach increased interpersonal communication, the ability to work in a team and eventually for those that quit how to manage their work/play lifestyle (I am one of these people).
So before you go on a “Crusade” against us, understand a few things.
1) There are more gamers out there than you can possibly imagine.
2) We are very intelligent people who are very passionate about our values.
3) We will not let you slander us, defame us or blame us for society’s issues.
4) You are basing all this article on stereotypes and preconceived notions. Get together with some of us sometime – try a game – talk with us and learn the TRUTH behind all these issues.
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6:16 pm
I’m an Eagle Scout and have been a gamer all my life, starting with a Commodore 64, then an NES, and finally a . I find it very foolish to say Video Gaming is a threat to America’s high school “jock culture”, when it seems to me America’s high school “jock culture” is a threat to itself.
As a gamer, I enjoy playing games very often. I play pretty much every non-childish game I can get my hands on for the PC, PS3, XBOX 360, and the Wii. I also have a great job working for the highest rated software company to work for in America, which allows me to live comfortably, save money, and still buy whatever game I wish to play next. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that out of the fifty people I work with the most, two work out. One is a biker and the other lifts weights to stay in shape. That’s about 48 people I work with almost every day that have good jobs, are good people, and aren’t jocks.
Everyone I know who was a jock in high school now works the PoS (Point of Sale) system at some fast food joint because they didn’t pay attention to anything but their sport, which was usually football. It should be rather obvious they are failing to save money while having a job with which they can pursue their career and still giving them time to take part in whatever hobby they prefer.
Having parents tell their children anything they choose to do cause them to be a failure is amazingly foolish, let alone detrimental to said child’s growth as a person.
You may not learn much with games, but you are working out your brain much more than if you were watching the television. Check the studies, you use many parts of your brain gaming that are left dormant watching the television.
What I have seen of the “jock culture” is a group of kids who have sex while in high school, smoke/drink, and fail to get into colleges. I wouldn’t really call that success. In fact, I believe most Christianity-based beliefs consider this unacceptable behavior.
And forgive me, but this must be said:
I know only one homosexual gamer out of over one hundred gamers I know and converse with on a daily basis. He’s a great person; he doesn’t attack people based on their beliefs and has a great job. Oh, and he doesn’t sacrifice cats or virgin women to Satan on Halloween or any other night.
The majority of the gamers I know personally are either Christian, agnostic, or atheist. None are Satanists – by any definition – and we are all good enough friends to not judge each other based on our actions/beliefs, so I would very likely know if any were Satanists.
Oh, and most – more than 60.00%, to be more exact – of the gamers I know are either in school (college/high school), the military, or already well set in a good job. Very few have bad jobs, and none have been fired because they are gamers and just can’t handle the expectations that come with real jobs.
I have to say I recommend you study these “cultures” you mention before writing about them. Even at the Christian school where I was a student, it was not as you allege. Go learn about homosexuality, Satanism, and what leads to bad/dead-end jobs before talking like you know what leads to them. Age does not make intelligence, and saying you are older so you know more is one of the more foolish things to say to anyone.
Please forgive me if you take offense. I aim to enlighten, not inflame.
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6:06 am
So, I take it that this means that there are no homosexual jocks?
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6:44 pm
i read your article.
i didnt waste time in school. i studied. i didnt spend 6 hours a day playing some crappy sport that would get me no where in the real world. i studied, and in my spare time? i played games.
Games helped me. its opened my world to creativity and imagination. they very essence of “playing” a book, meeting people online, the sense of achievement when ive accomplished a challenge.
and what am i now? well, im a graphics designer. i make posters, leaflets, bussiness card etc. and i assure you, i earn a hell of alot more then “investment bankers, real estate salesmen, doctors, lawyers and sports coaches.”
And before you flip the “society card” on me, i also each year develop advertising campaigns for various charitys, free of charge.
You sir, are intolerant. you’ve decided your right, and you know best, with no thought behind what your saying. youve claimed scientific fact to back up your arguements, there is non. youve made it up, so lets add lier to the list.
your also very angry at peoples life choices. what is it your trying to do here? make people feel bad about themselves? trying to make yourself feel better? trying to remember the good ol days?
As a christian i can only say how gob smacked i am that you would claim to be one, you have no idea what cristanity means and you use it as a defence to try and prove an arguement.
we are not soldiers, we are not robotic, we are gods children. each created in our own little way. live with it. pfft christian, you might as well be a nazi.
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12:06 am
I’m a sophomore in high school and I play football and I also do swimming and track. I work out a lot, yet I’m not a complete idiot and a bully. I’m also a huge game nerd and I’m not overweight. You can have the best of both worlds.
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1:33 am
This is exactly why I switched to Buddhism, everything else seems far too judgemental. As a christian, you really shouldn’t be looking at other people and judging their lifestyle to be inferior to what you think of, that is just wrong. Video games are not all negatives you must reliase, I play video games for about 2 hours a day, yet still find time to play and coach hockey and become the cleverest person in a school of 860. Oh and please, quoting your sources doesn’t mean that they are right, it just means some other people are as mis-guided as you. Also, you absolutely, beyond all doubt cannot prove you are right, yet. Video Game culture has not existed long enough for anyone to prove anything. Any parent who values their child’s sporting ability over their intelligence is negligent and giving their child a poor future. Regardless of sporting ability, what gets you a job is what is up there and that is famously lacking in jocks and found in abundance in nerds. Stephenson, please do reply, I love having discussions with my intellectual inferiors.
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1:56 am
Wow, MR.Billings
You are one FUCKING retarded pedophile, period
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1:01 pm
I’m not sure if this is you trolling or if you’re actually serious.
If you are trolling, you gave me a good laugh
How ever, if you’re serious…All I have to say is you’re stupid, clearly haven’t done much research, and are sad…sad..person.
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5:50 pm
“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” -Matthew 7:3-5
I’m sorry to say that its people like you who are giving Christians everywhere a bad name.
Enough said.
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12:02 pm
somehow, billings, if that’s actually your fucking name, Cletus, I highly doubt that you’re a professional and in the real world make nearly enough money to have as many digits as my US fed. taxes this year. Your either a smelly redneck piece of smelly shit or a loser living in his mom’s basement in an English-speaking country (no, smelly pieces of shit such as yourself are not actually able to speak or comprehend real English). In the real world, “Billings”, the people who matter, and get laid on the weekend, and are not fat pieces of human fecies, are far beyond your comprehension. And yes, I am a normal fucking good looking fucking person who is still, somehow, smarter than you, better looking than you, can bench 500lb and beat the shit out of you and cut you into little pieces (before or after, your choice while you’re still alive). Than I think I’ll get trashed show a gorgeous girl what it’s all about. Because I’ve had sex several thousand times. And, yes, I’m just 26, I make more than you EVER will, I am the best any girl has ever had, and, I do know where you live. See you tomorrow when I tie you up, poke holes in you with a spoon I’ve been sharpening all night, and, .. I think I’ll start with your GNAA flaimbait trolling asshole. And you’re actually the one who doesn’t matter, will never matter, will never be able to retire at 35 on a remote beach, fly your parents out on a free vacation w/o saving for a year, or, more importantly, in the case of your viagra-ordering-so-you-can-please-your-plastic-spa m-ordered-vagina-secretly-gay-cause-you-can’t-get- an actual-girl-faggot-ass.. lost my coked-up train of thought.. suck my dick you fucking forever loser. sucks to be you. Oh, the most important part. I’m fucking funny. Just ask your loved ones as they’re getting decapitated – I’m a funny guy. What do you call a gay dinosaur? megasoreass. oh, yeah, what the fuck was this post about again? oh, yep, christwire sucks stephenson billings’ balls and he likes it in a very gay way.
subway: eat fresh.
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12:46 pm
This guy is a journalist? LoL, seems like anyone can be one nowadays.
Shitty article, and I don’t have to explain myself to a moron like you. In fact more than half you comment posting trolls are on the same level.
“Jocks” are just muscleheads full of pride and insecurity. Since we’re stereotyping gamers (or in your eyes, anyone who touched a game console), I guess jocks are the same people who bully those who excel in subjects they fail at, usually logical topics such as calculus, business, physics, biology, computer enginee- oh wait everything academic pretty much. Point being, you’re defending these idiots as opposed to those who aren’t them. Yes, people who play mario party can become rather successful people, unlike low-wage angry faggots such as yourself.
I was going to write more but I’m hungry and going to cook myself some food.
Oh yea, god bless America, I sure am happy to be in the same country as you, dipshit.
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12:57 pm
Closet pedo, anyone?
“young firm men filling out new crisp football uniforms, a pair of bulging muscles below soccer shorts”
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1:30 pm
Wow, nice article I am actually ashamed of being called a Christian with morons as your self publishing this bullshit. Dont know about you, but high school has changed since the 1950′s. Jocks these days sum up to dumbass’s that disrupt class and are so obssesed about sports that it is all they focus on and fail in school. To make up for their stupidity they go and bully and pick on others to make them feel sooo fucking cool and badass. Now of course not all jocks are like this but regardless it still excists.And Yes, lets teach kids that in order to be perfect, get women, and not fail at life they have to have strong physical bodies and become jocks….Okay Hitler. So according to you then kids that are handicapped are just failures no matter what?, isnt that just so Christian of you. I hope you get excumminicated, so you can share your nazi bullshit with some other religion, because I dont want to be catorgorized with fucking idiots such as yourself. People should have the right to choose how they want to live their lives, not have people like you dictate to us how to raise our kids and that they will fail if they do not. Jesus taught us that regardless of who we are we are equal, we should not be forced to stride for something we do want, you fucking nazi. Now sure video games arent that great either, some just sit around and play for hours on end ect ect. But you know they are a small minority. Most people just play for,oh i dont know fun? Yes a device where one can have fun with friends without having to become a jock. A device that lets them connect worldwide and play with other people from different countries and in a way help form the future global community, I know Billings thats just so evil huh? Games may be violent but if you play them with some intellect you will see that it is just a sport in its own with objectives that usually require teamwork with other players and forge bonds with your commrades in order to survive and win the match. And why the fuck are you telling us to take away kids laptops? With technology today most schools use it for homework, projects, and online classes. Also it is a tool for communication to talk to their friends. It is a far superior version of communications than phones, with AIM, skype, current and global news, and is perfect tool when one wishes get in touch with others. Laptop does not always equal videogames you idiot.
Both Gamers and Jocks both have a good chance of getting whatever carrers they want you fucktard,Gamers have just as good as a chance to become docs and lawyers just like jocks, sure they are likely to work at IT ect but they are just doing what they like and want to do, just as jocks will most likely play professional sports, because you dumbass, they are doing what they want using their FREE WILL something you apparently trying to take away and make everyone become a jock, you honestly sound no different than Hitler right now.
In conclusion most jocks these days aren’t exactly ideal but their are some that are somewhat like wat this moron was trying to get at, and yes videogames arent that much better. But both require quick on the spot decisions, strategy, and teamwork. But if you Sir think you should tell us what to do and how to raise our kids well all I have to say is fuck you and your bullshit and how dare you envolve Christianity in your tyrannical ideals. FREE WILL! asshole, there is a reason God gave it to us you idiot. Dont you ever again go around spewing your garbage on how to have perfect children by making them become a certain group in school. Say hi to Hitler for me and tell him hes a fuck too, you should have fun hanging around in hell with him seeing how you two have so many ideals in common.
(Readers i apologize for some vulgar words, but if this idiot Billings did not piss me off so much with his idiotic way of thinking I would of never of resorted to such a level of inappropiate words)
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1:38 pm
The Bible states that everyone is created equal. So pick one
Either:
A) These jocks you speak of are just as shitty as the gamers
or
B) These gamers are as glorified as the jocks
If you’re gonna believe in God, you can’t choose which part of his scripture you believe in. It’s either all or nothing. God says love thy neighbor, and so you need some serious soul searching if you have that much room to hate gamers.
P.S. Get some grammar lessons if you want to be a successful journalist.
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2:29 pm
Stephenson Billings tbh i dont see how any grown man with any sort of competent thought process could go about this article the way you did, its just stupid, and you can say w/e you like about it being serious but with quotes like :
“young firm men filling out new crisp football uniforms”
“in every way teenage jock culture is the epitome of wholesomeness.”
“This sports world teaches our children to decide between right and wrong in realistic situations.”
Thats just the first paragraph, i couldn’t bare to read any further. At first glance, i’m sorry to say you do seem a bit gay (sorry but its your writing) and you seem to have some problem with people that are good with computers. The way you start it seems like you don’t like what you don’t understand, its not your life to live when your referring to kids of a new generation, at your age you should understand things change.
I can only hope you don’t have children because its people like you that make kids into horrible little shit heads that feel the need to pick on a smaller or weaker kids because they can. You say “Choosing to be a jock insures a boy popularity, a fantastic group of friends, the love of parents and eventually success with the female persuasion” but you do realize the stress that a is put on a young man or women when it comes to school work…you don’t hear about the leader of a chess team getting better grades for being awesome at chess…No, you hear about the star quarterback getting a ride in school merely because “the team cant afford to lose him” so where is his actual real life knowledge coming from? Sports? i think not, sports can teach you a lot of things, but how to live in the real world isn’t one of them.
“I don’t know what has gotten you teens all lathered up today and frankly I don’t even know why you’re all on a Christian Conservative website that is genuinely intended for ADULTS” so if it is intended for adults why are you here, you claim to be an adult but you belittle anyone with a differing opinion then your own. As an “adult” you should be willing to take criticism (no mater what kind, whether good or bad) and give an honest reply and not take one article to serious that you have to get the last word.
For an adult all i have to say is “grow up”.
*looking forward to an amusing rebuttal”
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2:32 pm
First response didn’t post for some reason so in a nut shell, i’m gonna say the Op is a closet homosexual, and that for an “adult” you really need to grow up.
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5:19 pm
I don’t see how the playing of video games is at all detrimental to your physical, mental, and spiritual well being. My brother and I both have played video games throughout high school and still do regularly. My brother was on the track team and the rugby team he proudly served his country in Iraq for 2 years he works out regularly is training to be a police officer and has a beautiful girl friend. I was on the wrestling and football teams i work out regularly and am now going to college and starting my own photography company. The playing of videogames is no more harmful a hobby them weight lifting or woodworking as well as being a good way to meet new people and make life long friends. There are many people who i would not have met if i was not what some people would call a nerd or gamer who have enriched my life and i think that if you took the time to understand other peoples ways of living your life might be enriched as well.
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5:29 pm
I can’t even believe the stupidity displayed by this article and the comments following Mr. Billings. You have proven nothing but your own arrogance and willingness to present complete, obvious, blatant lies. Not only that, but you go one step further by claiming that it is all true because you have “studies” on your side. You are “more experience, older, and a Certified Journalist(seriously what the hell does that even mean?)”
Your credibility dropped to zero the instant you started listing your sources. First you tried to discredit someone for linking to a wikipedia page that has been checked and verified as correct, then one of you sources is a wikipedia article that has not been verified and has no credibility because the article itself has no sources.(This is why the good people at wikipedia put the warnings at the top of the page you idiot.) Then you go on with your linking of your sources, and half of them are links to other articles on this very website. Great job, to anyone whose passed elementary school you just completely discredited yourself in every way imaginable.
You know absolutely nothing about video games or video game culture and it is more than obvious from this article. You make false assumptions left and right having in fact never studied any facts about the culture you are judging and insulting. If you spent just half a day to sit down and actually play a popular modern game and learn the mechanics of it you would realise just how wrong you are about everything you have said.
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6:05 pm
This is a joke right?
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6:47 pm
WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS YOU FUCKING NIGGER.
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9:34 pm
Mr. Billings, I can sum up your article as an ignorant espousing of one way of life above all others, which is not surprising coming from a site run by “conservative Christians”. There is nothing wrong with sports, I and many of my friends played several back in high school, but claiming it is the end-all of your teenage years is ridiculous. Not everyone thinks the way you do, as the mountains of comments at the end of this article prove. Focusing all your efforts on sports and becoming a “jock” is about as likely to end you up in a dead-end job as draining all day on video games is. You also act as if there are two classes in high school, the all-powerful athletic caste and the lowly gamers. Fact is, these groups overlap greatly. A jock who spends his weekends and weeknights on Halo or Guitar Hero almost singlehandedly invalidates your weak argument. You write in terms of black and white, absolute wrong and absolute right, and above all your opinion as a divine standard. Anyone who claims to have so much “real world” experience would know this is contrary to the case.
Then there’s the undercurrent of homoeroticism in your description of these athletes, with references to “bulging muscles” and “tanned bodies” that reads like a romance novel. It’s obvious you are a very sexually frustrated man, having probably had these homosexual feelings since puberty and having them constantly demonized by the culture you grew up in. For that I am truly sorry for you, perhaps with more enlightened parents you could have embraced who you truly are.
I find it hilarious you flaunt your age and status as “investigative journalist” to give you, again, a god-like superiority above everyone else. I had never heard of this site before someone sent me a link to this site. True, your article has received a massive amount of hits and comments, but they’re all from people who disagree with you, and one poster I think you tried to use as an alternate account before things got out of hand. Basically, your astounding idiocy has garnered you 15 minutes of fame. I’d suggest you and your site enjoy them, or start working on something of an even greater caliber bigotry. Judging by you and much of the content on this ignorant site, I’m confident that won’t be too hard for you.
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9:39 pm
Billings your a dumb cunt homo jew. You like dick in your ass and everyone knows it.
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10:10 am
“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” -Matthew 7:3-5
Enough said.
Oh and can I see your proof that ACDC is satanic please? I’m interested about what you have to say.
This should puzzle you on the topic of music: Devil Wears Prada, they are a metal band made up of Christians.
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8:22 pm
Wow. Anyone who takes this website seriously is a retard.
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10:32 pm
Fuck I hate America.
Here in Australia, where the majority of the population aren’t complete fuckwits, there are no ‘jocks’ (a word not ever used here) – everyone and anyone plays sport and has the opportunity to do so, it does categorise you. And in regards to video games, no one cares if you play them, it doesn’t make you a nerd or cool for that matter. People who succeed are people with motivation and drive, people who are intellectual.
Oh and we don’t have extremist Christians who are so ridiculously narrow minded and arrogant that they live inside they’re own little worlds created by their minds.
30% of our population have a brain and claim to have no religion. And the Christians we do have are laid back nice people – none of which are anything like this disgrace to humankind, Billings.
Billings disbelieves the things people say about themselves just because they don’t coincide with what he says, he automatically says it mustn’t be true. Are you seriously that fucked up ? Like really, there just aren’t other words for it. You need serious help.
FUCK !
Realism and open minds are the key.
