Violence in furry art, games, and movies. Where should ....
2 years ago
Violence in furry art, games, and movies. Where should we draw the line? (Full title)
Greetings to you, my brothers and sisters. I hope and pray that everyone is doing well. May the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
The purpose of this journal entry is to discuss the topic of violence in a few areas, those being: computer and video games, movies and tv shows, and finally furry art.
I would like to begin by disclosing the fact that in my youth I had grown up in a secular environment where I was no stranger to violence in video and computer games, as well as violence in movies. I mentioned in an earlier blog entry that one of my favorite things to do when I was younger was rent scary/horror genre movies because I enjoyed the element of fear with these videos. I also grew up as a child spending many hours playing video games on video game consoles. Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Playstation, and so on.. From there I eventually switched to computer games.
We should start by understanding that violence can take many forms. You can show anger and wrath through words, tone, and behavior. When we call someone a violent individual, we can mean anything from the fact that they are mean or inconsiderate with their words, they may have a short fuse and are quick to anger, or they may have such a severe problem that they may be prone to committing real, actual violence on an individual.
These games can have violence that ranges anywhere from cartoon violence to realistic, brutal violence and gore, complete with violent weaponry and blood.
Way back in the day, when video games were first coming onto the scene, most games were not particularly violent. Some had cartoon violence, but even then, there was no where near the level and amount of violence that is present in video and computer games today.
Take the old school Super Mario Bros. game for example.
In this screen shot, we see that when you eliminate an enemy, in this case with a fireball, you get a little indicator of 200 points, and the enemy goes into its shell, turns upside down, and falls off the screen. There was no blood, no gore, no real world weaponry. If I recall, I believe Nintendo actually went to some lengths to maintain a 'family friendly' reputation and would go to some lengths to not allow violence in their video games if it was too realistic. The Sega Genesis around the same time, I believe, was more likely to allow violence and was much more well known in video game circles for having a better library of 'fighting' games.
Eventually a lot of us moved from video to computer games.
Lets move on with the following classic:
Doom - it was a game that would end up being a forerunner for many other games like it. Although it was not the first game to utilize this sort of play style, it became a very well known and popular game where you play as a soldier who goes around fighting demons and other nasty critters. I remember spending a lot of time playing this game when I was younger. We can see in this screen grab that we now have real world style weaponry and blood in our examples of violence. Although there was a limitation on how detailed graphics could be at the time, it was still enough to cause concern with some families and groups who were concerned about the effects violent video games might have on children.
Now, with the technological leaps and advances in gaming, we now have games that seem so life-like and realistic, you might be hard pressed to know for sure whether what you are witnessing was a game, or a scene from a movie. I would also like to note that there are many games available that promote criminal behavior, such as shooting civilians or taking hostages, robbing banks, stealing vehicles, and so on. Grand Theft Auto and Payday are two examples of games in this category. The below screen shot is from the Payday 2 game, where the player is encouraged to rob and steal and shoot at police.
Payday 2 screenshot
Now a lot of this discussion comes down to whether or not you believe playing these games has any effect on your psyche, your consciousness, your soul. Some individuals will likely say that playing these games has no effect on an individual's likelihood to engage in real world violence. It's a game, and the participant realizes this to be so, so why would they allow it to influence their real world behavior?
This was actually my line of thinking prior to being a Christian. Growing up, I enjoyed putting a lot of time into playing these games. They were a lot of fun. I knew, as far as I could tell - the difference between fantasy violence in games and real world violence. What I don't believe I really knew at the time was that these games had a sort of desensitizing effect on me. Sure, I knew the difference between violence in a game and real world violence, but was I as adverse to being near, or being "involved" with it on some level? I certainly had no problems firing up a game that utilizes weapons and the act of shooting at others, the 'enemy' in the game I was playing at the time. Examples of games I would favor for example - the Fallout computer game series. Stalker was another game series, as well as Skyrim. These games all have a sort of open ended world where you can explore a vast area and run into all sorts of bizarre encounters - but they all shared a similar theme in that one of the main mechanics of the game is to progress by attacking or shooting at opponents.
