Christian bronies: meet, greet, and mingle!

[LittleMac 3,085]

Good my friend "Greets you with a holy kiss ^ _ ^"

*greets you back with holy kiss after googling it *

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Greetings everypony. How are you all today

 

Doing well and good to hear you are well. Mac and I hear were having a discussion perhaps you would like to join in on? I asked the following to anypony willing to chip in.

 

 

Here's a question, anyone play any video games you thought had some strong Christian or at least religious elements to them?

[Finia 260]

Doing well and good to hear you are well. Mac and I hear were having a discussion perhaps you would like to join in on? I asked the following to anypony willing to chip in.

Yes. Invite me in ^^. That sounds nice "nibbles and hugs"

[A Black Circle 1,586]

I can't think of any. Morrowind does, actually. Kind of.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Yes. Invite me in ^^. That sounds nice "nibbles and hugs"

 

Well your invited and in it. It's right here not on a PM so long as it's about Christian or religious themes in video games, it's not off topic. So if you can think of any, please feel free to share.

I can't think of any. Morrowind does, actually. Kind of.

 

Really? How so? Just as one who's never played it.

[A Black Circle 1,586]

Really? How so? Just as one who's never played it.

Nevermind. I mixed it up with something else.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Nevermind. I mixed it up with something else.

 

Oh never mind. What did you mix it up with then that actually has some Christian themes or ideas or at least you think there were some present?

[LittleMac 3,085]

What about The Zoo Race?

(If you don't know about that game, look it up )

 

Joking aside, the Legend of Zelda franchise has a lot of religious elements to it. The whole world was made by three goddesses to begin with plus, the timeline seems to suggest that Link is constantly being reincarnated to serve as a hero.

I dunno, I'm having trouble thinking of stuff

[Finia 260]

Well your invited and in it. It's right here not on a PM so long as it's about Christian or religious themes in video games, it's not off topic. So if you can think of any, please feel free to share.

 

Really? How so? Just as one who's never played it.

I got one. Zelda A Link to the Past has a church. I mean as a kid i couldnt speak english very well, it was a secondary language. So i just called it a church because of the benches and the altar etc. I was basically right But the english version called it a sanctuary.

 

One of my favorite games!

 

I think they stopped with the medieval themes after Ocarina of Time i think, in terms of religious influence, that cathedral aka Temple of Time was the last stop.

 

It seemed however that i checked out some older Zelda game. Apparently in the first game there was an item called the Bible (Was also translated too as the bible in english in the japanese version. But that was changed to "Book of Magic") Basically if you get this item along with the wand you can create fire with a flick of the wand.

 

Edit: Also.. i've always wondered what that is supposed to be. I dont believe it seem normal to have a Jesus figure that way with stretched out hands. I assume it can also be an angel on top of the building. And inside at the altar it kinda looks the same aswell.

 

 

 

Although the artwork doesnt even have it. So i've always wondered what that really is

Edited July 22, 2015 by Finia

[Steel Accord 6,660]

What about The Zoo Race?

(If you don't know about that game, look it up )

 

Joking aside, the Legend of Zelda franchise has a lot of religious elements to it. The whole world was made by three goddesses to begin with plus, the timeline seems to suggest that Link is constantly being reincarnated to serve as a hero.

I dunno, I'm having trouble thinking of stuff

 

Well aside from the reincarnation stuff, that's still more of the aesthetics of religion than strictly speaking themes or ideas. Even the business with reincarnation has been kind of absorbed into the canon of fantasy fiction as to be right alongside wizards and flying as things that can be "magic without being religious."

 

You might be on to something though with the Legend of Zelda though, as the Master Sword is called "the blade of evil's bane." Link is the only one who can wield it precisely because he IS a prophesized messianic figure who is literally immaculate.

[LittleMac 3,085]

Well aside from the reincarnation stuff, that's still more of the aesthetics of religion than strictly speaking themes or ideas. Even the business with reincarnation has been kind of absorbed into the canon of fantasy fiction as to be right alongside wizards and flying as things that can be "magic without being religious."