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10:38 pm
One more thing Billings, do you see how many people disagree with you ? Do you see anyone agreeing with what your saying ? How do you not understand how wrong you are ? How very, very wrong. Keep posting pathetic articles on the way you see the world, are you gaining anything ? No.
Your only causing more and more hatred on the Christian religion (if it were possible). Good one ! I’m sure your fellow Christians will be proud.
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2:15 am
Here is a nice little list of successful sports people and athletes that just so happen to be… gay (GASP!)
Amaechi, John, basketball player
Annan, Alyson, field hockey Gold medalist
Arndt, Judith, cyclist
Bagger, Mianne, pro golfer
Bean, Billy, baseball player
Berling, Thomas, footballer
Burke, Glenn, baseball outfielder
Byears, Latasha, basketball player
Calderon, J.P., volleyball player and coach
Cook, Natalie, beach volleyballer
Cranston, Toller, figure skater
Curry, John, figure skater
Didrikson, Babe, athlete, golfer and baseballer
Drolet, Nancy, hockey player
Dumaresq, Michelle, mountain biker
Duplitzer, Imke, Olympic fencer
Fashanu, Justin, soccer player
Fernández, Gigi, tennis professional
Fisher, Joey, ice hockey
Galindo, Rudy, Olympic figure skater
Gallagher, Ed, offensive lineman for the University of Pittsburgh
Giove, Missy, mountain biker
Goldstein, Andrew, lacrosse goalie
Guetschow, Joan, Olympic biathlete
Galindo, Rudy, Olympic figure skater
Gallagher, Ed, offensive lineman for the University of Pittsburgh
Giove, Missy, mountain biker
Goldstein, Andrew, lacrosse goalie
Guetschow, Joan, Olympic biathlete
Hall, Matthew, figure skater
Hammerseng, Gro, Handball player
Hawkins, Kyle, Collegiate lacrosse coach
Hayes, Bruce, Olympic swimmer
Holst, Erika, ice hockey player
Hull Jacobs, Helen, Tennis champion
Ahhh, you know what. I really just cannot be bothered finishing this list, but there are a lot more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lesbian,_gay,_bisexual,_and_transgender_sportspeople
So how about that.
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2:20 am
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2:30 am
did i read something about 10th grade algebra? what retard takes algebra in 10th grade? a jock.
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3:04 am
Mr. Billings,
I am currently a senior attending one of Miami’s best Catholic High Schools, Columbus High School. Our athletic credentials are amazing to say the least. We are one of the few private school in South Florida to compete with the major public schools and perform well. In fact our football team is currently undefeated, a fact I think you would find appealing in a high school.
This may shock you but our Varsity Basketball team approached me last year to run a tournament to help raise funds. Why would they come to me? I am the founder and president of our Video Game club. We managed to raise a substantial amount of money which was donated to the American Cancer Society. The tournament was won by a varsity basketball player.
One of our football captains from the 08-09 season received a full ride to college. This particular player happened to be a good friend of mine. What could possibly unite a self appointed geek with the homecoming king/football captain is probably what your asking yourself at this moment. The answer is World of Warcraft. This particular football player not only played, but was one of the best players I’ve ever played with.
There are points in your article that are correct. Sports for kids are generally a healthy, character building experience. But the fact is, it’s not for everyone. You may argue that there is a sport for everyone. I can only respond by admitting the only way I will ever be seen on ESPN is at a World Series of Poker final table.
I am a nerd. I am a gamer. I am also in shape. I drive a 1979 Camaro (the very definition of muscle car in my humble opinion). I make good grades. I am popular amongst the majority of my peers (although some do judge me for my hobbies). I have amazing friends. I have had moderate success with the opposite sex.
You are stereo typing in the article, something the future generations need to veer away from. You are also judging others without fulling understanding them, another trait we need to purge from our youth.
If you believe becoming an overbearing parent and forcing your child to compete in athletics throughout school then that is your choice but please do not view it as the best option for every one.
I wish to leave you with one final comment. A dear friend of mine is currently ranked in the top 50 female high school rowers in the nation. She attempted suicide two weeks ago due to her parents refusing to allow her to quit athletics. Being a “jock” made her miserable. She was one of the happiest people I’ve ever met but eventually burned out.
- Alex
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3:17 am
This is probably going to contain language that a lot of you fundamentalist Christian fuckers will not like.
Somebody just linked me this article and upon reading it I wasn’t entirely sure if it was a joke or not. Billings, you are obviously completely deranged. I’m a 16 year old, I’ve played video games my entire life and my parents have always believed that it caused no interruption to my mental solidarity whatsoever.
I live in Australia (I prefer to keep my exact whereabouts undisclosed) and we have ‘jocks’ too, however that term isn’t often used. Most of them are complete idiots who have never (and probably WILL never) opened a book in their entire lives. Save for a select few who actually have a respectable level of intelligence and a passable social conscience. This said, the other percentage of them have fake ID’s, go out to nightclubs every weekend, take ecstacy and MDMA and get so drunk that they pass out, resulting in further damage to their already primitive minds. They are sexist, racist, close-minded pigs who like nothing more than spanking girls (who are often made up of 95% artificial product) on the arse and informing their English teacher who would be attempting to educate them on the literary merit of F. Scott Fitzgerald that they are ‘gay’.
You, as a parent, don’t see this because you are so wrapped up in ensuring these children are on the recieving end (pun intended) of a ‘wholesome’ life. My parents (who are both relatively successful) have backed me in whatever I wanted to do. They never enforced football or any other sport, and have chosen to support me in whatever endeavours I may choose to undergo. I feel, that I have a bright future.
I have what YOU may classify as a ‘sickly’ physique. I am pale and skinny. I have long hair and I wear tight jeans. I listen to music that you would probably call ‘hippy bullshit’ and I occasionally smoke marijuana. Which brings me onto another argument, you misinformed fuckers who think marijuana is going to send you to hell.
Marijuana is not a banal drug, in no circumstances am I trying to prove that. All I am saying is that marijuana is nowhere near as physically diminishing for you as alcohol (which is endorsed by you ‘jock’ cunts) and causes far less social problems. You seem to think that it is going to send you to hell because the government (lord praise them) has deemed it illegal. Do your research.
I can’t be bothered continuing at the moment because I’m so blinded with anger. If somebody decides to reply to this, I’d be happy to give you an expletive-laden rebuttle.
And, once again,
Fuck you, you miserable, close-minded piece of shit.
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3:36 am
[IMG]http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/581/1253632325602.png[/IMG]
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3:39 am
“First off, anyone can say they’re a fantastic athlete on the internet. Clearly, everyone who posts here wishes that was true about themselves. But the fact is, there’s no way to back up your childish claims.”
Hmmm I guess after reading your horrid article, and most of the following comments I could say this.
“First off, anyone can say they’re a fantastic Christian on the internet. Clearly, everyone who posts here wishes that was true about themselves. But the fact is, there’s no way to back up your childish claims.”
I am not a believer and I am just fine with that. I am an avid WoW player, have a wonderful social life that not only do I share with non-gamers but people I have met through the game. I will admit I am not in the best shape, but I challenge anyone to outwork me in physical labor or even manage to put up a decent amount of wit to outsmart me.
I will say you have to be one of the most pig headed Christians I have ever seen. That is saying alot seeing as I grew up in a heavy Christian area. This article and website are reasons people lose faith in a higher power. It isn’t games, drugs, or hell even homosexuality that causes them to lose faith in a higher power. Hell did you even do enough research to know there are all Christian groups on these games? Or that there are all Homosexual churches preaching what is probably the truest form of your Lord’s word? I’m sure you didn’t know any of this seeing how stuck in your ways you appear to be.
Oh and by the way, you should know that if all of your resources and studies are on the internet you are a failure of an investigative journalist. Because everything you see on tv/internet/books is completely and accurate and not falsified at all.
KJ
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6:44 am
I would just like to say that i live in europe(Portugal) and i have passed this link to all of my hotmail friends. This was very fun to read and ofc, the replys were the best thing about it. I play wow and have always played games(im 26) maybe since Spectrum. I dont go to church cause i find it boring. I have not witnessed any kind of god-like interference on my live to change my mind. I go out, exercise when i can but i just dont live focused on it. I try to enjoy everyday like i can. Hope u all do to. I like to think that i dont have the right to judge people but i want others not to judge me. My parents always bought me games and i’ve never been much of a great student but im very happy with the way i am. Thats the most important thing. HAIL SATAN!
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9:08 am
Come on people, how can any of you actually take this article seriously?
This Stephenson Billings is probably nothing other than somebody who is having fun reading the comments of people who took this seriously. You’d have to be a mental retard to actually belive in what is written in this article. But if the author is actually serious about this, than really, you should go visit a mental institution and discuss with other people there who share your views, and while you’re at it you should move there. And don’t even think about insulting me or making assumptions regarding my life, it will only prove how pathetic you are.
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2:16 am
The shocking truth is that YOUR jesus got (and gets) his ass fucked. and all his foolish followers are getting ( or going to get) thier ass fucked.
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5:56 am
This is a poorly written article, its basically in a sense promoting one aspect of High School life while unfairly bashing Video Game and blaming it for a whole mess of reasons.
The article is basically a 1 sided battle, its inaccurate, stereotypical, and heavily opinionated article. In the article your basically saying to all parents to force them down a road that not all kids in high school want to do, some might want to deal with art or others music.
Granted everything in life is not perfect that includes video games but also parents, jocks, school system, and everything else. Course kids should exercise and practice good health but not be forced to be a jock. Its really up to the parents to decide what is the best course of action until the kid gets older and matures and they start to create their own path.
Also if you should bash video games for everything, you should take the time to fully know what the video game culture has to offer and what it is, then you can bash all you want, no hearing video games from other parents or kids or playing for a few hours or minutes does not count.
I’m a Christian myself, I’m also a hardcore gamer and a college student with a bright future ahead. This article like the others I read keeps reminding me why I hate Christianity, you get too many people who take it to the 10th degree and mold it in a way they want it. In the end those people end up hurting the image of Christianity than helping it.
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7:19 am
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8:19 am
Mister Billings, with a certain sense of shock, I was reading your article. I understand that this is more than likely an opinion rather than a statement, but did you base your critiscism of gamers on media examples? Gaming is socially perfectly accepted these days, the bussiness itself is growing up and certainly thriving well in todays economy. I’m not sure why you would ever want to deny someone of their gaming pleasure, seeing as it has been proven to be highly effective in raising someone’s awareness and reflexes.
I have to say, I didn’t read all comments, but did you know that part of the weaponstraining is based on a computer simulation which in turn was based on… a game?
http://www.army.mil/-news/2008/08/27/11936-history-of-military-gaming/index.html
This should help you gain a perspective of how it can actually benefit.
I’ll be honest here, I’m a WoW player(World of Warcraft), and I’ve been playing it casually for about 4 years.(Turning 20 on tuesday) It certainly didn’t affect my social life since the gamer itself should know their limits to balance out their social life inside and outside the game. If the person isn’t able to do so, and becomes an “addict” in your vision, then it’s more than likely the very same person would have been a “failure”(again, using your words) at other “malicious” products such as gambling(which can be done perfectly without detoriating in an addicted state), drinking(same statement) and so on, because they lack the will to do so.µ
I’m sure you praise jocks for what they are, but the general opinion of them in Europe(and to some extent America itself) is that they’re arrogant, pumped up steroïd sexually confused males, which often break down because of the pressure their parents place on them, forcing them to perform.
Now, I’m going to come to the meat of your argument.
“Professionally, the video gamer may grow up to be your Radio Shack employee, your bug exterminator, your cable repairman or maybe if you’re lucky, your half pleasant IT guy.”
I’m disgusted by this statement. Truly disgusted. Do you think the world revolves around politicians, bankers, managers and so forth? Do you think the world would get anywhere without those that decided to be hard workers in a physical way? Who is it that bags your groceries? Who is it that fills your car with gas? Who is it that makes sure your garden looks pique throughout the year?(these are general examples)
I think I don’t need to add that there will always, always need to be people that do the, in your eyes, lesser jobs, and that their parents should be proud for that because they’re hard working people in an often non apreciated enviroment. You sir, are one of the causes for worker disrespect with your high hatted attitude.
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8:26 am
Mister Billings, with a certain sense of shock, I was reading your article. I understand that this is more than likely an opinion rather than a statement, but did you base your critiscism of gamers on media examples? Gaming is socially perfectly accepted these days, the bussiness itself is growing up and certainly thriving well in todays economy. I’m not sure why you would ever want to deny someone of their gaming pleasure, seeing as it has been proven to be highly effective in raising someone’s awareness and reflexes.
I have to say, I didn’t read all comments, but did you know that part of the weaponstraining is based on a computer simulation which in turn was based on… a game?
http://www.army.mil/-news/2008/08/27/11936-history-of-military-gaming/index.html
This should help you gain a perspective of how it can actually benefit.
I’ll be honest here, I’m a WoW player(World of Warcraft), and I’ve been playing it casually for about 4 years.(Turning 20 on tuesday) It certainly didn’t affect my social life since the gamer itself should know their limits to balance out their social life inside and outside the game. If the person isn’t able to do so, and becomes an “addict” in your vision, then it’s more than likely the very same person would have been a “failure”(again, using your words) at other “malicious” products such as gambling(which can be done perfectly without detoriating in an addicted state), drinking(same statement) and so on, because they lack the will to do so.µ
I’m sure you praise jocks for what they are, but the general opinion of them in Europe(and to some extent America itself) is that they’re arrogant, pumped up steroïd sexually confused males, which often break down because of the pressure their parents place on them, forcing them to perform.
Now, I’m going to come to the meat of your argument.
“Professionally, the video gamer may grow up to be your Radio Shack employee, your bug exterminator, your cable repairman or maybe if you’re lucky, your half pleasant IT guy.”
I’m disgusted by this statement. Truly disgusted. Do you think the world revolves around politicians, bankers, managers and so forth? Do you think the world would get anywhere without those that decided to be hard workers in a physical way? Who is it that bags your groceries? Who is it that fills your car with gas? Who is it that makes sure your garden looks pique throughout the year?(these are general examples)
I think I don’t need to add that there will always, always need to be people that do the, in your eyes, lesser jobs, and that their parents should be proud for that because they’re hard working people in an often non apreciated enviroment. You sir, are one of the causes for worker disrespect with your high hatted attitude.
(Excuse me if this apears as a doublepost, it wouldn’t pop up with the first attempt)
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8:49 am
Hello Mr. Christian, sir.
I am not an athelete, I am a gamer
I spend most of my free time playing games.
I am not an homosexuall.
I have a small group of quite close friends. I do (at moment of writing) not have a girlfriend.
I am slightly on the fat side, but not obese.
I find school exceedingly simple.
Now, some of these things comply with your vision of what is “scientifically proven”. These would be:
Small number of friends, No girlfriend, Fat.
I have always preferred having few, but close, relationsships. This means I am not likely to befriend a ton of new people all the time, or pick up a new girlfriend the second the last one left me.
Regarding the fatness issue, this is (of course) caused by a bad diet and a lack of exercise (who would’ve tought it). I play World of warcraft at MOST 4 hours/day. Usually around 2 hours. That would leave me plenty of time to exercise, yet I do not. Why?
I do not consider it worth it, I consider it a goddamn waste of time. And as such, I do other things instead. (For example: study, or player other games)
I find your entire argument baseless. I also find your moral values and outlook on life questionable. But that has more to do with you being a christian and me being an atheist than it has to do with me disagreeing with you.
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6:33 pm
Dear Mr Billings,
i would like to formally request that you keep yourself away from any schools or youth. This article literally scares me for any kids that come near you. You genuinely sound like a pedophile and i hope you are on a predator watch list. Browsing through your other articles ive noticed every single one says whatever your against is a leading cause of homosexuality. Honestly if that what you see everywhere you look maybe the source of all this homophobia is your own innate desires.
In closing you should be on a predator watch list if you aren’t already, even if you haven’t molested children yet i think your writing proves this to be a legitimate concern
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7:44 pm
As a mother of three, I disagree strongly.
My eldest, Jack, has always been into sports. I was one of those moms who were there in the bleachers cheering for him, and I have always loved him dearly.
My twins, six years younger than Jack, on the other hand, were shy and quiet. They are always together, love videogames, and I love them just as much as their older brother. They are wonderful, intelligent children, now in their early teens and though not into sports at all they are healthy, bright and extremely funny and warm. They get very good grades and though not immensely popular, have a tight and well-knit group of friends. I think what amazes me is how mature they are.
A year or so ago, Jack, who was in his last year of high school and a member of the football team, gave us the biggest fright ever. We got a phone call from the hospital, my son had passed out from too much alcohol. He had been using drugs too. We were devastated, for to us he had always been, as you say, the image of happiness, the American dream. Then we found out that the whole team was into these parties where they drank too much, had sex and did drugs. I thought he was hanging out with the boys in his team, just like he used to do. We talked to him, and he told us in tears that he had never liked sports, that he kept on going because he thought it was what we wanted and he was sick of it. He had been partying in excess because he felt miserable.
I did this unconsciously. I thought I was encouraging my son to do what he loved, and I was pushing him instead. So I would never, ever, endorse anyone doing that on purpose. Children have to be loved regardless of their tastes. We got Jack out of football and he’s now trying to get his act together. Part of that is hanging out with his younger siblings. He particularly enjoys playing videogames with them, and the fact that they do something together and that he’s laughing again makes me incredibly happy, and I thank God for it. I also think that you just don’t understand how much you get to love your children, and how wonderful it is to see them grow into themselves, whoever they turn out to be. Gamers, jocks, whichever they choose to be, it’s a parent’s responsability to care for them, to make sure there are no excesses and to encourage them to find themselves and grow up feeling loved and secure. And even if they fall, or they get into trouble, a parent must be there to lend a hand, to help get them on their feet and on track again. And it’s not a question of sports or videogames, it’s about raising them to be good, happy human beings.
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7:55 pm
I thought this article was a joke when I read the “headline,” (as if this was anywhere near legitimate journalism) but apparently it isn’t.
Sorry if this sounds harsh, but as a female junior in a high school full of jocks, it’s likely that the experiences of my generation and me are more relevant than your outdated idealization of America’s so-called “high school jock culture.”
I don’t know where to even start. Many of my closest friends have been damaged almost to the point of suicide by ‘jocks’ who abused them sexually and emotionally. Two of my former-football-player guy friends have confided to me about how pressured they feel to drink excessively with the rest of the team after wins and on the weekends. Please enlighten me, because I don’t know what part of this is so holy.
If by ‘jock’ you mean athletic youth, then I agree that to some degree, video games among many other factors can distract teenagers from athletics. I know a lot of great, athletic people at my and other schools, and I myself have learned how much character is built through training in a sport.