I never really considered just how much these games conditioned me to enjoy this activity until I gave my life over to Christ Jesus and asked myself - would one of Jesus Christs' servants really spend their time indulging in this kind of behavior, even if it was in a virtual or fantasy setting? Does not Matthew 5:44 state: "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." ...? Does it not say in Proverbs 25:21-22 "If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.' ...?
Would Jesus Christ really want any of His followers to be spending their free time getting enjoyment out of shooting others even if it was just a game? As someone who takes their walk and servitude seriously, I would have to say, "Probably not!". How much more saintly will we be if we refrain from participating in games with violent behavior and graphics because we value what our savior taught and because deep down, we realize that a saint does not do these things? Show me where in the Holy Bible the apostles and the saints did Christ Jesus' will by going around committing violent acts. You won't find such instances. It was the world that did violence to our Lord and those who followed Him. So why should we lower ourselves to indulging in this kind of behavior, even if we argue that it's only pretend violence? It may not be real, actual violence, but it is still indulging in, and receiving satisfaction from the act of simulated violence. This is not where a servant and saint should be focusing themselves, friends.
Let us also realize that we don't really know for certain what kind of effects participating in these violent games might be having on us on a much deeper level. Although when I was actually indulging in these violent video games at the time I never really believed they could be harmful to me - having been a Christian for a number of years now, and spending much of my time committed to my family, my friends, researching the gospel and trying to keep busy in productive ways, I really do feel that these sorts of games were not really good for my overall mental health. Of course when you are a fan and customer of these kinds of games you will defend them - because you have a vested interest in protecting an activity you enjoy. That's normal human behavior. But I would ask you to consider abstaining from playing these sorts of violent games for awhile. See how long you can stay away from them for. Can you abstain for a week? A month? A year? If not, why not? Should it not be concerning that violent games might have that sort of sway and power over you, if you are unable to remove yourself from them for a period of time? I am willing to bet if you remove this kind of content from your life for a long enough period of time, you will start to have second thoughts about going back to it afterwards, especially so if you are a Christian and taking your walk seriously.
Articles such as https://theconversation.com/how-the.....soldiers-73826 seem to suggest that indulging in these sorts of games can have a profound and lasting effect on how we think and deal with real life situations. An excerpt:
As part of a study, we interviewed 15 current and former members of the U.S. military who were between 24 and 35 years old to understand the role violent first-person shooter games played in their recruitment and training.
The majority of interviewees told us it was important to stay in the mindset of a soldier even when not on duty. To them, first-person shooters were the perfect vehicle for doing this.
Game preferences varied among the soldiers we interviewed, but popular titles included “Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2” and “ARMA 2,” which a current member of the Army said was “one of the most hardcore assault experiences in gaming.”
Meanwhile, an Iraq War veteran described “Call of Duty: Black Ops 2” and “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” as “the ultimate first-person shooter experiences ever” and “intensive and highly realistic approaches to tactical combat. The choice of attacking with stealth or unleashing an all-out frontal assault full of mayhem is yours. It’s violent, it’s chaotic, it’s beautiful.”
In this, the Iraq War veteran seems to say that video games can reflect real-life combat situations, an attitude that others share.
Altered realities
But it’s tough to make the case that games accurately simulate what a soldier’s life is really like. First, military tours of duty are not solely made up of hard-charging, chaotic battles, like those in first-person shooters. The majority of soldiers won’t participate in any full-frontal combat operations.
Second – and, most importantly – in the digital world there are no legal and ethical considerations. When things go wrong, when innocent people are killed, there are no ramifications. If anything, the games warp these real-world consequences in the minds of players; in 2012, psychologists Brock Bastian, Jolanda Jetten and Helena R.M. Radke were able to use brain scans to show that playing violent video games had the potential to desensitize players to real-life violence and the suffering of others.
In a 2010 article for the Brookings Institution, political scientist Peter Singer quoted a Special Forces soldier who was involved in the production of “America’s Army 360,” a video game developed to recruit and train enlistees.