 

You might be on to something though with the Legend of Zelda though, as the Master Sword is called "the blade of evil's bane." Link is the only one who can wield it precisely because he IS a prophesized messianic figure who is literally immaculate.

Umm, of course, that is exactly what I was getting at. That whole messianic figure thing makes me sound smart, doesn't it?

 

Just kidding XD

 

Anyway, a lot of stuff, not just video games, tend to have that messianic figure thing, don't they? Like, I can't count the number of games, particularly RPGs, that go with the whole 'You're the Chosen One' thing. That's pretty common with all forms of media though

[Steel Accord 6,660]

I got one. Zelda A Link to the Past has a church. I mean as a kid i couldnt speak english very well, it was a secondary language. So i just called it a church because of the benches and the altar etc. I was basically right But the english version called it a sanctuary.

 

One of my favorite games!

 

I think they stopped with the medieval themes after Ocarina of Time i think, in terms of religious influence, that cathedral aka Temple of Time was the last stop.

 

It seemed however that i checked out some older Zelda game. Apparently in the first game there was an item called the Bible (Was also translated too as the bible in english in the japanese version. But that was changed to "Book of Magic") Basically if you get this item along with the wand you can create fire with a flick of the wand.

 

Edit: Also.. i've always wondered what that is supposed to be. I dont believe it seem normal to have a Jesus figure that way with stretched out hands. I assume it can also be an angel on top of the building. And inside at the altar it kinda looks the same aswell.

 

 

 

Although the artwork doesnt even have it. So i've always wondered what that really is

 

Well this is kind of what I was talking to Lil Mac (Jay) before. Those are more the "aesthetics of religion" they are set dressings, not character traits or something that drives or enriches the story.

 

Plus that might also be a cultural/language thing. The Japanese have used a lot of Christian symbolism in their media before but without really grasping their meanings. (Which to be fair, has happened with American and English media misrepresenting Asian religions as well.)

 

To use another example of what I mean when I say games about faith or that have it as an element, there was actually a little known title that sadly didn't take off but is an exception to the Japanese using but not understanding Christian themes.

 

 

This game is directly based on the apocryphal Book of Enoch and takes place during the nebulous time in the Old Testament after the fall of man in the Garden of Eden but before the Great Flood.

[Sunwalker 981]

Here's a question, anyone play any video games you thought had some strong Christian or at least religious elements to them?

The game with the most religious elements I have played is The Longest Journey (1999), and its sequels Dreamfall (2006) and Dreamfall Chapters (2015).

 

In the TLJ universe there are two worlds: an alternate version of our world, Stark, the world of order and science; and Arcadia, the world of chaos and magic. These two worlds are connected by dreams, but there are a few people who can travel between them through portals, those are called Shifters. There are also those who can travel between the worlds through another mean, by physically dreaming themselves there, though their physical body remain on their home world, those are the Dreamers.

 

Long ago those worlds were only one, but people started abusing the power of magic and science. So the world was split in two, and a guardian was appointed to watch the flow of magic and science between the twin worlds, which is called the Balance. In Stark the knowledge of about the Balance and the two worlds practically faded away over time, only a select few know about it and what mostly remain are just legends.

 

Considering that the story that deals with the relation between the mundane and the fantastical, it is unavoidable to have plenty of religious references. The games deals with aspects of many different religions, both of of real life and some fictional. The interesting aspect is that the religious elements are not talked down, they are not insulted and also are not stereotypes. There are both good faithful people and some fanatic ones, but there are no generalizations.

 

The protagonist of The Longest Journey, a shifter from Stark called April Ryan, was raised Catholic. From the mentor figures she finds through her journey there are Cortez, who is Buddhist, and Father Raul, who is a Catholic priest. On Dreamfall and Dreamfall Chapters the there of religious freedom is more prominent, with the Azadi (a fictional religious group of Arcadia) prosecuting the magical creatures and banning other faiths.

 

The plot of Dreamfall and Dreamfall Chapters is heavily influenced by Australian aboriginal mythology, especially when it comes to dreams. These games have two protagonists. One is Zoë Castillo, a dreamer from Stark. Zoë does not seem to be particularly religious, or if she have any belief she never let it out. She had recently dropped out of college, is going through a existential crisis and trying to figure out her place in the world. The other protagonist is Kian Alvane, an Azadi apostle from Arcadia, who is beginning to doubt the way of his people.