However, I still fail to see what it is about the jock culture in particular that we need to defend? Taking in all my observations, I can only conclude that it is a petri dish of arrogance, superficial sex, and harmful drugs, and it deters countless developing young adults from their educational potential.
This a sincere inquiry, and I would appreciate a sincere response (not that I expect it).
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8:24 pm
you went to the Jesus camp as a kid after putting the lower finger of your friend in your mouth didn’t u.
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10:45 pm
This has got to be a joke. This is so frikkin stupid. Tell your kids they’ll be failures if they’re not jocks? Do you realize that jocks are the jerks of the school, right? What about marching band?? Those boys, and girls for that matter, are outside for hours everyday but they’re not jocks. Are they gonna be failures too?? This is the stupidest thing I have ever read.
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10:51 pm
oh, and don’t forget this, jocks are the ones going around getting themselves drunk on weekends and other stuff like that. so, that’s religious…how? this article is total bs.
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11:38 pm
Wait… this is a parody site, right? If not, I may die of laughter anyway, to see how completely batspit insane people are. I’m pretty sure this was a parody, because of the pic of the jock shoving a nerd into a locker, but I also know that human insanity has absolutely no bounds… Help! I believe he “not sure if serious” Joker picture sums up everything.
Oh, wait. “Crazed Evolutionists Create Bearsharktopus”? Yeah, this is a parody. Rather good one, considering how many people are acting as if this were serious.
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8:19 am
Billings is a flaming homosexual and this is a troll thread.
That is all.
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11:57 pm
epic troll is epic.
I cannot believe this man is serious.
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12:27 am
“My article made many important points and the fact that it upset so many of you must mean it hit a nerve.”
It’s not the fact that it hit a nerve. It’s the face that you are wrong. If someone goes around saying the sky is orange, and claims everyone who believes it to be blue is ignorant then we’ll tell them they’re wrong. Just like we’re telling you. So plz, Get off my internet, and head back to molesting children if u will.
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9:23 pm
Dude, what are you on? every boy should strive to be a jock? that makes no sense. I’m not a jock, I’m a gamer. I’m also 19 years old and on my way to being a civil engineer. This whole paper makes no sense. Everyone can’t be jocks retard. Nor should everyone try to. I thouroughly doubt that leonardo da vinci was a jock. If he lived in modern times, he’d probably be a geeky gamer. But look at him! what about jocks? most of them are whores. yeah, they are. Sure some gamer kids my be to nervous to ask a girl out, but who cares! and what proof do you have that that leads to homosexuality. You also state that videogames cause crime but bring for no proof. I honestly hate about 80% of jocks.
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2:47 am
Well, as someone who was born physically disabled, and even got into playing video games every once in a while, I must say one thing about this article. (brace yourself for this surprise) Congratulations on turning away thousands of people from your religious cause. Because as this article (and others like it) spreads around, more and more will see exactly what they are getting into when they join your ‘team’.
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10:07 am
I honestly have no idea why i even just read almost every single petty comment that was written. Now, here i am, writting one. I couldnt help myself. I am a proud Christian, but i REFUSE to push my beliefs on others. It blows my mind, Billings, that you actually think this way of my generation. You call us “children” as if we wouldnt know any better. Maybe some dont, but you cant categorize all of us in that same group.
“You people are so awfully young. You have no idea what future awaits you.”
I dont have any idea, youre right. But i do now what i have planned for my future, and i’d do anything to get to that point in my life. I dont play videogames, nor do i care to. I just think it’s hilarious that you could be so narrow minded and speak for everyone who isnt your age in your comments. You are older and may know more than i do, i agree. I just think that if your objective is to help teens who are still in high school, then why take away their free agency? That’s something mentioned in the Bible: free agency. Those teens have just as much right to make their own decisions as someone your age does. If you want them to grow up to be so successful, then let them make their own decisions. Parents will, of course(hopefully), guide them if it gets too out of hand. I, personally, feel that youre “tips” are too much. You cant take away something that will always be there. Videogames will be there when those same “successful jocks” move out of their mommies house. It’s silly to say that obesity(etc) is caused by videogaming. Jocks, Cheerleaders, Homosexuals, Gamers, and Christians all have a choice of their future. So before you criticize one of the biggest stereotypes around, think twice. While youre giving parents tips on how to take away something that will always be there, youre also not letting those same teens make their own decisions that lead the way to their own future. Im sure that they can do some things without their mommy and daddy holding their hand the whole way.
But that’s just me, and im only ONE of this generation.
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2:15 pm
Stephenson,
I was voted and played in The Montana All Star Football game. I was offered to play in the America-Canada football game. I was/am a jock. I respect all women and was courtious to everyone. However, Claire is completely correct. It is not my fellow jocks that upset me, but the fact that you, a fancy “investigative reporter”, and many other people are so numb-skulled that they think they know anything about all of America’s youth. Claire, you are so right, most Jocks are pricks. Obviously, this egotistical ex-jock, Stephenson, is included. Stephenson, there is no “sexual confusion” in my statement when I say your article is poorly written, poorly “investigated”, and offensive, both to people who didn’t play sports, which there is nothing wrong with not playing sports, and to me, a jock. I’m as disappointed in America’s “old people” like you, as you are disappointed in our generation. You are a sad sad radical and I don’t feel sorry for you. Claire, keep defending your points, everyone can see how right you are. Stephenson, get over yourself.
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8:13 pm
It’s time someone stepped in to clarify some stuff…
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
CHRISTWIRE IS A PARODY WEBSITE!!! IT IS JUST LIKE THE ONION!!! STOP TAKING IT SERIOUSLY!!!
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12:44 am
I am a perfectly fit cheerleader who is a gamer and on a laptop right now!
You sir, are a stereotypical idiot.
The lesson here everyone: God doesn’t love you if you aren’t a jock, and you also won’t get anywhere if you aren’t!
Because, you know, Bill Gates is just broke and living in a gutter right now.
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12:48 am
I am a perfectly fit cheerleader, and a gamer who is on a laptop right now!
You, on the other hand, are a stereotypical idiot.
The lesson here, everyone: God doesn’t love you if you aren’t a jock, video games are the source of the worlds problems, and you won’t make it in life if you aren’t a jock.
Because, you know, I’m sure a football player invented the software you’re using right now.
Oh, and Bill Gates is totally broke and living in a gutter right now.
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4:32 pm
We are Anonymous. We are strong. We are many.
After reading the article, and reading a few others on this site, it has come to my conclusion that the writer has no clear understanding of history or current events.
Instead of ranting or trolling I ask that you use the gift from god or evolution and use your brain to search for information. Do not look at one source, do not say that you are right with out checking. As in any good debate you must look at both sides, and come up with points for both sides. To assume you are right without unbiased research or sources is to say you are wrong.
And remember, this is a article written by a person so in all probability, it is wrong.
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4:50 pm
You guys are retards
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7:43 pm
Who doesnt love a little bit of Colombine-causing madness?
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10:05 pm
This article is probably one of the more disgusting things I’ve read. People like you that write this filth and hide behind the name of our good religion are a disgrace to our people. You, sir, should seek help. Professional help. There’s a lot to be said about what this article portrays about you personally and not a single part of it is very “Christian” of you at all. I sincerly hope you keep your opinions to yourself in the future until you’ve seen someone that can help you with your mental instability. I hope you recover and return to write material that doesn’t make other Christians ashamed of you and your indiscretion.
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4:18 am
So Mr. Billings are you saying that if someone plays video games they cannot be a believer. If that is the case then I suppose I’m a sinner of the highest caliber. My only question is how can you be the judge and jury on a topic you seem to know nothing about? Did you know there are games out there at are made by Christians for Christians? Did you know there are games out there that don’t have some evil idea attached to it? Also did you know that the ESRB exist to assist parents in buying games that are appropriate for their kid’s age group?
To be honest it scares me as a Christian that there are people like you out there that are keeping Christians away with you condescending tone and frank rudeness towards those who are commenting. Yes most of them are jerks not willing to have and intellectual conversation but that does not give you the right as a Christian to be a jerk back towards them. If you want to bring people to being a Christ then I recommend you walk with the scripture instead of using the scripture to look down on everyone else. If you wish to converse further with a Christian that plays video games you can contact me at godzilla123456789@gmail.com
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4:21 am
So Mr. Billings are you saying that if someone plays video games they cannot be a believer. If that is the case then I suppose I’m a sinner of the highest caliber. My only question is how can you be the judge and jury on a topic you seem to know nothing about? Did you know there are games out there at are made by Christians for Christians? Did you know there are games out there that don’t have some evil idea attached to it? Also did you know that the ESRB exist to assist parents in buying games that are appropriate for their kid’s age group?
To be honest it scares me as a Christian that there are people like you out there that are keeping Christians away with you condescending tone and frank rudeness towards those who are commenting. Yes most of them are jerks not willing to have and intellectual conversation but that does not give you the right as a Christian to be a jerk back towards them. If you want to bring people to being a Christ then I recommend you walk with the scripture instead of using the scripture to look down on everyone else. If you wish to converse further with a Christian that plays video games you can contact me at godzilla123456789@gmail.com
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7:46 pm
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1
11:33 pm
umm, any one ever stopped to think that you can be both a jock, and play video games at the same time and still be successful? I play football, have a 3.8/4 GPA, and I occasionally play video games. What’s so bad about them? They’re fun.
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1:47 pm
OK, this looks like it’ll be another fun one from Billings (I’ve read his articles before and he’s the only person who can make Bush look even moderately intelligent).
“Is there anything more American than our high school athletic culture?” Well, high school athletic culture is violent, aggressive, pointless and self-centred so you have a point there, it sums up America perfectly.
“young firm men filling out new crisp football uniforms” Dude, have a wank to clear your mind of young men. I’m all for homosexuality but don’t let it take over your life.
“This sports world teaches our children to decide between right and wrong in realistic situations.” Sports are no more than steroids and cheating and the situations can hardly be called realistic.
“not much effort has been made to stop the production and distribution of video games.” I thought you were a loud and proud capitalist? In a capitalist system corporations will do anything to make a profit and games are profitable.
“Now video gaming is developing into a high school “culture” itself, as more and more children chose this pathetic and harmful lifestyle instead of joining a fun sports team.” If you have an IQ in the double figures or higher sports are tediously fucking boring. So some moron can kick a ball, who gives a fuck? Did it ever occur to you that even though you prefer to watch young men “filling out” their uniforms other people may have different preferences?
“Suddenly, Raggedy Ann is killing Scooby Doo while SpongeBob sexually pokemons Barney” What the fuck? Really, what are you talking about? How would one “pokemon” someone? If you are an investigative journalist (you’re not) you would do a little research.
“Video gaming is an addiction scientifically proven to be just as dangerous as crack cocaine” Isn’t there something in the bible about not lying? Please cite your source for this information (and this time, not an article writen by you).
“dirty muscular fantasy men.” Yeah, they should stick to jocks “filling out” their uniforms, eh fatty.
“They’re far more likely to meet strangers from the internet in public parks.” Again, either cite your sources for these outlandish claims.
“Professionally, the video gamer may grow up to be your Radio Shack employee, your bug exterminator, your cable repairman or maybe if you’re lucky, your half pleasant IT guy.” Yeah, if they were jocks they’d be fruitfully spending their time flipping burgers instead.
“No laptops! Kids can sneak these into their bedrooms for late-night play. Instead, get a heavy desktop computer and set it up with the screen facing outward in your family room. That way you can monitor you child’s computer use (homework!) at all times without interrupting your television viewing.” There are so many things wrong with this I’m not sure where to start. I guess I’ll go with: You are a fucking fascist. You seem to spend all your time spying on your kids. What the fuck is wrong with you? Also, while you sit on your (very very very) fat arse watching TV you expect your kids to be doing homework. Why don’t you set a good example you lardarse! Or maybe your watching those sexy jocks “filling out” their uniforms again you naughty naughty man.
“When you’re not at home, unplug the power cord to your computer and hide the mouse. You can always put it in one of your sock drawers. This is a great way to make sure no video games are played when you’re not around.” If your kid is so thick he can’t plug the computer in then he is already a jock.
“Be honest with your boys and tell them they’ll grow up as failures if they don’t excel at sports.” Yeah, Bill Gates was a pro-athlete.
“On birthdays and Christmas, buy them sports gifts. Every kid enjoys a new baseball mitt or a football!” No they don’t, they’re boring gifts.
“ask them some of my video game slang trick questions” You really are a slimy, lying, manipulative, sneaky, underhanded little fucker aren’t you. At least have the decency to ask him (or her, you completely forget the fairer sex) if they are a gamer.
“Gosh, this town is nothing like Vice City, isn’t it?” Is the incorrect grammar necessary? Maybe gamers only understand questions asked in a retarded manner. On top of that the question is just fucking stupid.
“Did you lose your Wee? I found one in the station wagon.” It’s actually called a Wii. How can you “find one in the station wagon”? Do people go round randomly leaving games consoles in peoples cars?
“secret gamer”. How do you know they are secret gamers? You never asked them if they were to begin with. You much prefer your little covert-ops methods of gaining intelligence.
“Remind them that jocks can tan themselves shirtless anytime!” Especially round your house, eh you fat pervert.
“There is just something so wonderfully wholesome about America’s strong and cocky high school jocks.” This really is too much. Take a cold shower for fuck sake.
All-in-all this article is rather typical for you: dihonest, stupid and far too obssessed with semi-naked men.
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3:49 pm
This article makes me embarrassed for God. It makes me embarrassed that someone who claims to be a Christian would write such narrow-minded and misguided sensationalist tripe. I was linked to this article by a non-Christian friend who, believe it or not, is not being won over by your graceful charm and prose.
I grew up a video gamer. I’m now in my mid-twenties, happily married to an attractive, lean, young Christian woman (also a video gamer) who I initially met on the internet because of a mutual interest in video games. I continue to play video games, but I’m also a multi-instrumentalist in a church praise band, and I help my wife teach Sunday school classes when I’m able to break free from the stage.
As for my own health? I suffer from various digestive issues and am genetically completely flat footed, but I still exercise almost every day and maintain a healthy 140lb weight on my 5’10″ frame with virtually no fat. I have a six-pack.
Education? I graduated at 14 years old, and have studied at a couple colleges on and off trying to figure out my ultimate academic goal. In the meantime, I have a 3.7 GPA in college.
Video gaming does spawn many bad things when not well moderated. However, not all that comes out of jock culture is pure, either. It too is saturated with lust (scantily-clad cheerleaders), idolatry (See car culture), and pride (showoff males).
In the end, it isn’t about what we do, but how we do it. Try not to make sweeping generalizations. You’re only a judgmental stumbling block in the way of anything good.
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8:15 pm
With all due respect to you, Stephenson Billings, dear Christian brother.
I find your article to be one of the most offending, intellectually ignorant, and poorly researched pieces of garbage that I have ever read. I see your point in trying to
restore the good old fashioned “American” culture, but that good old American dream died already, due to the fact that America’s “shining happy family” routine of the
early 1950′s did not exist in reality. It was nothing more but a propaganda poster for a society facing the strains of the Cold War. In reality, American society at the
time was a racist, mysoginistic, homophobic mess that survived the Cold War and its strains thanks to heroes like JFK, Martin Luther King Jr., Pope John Paul II,
and Ronald Reagan.
Secondly, your attempt to pass off sports as the ideal time spending does not do handicapped people any good. Sure, there are handicapped people who can play
sports, but they’re one in a mollion, and are almost impossible to replicate. What are they supposed to do then, try playing sports with their broken toes?
Secondly, your assession of the Video game world as eternally cursed with immorality is completely biased and unfair. I guess you haven’t even picked up a controller
and tried it yourself. If you want to get gamers to try sports, you must try to understand gaming itself; there are a lot of games which can get the entire family to sit
down and enjoy. The Super Mario games such as MarioKart, which I enjoyed with my cousins, friends, and with my mom and stepdad. The Disney games, like
Kingdom Hearts, where Mickey mouse and Donald duck are the player’s guardian angels……guides who help the player through difficult areas of the game. And
there are the new Wii games, which helped relate gamers and their families even more, to such an extent that mothers and fathers are becoming gamers themselves.
There are also games which do encourage moral choices and spirituality, especially Christian spirituality. Star Wars is something both Christian and American, and
LucasArts has heavily invested the Star Wars brand into the Video Game world. Games such as the KotOR series, which have become digital masterpieces far
outclassing mere novels and movies, encourage the player to really look into his choices and to make the eventual realization from what’s right and what’s wrong. It
basically places the player into the shoes of a Jedi he or she created, and proceeds to ask big moral questions such as “Are you gonna save just yourself or your
friends?” “Are you willing to wax half your budget in order to save a mother and her children?” Are you willing to risk death from a horrible disease just to heal a
person?” or “Are you willing to pay seven hundred credits to help a starving widow?” Questions that jocks rarely face or even consider. These games help in the
cultivation of the mind, which is twice as important than the cultivation of the body, both financially, empirically, and in the Spiritual sense; especially if you set out to
defend the fatih against doubters and atheists; a strong mind is crucial to living one’s life in Christ; in fondong out the great mysteries of which our Fatih proudly speaks
of. And yes, there are Videogames that can help that.
Lastly, to bring up a point one previous commentator made; the sports jock culture itself is one big mess; it is not the Christian utopia that you think it is. That sad
pathetic remnant of the past is not filled with Christians who express their love for one another by means of football. Sure, playing sports sometimes leads to a good
time and realizing God’s grace, and I was at the recieving end of said grace a couple of times myself, however modern high scool jocks are mysoginistic, abusive,
homoerotic, and chauvinistic assholes who spend their time tossing nerds into trash cans and threatening anal rape upon kids who stand up to them or who dare
snitch. “Snitches get stiches” is one of their common sayings. These morons are insecure fools who prey upon the weakness of others in order to reassure them of
their superiority, which they have constant doubts about-since in the inside, they are weak in character and integrity. Their dedication to victory is such that they will
violently curse any referee who judges them badly and bulldoze their way to victory, even if it leads to broken bones for the other team’s players. Modern sports
jockey high school culture resembles more the Darwinian dog-eat-dog world than the Christian world, and upon this realization, I isolated myself to a world full of
videogames and books, hoping to find enlightenment and truth in a more mindful manner, not in a world filled with mysoginistic, chauvinistic, homoerotic frat boys who
yell in people’s faces and have violent urges barely repressed visible in their eyes. Your ignorance is a shameful mockery on all of Christendom. To think that the
defenders of our faith and values are brainless jocks like you; you’re perfect meat for Chritopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins, you know that, right? You’re the
kind of guy they’d love to make a total idiot out of.
My main point is: It is not upon sports that Christ focused HIS teaching, but rather on the cultivation of the mind, which leads to enlightenment and truth.Philosophers
from Plato to Descartes have always pointed out the flaws of the body and the richness of the mind and it’s relation to the soul. It’s time for you to realize that.
