Video Games
By Ken Canedo
It must be a generational thing, like having a preference for the music of the Beatles or the Woodstock festival. Every now and then, my youth group has a video games night, where teens bring their Xboxes, plug into the parish TVs, and happily zap away at Halo 3, NBA 2K6, or Guitar Hero. I watch them play and I'm glad they're having a good time but I have no desire to join them.
However, plunk me in front of some retro games and I'll be lost for hours. Pac-Man! Joust! Zaxxon! Moon Patrol! Space Invaders! Donkey Kong! I'm part of the first generation of gamers who got excited over the primitive Pong. The night I got my first Atari game system I stayed up until 3:00am playing Star Raiders. So I understand how addicting video games can be.
Nowadays, with the right equipment, you can do these things with other gamers down the street or even around the world. But this can be a solitary experience for many people. I know some folks whose lives revolve around video games. They are awkward and withdrawn socially, but in front of a gaming screen they smile and become intense and involved. The virtual is their reality.
Therein lies the danger. Time alone is important for balance and perspective, but if one's whole life revolves around Grand Theft Auto then solitary video gaming can be a detriment to personal growth.
The Blessed Trinity is our model for how to live. Father, Son and Holy Spirit exist in an eternal bond of love, each Person with a unique role that fires up the universe in unselfish love.
Our Christian community — experienced as faith sharing group, as parish, or as youth group — calls us to be as loving and compassionate as the Trinity. Let us reach out to the solitary and isolated, whether they are video gamers or simply unique and different. Let us welcome them into our circle, engage them, and make them feel at home.
In community we discover each other's gifts and build up God's kingdom, where "Game Over" is never an option. Our God Is Here!
===
Want to see some retro games? Chris Padgett helps manage this Marian website that features some of my favorite classic arcade games.