 

The underlying there of Dreamfall is "have faith". It is not necessarily religious faith, though it does not preclude it, it can also be (for example) faith i yourself or in your friends. The main characters  go through some sort of loss of faith, and try to regain it at some point. The main setting on Stark of Dreamfall Chapters is influenced by the Muslim and Jew cultures.

 

Without giving any spoiler, the stories of the games are:

• The Longest Journey: A guardian of the Balance cannot stand to stay on his position for more than a millennia, so a new one must be appointed once the time is up. However something is preventing the next guardian to assume his or her place, and the current one is on his place for an extra two centuries. As a result of this, the Balance is starting to collapse and the twin worlds are beginning to fuse back, however they are not still ready for the reunification. The protagonist April Ryan must find what is wrong, find the next guardian (who may or may not be herself, I am not spoiling ), and get him or her to the guardian realm.
• Dreamfall and Dreamfall Chapters: 10 years after the events of TLJ, on Stark a multinational corporation, WatiCorp, is about to launch a device who allow people to have lucid dreams whenever and how they want. On Arcadia there is a major invasion of the Azadi, who is hunting down all magical creatures. Meanwhile the flow of dreams between the two worlds was partially blocked, it only flows from Stark to Arcadia, and reality is beginning to tear itself apart. There might be a connection between all these events, and the protagonists Zoë Castillo (a dreamer from Stark) and Kian Alvane (an Azadi apostle from Arcadia) must work to save reality.

Dreamfall Chapters is an episodic game, which will have five books. Three of them were released so far, and all the five should be released until the end of the year. Dreamfall Chapters put a heavy focus on players choices, there are several choices you make through the game, which will have both small and big repercussions on the story, like your career, who lives or dies, your relationships, or who are your enemies.

 

There will also be a fourth game, The Longest Journey Home, which will be the finale of the series. It will cover both what happened on the mysterious 10 years between TLJ and Dreamfall, and also the future and the reunification of the worlds. To quote the opening line of TLJ: "As all good stories, this one ends where it begins".

 

The games are very story heavy, and it is difficult to explain them without major spoilers, from a point they become very spoilerific. Though each one of them can be played standalone, it is much more rewarding to play in order (TLJ -> DF -> DFC), as some later revelations will give a deeper and different perspective of the events of the previous games. Perhaps the biggest mystery of the series is the identity of the woman who narrates the first game, Lady Alvane, which is heavily debated in the fanbase. Without giving spoilers, there is a plot twist right before the climax of TLJ that completely changes her relationship with the story, and the ending drop some strong hints, only so the interlude of DFC to twist them and put it into another perspective.

 

Wow, this post ended up to be very long. I hope I didn't bore anyone, it is just that I really love this series so I enjoy talking about it .

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Umm, of course, that is exactly what I was getting at. That whole messianic figure thing makes me sound smart, doesn't it?

 

Just kidding XD

 

Anyway, a lot of stuff, not just video games, tend to have that messianic figure thing, don't they? Like, I can't count the number of games, particularly RPGs, that go with the whole 'You're the Chosen One' thing. That's pretty common with all forms of media though

 

No you're right, but that still can be counted, albeit weakly I admit, as being a religious theme because it actually effects the story. Just because a church is part of the level or an angel shows up as a boss fight but doesn't actually effect the story, doesn't make it a holistic part of the game's tone or message.

 

Actually, speaking of RPGs, an example of what I'm talking about is in Fallout 3. The game's tutorial takes place with you on fast forward of your childhood and one of the things your Dad makes it a point to teach you is your mother's favorite passage from the Bible.

 

"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life, freely."

 

~Revelations, 21:6

 

What does the end of the game involve? Creating a machine that will purify the irradiated waters of the Wasteland.