“You lose an avatar; just reboot the game,” the soldier said. “In real life, you lose your guy; you’ve lost your guy. And then you’ve got to bury him, and then you’ve got to call his wife.”
Indeed, journalist Evan Wright wrote in his book “Generation Kill” that solders were on “intimate terms with the culture of video games, reality TV shows and internet porn.”
Also consider what is said here: https://videogames.procon.org/argum.....sive-behavior/
The US military uses violent video games to train soldiers to kill.
The US Marine Corps licensed Doom II in 1996 to create Marine Doom in order to train soldiers. In 2002, the US Army released first-person shooter game America’s Army to recruit soldiers and prepare recruits for the battlefield. [6]
While the military may benefit from training soldiers to kill using video games, kids who are exposed to these games lack the discipline and structure of the armed forces and may become more susceptible to being violent. [79]
Dave Grossman, retired lieutenant colonel in the United States Army and former West Point psychology professor, stated: “[T]hrough interactive point-and-shoot video games, modern nations are indiscriminately introducing to their children the same weapons technology that major armies and law enforcement agencies around the world use to ‘turn off’ the midbrain ‘safety catch’” that prevents most people from killing. [77]
Clearly, there may be indications that playing these violent games has an effect on our minds. At the very least, I would argue that they remove a portion of your purity and innocence versus someone who of their own free will tries to abstain and stay away from games that encourage you to shoot, kill, or otherwise incapacitate some perceived opponent.
The good news is that there is an incredible amount of games out on the market in our current time. It is not too hard to find games you can enjoy that utilize a game mechanic where you can generally play and enjoy a game without shooting at, hurting, or committing violence against others. You just have to have a will and a desire to seek these types of games out. I never would have really looked for these types of games prior to being a Christian. I was all about the first person shooters, the violent games, etc.. Now? Not so much. I may play a game that has some of these elements if I have friends who want me to play it with them - but in these scenarios I am doing it more because I love and value my friends. I care about their happiness and well being. I may try to gently suggest or nudge them towards games that are less violent though, if I can. It's what a good friend who cares about their friends ought to do.
What about violence in movies and tv shows? Sitting down to a good movie can be a great and popular way to unwind and relax, but it can be difficult to find a film or a show that abstains entirely from violence. Can it be done? Certainly.
A very cute movie!
The film Sing 2 is a charming example of a movie the whole family can enjoy. It is cute. It is silly. It is wholesome. You might even find yourself wishing you could leave this corrupted world of violence and sin and be a part of their silly adventures.
It is possible - shows usually state if there will be violence at the beginning when it displays the rating it received, but there will be a lot of stuff that is off limits if you disallow any violence whatsoever. Can we as Christians have legitimate reasons for watching shows and movies that contain violence? Yes, I believe it is possible. First, in this case, it is more of a passive role. We are not actively "pulling the trigger" as it were such as in violent video or computer games. You should also ask yourself - is the violence going to have the potential to cause you to sin or behave badly? If you have a drinking addiction and have a habit of not controlling your temper under certain situations, I would advise working on that before allowing yourself to watch movies with violence in it. They can influence you in bad ways.
However, if you generally are strong in your faith and in your walk, I believe it is possible to watch films and shows that have violence in it. As a Christian, you should not really enjoy the violent parts - but we can always look away if things get too rough during some segments of a movie. But why watch a 'dark' or violent movie in the first place, if you are a Christian? Well, violent or scary movies can offer us a glimpse into something that few other film genres will let us examine - that of abject evil. It is possible to want to study and know your opponent without approving of, or wanting to engage in the sort of behavior that your opponent indulges in. An angel who serves the LORD who is never exposed to what demons and those on the 'dark side' do is going to be much more naive and vulnerable compared to an angel who has taken the time to observe and study what the dark side does. Will the angel have a little less innocence? Perhaps - but it may be better to have some angels who are experienced with the behavior and technique of darkness so as to be better prepared to counter it than to have angels who are easy prey to the darkness. And so it is with humanity as well. I believe that you can have appropriate reasons to watch certain genres in film and shows - the horror genre has much content that deals with devils, demons, angels, fallen angels and sin. You can better understand what you are up against through many of these films. You will not be as innocent as someone who never allows themselves to watch any of this content - but you may have an understanding of evil and how it operates that you may not have otherwise had. It's a judgment call you will have to make. If you have a strong will and are on fire for the Lord Jesus Christ, I do not see this as much of a danger to you. If you are raising a family and children, you may wish to try to keep violent material away from your household, and I would say this is a wise thing to do. If you are single and have dedicated your life in service to the LORD and Lord Jesus Christ, perhaps your calling may require you to study the darkness while in service to the LORD.