With sincere prayers to God that you would WAKE THE HELL UP!!!!!! ;p
Paolo
Graduated High school and is now freeloading in college due to Scholarship
Registered member of the National Honor Society; Active member of the Brooklyn-Queens Catholic Forensic League; Active Church Altar Server and former youth
minister, member of Brooklyn-Queens Diocese Catholic Youth Group
Praise or Condemn:
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1
8:19 pm
With all due respect to you, Stephenson Billings, dear Christian brother.
I find your article to be one of the most offending, intellectually ignorant, and poorly researched pieces of garbage that I have ever read. I see your point in trying to
restore the good old fashioned “American” culture, but that good old American dream died already, due to the fact that America’s “shining happy family” routine of the
early 1950′s did not exist in reality. It was nothing more but a propaganda poster for a society facing the strains of the Cold War. In reality, American society at the
time was a racist, mysoginistic, homophobic mess that survived the Cold War and its strains thanks to heroes like JFK, Martin Luther King Jr., Pope John Paul II,
and Ronald Reagan.
Secondly, your attempt to pass off sports as the ideal time spending does not do handicapped people any good. Sure, there are handicapped people who can play
sports, but they’re one in a mollion, and are almost impossible to replicate. What are they supposed to do then, try playing sports with their broken toes?
Secondly, your assession of the Video game world as eternally cursed with immorality is completely biased and unfair. I guess you haven’t even picked up a controller
and tried it yourself. If you want to get gamers to try sports, you must try to understand gaming itself; there are a lot of games which can get the entire family to sit
down and enjoy. The Super Mario games such as MarioKart, which I enjoyed with my cousins, friends, and with my mom and stepdad. The Disney games, like
Kingdom Hearts, where Mickey mouse and Donald duck are the player’s guardian angels……guides who help the player through difficult areas of the game. And
there are the new Wii games, which helped relate gamers and their families even more, to such an extent that mothers and fathers are becoming gamers themselves.
There are also games which do encourage moral choices and spirituality, especially Christian spirituality. Star Wars is something both Christian and American, and
LucasArts has heavily invested the Star Wars brand into the Video Game world. Games such as the KotOR series, which have become digital masterpieces far
outclassing mere novels and movies, encourage the player to really look into his choices and to make the eventual realization from what’s right and what’s wrong. It
basically places the player into the shoes of a Jedi he or she created, and proceeds to ask big moral questions such as “Are you gonna save just yourself or your
friends?” “Are you willing to wax half your budget in order to save a mother and her children?” Are you willing to risk death from a horrible disease just to heal a
person?” or “Are you willing to pay seven hundred credits to help a starving widow?” Questions that jocks rarely face or even consider. These games help in the
cultivation of the mind, which is twice as important than the cultivation of the body, both financially, empirically, and in the Spiritual sense; especially if you set out to
defend the fatih against doubters and atheists; a strong mind is crucial to living one’s life in Christ; in fondong out the great mysteries of which our Fatih proudly speaks
of. And yes, there are Videogames that can help that.
Lastly, to bring up a point one previous commentator made; the sports jock culture itself is one big mess; it is not the Christian utopia that you think it is. That sad
pathetic remnant of the past is not filled with Christians who express their love for one another by means of football. Sure, playing sports sometimes leads to a good
time and realizing God’s grace, and I was at the recieving end of said grace a couple of times myself, however modern high scool jocks are mysoginistic, abusive,
homoerotic, and chauvinistic assholes who spend their time tossing nerds into trash cans and threatening anal rape upon kids who stand up to them or who dare
snitch. “Snitches get stiches” is one of their common sayings. These morons are insecure fools who prey upon the weakness of others in order to reassure them of
their superiority, which they have constant doubts about-since in the inside, they are weak in character and integrity. Their dedication to victory is such that they will
violently curse any referee who judges them badly and bulldoze their way to victory, even if it leads to broken bones for the other team’s players. Modern sports
jockey high school culture resembles more the Darwinian dog-eat-dog world than the Christian world, and upon this realization, I isolated myself to a world full of
videogames and books, hoping to find enlightenment and truth in a more mindful manner, not in a world filled with mysoginistic, chauvinistic, homoerotic frat boys who
yell in people’s faces and have violent urges barely repressed visible in their eyes. Your ignorance is a shameful mockery on all of Christendom. To think that the
defenders of our faith and values are brainless jocks like you; you’re perfect meat for Chritopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins, you know that, right? You’re the
kind of guy they’d love to make a total idiot out of.
My main point is: It is not upon sports that Christ focused HIS teaching, but rather on the cultivation of the mind, which leads to enlightenment and truth.Philosophers
from Plato to Descartes have always pointed out the flaws of the body and the richness of the mind and it’s relation to the soul. It’s time for you to realize that.
With sincere prayers to God that you would WAKE THE HELL UP!!!!!! ;p
Paolo
Graduated High school and is now freeloading in college due to Scholarship
Registered member of the National Honor Society; Active member of the Brooklyn-Queens Catholic Forensic League; Active Church Altar Server and former youth minister, member of Brooklyn-Queens Diocese Catholic Youth Group
Praise or Condemn:
0 
1
12:31 pm
Is there anything more American than our high school gaming culture? From LAN Parties to Gaming Tournaments, from Female Gamers and their controllers to young Male Gamers opening the new crisp plastic coating covering the game case, a fast working and independent mind beneath their skull, the new releases of popular games, the houses packed with parents and victory pizza parties, in every way teenage gamer culture is the epitome of wholesomeness. This game world teaches our children to decide between right and wrong in realistic situations. They treat their consoles as temples by exploring and mastering their electronic powers. They learn to be part of a social group where the glory of the whole is based on the sacrifices of the individual. It is, in essence, incredible training for the Christianity inherent in our beautiful American boys and girls.
There comes a time in every youngster’s life when they must decide to follow the gamer world, to work hard on their minds and skills, or to choose another path. Often, it’s the freshman year of high school when social pressures are high and the girls start to look awfully pretty. Choosing to be a jock completely destroys a boy’s popularity, a fantastic group of friends, the love of parents and eventually success with the female persuasion.
When sports first became popular, experts warned of the likelihood of increased amounts of egotism, apathy, suicide, school violence, Satanism, masturbation, homosexuality and unemployment. Despite the fact that these predictions have come true, not much effort has been made to stop the production and distribution of sports equipment. Football, Basketball, Track, Baseball, Tennis and Lacrosse, just to name a few, have made unscrupulous corporations rich and taught a generation of our children to hate society and their parents.
Now athletic teams are developing into a high school “culture” itself, as more and more children chose this pathetic and harmful lifestyle instead of joining a fun online community. It is a world of adrenaline junkies and meat heads. Mentally, they have not developed past the 12-year old stage. They were raised on steroid enhanced “professionals” like Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, Jose Canseco, Alex Rodriguez, and Marion Jones. All they want is to return to that stadium fun time, but their bodies have become so pumped with hormones they’re confused. Playing sports turns their childhood dreams upside down. Suddenly, Michael Vick is killing Scooby Doo while Alex Rodriguez sexually becomes Barry Bonds’ bitch, and these kids have found a new outlet for their mixed-up physical urges. It is no wonder, then, that we have increased episodes of violence like Columbine today. Playing sports is an addiction scientifically proven to be just as dangerous as crack cocaine and it’s making our kids immoral and angry in the process. They have lost all sense of right and wrong. They cannot tell the difference between the “field” and reality and fighting over balls seems like a fun thing to do. This is all the more tragic when they harass the gamers, the very thing they wish they could be but failed at so miserably.
Adults who played sports in high school are far less likely to become investment bankers, real estate salesmen, doctors, lawyers and IT professionals. They do not become our pastors or politicians. With fewer gamers learning social and moral skills in high school, we have less of the people who make this country truly great. Instead, we see young adults who cannot accept maturity. They find comfort in worlds of locker rooms and dressing up in jock straps, androgyny and dirty muscular men. They’re far more likely to meet strangers from the stadium in public parks. These poor souls may never have the courage to ask a worth while girl on a date. Homosexuality is often an easy answer for their awkwardness. Out of terrible shame, they will lie to your face and describe themselves as successful, good looking heterosexuals with gorgeous girlfriends and a rich social life. But we know this is not true. It’s a desperate attempt to cover up utter failure. Professionally, the high school jock may grow up to be your Wal-Mart employee, your bug exterminator, your McDonalds fry cook or maybe if you’re lucky, your loud and obnoxious sports announcer. But is that what any parent really wants for their child? So please, parents, be vigilant with your children and push them away from sports. Take it from someone who knows, you will be saving their lives.
Stephenson’s Five Tips for Happy Gamer Kids!
No footballs! Kids can sneak these into their bedrooms for late-night play. Instead, get a laptop computer and set it up with the screen facing outward in your family room. That way you can ensure your child has easy access to video games even on the go.
When you’re not at home, deflate the football and hide the helmet. You can always put it in one of your sock drawers. This is a great way to make sure no sports are played when you’re not around.
Be honest with your boys and tell them they’ll grow up as failures if they even consider playing sports. Make them go indoors! Lock them in if necessary. On birthdays and Christmas, buy them video games. Every kid enjoys a new controller or an extra copy of Gears of War! (I’d avoid Grand Theft Auto, however, there is too much drug use and anti-social behavior connected with it.) And when they’re 16, it’s time to consider the appropriate “Gaming Computer” for your boy.
Have a private talk with your child’s friends (maybe when you “accidentally” lock your own kid inside) and ask them some of my sport slang trick questions: “How about them Mets?” “Gosh, the backyard is nothing like the stadium, is it?” or “Did you lose your Dog? I found one near Michael Vick’s house.” If they answer with any knowledge whatsoever of these terms, you have a secret athlete on your hands. Beware!
Be concerned about the mental shape of our young people. You don’t even need to be a parent to do this. Watch them read and write and solve problems. Encourage them to think more. With a properly developed mind, you don’t need an afternoon playing Ninja Gaiden as an excuse to celebrate the intelligence and reflexes that our Creator endowed us with. Remind them that although jocks can tan themselves shirtless anytime, they are still immoral and have no sense of right and wrong. There is just something so wonderfully wholesome about America’s intelligent high school gamers. Jocks may say gamers are pale and pimply loners in black t-shirts too afraid to shower in the locker rooms, but they are wrong and being just plain satanic.
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12:42 pm
You are crude and illicit. I suggest you save this shovel full of horse dung for some video gaming website, and not here in the epicenter of moral righteousness. Oh yes, please do go ahead and post this on some gaming message board! I’m sure those odiferous geeks will crown you the nerd king!
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4:09 pm
Actually I just spell checked you’re crudely written article and made proper grammer adjustments as neccessary. You will find that i have kept both christian morality and the limitless knowledge that comes with age in the article.
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4:41 pm
Mr. Billings, there are a few things I’d like to point out to you. Wheither or not you care what I have to say is up to you, seeing how it is your right as an American. And I’m not even going to bother discussing your views on video games, as you seem pretty set on your opinion.
First: You complain about people thinking you’re a homosexual. This could be more easily avoided by wording your sentences a bit differently. Even if you had innocent intentions with them, saying things like “a pair of bulging muscles below a pair of soccer shorts” will cause suspicion and accusations in today’s society.
Second: Basing your knowledge on something like your age isn’t as effective anymore. With society and technology changing at the rapid pace it currently is, most things you learn while growing up can be outdated and replaced very easily. Values and morals, while important, are starting to change as well, even though they seem to be heading in a negative direction in some cases. Most people, even adults and parents don’t view age like they used to anymore.
Third: Calling other people liers when they don’t share the same views as you of if they say that they live a comforable, succesful life and they play video games isn’t an effective way to combat opposive viewpoints. They can’t prove over the internet that their life turned out like that, but this is a double-edged sword, you can’t prove that they didn’t.
Fourth: The Internet is full of the same people that you call “geeks, losers, drug addicts, obese, homosexuals, and liers”. I’m talking about the gamers and people similar to them. They were able to make computers into what they are today. In my own experiences, the “jock” variety of person isn’t as interested in the Internet as the “gamers” are. Posting an article that says video games are immoral and will lead to homosexuality and obesity is bound to have exponentially more negative responses than positive, even if it was aimed at the parents of children.
Finally: Ignoring opposing viewpoints that are difficult for you to respond to or that you view are too long aren’t a very good way to argue with people, and it makes you appear to be a bitter person who doesn’t acknowledge people who don’t agree with you.
As I said, I felt like I had to be the one to point these couple of things out to you, instead of giving reasons that the video game culture isn’t anywhere near as bad as you say it is, because plenty of posts before this one do so in intelligent ways. I’m not saying all of them do, because there are some that I myself find a bit excessive or in a few cases, repulsive, but overall I think we have stated enough reasons to defend our side of the argument.
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4:46 pm
I noticed a spelling error in my third point. I spelled “opposive” when I meant to spell “opposing”.
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8:08 pm
Crude and illicit? He copied and pasted your EXACT article and then replaced specific words to spin the view. He used the exact same wording.
Christianity is the biggest hypocrisy on this entire planet. Muslims may be radical, incompetent fucks, but at least they aren’t hypocrites.
Listen, idiot. It’s not the point of the un-faithful to obey the faithful. It is the job of the faithful to offer proof of God to the un-faithful.
Speaking of proof, I want a link to your degree in journalism. Because several times you’ve claimed this. Give me some proof that you’re actually a journalist.
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5:27 pm
Go. Fuck. Yourselves.
On an educated comment about your article:
“So please, parents, be vigilant with your children and push them into sports. ”
Is precisely the attitude that got me alienated pretty well from my parents.
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12:53 am
Hey look over here! I’ve got some more anecdotal evidence, kay?
So let’s see. I am sixteen, and a complete gamer. I play World of Warcraft (Level 80 Mage on the Malygos server in a high end raiding guild, been through Naxx several times) during the summers, have played Rock Band 2 probably to some excess, and generally probably play ten hours a week of various games, including Left 4 Dead and Team Fortress 2. I was made to do competitive soccer in middle school and hated it.
I go to a top private high school in my state, and I am taking college level courses (for example, Honors Differential Equations). I’m in the Boy Scouts (Life Scout + Order of the Arrow) and recently went to the Philmont Scout Ranch, at which I did a 70 mile hike in ten days in New Mexico. I am slightly below average weight and have no lasting health problems.
I could probably post a video of myself passing Visions on Expert Drums (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoHWwrTeYLY&feature=related for reference) then doing forty or fifty pushups.
Somehow I doubt I’m going to suffer from obesity in the conceivable future.
“But,” I hear you cry, “Your life after school will go down the drain like all the other gamers and you’ll end up lonely and unemployed!”
Other gamers? Oh! You must mean the other gamers like my father who plays World of Warcraft probably fifteen hours a week and is the co-founder of a successful software company? Or my mother who worked for a prominent rocketry research laboratory and plays World of Warcraft nearly as much as my father?
As a side note, I happen to know that my father at least has been playing video games since Rogue and possibly earlier. He’s of average weight and height and, guess what, he was also on the aforementioned Philmont trip with me and completed the same hike.
Last I heard of the jocks at middle school, they were part of a scandal involving sex in the back of a bus on the way to a sports game and were in danger of being expelled.
I dare you to argue that they’re better off than I am. I await your response, shivering with antici…pation.
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11:58 am
This article praises the culture of intolerance, peer pressure, and conformity as being something worth living up to. The same jock culture that never seems to put an emphasis on learning and knowledge.
While video games may simulate violence, the high school jock culture explicitly requires in some areas. Football, rugby, wrestling, and hockey all require that participants enact true physical violence against their opponents. It always amazes me the fact that everyone seems to forget this point, or simply wish to ignore it altogether.
While it is true that there are some that play video games too much, this is the exception rather than the rule. There are stories of people dying in South Korea from playing games too much, should we expect that all South Koreans are like this? Absolutely not, because this is the exception rather than the rule.
It is clear that the author of this particular article is extremely biased against video games, just like I am extremely biased towards video games. The author has written this article to simply push their beliefs on other people by using fear, and without presenting any real evidence to back up his beliefs. To me, the author of this article is probably close to the same level of zeal against video games as Jack Thompson (although I find Jack Thompson to be a much more logical person than this author).
You know, video games have increasingly become the source of new innovations that contribute to society in grand ways. Guitar Hero has revolutionized the way that people interact with music, and has given new relevance to music in today’s society. Wii Fit has helped some people be more aware of their health. Video games have even given rise to a new method of detecting heart abnormalities and prevent heart attacks. And every single PS3 today has the ability to contribute to medial research. So should we take a look at these examples, it should be clear that nothing good has ever come from video games (please note the sarcasm in that statement).
It is understandable that not everyone likes video games, but that shouldn’t mean the rest of us can’t enjoy them without being constantly bombarded by people who don’t. I don’t believe the jock culture is something to praise, but I am not on a crusade against it.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/26/computer-scientist-mods-xbox-360-to-detect-heart-attacks-girls/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_3_cluster#Using_the_PS3_to_Help_Medical_Research
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6:01 am
“Jocks” are more inclined to rape someone, in one on one and group scenarios. Now someone please explain to me how that is a Christian or morally good thing to do.
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8:50 pm
This is a joke, right?
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4:36 am
You know what! I’m just about sick of hearing you preach your bullshit about males needing the perfect body and if I ever see you in the street I’ll be sure to thrash you within an inch of your life for being such a blatant pedophile. Everything you have posted always has the line “firm tanned bodies” and now you post a picture of an arsehole jock disrespecting another human being, you also seem to have some sort of fascination with basements, is this the mind of a God fearing morally correct human being? Pedophiles are the worst kind of person and all the other christians you hang out with must not know you are one or you would be shunned, stoned or burnt at the stake.
I am usually a calm, accepting and patient person (having true faith in what He has in store for us will do that to you) but you Mr Billings have bitten off more than you can chew with this effort of hiding your apparent homosexual fantasies and I will be looking for you every time I walk down the street.
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6:01 am
I am a soldier in the army of an english speaking nation naturally and i have to say i find your article pathetic at best, After reading the first paragraph i was asking my self what the hell is this guys problem? do you hate the gaming community because they are stealing your beautiful women? doubtful as it seems your the homosexual that needs to come out of the closet or be put in prison for watching young boys bulging muscles as you put it.
Gaming is a huge part of life now as a social activity and as a stress reliever. This article by you shows that your terrified that people that aren’t good at sports are kicking your arse in halo or some other game and that they most likely are your boss at work. Thats if you work.
As for bringing religion into it you need to be slapped for your narrowmindedness,don’t get me wrong i believe in god but religion was created by lieing, cheating idiots that prayed on the faith of our ancestors to keep them undercontrol and to manipulate them so that you lazy idiots never have to work because you have everyone else sending the church money out of fear of being smited.