[Finia 260]

Interesting. Although the reason i know its a church is because the Japanese Zelda game called it that (Although the evil wizard is also a priest apparently in the game. But so is the guy in the church "Which i always assumed was a priest instead of a loyal sage") I guess its due to Nintendo's non religion policy that they usually dont add it on. For example they didnt use Temple before Ocarina of Time, since it had connection with religious themes. Kinda glad it wasnt called palaces in Ocarina of Time though

 

But i've seen a catholic church though, and from my knowledge there should be a gigantic cross on top of it. Or at the top of the entrance. Other than that i think they did a good job creating the atmosphere of it. And i remember always being glad to come out of the rain in the beginning of the game, kinda like real life at the time. Which is ironic because now i love rain since i havent gotten it for so many years

Edited July 22, 2015 by Finia

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Interesting. Although the reason i know its a church is because the Japanese Zelda game called it that (Although the evil wizard is also a priest apparently in the game. But so is the guy in the church "Which i always assumed was a priest instead of a loyal sage") I guess its due to Nintendo's non religion policy that they usually dont add it on. For example they didnt use Temple before Ocarina of Time, since it had connection with religious themes. Kinda glad it wasnt called palaces in Ocarina of Time though

 

But i've seen a catholic church though, and from my knowledge there should be a gigantic cross on top of it. Or at the top of the entrance. Other than that i think they did a good job creating the atmosphere of it. And i remember always being glad to come out of the rain in the beginning of the game, kinda like real life at the time. Which is ironic because now i love rain since i havent gotten it for so many years

 

True, I'm not saying the place was NOT a Church, just that it being a church isn't really what I'm asking. Plus, this is the world of Hyrule, of course they would have churches and priests dedicated to their gods. Hell, most people have SEEN demi-gods! Although cleverly we almost never see the actual three goddesses of the Triforce, instead they make their will known through agents like spirits. Which could be inferred as being like how God works His will through angels and indeed, us.

 

(I am Catholic by the by, and yes, we have crosses over our churches, but they aren't always that big.)

Edited July 22, 2015 by Steel Accord

[LittleMac 3,085]

No you're right, but that still can be counted, albeit weakly I admit, as being a religious theme because it actually effects the story. Just because a church is part of the level or an angel shows up as a boss fight but doesn't actually effect the story, doesn't make it a holistic part of the game's tone or message.

 

Actually, speaking of RPGs, an example of what I'm talking about is in Fallout 3. The game's tutorial takes place with you on fast forward of your childhood and one of the things your Dad makes it a point to teach you is your mother's favorite passage from the Bible.

 

"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life, freely."

 

~Revelations, 21:6

 

What does the end of the game involve? Creating a machine that will purify the irradiated waters of the Wasteland.

I've never played Fallout 3 but that sounds pretty cool

 

I know this might be a weird one, since it might be more accurate when you consider the anime rather than the games, but how about Arceus in Pokémon? I mean, he's basically God

Something small I guess, but it just came to mind. Come to think of it, Pokémon has a lot of other religious elements to it if I'm not mistaken, particularly with the legendary pokémon

[Steel Accord 6,660]

The game with the most religious elements I have played is The Longest Journey (1999), and its sequels Dreamfall (2006) and Dreamfall Chapters (2015).

 

In the TLJ universe there are two worlds: an alternate version of our world, Stark, the world of order and science; and Arcadia, the world of chaos and magic. These two worlds are connected by dreams, but there are a few people who can travel between them through portals, those are called Shifters. There are also those who can travel between the worlds through another mean, by physically dreaming themselves there, though their physical body remain on their home world, those are the Dreamers.

 

Long ago those worlds were only one, but people started abusing the power of magic and science. So the world was split in two, and a guardian was appointed to watch the flow of magic and science between the twin worlds, which is called the Balance. In Stark the knowledge of about the Balance and the two worlds practically faded away over time, only a select few know about it and what mostly remain are just legends.

 

Considering that the story that deals with the relation between the mundane and the fantastical, it is unavoidable to have plenty of religious references. The games deals with aspects of many different religions, both of of real life and some fictional. The interesting aspect is that the religious elements are not talked down, they are not insulted and also are not stereotypes. There are both good faithful people and some fanatic ones, but there are no generalizations.

 

The protagonist of The Longest Journey, a shifter from Stark called April Ryan, was raised Catholic. From the mentor figures she finds through her journey there are Cortez, who is Buddhist, and Father Raul, who is a Catholic priest. On Dreamfall and Dreamfall Chapters the there of religious freedom is more prominent, with the Azadi (a fictional religious group of Arcadia) prosecuting the magical creatures and banning other faiths.

 

The plot of Dreamfall and Dreamfall Chapters is heavily influenced by Australian aboriginal mythology, especially when it comes to dreams. These games have two protagonists. One is Zoë Castillo, a dreamer from Stark. Zoë does not seem to be particularly religious, or if she have any belief she never let it out. She had recently dropped out of college, is going through a existential crisis and trying to figure out her place in the world. The other protagonist is Kian Alvane, an Azadi apostle from Arcadia, who is beginning to doubt the way of his people.

 

The underlying there of Dreamfall is "have faith". It is not necessarily religious faith, though it does not preclude it, it can also be (for example) faith i yourself or in your friends. The main characters  go through some sort of loss of faith, and try to regain it at some point. The main setting on Stark of Dreamfall Chapters is influenced by the Muslim and Jew cultures.

 

Without giving any spoiler, the stories of the games are:

• The Longest Journey: A guardian of the Balance cannot stand to stay on his position for more than a millennia, so a new one must be appointed once the time is up. However something is preventing the next guardian to assume his or her place, and the current one is on his place for an extra two centuries. As a result of this, the Balance is starting to collapse and the twin worlds are beginning to fuse back, however they are not still ready for the reunification. The protagonist April Ryan must find what is wrong, find the next guardian (who may or may not be herself, I am not spoiling ), and get him or her to the guardian realm.
• Dreamfall and Dreamfall Chapters: 10 years after the events of TLJ, on Stark a multinational corporation, WatiCorp, is about to launch a device who allow people to have lucid dreams whenever and how they want. On Arcadia there is a major invasion of the Azadi, who is hunting down all magical creatures. Meanwhile the flow of dreams between the two worlds was partially blocked, it only flows from Stark to Arcadia, and reality is beginning to tear itself apart. There might be a connection between all these events, and the protagonists Zoë Castillo (a dreamer from Stark) and Kian Alvane (an Azadi apostle from Arcadia) must work to save reality.

Dreamfall Chapters is an episodic game, which will have five books. Three of them were released so far, and all the five should be released until the end of the year. Dreamfall Chapters put a heavy focus on players choices, there are several choices you make through the game, which will have both small and big repercussions on the story, like your career, who lives or dies, your relationships, or who are your enemies.

 

There will also be a fourth game, The Longest Journey Home, which will be the finale of the series. It will cover both what happened on the mysterious 10 years between TLJ and Dreamfall, and also the future and the reunification of the worlds. To quote the opening line of TLJ: "As all good stories, this one ends where it begins".

 

The games are very story heavy, and it is difficult to explain them without major spoilers, from a point they become very spoilerific. Though each one of them can be played standalone, it is much more rewarding to play in order (TLJ -> DF -> DFC), as some later revelations will give a deeper and different perspective of the events of the previous games. Perhaps the biggest mystery of the series is the identity of the woman who narrates the first game, Lady Alvane, which is heavily debated in the fanbase. Without giving spoilers, there is a plot twist right before the climax of TLJ that completely changes her relationship with the story, and the ending drop some strong hints, only so the interlude of DFC to twist them and put it into another perspective.

 

Wow, this post ended up to be very long. I hope I didn't bore anyone, it is just that I really love this series so I enjoy talking about it .

 

 . . . . WHERE has this game BEEN all my life?! I need it now! 

[A Black Circle 1,586]

OH YEAH!

 

The Tribunal Temple in Morrowind reminded me of the Catholic church half a millenium ago.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

I've never played Fallout 3 but that sounds pretty cool

 

I know this might be a weird one, since it might be more accurate when you consider the anime rather than the games, but how about Arceus in Pokémon? I mean, he's basically God

Something small I guess, but it just came to mind. Come to think of it, Pokémon has a lot of other religious elements to it if I'm not mistaken, particularly with the legendary pokémon

 

Well yes, Arceus, and his relation to the setting could be construed as both an exaltation of the Divine as well as a more humanist usurpation of nature depending on your perspective. It's actually funny because Pokemon is a surprisingly psychologically revealing game. You can tell an awful lot about a person by how they play the game and treat the titular creatures.