Gaming is also used by the advanced militaries of the world to intill leadership, planning, and team cohesion.
As for you saying games cause homosexuality and masturbation is a laugh, both are a fact of life and both have always been around. Neither are the scourge of society. That title is left to extremists like you, whether its racial, religious, homophobic, or anyother form of extremeism.
Simply put you are a scared little man in a changing world that doesn’t seem to have a place for you or your so called superior jocks.
I am athletic and i am a combat soldier and yes i have fought in war and eventhough i play video games, masturbate, have lots of unmarried sex, God still found it worthwhile to save my sinning arse.
So that tells me that he cares for all of us no matter what. Not just christian jocks.
This is a world of technology and online societies if you don’t like it go live on a desert island where you have nothing.
P.S the Geeks of this world save our arses on a daily basis, with medicine and other things that we need to stay alive in an ever hostile world. (no im not a geek but i respect them, i don’t respect jocks who can’t spell their own name because they can get through university just by playing sport)
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1:44 pm
Well said Mr Billings, if only the rest of the world could see the evils thrust at us through these types of satanic and foolish devices.
I must make this quick for i am currently surrounded by these heretic “gamers” and i can feel their homosexual intentions towards myself seeping into my very being (i’m at one of their dens which the Lord of Darkness has called Internet Cafe).
While i agree with what you have said i don’t agree with you, all forms of media contain the evil ones influence, be it video games, radio or television and right at this moment i am sinning but if i can help save millions of young peoples souls to enter the grace of God i will endure the fires of Hell with God in my heart. I have chosen you Mr Billings to spread the truth about said evils only because you have taken all these nasty and uneducated critism with love in your heart and have made every attempt possible to spread the word of God.
i don’t own a television or radio nor do i tolerate the sinners that own such tools of the Devil, i only heard about the wonderful work you are doing from a friend which now i will never see again, owning a computer also falls under the Devils tools.
Now alittle about myself for when the deluded try to bring me down, My parents controlled every aspect of my childhood such as what food i ate, what clothes i wore etc and i am a healthy 27 year old male that still lives with them to help resist the temptations of evil, i played football in high school, was part of the swimming team, never spoke or acknowledged the existance of the opposite sex and i see nothing wrong with anything Mr Billings has said about jocks, the weak are nothing and only the strong will survive. every chance i had in school i would punish the weak for having no faith or will power to overcome the Devils workings on them, beating evil out of the sinners was the only help i could offer them and in return i usually broke my hands for doing so.
I must leave now for its a long walk back to my home and i need all the energy to purge this sin from my body.
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9:55 pm
Right, I was going to read through this entire page, but to be honest at about half way I just can not put up with the inane replies of Stephenson Billings.
Now I really wish I had had my notebook to hand when I started as there were so many points where I wanted to interject and throw some common sense into the conversation, but since I did not have the foresight I will have to try and raise a few points which remain at the front of my mind.
Firstly two points which could be construed as “attacks” against Stephenson Billings, firstly there’s a lack of response to the revelation that Stephenson Billings and his biggest fan JaniceFun are in fact the same person, why else would JaniceFun thank JaniceFun for support, it does not make sense right? There’s not even a rebuking of the allegations that they are one and the same.
Then has anyone noticed that when presented by anything that doesn’t fit into his neat little world view Stephenson Billings replies by either calling whom ever he is talking to a child, a liar or just throwing bible quotes at them oh and not forgetting that he throws his own alleged qualifications in our face.
Next we have our supposedly videogame inspired school shootings, both Columbine and VirginiaTech, it is clear from his reactions that our friend Stephenson Billings seems unaware as to the root cause of these tragedies was the ugly fact that those who carried out these attacks werein fact bullied at great length by jocks, so far the only response we have had? That bullying builds character evidentily they do not like the character bullying builds.
Infact, ignore all the other points, I think I can clearly indicate why Stephenson Billings feels the need to ignore clear concise discussive points, he has belief, Stephenson Billings clearly believes in his point.
To Stephenson Billings there is no way anyone who plays videogames is capable of achieving anything whilst a jock is the epitome of good.
I am sure it must be nice to live in such a black and white world as the one of our friend, but I fear my world is filled with shades of gray, a world where someone can enjoy video games and still manage to attend the gym and still pull in good grades, a world where a jock only survives high school because he manages to do well at sports, a world where the jock makes fun of the smart kids because intellectually he does not compare.
The problem is simple, out of all those high school kids moving up to college, of all those college kids trying to become professional only a slim percentage make the cut, so if they have little more going for them than their athletic ability, what is the next step? They can not simply walk into a fortune500 company because no matter what team ability or popularity they had in school they will need to have text book knowledge of they want to advance in the world of business.
So who does get ahead? Simply put, it’s those kids who avoided extra physical activities in favour of extra studies and yes in favour of games, what can a video game teach teenagers and children? Just as much, if not more than throwing a ball around, we have games based on business structure, games based on trading, games based on well.. damn near anything actually.
The fact that Stephenson Billings focuses on WoW indicates that he knows little about the world of videogames but yes, in Wow a game can be extremely tactical, campaigns can take weeks of work and you need to trust your party without question.
Well I could go on but everything’s recycled by now, isn’t it folks? But I will raise the same last point as everyone else, you do put too much focus on the physical attributes of young males, you protest to the point where it does incriminate you further.
You say the bible has no qualms with appreciating the body? Well the bible says I can sell my daughter into slavery, the bible says I can kill my daughter if she refuses to marry a man who has raped her, the bible does not say “Thou shalt focus on the toned bodies of young men”.
However, you’re not focussing upon the sport, you’re putting too much emphasis on the physical well being of the players, that really is quite creepy.
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1:53 am
Lawlz. Jocks don’t exist anymore. They got replaced with wannabe gangstas, who are also being replaced.
Gaming has its own set of standards, the main one being that you have to be able to read and write. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. Seniors. At. My. School. Who. Can’t. Do. Either.
Pokemon taught me how to read.
I never would have known Michael Jackson died if I hadn’t logged onto Mabinogi.
The political fights on Shaiya are entertaining.
“Have a private talk with your child’s friends (maybe when you “accidentally” lock your own kid outside) and ask them some of my video game slang trick questions: “What level paladin are you these days, buddy?” “Gosh, this town is nothing like Vice City, isn’t it?” or “Did you lose your Wee? I found one in the station wagon.” If they answer with any knowledge whatsoever of these terms, you have a secret gamer on your hands” – Umm…First off, if you’re going to critisize it, learn to spell it right. It’s “Wii”. Secondly, if you do that you’re going to get strange looks and people will think you’re a pedophile.
Choosing to be a jock insures a boy popularity, a fantastic group of friends, the love of parents and eventually success with the female persuasion. – ._. No…Just no…The fairy-tale world of jocks ended in the ’80s, and with good reason. Those jocks are now the wannabe gangstas. And, um…female persuasion? Hell no. I’d rather not date some musclehead. I want to be able to spend time with my boyfriend on more than one layer.
“tell them they’ll grow up as failures if they don’t excel at sports. Make them go outdoors! Lock them out if necessary. On birthdays and Christmas, buy them sports gifts. Every kid enjoys a new baseball mitt or a football!” – Holy shit. The first sentence…You need help. No parent in their right mind would tell their child that. You NEVER tell your child they are going to be a failure.
Oh…Little story. I got a bike for Christmas one year. I stared at it for about a minute before turning to my Mom and saying, “Mom, we live on a hill. Do you really want me to be hit by incoming traffic?”
“children to hate society and their parents” – Children would hate society, anyways, because every generation is more retarded than the one before it. And the parents part? Parents pressure their kids too much, saying “if you don’t do sports you’ll be a failure!” which leads to many unpleasant things. Including hatred of parents.
“Suddenly, Raggedy Ann is killing Scooby Doo while SpongeBob sexually pokemons Barney” – …What? Did you just use POKEMON as a replacement for RAPE? Pokemon is not a verb. It is a proper noun. Second error. It makes you seem dumb. And no, I don’t mean that as in ‘blind’. Even though you are very, very blind and very, very misguided…
“Adults who were video gamers in high school are far less likely to become investment bankers, real estate salesmen, doctors, lawyers and sports coaches. ” – ._. Another reason they don’t want to become those things is because they’re BORING, STRESSFUL, and did I mention BORING? People want jobs they love, not jobs where they want to bash their heads out everyday.
“Out of terrible shame, they will lie to your face and describe themselves as successful, goodlooking heterosexuals with gorgeous girlfriends and a rich social life” – This is not the ’80s. And most people are stupid now, anyways. And most of the chicks are bimbos.
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4:40 pm
“Why do I care about your weight? Put your shirt back on, kiddo. I don’t care. And if you’re not a Christian, why should I care about your tirade on morals? What credibility do you have? And don’t give me this “free choice” baloney. If we let everyone have free choice, we’d have to let rapists and serial killers do their thing without interference. Maybe we should give them all a hug and wish them good luck? Your logic doesn’t stand the test of reality.” – Stephenson Billings
I would really, really love to see your sources on this. On what basis do You make these statements?
And please do not give me the “it’s in the Bible” (not that I assume You would). But You talk about “reality”, so I assume You have some kind of scientific basis for this article.
Personally, I think You’re completely wrong in everything You write in this article (and Your comments), based on my personal experience and from the scientific papers I’ve been reading, being an IT-student at the University of Aarhus.
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8:32 am
wow, billings your wrote an article about solisiting hard-bodied boys. what’s wrong, no one want to go on your camping trips anymore? i thought you were a fag before when you tried to get me on one of those, but this is just embarasing.
the jock culture as you call it has been the bane of so many peoples exsistance for so long that it’s good something came along that allows for nerds to get some payback against jocks that have been allowed to push them around for so long. now i’m not saying all jocks are dickheads but the mass majorioty are.
oh and it is so funny to see you get consumed by the hoard of gamers.
keep up the good work claire
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3:52 am
This article should be more thought out and rewritten or just be deleted all together, it is elitist trash.
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10:03 pm
Uhmm yeah, no.
Okay look at this way (i won’t even touch the “young firm men filling out new crisp football uniforms, a pair of bulging muscles below soccer shorts” thing)
Jocks want to be pro athletes right? Well there is a SET number of them, that number being extreamly low.
Video gamers can easily get interested in programming or designing for a gaming company. My friend is an AMAZING artist, and programmer. She already has scholarship offers. She plays WoW. She wants to work with Ubisoft.
Several of my friends DO participate in sports. However, that is not their only ambition. In fact they do it for fun.
I want to be a particle physisist. I play Halo and CoD. I live right by fermilab. I’m currently interning there.
My boyfriend is wants to be an archeologist. He knows more world history than every registerd member here. He plays CoD WoW and halo as well.
STFU!!!
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2:08 pm
Oh fantastic, just what the world needs- another gay video gaming blogger. Matt, there was no need to share your personal life story here. I doubt many words of it. I am just horrified that people like you are children and around other children! How can you honestly look yourself in the mirror each day and say that you’re not wasting your life away with the hours upon hours you spend playing video games, facebooking men, and chatting in gay chat rooms? The world is a terrible place.
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1:53 pm
you make games seem like Sodom and Gomorrah. Did you know that the fictitious character satan killed less people than the fictitious character god did? just a little tid bit from someone who like to study different religions.
“I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ” ~Mahatma Gandhi~
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1:48 pm
You are awesome. Cock of duty is an awesome game. Sniping the Jesus out of people is fun.
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8:43 am
I don’t see how it’s a bad thing.
Start breaking down these stupid cliques and stereotypes in schools and maybe you wont get as many kids shooting them up. You rarely see these social circles outside of the US and surprise surprise, kids shooting up their schools for being treated as an outcast is virtually non-existant.
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8:53 am
At first I was like… huh?
Then I was all like: WHAT THE FUCK AM I READING?
“maybe when you “accidentally” lock your own kid outside”??? Who the fuck does that. There is nothing worse for the world than american christians like you.
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9:06 am
Stephenson Billings, you are a huge backwards assed hick.
You give all reporters a bad name. It’s a shame your parents bred, you cunt.
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9:29 am
It’s great to see a fellow homosexual christian on a credible site as this! Cudos to you Mr. Billings! But I do not agree with your views on video games at all.
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2:09 pm
LOL you caught his homo-eroticism?
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7:24 am
Hey Stephenson, you really made me angry today. I was playing some Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 when Mary told me about your article. I’m disappointed that you used Christianity and my name in your article when you don’t even know what my true message is.
I think you’ve really got to learn to accept video games as an entertainment medium, much like TV and films. I gave humans a vivid imagination so that you can enjoy all of these creations.
Be a good person in life, treat others with respect and have an open mind. By the way, the majority of jocks are bullying jerks and there’s a reason why many of them have unsuccessful lives
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2:18 pm
Jesus died for this guy? He put down world of warcraft which I can’t give a shit about but he put down games at large and I will not stand for that. I wanted to bring this up with you when we spoke that day. I think we need to rematch on XBOX LIVE on our Call of Duty as well that tactical nuke was not fair at all
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5:45 pm
Why does this society condemn free spirit and quiet intellect and imagination, for meat headed and arrogant jerks… I’m talking about stereotypes here, I applaud the exceptions
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3:08 am
It’s wii, the nintendo wii, not wee -_-
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1:11 pm
It’s been said billions of time before I’m sure…
“a pair of bulging muscles below soccer shorts”
GAY! BAD CHRISTIAN!!! Sounds like you need some of your own Repairative therapy. It’s ok I was once where you were… consistently gay bashing… playing the role of a Christian… a closet homosexual… I will admit though there is one good thing that comes from jocks… they give me something to laugh at. I mean can you get any more gay than a locker room full of naked guys slapping each other with wet towels and spanking each others asses? and whats this with the coaches and their sexual molestation problem? I think I heard football was the gayest sport next to competitive butt fucking.
I’m nineteen years old and I am ashamed to see the pure and “wholesome” ignorance of old dudes like you… I didn’t even bother reading your little bitch fit after the part of homosexuality… did you know that some of the Bibles characters were fags like I? prolly not cuz they tell you not to say that shit in Theological Seminary but I do know that you know that you are supposed to love your neighbor as you love yourself. so let me ask you this… do you not love gays because you don’t love yourself because you are gay?
and how does games take away from this “culture”? not everyone is going to be a muscle bound testosterone (or endocrine depending if they use steroids or not) driven creature like you… I tried sports… wasn’t good at them so I did art instead… that’s how I ended up at games…
jocks are the problem in today’s society… they are less of a problem than what you probably were but they are still a problem… they don’t pick on single individuals like you did but rather groups at large. They take their feeling of power and turn it into authority how do you explain that? Do you blame us queers for hating you? you shouldn’t… jocks are popular and idolized in gay porn. you shouldn’t feel special though… gays are smarter wittier and much more attractive than you people.
and another thing… the technological advancements are what keep this country on its feet thank you
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1:16 pm
Really? It seems to me that you’ve lost your Christian morals somewhere along the way. That whole post was an example of the worse problems in society and the Christian belief today…judgment. “So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another.” (Romans 14:1-13) “You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, My decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with The Father, who sent Me.” (John 8:15-16) I can give you more and more verses where it says that we should not judge…yet you just wrote a whole article judging people that play video games. It doesn’t pull kids away from God, and while it may teach some kids about killing…most kids do not take video games seriously in that way. More so, high school athleticism doesn’t always help kids. More often than not it makes them believe that they exist on some pedestal above other kids their age. They bully, harass, and pick on kids that are not like them. Just because you don’t play sports doesn’t mean anything. I myself am an example. I played just about every sport out there when in high school, and there were a countless number of times that I stopped my fellow teammates from beating up other kids just for the fun of it – or because they didn’t like the way they were. Is that how we want our kids to be? To think they’re better than everyone else because they’re a jock or because they’re Christian? Well you may want that, but I do not. We are no better than our neighbor, and our neighbor is no better than us. It does not matter if you play video games or you play sports, or both. It doesn’t matter whether you are Christian or Muslim…we will all be judged in the same way by God. And as for kids that play video games not becoming successful, that’s utterly ridiculous. I currently know 3 pastors, 4 ordained ministers, a very successful banker, and several people in their final years of college. Of those people in their final years of college, two are going to be lawyers, one is going to be a forensic scientist, one a biochemical engineer, and one an athletic coach. Most of them played video games in high school, and still enjoy playing them from time to time. I myself have a degree in Forensic Science and Psychology, and yet I really enjoyed video games in high school. So yes, while it may make some kids lazy, it does not speak for the whole of high school kids. I think you need to take less time looking at “statistics” and spend more time finding out first hand from high school kids.
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1:31 pm
I mean really Stephenson or whatever your name is… You might as well say there is something sexy about a fit young male that has a bulge in his soccer shorts and even something sexier when he takes them off in a steamy shower room… two teams of guys rubbing against each other to prove their strength and masculinity and their disheveled hair when they remove their helmet… I rush out of the stands and run my fingers through his hair… strip him of his pads and… ( i ican go on and on about your failed attempt to hide your gayness)
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1:31 pm
I forgot to mention something in my previous comment. Not only are you full of wrong information and judgment, but you’re also accusing video games of making kids gay. That in itself is terribly wrong information. The Christian belief says to cast no judgment upon anyone and to love everyone as you love yourself. If someone is gay, it truly does not matter. They are sinners just as you are. “All sins are equal in the eyes of God.” I’m sure you’ve told a lie. Or maybe you had sex before marriage? Whatever the sin, it’s no less sinful than being gay. As for something making people gay, I’m pretty sure that I didn’t just wake up one day and decide to be gay. Actually, I tried to force myself to be straight. It didn’t work. You know why it didn’t work? You cannot change who you are. You say being gay is shameful and all this, but if it is, then how come God still talks to me? How come God still shines happiness and love down on my life? Being gay has nothing to do with whether or not you’re close to God. We all sin, every single day. Multiple times a day. To say you do not would be a sin in itself because that would be lying. You’re human, you sin. So how can you cast judgment on a whole group of people like that? Not only are you committing one sin right there, you’re committing a multitude of the same sin. So do you think you’re any better than me because I’m gay? I do not judge others. I try my hardest to not lie. And I actually talk to God. I’d say I’m a bit closer to him than you are. So I’m going to pray for you tonight. I’m going to pray that God will give you the strength to overcome your prejudice, your bias, and your lies. I’m going to pray that he will show you all the things you are doing against him so that you may become a better man. I wish you luck in life because from the sound of that article, you’re going to need every bit of luck you can get.
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1:38 pm
Jamie you are awesome.. you make a good Christian argument. I do agree with everything you have said in you last two posts… I just couldn’t say all that cuz… well I don’t believe in a god xD We’ll talk on AIM about that though… oh I need to ask do you have an XBOX LIVE account? cuz I could talk to you there too
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10:04 am
I think this is one of the funniest things I’ve ever read in my life.