 

Back on topic though, wild pokemon can never become as strong as those with a human partner. It infers a kind of symbiotic relationship but also that man has true dominion over nature at least on the mass scale. So when someone captures Arceus, does that mean they have "killed God?" Or does it merely mean that, by that point being a powerful trainer, God has decided to bless you with His being?

 

One interesting theological thing Arceus does bring up is the paradox of "can God create a rock He can't lift?" Well if you use the never fail master ball, it works on him. So that apparently answers the question with a "yes, God created something that can restrain Him."

 

Of course, if I lived in that world, I would still revere most if not all of the legendary pokemon as the religious "personal gods" on top of them being historically documented as creators or guardian entities.

[Finia 260]

Might be off topic from this wonderful topics on games. But i just sorta wanna put this in. Have you guys wondered why people in the new testament never have a last name. Like Peter, Paul and Andrew just to mention a few. (Didnt exist yet). Unless if you where a aristocratic roman citizen or of a higher class or something. Which is why they say stuff like "Jesus of Nazareth" "Paul of Tarsus". As a way of identifying people. I've always wondered why non had last names to be honest

[Steel Accord 6,660]

OH YEAH!

 

The Tribunal Temple in Morrowind reminded me of the Catholic church half a millenium ago.

Ah, "tribunal" I see what they did thar.

Might be off topic from this wonderful topics on games. But i just sorta wanna put this in. Have you guys wondered why people in the new testament never have a last name. Like Peter, Paul and Andrew just to mention a few. (Didnt exist yet). Unless if you where a aristocratic roman citizen or of a higher class or something. Which is why they say stuff like "Jesus of Nazareth" "Paul of Tarsus". As a way of identifying people. I've always wondered why non had last names to be honest

Well because at the time period, that WAS your last name most of the time.

 

I would be "Anthony of Penn's Woods."

Edited July 22, 2015 by Steel Accord

[Sunwalker 981]

Greetings everypony. How are you all today

 

I am doing good! I got a new haircut today

 

 

 . . . . WHERE has this game BEEN all my life?! I need it now! 

 

They are PC games, and are available on Steam:

http://store.steampowered.com/app/6310/

http://store.steampowered.com/app/6300/

http://store.steampowered.com/app/237850/

 

If you want DRM free, they can also be found on GOG.com and on HumbleBundle.com/store

[I used to be a stranger 7,993]

This post has been redacted by the author.

Edited May 9, 2021 by Blue

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Sid Meier's Civilization V: Brave New World has religion overtly in it, though you direct it's social effects the same as you would in founding cities and adopting cultural values. I like to think of how Christianity would have developed if the Hebrews weren't the Chosen People.

 

In terms of the gameplay nodes, Christianity's core tenant is probably "God-King" or "Oral Tradition", with the Founder beliefs "World Church", "Interfaith Dialogue" or "Feed the World", and the Follower beliefs "Divine Inspiration", "Religious Art", "Messiah", "Religious Texts", "Charitable Missions", "Evangelism" or "To the Glory of God".

 

One wonders what it would be like if Christianity involved such tenants as Goddess of Love, or Pagodas.

 

That is a truly fascinating exploration of what has been described as "the mechanics of religion." E.g. how it effects people on a societal and cultural level.

 

I myself have played (and fallen madly in love with) Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth. While that doesn't explore the mechanics of religion in as deep a way V did, it's refreshing to see an outright sci-fi future where not only has religion remained, in many ways it's evolved.

 

My favorite faction is actually lead by a Prophet, who's authority stems completely from her follower's belief in her teachings. As you unlock new technologies and wonders (regardless of faction or other choices), many quotes actually start to sound like sermons or appropriations of Old Earth myths that have been carried by the colonists and made to fit into the belief systems native to their new home.

~ ~ ~ ~ 

 

Could you guys do me a favor and pray for me? I feel like I just took a .50 cal sniper rifle round in my soul. 

Edited July 23, 2015 by Steel Accord