Thank you, Mr. Billings, for making my otherwise dull Thursday morning an absolute riot.
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10:59 am
mario Brothers taught me how to masturbate.
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6:44 pm
I couldn’t bother myself to read every single comment on this article, but I did read the whole article. Billings, I am sure you consider your article an attack on a culture, why are you so suprised about the retaliation? There has never been any subject has never been completley understood by looking from the outside. I can just as easily say what I think of all those child molesting priests we have all been hearing about, or I can listen to them and then come to a conclusion. The way the church works (keeping their male and female priests seperate/forbiding relations beween them) is the breeding ground for these predators of the cloth. See how easy it is to write whatever I wish? Oh and unlike your work this is not completley unfounded or researched by people paid to ‘make sure the desired results’ come to light while supressing the truth. So I wont bore you with how rich my personal life is, since you have closed yourself off to anybody that doesn’t claim they are a tormented soul suffering in the shadows of electic stimulation. Instead, well first I read alot of comments but none of them talked about that 100% gay butt slapping that goes on between a football coach and his players. So, what have jocks done for us? The Governator of California, well he wasn’t so bright and now that place is pretty much on life support. Lets see, someone that wasen’t a jock, where would the world be einstein was too busy playing football instead of working on his theories? For all we know half the world might be covered in golden nazi emblems! The world just needs people to be who they are, no one else!!! We need jocks, geeks, dorks, smart-asses, dumb-asses, the full spectrum of human personalities to continue being a great nation. Does it not say in the bible ‘judge not? lest ye be judged’? Why are you so suprised that so many people are calling you a homosexual or a pedophile if you have already catagorized gamers as a lazy, homosexual, easily enraged bunch? Certainly you expected some type of backlash when you published this and let the whole world see? I wish I was on all those so called news shows that talk about the horrors of video gaming because I would call out every single comment hurled at parents that try to convince that there is nothing but corrpution in video games. Every single thing said by their so called experts is skewed if not a complete lie. Seriously though, I’m thinking about sending this article to a certified psycologist to see if you need to speak with one, they too weren’t jocks you know. You really do children’s parties? No wonder people think your a pedophile. I really enjoyed reading your nazi propaganda, hope you enjoy your soda bottle antiquing, looks like someone else wanted to be a jock and just didn’t make the cut.
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5:54 pm
Of course is bad, less brainwashed youth for the churches to leech from, because video games stimulate questioning and the seek of knowledge, who is going to believe the lie that there is a merciful god who let die children in Haiti and allow so many injustice in this world to happen, just because he is God and he created us he has the right to watch and do nothing…
That God seen very pathetic and human to me, while all your priest and pastor rape and get rich at the cost of brainwashed working people…
Wake up, scape the Matrix, scape the prisons for your minds…
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7:29 pm
I like to wonder where I stand in this guys world, Firstly im from the UK so that might affect things somewhat not being a “good American” and all. But I pride myself on the fact im a 1st Dan Black Belt in Shotokhan and have trained in the art for over 7 years, recently i’ve also taken up a second martial art Aikido. Along with all this I regularly cycle or walk to most of my destinations. So I guess so far so good Im young fit and Healthy right and I would never dare make use of Video games since they have no interest for me? WRONG when im not being active in sport or socialising I spend most of my free time playing video games, I own a PC an Xbox 360 and a PS2 and have over 30 games on each of the consoles and well over 100 on the PC. Whilst currently im single I do actively seek relationships and in general consider myself a fairly average looking male. So tell me in your world where video games lead to homosexuality (which is wrong why?) and obeasity and in general anti social shut in behaviour am I just the exception that proves the rule or some minorty exception or does the fact a practice martial arts not a propper sport make me a secrect Homo? In all seriousness you may consider this a well written passage of lies to hide the truth of my pitiful existance. But in general I’
m happy with my life I have a sport I love a group of friends I can trust. Im on close terms with my ex (who went to uni) a job and to top it all off a great hobby in playing computer games during those times when there isn’t a reason to go outside or I just fancy a day of selfish self indulgence. So answer me this Billings what am I in your world?
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8:16 pm
First, I would just like to say that this article is a classic example of someone preaching that it is wrong to be different. I grew up on video games because my father was a single parent raising three children. They kept me occupied and entertained. You claim that video games cause the factors below are completely unsupported and biased to your intolerant religion.
“obesity, apathy, suicide, school violence, Satanism, masturbation, homosexuality and unemployment”
1.) Video games causing obesity – Video games do not cause obesity, genetics and lack of exercise cause obesity. Just because you play video games doesn’t mean you will not exercise regularly. You don’t have to be a part of a sport to exercise.
2.) Video games causing apathy – Can you please cite in an accredited research journal, experiment, or study that shows a link between apathy and playing video games? I play video games very often and I have life goals and I am very motivated. I’m just asking you to please cite where you found the link between the two.
3.) Video games causing suicide – Again can you please show me an accredited research journal, experiment, or study that links the two together?
4.) Video games causing school violence – Please Mr. Billings can you tell me what age do children normally leave high school? I’ll save you the trouble and say it is most commonly 18. Now, if a child who is 13 gets his hands on a game that is rated MA for MATURE, then it is logical to assume it is the parent’s fault for allowing the child access to the game correct? Children who are under the age of the recommended rating should not be playing that game. It is the parent’s responsibility to limit access to these games. The games do not cause the violence. The parents do by letting the children have these games. The parents should also look at the contents of the game ( they are on the back of the box under the rating ) and determine if they want their children playing the game or not.
This entire argument is completely unsound and it always makes me shake my head every time it comes up in a debate.
5.) Video games Causing the practice of Satanism – Again… Where in the world did you find the research linking these two? I believe it is just your bias speaking for itself. Either way. You would probably think it horrible if a link were found between video games and the practice of Buddhism ( P.S: it isn’t horrible ). Such a shame people are allowed to post nonsense like this to the Internet.
6.) Video games causing Masturbation – Masturbation is a perfectly natural thing to do and it is also healthy to boot. But if you must insist by saying that video games cause it ( hormones do, not video games ), then I will proceed to tell you to refer to my refutation of point number 4. It is the parent’s responsibility for allowing the children access to this game.
Oh and also if you were wanting the research for my argument that masturbation is healthy here:
http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/guide/masturbation-guide
Read the abstract here: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a904696244&db=all
do some more research yourself. You’ll find that Masturbation is perfectly normal and healthy.
7.)Video games causing Homosexuality – Really? This entire article is just your hate for video games combined with your close-minded religion. Can you please, again, show me the research you found/did to prove a link between homosexuality and video games? I am not a homosexual myself, but to be honest there is nothing wrong with it. If a person chooses to be a homosexual, then they have that right. Don’t let your religion talk for you Mr. Billings.
8.)Video games causing unemployment – *sigh* Mr. Billings can you please show me the research that links unemployment with video games?
9.) Your claim that video games are just as addicting as crack/cocaine – Mr. Billings this is an outright lie and I do not know where you even found the made-up research for this or if you just made it up in your head. Do you even know how addictive crack/cocaine is? The people who become addicted to crack cocaine don’t just develop a dependence on the behavior of using it, they become PHYSICALLY DEPENDENT on it. I have yet to meet a person who NEEDS video games or else they will need withdrawl. Comparing the addictiveness of crack/cocaine to video games is one of the worst comparisons I’ve seen in my life. Citing the MEDIA for SCIENTIFIC data is THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO IN WRITING.
Also, did you know that you can technically become addicted to anything? A behavior or substance? The more you know…
Basically if that was too long for you to read Mr. Billings I would like to say you are a very blind and foolish man and you should be embarrassed for having posted that article. I know I would if I were you.
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8:22 pm
I would just like to correct myself. Instead of “need withdrawal” I meant to say “suffer from withdrawal.”
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8:06 pm
hi, i adore miss hilton. she is funny and i can’t wait to see what she will do next! x
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6:26 pm
Mr. Billings, you are very immature for your age calling people nerds, promoting bullieing, and having parents lye to there children. Im a proud gamer I prefer being called a geek than nerd. If someone calls me a nerd I would be tiked off. I learned alot from gaming. I learned about WWII, I learned about Vasily Zaytsev famous Russian sniper. OOPS sorry I forgot you dident learn about him because you slept during history class when you were learning about russian history you dumb jock.
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12:52 pm
The best part of this article is the advertisement for a video game right next to it. Irony can be so delicious sometimes.
The author of this article needs to learn to accept that his way of living is not the only way of living. It is possible to play video games and follow Christ. I know because I do it.
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2:08 pm
Successful troll is successful. Just remember, the only thing of value lost here is doctors; operating a medigun isn’t easy.
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5:41 pm
Ahahaha…
America and your silly values. :3
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5:45 pm
I still can’t believe so many fell on that troll! Especially those edgy 12 yr old bastards who think they are genius by playing Halo and TF2 all day.
Can’t you see this guy is fucking with you? He is contradicting himself purposely, even using catchphrases of American Christian propaganda to mock both jockeys and the way the Christian talk bullshit.
Dear OP, congrats for trolling succesfully
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5:53 pm
I love it how Christians preach Tolerance and Acceptance, then proceed to bash any lifestyle choice, that doesn’t match their “Wholesome Christian Values”.
Need I remind you about the recent Paedophile allegations against Priests.
Choice phrases like:
“Young firm men”
“…a pair of bulging muscles below soccer shorts”
Made me laugh out loud.
This article, plus the comments deliver.
Definately a solid 9/10.
If the author Stephenson Billings is actually serious, and that deluded, it’s definately a 10/10 from me.
Also I’m going to offer a phrase thats more useful to the future children than this whole article:
“Generalization and Steroetypes are bad M’kay.”
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6:53 pm
Yo Mr. Billings,
so playing sports = success?
My father was a wide receiver in high school and a faithful christian. I am an atheist and play video games.
My dad is unemployed. I am in the Air Force and on track to become a pilot.
Not that there’s any point in posting this. If you do reply, it will be to call me a liar. Fucking fundamentalist hypocrite.
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6:53 pm
The articles on this website make me want to become an athiest.
If this Stephenson Billings fool is serious, he’s an elitist boy toucher.
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8:29 pm
Christians are such fucking biggots.
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8:34 pm
my lord and savior (the earth and sun) is real.
yours was nailed to a cross… pussies
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9:54 pm
LOOK AT ME! MY NAME IS STEPHENSON BILLINGS I’M A DIRTY DOUBLE NIGGR!
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10:54 pm
Stephenson, you seem to spend a lot of time here… I’m beginning to think you don’t have a job. And more than likely, you live at a relatives home or perhaps in a Christian homeless shelter. And, by some chance of “God” you found out how to use a computer at your local library. Why do I say this? You have zero solid evidence to support your claims. I can’t begin to fathom how my hobby of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Two, Ace Attorneys Miles Edgeworth: Investigations, or my golf team I participate in during the last two weeks of my junior year of high school, relate to my (or for that matter, anyone else’s) attempt to silence you. Because, “God” forbid my peers have downtown at home between playing towel tag in the locker room after sports practice, and having a job or even downtime from 9pm to 10pm. I’ll be honest from your replies and behind your text the fine print is green… with jealousy, because you own social life (whatever phantasmal era you spent your youth) just didn’t turn out right. Of course, as you would be familiar with from your own “journalism”, if it can even critically be called that, we are both only speaking hypothetically. So I suggest you rethink your biased remarks and perhaps do some REAL research when you are done google-ing all the words in this post so you can, at best, vaguely understand what I just said.
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6:47 pm
There are bad people sprinkled around everywhere. There are bad people who like video games. There are bad people who become police officers. There are bad people on high school football teams. And there are bad people in your church. I could write this same article, but change a few names and places, and now its suddenly about that priest who raped children.
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10:54 pm
This has to be a troll.
It just has to be.
There can’t be anyone *this* closed-minded out there… can there?
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4:38 pm
Thankyou, this is extremely nice info, thankyou.
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9:35 pm
No, I think today’s biggest threat to America’s high school jock culture is booze and cheerleaders.
And college.
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9:47 pm
In high school when you were a jock, did you make sure to touch each other’s buttocks and wrestle really hard? Were you admiring the firm Greco-Roman like muscle tone of your fellow gladiators for good? This must be well spent because you’re obviously never on the internet, no! You’re off exercising! Like a good little jock like Jesus was! Why yes, indeedy, Jesus was very muscular under those wraps. How else was he able to walk on water? And I’m just sure that you continue coaching our underfunded youth; at least those few hetero individuals with enough brain power to do sports instead. Because patting each other’s well-toned backs is exactly what the real hetero Christian world of intelligence is all about.
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11:20 pm
I should note that the Army Rangers play video games alot in their offtime. So does 5th Special Forces Group. Now, you being in Tennessee you are just a short drive away from Ft. Campbell. Perhaps you should go over there and tell them your opinion on video games, eh? Oooh, look up Sergeant First Class Rob Phipps when you are there, an old acquaitance of mine. He was in Mogadishu in 1993, I think he would be ESPECIALLY interested in what you have to say.
Oh I know! YOU two could talk about Pat Tillman. The meeting would be almost PERFECT! I wish I could be there!
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1:21 am
You make it sound as if playing sports leads to instant success. While there are the few lucky people that will make it to the pro leagues or the few that actually try to live a well rounded lift, most of the “jocks” usually do not focus on getting a decent education and as such they end up at McDonald’s or car dealerships if their big sports career doesn’t pan out. I am a nerd, video gamer, whatever you may call me. I never played sports in school, I was in the band, I played video games, I focused on my studies and I also had a part time job at my aunt’s restaurant in my spare time at school. I am currently a semester away from graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. This seems a far cry and a fine job away from what you seem to imply video games lead to. I am not saying that video games lead to success, but people like you try to blame the world’s problems on video games instead of poor parenting.
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12:45 am
obvious troll is obvious
also, OP is a fag(literally)
also, THE GAME
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9:32 pm
Look, guy, I realize it is pointless to reply to this “article” half a year after its conception, but I just cannot resist.
You have no god damned idea what the hell you are talking about, you use the same circular logic that most religious zealots do. I don’t disapprove of being religious or spiritual in anyway, I believe there is some sort of higher power somewhere. I do not follow “Christianity” because of people like you.
I understand the future that is ahead of me, I understand basic logic. I am not an old fart like you, but I am old enough to know the world around me. I have “been around the block” like you have claimed to be, the only difference is I am not an ignorant gay bashing closeted homosexual.
I understand the immaturity associated with the term “homosexual” I am not trying to use it as an insult. I am not calling you gay to insult you, I am calling you gay because you are fucking talking about young men’s bodies in a very strange and unhealthy manner.
I see why people like sports, I do too, I don’t play them much but I do occasionally. I have quite a few hobbies, one of them called “Video Games.” I also work with computers alot. I make more money than you do, I am sociable, and I am not an ignorant old douche who refuses to accept the world around him.
Have you ever played a video game? I don’t mean putting a quarter into a Donkey Kong machine and giving up after you lost. I mean actually PLAYING a video game. If you did, you would know that playing video games is no worse than watching TV, in fact I think it is better, you actually have to do critical thinking while playing video games. In most sports you are just told what to do, which I suppose is good for the retarded jocks that can’t think for themselves.
I am not trying to insult you, I am however trying to inform you of how ignorant you are, actually respond to an argument with ACTUAL facts and ACTUAL research instead of quoting random opinions you got from an uncited website. All of the shit you reference for opinions is either complete bullshit or biased untrue information.
I would not mind discussing our views in a humble and respectful manner, however replying to someone saying something like,”IT IS TRUE BECAUSE I SAY THAT YOU ARE YOUNGER WITH NO ACTUAL PROOF THAT YOU ARE, BUT SINCE YOU PLAY VIDEO GAMES AND THEY ARE NEW AND SCARY I WILL REFUSE YOUR ARGUMENT BECAUSE IT WASN’T IN THE BIBLE.”
Sure, that was an exaggeration, but holy hell that is exactly what you sound like, an arrogant, ignorant, hypocrite.
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8:17 pm
This is the most retarded shit I’ve ever read. Kill yourself
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8:20 pm
I’m well aware that no one is going to read this, or if they do, they’re going to shrug it off. Regardless, I absolutely cannot hold my tongue here.
I have been a Christian since birth. I was raised to love God, and to love people. I was taught that God loves all of His creations, because He is forgiving. He is not like people, not possessed by hatred and contempt for people based on petty things like sexual orientation, or what they do in their spare time.
That said, I would like to say that I’m also a gamer. In fact, my favorite game right now is called Portal, and quite frankly, I think it’s brilliant. I also have an IQ of 162, and am thus am, technically speaking, a genius. I really don’t think that gaming has, in any way, lowered my intelligence. I’m graduating high school a year and a half early as a result of being ahead in my classes, and I’m going to Oklahoma State University to become a psychopharmacologist. That means that I’ll be studying and developing medicines that affect and help brain function so that people who have mental disorders will be able to FUNCTION. Needless to say, I am one of the people that our country NEEDS. The fact that I have fallen in love with women and the fact that I play video games do NOT change the fact that I am the antithesis to everything you have described. And further more, most people are. Gamers are PEOPLE. They’re just people. And really, some people are BORN unathletic. There’s nothing to be done about it. You’re pushing these children to do things that some of them simply cannot. And you know what? Your “jock” kids are more likely to do drugs, get drunk, and sleep with cheerleaders than us.
You people are an absolute embarrassment to the Christian faith, and I am ashamed to be lumped into the same faith as you. You say that your racism and bigotry are all justified by your faith, but you couldn’t be more wrong. Jesus came to us to teach love and forgiveness to all his disciples, and you have FAILED HIM.
Thank you.
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9:01 pm
Hello Katherine, Stephenson Billings here (the news reporter behind this article). Thank you for the question and your faith. In addition to teaching love, Jesus Christ also taught humility and I am very sorry to see that your comment contains very little of that. When you brag, you lower yourself and you make those around you doubt your words. I do not know if you are truthful, but I did state in my article that when it comes to gamers, “Out of terrible shame, they will lie to your face and describe themselves as successful, goodlooking heterosexuals with gorgeous girlfriends and a rich social life.” Is this true about you?
I also would admonish you not to dismiss my words. You clearly are so addicted to your video game machines that you are not aware of the damage that it’s done to you. Be careful! Can you live a week without them? How about a month? Why don’t you make your parents proud for once and attempt to go with your game machines for a few months and read some books? God bless my little friend!
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? . . . Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” –James 2:14-17.
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10:16 pm
“Hello Katherine, Stephenson Billings here (the news reporter behind this article).”
Katherine, just so you know, Stephenson Billings is NOT really a news reporter. He claims to be a “Certified Investigative Journalist” but he did not attend school for it, did not take any sort of course for it, and has consistently refused to provide documentation of his credentials.
“Thank you for the question and your faith.”
She did not ask you any questions.
“When you brag, you lower yourself and you make those around you doubt your words.”
I detected nothing that could be construed as bragging. She was simply pointing out her intelligence and her accomplishments as a way to tell you that gamers are smart, well-adjusted people.
“Why don’t you make your parents proud for once and attempt to go with your game machines for a few months and read some books?”
Um…I’m pretty sure that she just said that she has a genius IQ, she’s graduating high school a year early and is going to college for psychopharmacology. I’m pretty sure her parents are DAMN proud of her, you twisted, fat weasel.
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11:33 pm
Katherine. disregard Claire there. She’s an atheist who promotes the worst forms of sexual outwardness on this site and has been a constant headache. Don’t trust her about any of these wild things she says. I apologize for her spamming you. God bless,
Stephenson
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11:52 pm
Billings, judging from Katherine’s post, she ALREADY knows that you’re full of shit; what makes you think she’ll take what you’re saying now with more than a grain of salt?
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8:44 pm
You sir, disgust me.
You simply saw that her argument was for a differing opinion to yours, then you simply posted an answer you had prepared earlier, without making any effort to see what it was that she was saying.
Everything she said was most likely true, yet you simply put her done, by telling her that she is delusional? Irony…
The “jocks” as you call them, are not the young people who are likely to succeed at life. “Jocks” are more likely to be going out, partying, getting drunk, having sex, doing drugs, getting STIs, dropping out of college early.
Whereas the “Gamers” are more likely stay in at night, playing games, or studying so that they can succeed in life, which they will likely do.
Look around you. Are you using your computer? Do you own a mobile phone or cellphone? Do you have a microwave? Do you watch television? Do you have anything that uses a digital display? All of these are inventions that were made by people who were not “Jocks”. They were the quiet nerds, who play video games. They succeeded in life. You clearly didn’t.
Sir, if you are going to complain about gamers, and those not good at sport, you are complaining about the people who created the very thing you are complaining about them on – THE INTERNET.
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4:25 pm
Oh wow I thought you could never get lamer…
“(I’d avoid skateboards, however, there is too much drug use and anti-social behavior connected with it.)” What does a skateboard have to do with any of those things? I own one and im popular and don’t have drugs.
“Suddenly, Raggedy Ann is killing Scooby Doo while SpongeBob sexually pokemons Barney and these kids have found a new outlet for their mixed-up physical urges.” You must have a sick mind to think these things.
“This is all the more tragic when they shoot the jocks, the very thing they wish they could be but failed at so miserably.” I doubt that.
“Video gaming turns their childhood dreams upside down” It made mine explode! (in a good way)
“Grand Theft Auto, World of Warcraft, the Sims, Halo, Guitar Hero and Mario Brothers, just to name a few, have made unscrupulous corporations rich and taught a generation of our children to hate society and their parents.” So thats what I was supposed to learn? I didn’t know that.
“Every kid enjoys a new baseball mitt or a football!” Not “every” kid.
“They cannot tell the difference between fantasy and reality and shooting guns seems like a fun thing to do.” Yes I can and it is.
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8:55 pm
Thank you for appreciating my work so much that you need to quote all of it but what’s your point? Seriously though, when you’re young the world can be confusing and it’s hard to make risky decision, like turning your back on things that hurt you morally despite the peer pressure. I suggest you take a serious look at yourself and ask what type of man you want to be when you grow up. I am always here to help if you’d like to email me (address above). God bless.
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8:59 pm
Way to completely ignore what he actually said.
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9:02 pm
Some being a damn pedo Stevie! And seriously, go search who the hell Jack Thompson is. The fact that he’s done a better job of trying to get rid of games than you have is quite an accomplishment.
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9:07 pm
I answered this boy’s question directly. I understand his concern and who are you to claim his as your sudden friend? You know nothing of the struggles many children go throw with athletics and video gaming.
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9:27 pm
//I answered this boy’s question directly.//
Only in the most literal sense.
//I understand his concern and who are you to claim his as your sudden friend?//
Someone who actually read that his concern was how you completely failed to grasp reality, and I’d like to know just who said that we were friends. Good job at putting words in peoples mouths and failing!
//You know nothing of the struggles many children go throw with athletics and video gaming.//
That’s because they’re non-existent. The whole idea you have about video games couldn’t be farther from the truth. You’ve never played a video game before, you’ve done no research about it at all, and you’ve only followed the sheep that believe that video games are ‘teh devil’.
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7:02 pm
Last I heard video games were enhancing kids appreciation of sports.
from Wired
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10:42 pm
Stephenson Billings, I will have you know that I very much enjoy this article, as I do your other work. It’s nice to see someone subverting Christian liberalism with good old fashioned satire.
I especially enjoy the homosexual references and the almost Nazi-like fitness messages (most of the text written in bold fall into this category). As a side-note, I would like to remind everyone that women are statistically shown to prefer nerds.
As well, I find it funny to see so much hatred and criticism coming from those Christian people who have been told to “love their neighbours” and “judge not, lest they be judged”.
Thank you for your articles, and thank you for the website.
P.S. (I wonder if anyone will actually read this comment)
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10:47 pm
Yeah, this was written by a gay man who is in the closet. Sounds like he’s trying to live out his fantasies with his articles. Time you just be yourself and be happier in life. Christianity is an important aspect of some people’s lives, but being happy with who you are…that’s priceless in life! Do it, you’ll feel better.
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6:01 pm
Well, this will be fun. With my work finished for the day, I’m free to pick this little article apart, even though I’m still suspicious that this entire site is the biggest joke since M. Night Shyamalon’s directing career (which I pray, literally at times, is over). I only apologize that any citations I make will not be in proper research format (MLA or APA, depending on your field and preference).
“[...]in every way teenage jock culture is the epitome of wholesomeness.”
Seems like actual research contradicts this a bit. Among high school student-athletes, a survey found that as much as one in four believed that bending the rules and overly aggressive behavior was acceptable in sports. That’s actually one of the least alarming survey results. I used to play soccer, so I know that yes, sometimes frustration can make you do really stupid things on the field. The results for several other survey questions were a bit more troubling:
-72% of football players acknowledged cheating.
-48% of baseball players believe it proper for a coach to order his pitcher to throw at an opposing batter in retaliation.
-37% of boys think it is acceptable for a coach to motivate a player using personal insults and vulgarity.
-Overall, 29% of boys felt that obeying a coach’s instructions to attack an opposing player’s pre-existing injury in order to win in competition is proper. That’s just overall, including sports like Tennis (30%). Boys who played sports like football were ten percent above the average (39%), while wrestlers scored the highest (44%).
Source: http://articles.latimes.com/2007/feb/18/sports/sp-ethics18 (article copyright LA Times, I claim no ownership over any of the statistical information present)
But hey, maybe you’re just an idealist, Mr. Billings. I can understand that. Sometimes, rose colored glasses are a bit tricky to remove. But let’s move on.
“This sports world teaches our children to decide between right and wrong in realistic situations.”
…see the above information. It SHOULD teach them the different between right and wrong, but as the sports become more and more competitive, those lessons seem to grow a bit shadier.
“They learn to be part of a social group where the glory of the whole is based on the sacrifices of the individual.”
This occurs just as frequently when it comes to multiplayer games, especially if guilds / clans / professional teams get involved. I’ve played with several people who were more than happy to let their own status take a drastic hit if it meant that there was a better chance of the team winning. These are the sort of people who choose to play support roles rather than try to boost their gamer score (or whatever stat happens to be used for the particular game). When me and a group of friends play Bad Company 2, we alternate the roles that don’t earn a lot of points, but are vital for success (medic and engineer, mainly). Many people are happy to make a target out of themselves if it means their teammates can use the opportunity to flank the enemy in the process. If this sounds familiar, it’s because the same tactics (though much more refined, I’ll admit) are performed by the US Military. Which, by the way, is increasingly using video games and simulations to train soldiers for the battlefield. And I have a great deal more respect for the man willing to get shot at for his country than I do some arrogant wide receiver doing a dance in the endzone after scoring six points on his “battlefield.”
But let’s move on.
“Choosing to be a jock insures a boy popularity, a fantastic group of friends, the love of parents and eventually success with the female persuasion.”
This is a sweeping generalization with very little basis in fact. I’ve met a few respectable jocks in my time (including one who was a good friend throughout high school who occasionally went out of his way to watch out for me). But I’ve also met a lot of them who were the exact opposite of the golden, idealistic template you seem to have constructed. Most of the ones I knew cheated, and frequently, in school, if they even decided to put in that much effort in the first place. At least two were frequently involved in fights, most of which they started. I know at least one had a drug habit. And this is just from my high school’s football team. And while yes, almost all of them had girlfriends, even more of them were having sex with those girlfriends. As far as I’m concerned, to each their own so long as no laws are broken, but this seems to go against the pristine image of the “wholesome, Christian ideals” that you seem to have glued to your love of young men in tight fitting uniforms.
But now for the video games.
“When video gaming first became popular, experts warned of the likelihood of increased amounts of obesity, apathy, suicide, school violence, Satanism, masturbation, homosexuality and unemployment.”
There’s two problems here. One, the only link you provided to any sort of vaguely scientific research is to an article published in 2004. Video games have been popular MUCH longer than that. Heck, Tron was a movie that cashed in on that popularity. While it only grossed $33 million, considering the budget was only $17, it’s still easily considered a success. It doesn’t hurt that Tron also endures as a pop culture icon today, enough to warrant a sequel soon to be released.
The second problem is that your second link, the one to supposed predictions about a rise in homosexuality, is a link to a list of characters in video games who happen to be lesbian, bisexual, gay, or transgendered. Not only is this not evidence in any way, but it’s also completely unrelated to the point you’re trying to prove. You can’t try to prove that guns lead to an increased homicide rate by showing a list of all existing shotgun models, so why on earth you seem to think the strategy would work here is beyond me.
Actually, I take it back, there are three problems here. The third problem is that you completely failed to show any real evidence to back up your accusations. I read the report on that study, and I was not surprised when I found this tidbit of information:
“Obesity was independently associated with the time spent playing electronic games and the time spent watching television and was inversely associated with physical activity.”
Do you know what the phrase ‘independently associated’ means, Mr. Billings? It means that many of the obese children also played electronic games, NOT that playing the electronic games CAUSED them to become obese. It being inversely associated with physical activity isn’t surprising: there are only 24 hours in the day. Naturally, if you spend more time with one activity, you have less available time for any other activity, thus leading to an inverse relationship. To put it simply, you cannot simply declare that an independent association is evidence of a causal relationship. Here’s an example I’ve made up on the spot to show you why:
Without exception, all human serial killers have been biologically proven to be human. This is an example of an independent association, or in the words of overly zealous fundamentalists and sensationalist media outlets, “a link.” However, it would be outright foolish to assume that because of that “link,” all humans were serial killers.
See the problem with that logic? I hope you do. Now let’s move on to other sweeping, unfounded generalizations without any real evidence presented to back up the claims:
“Now video gaming is developing into a high school “culture” itself, as more and more children chose this pathetic and harmful lifestyle instead of joining a fun sports team. It is a world of couch potatoes and basement dwellers. Mentally, they have not developed past the 12-year old stage. They were raised on imaginary cartoon characters like SpongeBob, Pokemon, Barney, Transformers, Scooby Doo and Raggedy Ann. All they want is to return to that tv funtime, but their bodies have become so pumped with hormones they’re confused. Video gaming turns their childhood dreams upside down.”
Really? I’m an avid gamer, and I’m also currently a college student at a four year university taking part in a dual major program (History and Secondary Education) with dreams of becoming a high school history teacher, in order to fulfill my (likely) naive hope that by better educating children about the past they will be more likely to avoid repeating it, and even learn to sense trouble on the horizon by comparing current world events with similar events that have already transpired. I’ll admit I am not the greatest student (I’m not on the Dean’s list, or even in the honors program), but I’m not the worst. On top of that, I paid my way through my community college courses before my transfer to a university with my own money. Money I had earned through hard work since I was 14, working for my grandpa and his painting business (yes I’m aware there are child labor laws in place, but legal exceptions exist when the work is not only voluntary, but also for a family owned business). While I’m usually rather modest, I’m going to simply go ahead and state that despite engaging in many of the activities you assert are guaranteed to damn a person to a life of sloth and depravity, I’m a pretty good example of just how wrong your predictions can be (to say nothing of similar individuals who have already commented to this article).
“It is no wonder, then, that we have increased episodes of violence like Columbine today.”
Not only is it impossible to determine just why the Columbine shooters did what they did (the dead are, not surprisingly, uncooperative when it comes to psychoanalysis), their actions were more likely a result of constant bullying and a sense of frustration that they had no alternatives open to them. I don’t support what they did by any lengths of the imagination, but to claim that video games made them do it because they played the game “Doom” is absurd. Since there’s a good chance it was on the computer, most of the motions you used to write and submit this article, Mr. Billings, are identical to those used to blast apart demons in the game (pressing keys on the keyboard and using the mouse). And yet it’s probably safe to assume that anyone who has ever used a computer probably won’t go on to shoot up a high school.
Another problem with your reasoning is a far simpler one: as a population increases, an increase in incidents of violent crime (and ANY incidents, really) also appears. The actual rate may go up or down (say, one in a hundred vs. one in one hundred and six), but the actual number of incidents is more likely to increase with the population during a large growth period. Do you know why? It’s not video games, it’s just simple numbers. More people means more people with choices to make, both good and bad. It’s also why traffic accidents are so common in large cities: there are just so many people involved that it’s inevitable. And yet I don’t see you deriding people who drive on the freeways as rage-fueled human-shaped sacks of hostility just waiting to strike. Moving on…
“Video gaming is an addiction scientifically proven to be just as dangerous as crack cocaine and it’s making our kids immoral and angry in the process.”
Video gaming is not an addiction, video game addiction is an addiction. Your deranged view of the relationship between behavior and addiction appears to be deeply flawed. Is a man who has sex once a month with his wife a nymphomaniac? Is he addicted to sex? No. There is a big difference between a person engaging in an activity because they want to, and enjoy the activity, and a person engaging in that same activity because a dependency makes them feel as though they NEED to do so. For an example more close to home: You post to this site fairly regularly, Mr. Billings, so would you consider yourself addicted to using the internet? It’s your logic at work here, I’m just changing the scenario.
“They cannot tell the difference between fantasy and reality and shooting guns seems like a fun thing to do.”
On a personal note, I have two things to say in response to that: Yes I can, and yes it is. I collect old military surplus as a hobby and, when I have the time and the money, enjoy a trip down to the shooting range to put them to use. On paper targets, not jocks, which will probably come as a shock to you, given the next quotable line of text from your article…
“This is all the more tragic when they shoot the jocks, the very thing they wish they could be but failed at so miserably.”
No, it is not ‘all the more tragic.’ It’s a tragedy when ANY innocent citizen is shot to death because someone had too many ideas of grandeur and a loaded weapon, a jock’s life is not somehow more precious than that of someone who wasn’t playing any sports at the time.
My other issue with your senseless comment comes from the last half of your sentence. Within your own article, you say that a person can make the choice to either pursue the path of sports, or play video games. So, if this hypothetical shooter you mention is someone who chose to play video games, that means they did not make the decision to try becoming a jock. Which makes your claim that that a jock is something ‘they wish they could be, but failed at so miserably” just a little bit inane. Of course they failed at it, according to your article, they never tried. I’m just going to go ahead and use this same line of thinking you’ve put forth to declare you’re also a failure, Mr. Billings, because when it comes right down to it you failed miserably at colonizing Venus. You didn’t even try! Why couldn’t you have been more like the ambitious jocks, Mr. Billings?
“Adults who were video gamers in high school are far less likely to become investment bankers, real estate salesmen, doctors, lawyers and sports coaches. They do not become our pastors or politicians.”
I demand a source to back this bold claim up, because it’s the sort of statement that requires evidence. Actually, nevermind, I don’t care about a source anymore. And just to annoy you, I’m going to respond to your baseless claim with a quote from a television show I happen to watch: “I reject your reality, and substitute my own!” In my world, adults who were video gamers in high school are less likely to be on a career path that they never chose to pursue, because that’s how free will works. Sadly, my claim, which is equally lacking in evidence, is probably much easier to prove scientifically than your claim.
“With less athletes learning social and moral skills in high school, we have less of the people who make this country truly great.”
With less people learning proper social and moral skills in high school, that tends to be the case regardless of whether or not they’re student-athletes, band members, or drama students. It’s elementary mathematics, not a sign that fewer jocks is a sign we’re headed for a dystopian hellhole.
“They find comfort in worlds of dragons and blue-skinned girls with wings, androgyny and dirty muscular fantasy men.”
It’s called a temporary escape from reality, and it’s true for everyone, regardless of the medium they use to achieve it. Some people play video games, other people work on cars, still more people choose to listen to music, read, or engage in artistic activities such as painting, sketching, or photography. All these behaviors can be used to provide a comforting reprieve from the stress and rigors of day-to-day life. On a related note, that example you provided sounds awfully personal, and that’s all I’ll say on the matter.
“They’re far more likely to meet strangers from the internet in public parks.”
Probably because they realize a public place is a FAR safer alternative to do this than, say, somebody’s house at 10pm. Why you’re using a basic safety precaution as an example of deplorable behavior seems a little strange, but that’s certainly not the most confusing part of this article.
“These poor souls may never have the courage to ask a girl on a date.”
Actually they probably will (I know I already have), though this brings up an interesting point: Do you believe only men play video games?
“Homosexuality is often an easy answer for their awkwardness.”
Considering some studies have found that as much as 40% or more of the adult population admits to playing video games regularly, if there was ANY truth at all to your claim we’d probably be in the middle of a pretty bad population decline (note that some countries are, like Japan, but it’s unrelated to video games. In Japan, it’s actually more closely linked to couples putting off bearing children in favor of keeping their job or advancing their career. I’m also going to admit right off the bat that at the moment I don’t have a link for this, because it’s based off information from a television program covering the various population crises the world is going to have to confront soon).
“Out of terrible shame, they will lie to your face and describe themselves as successful, goodlooking heterosexuals with gorgeous girlfriends and a rich social life.”
I’m an ambitious, though financially struggling, heterosexual male of average looks with a healthy, though slightly more secluded social life than my peers, and currently have no girlfriend, fiancee, or wife.
Your move, Billings.
“So please, parents, be vigilant with your children and push them into sports. Take it from someone who knows, you will be saving their lives.”
I’ll believe that when I see your doctorate that certifies you’re qualified to speak with any measure of authority on this subject, along with several peer-reviewed scientific studies to support this bold claim you’ve just made. Until then? Forget sports. No, really. The best thing a parent can do to give their child the best possible chance for a bright future is to encourage them to do well in school, NOT sports. At the end of the day, academic success is far more important than pass completions, goals, or home runs. An incredibly small percentage of kids will grow up to play professional sports. An overwhelming majority of kids will grow up and need to find a job. And unless the kid’s future boss happens to be the owner / manager of the Dallas Cowboys, his junior year rushing average doesn’t mean half as much as a high school diploma.
“No laptops! Kids can sneak these into their bedrooms for late-night play. Instead, get a heavy desktop computer and set it up with the screen facing outward in your family room. That way you can monitor you child’s computer use (homework!) at all times without interrupting your television viewing.”
While I hate having to admit that you’re right, only so far as saying a laptop can and probably will be used in secret, late at night, by a kid who’d much prefer to stay up a little longer, I nonetheless do have to admit it’s probably a good idea. As is making sure a child’s computer monitor is in such a location that it’s easily seen by the parents, even if the parent’s focus should be more on the kid than the television (especially if he or she is actually doing homework, so the parent can actually be prepared to help if necessary). I figured I may as well comment on this, if only to keep the accusations of total bias toward this article (and to an extent, the author) to a minimum. Even though they’re bound to show up anyway.
“When you’re not at home, unplug the power cord to your computer and hide the mouse. You can always put it in one of your sock drawers. This is a great way to make sure no video games are played when you’re not around.”
This is an awful way to make sure no video games are played while a parent is not around. One of the previous comments already addressed the “what if the child has homework to do?” problem though, so I’ll ignore it. The best way to make sure no video games are played while a parent isn’t around is to admit that you have absolutely no way to do so, and instead just explain to the child that there’s a time for entertainment, and a time for schoolwork and studying. If anything, make video games out to be the reward for dutifully seeing to it that all homework is completed on time and working hard in school.
“Be honest with your boys and tell them they’ll grow up as failures if they don’t excel at sports. Make them go outdoors! Lock them out if necessary. On birthdays and Christmas, buy them sports gifts. Every kid enjoys a new baseball mitt or a football! (I’d avoid skateboards, however, there is too much drug use and anti-social behavior connected with it.) And when they’re 16, it’s time to consider the appropriate “muscle car” for your boy.”
That’s not honesty. That’s what’s known as “bullshit.” I have yet to find any mention of Bill Gates excelling at sports, and the man is not a failure by any stretch of the imagination (on a personal level. On a business level, the Zune is pretty much recognized as an inferior product and…well, Microsoft isn’t the example here, Bill Gates is). Also, locking your kid outside of the house is, at best, bad parenting. At the worst, it can be considered a criminal offense and punished accordingly. If you want to teach the kid that playing outside is so important that you have to lock them out to do it, why not just go outside and play with the kid yourself? Leading by example is a lot more effective than resorting to the ‘do as I say, not as I do’ strategy. As for Christmas gifts, here’s a better idea: buy them things they need first and foremost, then some of what they want, with the latter being at your discretion. And if your child asks for a video game system, just do what my parents did: promise to let them have one, IF they pay for half of it themselves. I learned the importance of hard work and money management before I was even out of middle school because of that particular decision. And while I’m not as financially secure as I’d like to be now (it’s related to a bad job market and the reluctance of employers to hire part time help that will leave for college after just a few months, not wasteful spending on my part), I can still afford to pay for my own necessities and extra-curricular activities for at least another two semesters of college, not counting the one I’m about to begin. My parents have never locked me outside and told me to play football.
“Have a private talk with your child’s friends (maybe when you “accidentally” lock your own kid outside) and ask them some of my video game slang trick questions: “What level paladin are you these days, buddy?” “Gosh, this town is nothing like Vice City, isn’t it?” or “Did you lose your Wee? I found one in the station wagon.” If they answer with any knowledge whatsoever of these terms, you have a secret gamer on your hands. Beware!”
Responses to your ‘trick questions,’ in order:
-A paladin is a warrior with a code of honor and absolute dedication to his cause, which is to battle evil and protect the innocent (almost always in the name of God, or the setting’s equivalent of God). I’m actually surprised you see this as a bad thing.
-This ‘trick question’ has a problem of its own: it’s a double negative. “…nothing like…isn’t it?” You’re more likely to confuse the kid than get the answer you’re so desperately searching for (solution: change “isn’t it?” to “is it?”). Also, while I don’t share your mindless hatred for video games, I will admit a game like Vice City is -not- something kids should be allowed to play, at least not without some heavy parental guidance along the way.
-It’s “Wii,” not “Wee.” Penis euphemisms aside, it also refers to the console, which sort of needs a television set and an electrical outlet to be of any use (unless a portable screen for it has been put on the market, though I haven’t heard of one). The kid’s answer is far more likely to be “why was there a Wii in your car?” than the sort of information you’re after. Also, speaking from experience, your child’s friends are just as likely to hide information from you as your child is, with few exceptions. They’re friends. As such, they aren’t exactly going to be eager to get each other in trouble. Not even “trick questions” are likely to work, since if a parent is THAT biased against video games, their child is certainly going to tell their friends about it.
In general, abandon these “trick questions” altogether. Just be a parent. Make sure your child understands the importance of honesty and good judgment early on, and generally just be a gorram PARENT, not a landlord. Most of the parents “outraged” about violent video games being sold to children fall into one of two groups:
-Parents too lazy to actually pay attention to the ESRB Ratings system, which is just as easy, if not easier, to understand as the academic letter grading system (A, B, C, D, F, with little variation between schools that use the system), and then buy the game for their child anyway. If a game is rated M for Mature, it will tell you what age group is suggested for anyone playing the game, as well as a brief summary of why the game was assigned the rating in the first place. For example, if you see an M on the front of the package for Gears of War 2, you can then turn to the back of the box and find the following explanation:
Blood and Gore
Intense Violence
Strong Language
-Parents who assume, upon hearing that their child has played a violent video game while at a friend’s house, that it only happened because the store brazenly sold the game to someone they shouldn’t have. While this can be true in some cases (investigations have managed to catch some stores doing this, in violation of store policy more often than not), the far more likely explanation is that the parent of their child’s friend fits into the previous group. Good parenting means that when your child does something he shouldn’t, pop music, video games, television, movies, or any outside factor is not automatically to blame. Sometimes they can be, though they’re often merely catalysts that nudge a person down a path they were already close to treading. The best option is just to be a parent, and provide guidance and support for your child. All children will make bad decisions growing up. Your being a good parent is what makes the difference between a few bad choices and a few hundred, and a few small mistakes instead of much bigger ones.
“Be concerned about the physical shape of our young people. You don’t even need to be a parent to do this. Watch them run and throw and jump. Encourage them to lift weights. With a handsome firm body, you don’t need an afternoon of sweaty wrestling with a soccer ball as an excuse to celebrate the beauty that our Creator endowed us with. Remind them that jocks can tan themselves shirtless anytime! There is just something so wonderfully wholesome about America’s strong and cocky high school jocks. The pale and pimply loners in black t-shirts too afraid to shower in the locker rooms will never be able to compete with that!”
With that, we’ve reached the end of your article. And to that particular segment, I have only one word to say: Gay.
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7:35 pm
i agree completely with u, my football team is outta the norm, we all have like a 3.5 gpa and we play video games loll. we are popular, but dont pick on other kids, and i honestly think who ever wrote this article is in serious denial about thier sex lives lol
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10:21 am
Jocks.. are wholesome? I go was in high school, and all the time Jocks tried to get in my pants, kicked my friends around and beat them up, and some cheerleaders are egotistical sluts. Yeah, Jocks are REALLY wholesome.
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6:33 am
these comments are extremely offensive to me.. i am a football player with a 3.7 gpa, im a member of the honors society, and i have never picked on someone before in my life….. i poly football because its my passion and im going to college doing so, not to get the girls and make fun of ppl. i also play videogames, and this article and most of the comments are the farthest thing from the truth
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3:48 am
i was just thinking about this similar thing earlier hehe, great article
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11:05 pm
HELLOOO people, this website is satire…
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11:11 pm
Dude, this guy is for real? I assumed that this was a joke until I started reading the comments. Wow.
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5:10 pm
Hey,
I want you to know I placed a link to your website on my page. I dont think this is the right place to put this ( Is Video Gaming a Threat to America’s High School Jock Culture? | ChristWire ), so if not please remove this. I thought maybe you can profit a little off my traffic since our websites are somewhat familiar.
Regards,
Donnie Burkhead
PS.
The link is on the right sidebar on my page!
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12:04 pm
~,: I am very thankful to this topic because it really gives up to date information “,”
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3:17 pm
My brothers and I grew up with video games. And while you’ll likely try and argue that that’s the reason I turned out to be a homosexual, my brothers are both heterosexual.
My older brother is thirty, grew up playing games on like Super Mario Bros. and Street Fighter, and graduated from university when he was 18 years old. He is currently married to a wonderful woman, to whom he was engaged for about ten years.
My younger brother is twelve, and enjoys a wide variety of games, including Pokemon, Mario, Assassin’s Creed, and Spore. He is going to be skipping the eighth grade to attend a college preparatory high school that has an extensive application process and a heavy focus in math and science. He’s been playing video games since he was three years old. He tried playing sports, including football, but did not enjoy the rough contact nature of football. He was on the local swim team for a number of years, but, while he was a marvelous part of the team due to his arm strength, he did not enjoy the competitive nature of the team. He and the coach are still friends to this day. My younger brother is not a small child; he’s nearly 5’6″, has just started his first growth spurt, and is remarkably strong. He chooses not to play sports because he does not enjoy them. He does, however, enjoy exercising on his own, or playing games with his tight-knit group of friends.
Oh, and as for being “unpopular”? The girls at his school, and even those in the high school, ADORE him, to the point of giving him their phone numbers. I’ve watched a girl become annoyed when he began talking with another girl, simply because he wasn’t paying attention to her. My younger brother wears his badge as a “nerd” and a “geek” proudly, and is comfortable with himself. The “jocks” in his grade are also his friends, because he helps them understand concepts covered in class.
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11:06 am
Howdy, perhaps this is not on theme but in any case, I have been browsing about your site and it looks truly tidy.
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8:33 pm
Let me start with this, *headdesk* *facepaw* *doublefacepalm* and *FAIL*
now that I have that out of the way, I will continue by saying that you make us christians look bad. Your (yes I did just use the possesive of your) post is full of stereotypings, contradictions (that picture that shows the jock shoving a kid into a locker, when you were just saying that being jocky and muscular makes you a better person with more morals.), and all around idiotic and moronic statements.
I must agree with Claire, jock is synonimous with jerk. they eat too much, and are all around mean. I am a christian and a gamer, and guess what, I’m in all honors, with a pre-AP class, and I have all A’s, along with a great GPA. I also happen to read, and a lot of videogames you need to read a lot to play, I learned from them; basic physics, how to spell larger words, the differance between your and you’re, ect. most jocks I know, do not seem to know how to read/ don’t read if they can help it. Gaming doesn’t cause violence, playing games where people cheer when you try to almost kill other people do. Gaming lets you get out emotions and aggressions on pixals, not people. your “tips” are telling parents to lie to their children, and make both sides distrustful. 1. A laptop can be cheaper than a desktop, and it lets them do work when other computers aren’t open, or when they are on a bus, in a car, or in a place where desktops are not an option. 2.I should hope the people know how to plug a cord into the wall, and I think they can reconize when yards of cords and a piece of plastic the size of an apple don’t belong. your third tip confuses the meanings of honesty and dishonesty, Bill Gates, obviously not a jock, dropped out of College, and now he is the source of bad puns, since he is a “Bill”ionare, which in case you don’t know stephenson, since I am really questioning your IQ, means he has more money than you will ever see in your lifetime. locking them out won’t help, they will get back in, go to a friend’s house, or just sit there and never trust you again. I would hate it if I got a football or baseball mitt as a gift, the only thing I like about football, is being part of the Marching Band. you once again show how stupid you are by stereotyping about skateboarders. a skateboard is a mode of transportation that can be used when a car isn’t availavle, or where cars can’t go, also it is a lot cheaper. the things you say about drugs and being anti-social being “connected” to skateboards is a load of horsecrap, more jocks use illegal drugs in the way of steroids or just crack cocaine then the average person who enjoys a skateboard would, and they aren’t anti-social, they can be popular, or part of the crowd, you are making a stupid generalization off of some thing you imagined when you were looking at porn of teenaged jocks. when they are 16, instead of wasting money on a new car that they will probably wreck, you can let them drive an older car, which is cheaper, more reliable, and it gets them to their destination without a problem. 4.you wouldn’t be able to have a “private talk” with one of their friends, they will find out, and think you are a creeper. you prove in your parenthesis that you are telling parents to lie and trick their children. A paladin is not a generic gamer thing, heck, it is mostly a D&D thing, which isn’t a video game, it is a game that is a shared imagination with at least three other people of either gender, also a Paladin has some of the most well developed morals, which to play as you would need morals, they will protect those around them, and the will uphold the law, tell me how those are bad. I’m a gamer, and I haven’t touched this “Vice City” game, but I have heard of it, thanks to the TV and being on the internet, so just because they know what vice city is doesn’t make them a gamer. you spelled WII wrong, and that just sounds creepy, besides, why would they say yes? also that is a popular gaming system, so they will have heard of it anyway. I thought these were the person’s friends, how does their knowledge lable your child a gamer? why should they beware that their child isn’t out at night doing who knows what, and who knows who? why should they beware that their child isn’t going to be permenantly paralyzed or have a head injury because of jumping on other guys? all in all, this isn’t making sense. 5. of course we should be concerned about our fitness, but that is for against obesity, not being skinny. what if they don’t want someone watching creepily while they do stuff? encouraging them to lift weights might make them, like it does me, uncomfortable and self-conscious, they will try to get away, not do that physical activity. you don’t wrestle a soccer ball, you kick it. and the Lord doesn’t “endow” us with outside beauty, He helps us with what counts, the inside, the soul, not the fleeting body, in a few years the piggish jocks’ metabolism will slow, and they will look like the pigs they are. there isn’t anything wholesome about a self-centered disgusting jock, it is just disgusting and annoying. Don’t remind them that Jocks who want to “prove” their “superiority” will walk around half/mostly naked, they get shown it everyday they have P.E. because those jocks will walk around the locker room completely naked, and jocks can’t just go around shirtless, there are things called “nudity laws” and “no shoes, no shirt, no service.” then you end with another stupid stereotype. “obviously if they aren’t a disgusting jock then they are pale, pimply, wear black t-shirts, and are loners” well I’m sorry but Jocks get pimples too, non-jocks can also get a tan, and aren’t automatically pale, a lot of people, even jokes, sorry, jocks, wear black t-shirts, and most people aren’t “loners”, people who might be alone are those that aren’t comfortable in closed in or open spaces/ are deathly afraid of them, those that have mental disabilities, or those that have a life/don’t want to be near the annoying, shallow “popular” crowd. also maybe they won’t shower in the locker rooms because they aren’t homosexual, don’t like to be near the jocks, or just want to get to their next class.
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9:49 am
Czesc.Gratulacje z powodu niezle napisanego kawalka.Calkiem duzo mozna odszukac w internecie na taki temat ale tym artykulem autor wszystko przedstawia jak trzeba.Czesc!
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10:35 pm
“Be honest with your boys and tell them they’ll grow up as failures if they don’t excel at sports. Make them go outdoors! Lock them out if necessary. On birthdays and Christmas, buy them sports gifts. Every kid enjoys a new baseball mitt or a football! (I’d avoid skateboards, however, there is too much drug use and anti-social behavior connected with it.) And when they’re 16, it’s time to consider the appropriate “muscle car” for your boy.”
This little section just pisses me off to no end, I’m not good at sports, I never liked them because in my personal experience every single jock itch out there was an absolute ass. I purposefully distanced myself from everyone involved in those asinine activities becuase they seemed to severely decrease ones mental capacities. Since I wasn’t outside getting my brains smashed out I was able to find my future in photography and have been extremely happy since. Oh and if you couldn’t tell from the name, I’m gay, enjoy video games, and I still get plenty of exercise from going to a Salvation Army and putting on a lovely little speedo and going for a swim
All in all though, the rest of this article seemed like a lovely exercise in a closeted homosexual’s trolling attempt, if only it wasn’t so see through.
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9:21 am
Your never to old to start your Martial Arts Training, yet you do have to keep in mind at our age our body takes longer to recuperate.
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11:36 pm
Anyone ever heard of suicide fantasy football? i would like some feedback from people who have played.
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8:42 am
I am just commenting to let you know what a excellent discovery my wife’s child undergone visiting your blog. She figured out plenty of details, including how it is like to possess an incredible coaching character to get folks quite simply thoroughly grasp some multifaceted subject matter. You really did more than her desires. Many thanks for providing the powerful, dependable, explanatory and in addition cool thoughts on your topic to Lizeth.
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10:29 pm
“Be honest with your kids. Tell them that they’ll grow up as failures if they don’t excel at sports.”
Bill Gates and Steve Jobs say hello.
And also, sitting with your friends and tapping buttons is gay, but somehow showering with other men is heterosexual (not that I’m an ignorant asswipe who hates homosexuals.)
But really, are you serious? What inspired you to write this article? Is it maybe because you were a jock in high school who harassed innocent gamers, then five years later at your high school reunion you turned out to be a telemarketer while that kid you harassed turned out to be a very important figure in the video gaming industry?
While I do agree that playing too much video games is bad, it’s worse to belittle gamers just because they’re not into showering with other guys. Besides, video games are a great pastime. I’ll bet that if you took the time to play a good game from start to finish, you’d take back everything you said in this idiotic article. And also, what’s so bad about masturbation? It’s a harmless way to relieve yourself of any stress you may have. I masturbate, because it calms me down after a long day.
How was they’re a rise in Satanism when video games first became popular, if when video games first became popular, they were just a few squares on a screen? The only way I can see this happening is that the gamers got so harassed by the JOCKS that they picked up that sort of thing.
And lastly, how the fucking hell does Mario Brothers make kids hate their parents?.jpg)
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8:45 am
hey stephen if you got the chance would you ever set video games on fire and dance around them praising the lord?
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1:07 pm
I hope the guys who wrote this know that most high school athletes end up factory workers or supermarket employees. The high school geeks and nerds are the ones who end up the businessmen, professors, IT professionals, bankers, lawyers, and doctors. Have you ever heard the expression, “And the geek shall inherit the earth”?
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6:57 am
this is fucking stupid jocks are the biggest assholes in high school and videos keep the nerds that get bullied from killing themselves at the jocks hands this time and age is different then your fucking time in school
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