I could say the same when it comes to furry art. Generally speaking, a lot of furry art falls into the sin category of lust. I have discussed this with you my brothers and sisters in past journals. There is some art that may also fall into the category of being violent. We should cover our eyes from this material as we do any sort of furry art that is lewd in nature. As I have mentioned there are at least a few artists out there that cover the topic of Heaven, Hell, and sin in their furry art. I would argue that it is acceptable to view this material if it is a part of your journey in service to the LORD while studying Heaven, Hell, the fall, good angels, bad angels, and what effects sin has on our Lord's creation. My only request is that you do not get pleasure out of it. Study as a student who takes their work and their service seriously and may be called upon by the LORD in a variety of ways. Remember, the more you study the darkness out of a desire to understand how it functions and why it functions the way it does, the more you will place yourself on its radar. Do not stare into the abyss so long that you become its willing servant. Even if you are a servant who has committed to study evil, please make sure to allow yourself time to recover and enjoy the beautiful and wonderful things that our LORD has made for us to enjoy and be a part of.
Philippians 4:8
(SUBTLE BUMP FOR MY CHRISTIAN FURRY/BRONY DISCORD SERVER HERE)
Are you a furry or a brony struggling with your faith or with the task of trying to find your place in the world? Are you seeking guidance on how to be better to yourself and others? Would you like to be part of a community of friends who loves you and will labor with you in your struggles? If so, please consider giving my Discord server a snuffle! Christian Furs and Ponies is a discord community of furries, bronies, and people who are not from either category who have a love of Christ Jesus and a desire to be obedient servants to the Lord Jesus Christ and to each other. We will treat you with love and with a desire to help you grow spiritually.
To be a part of our community, simply click on the following link and write up a little welcome/introduction about yourself in the channel. A moderator will give you access to participate with others after that. We hope to see you soon!
https://discord.gg/MpPF6zUA6N
Greetings to you, my brothers and sisters. I hope and pray that everyone is doing well. May the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
The purpose of this journal entry is to discuss the topic of violence in a few areas, those being: computer and video games, movies and tv shows, and finally furry art.
I would like to begin by disclosing the fact that in my youth I had grown up in a secular environment where I was no stranger to violence in video and computer games, as well as violence in movies. I mentioned in an earlier blog entry that one of my favorite things to do when I was younger was rent scary/horror genre movies because I enjoyed the element of fear with these videos. I also grew up as a child spending many hours playing video games on video game consoles. Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Playstation, and so on.. From there I eventually switched to computer games.
We should start by understanding that violence can take many forms. You can show anger and wrath through words, tone, and behavior. When we call someone a violent individual, we can mean anything from the fact that they are mean or inconsiderate with their words, they may have a short fuse and are quick to anger, or they may have such a severe problem that they may be prone to committing real, actual violence on an individual.
These games can have violence that ranges anywhere from cartoon violence to realistic, brutal violence and gore, complete with violent weaponry and blood.
Way back in the day, when video games were first coming onto the scene, most games were not particularly violent. Some had cartoon violence, but even then, there was no where near the level and amount of violence that is present in video and computer games today.
Take the old school Super Mario Bros. game for example.
In this screen shot, we see that when you eliminate an enemy, in this case with a fireball, you get a little indicator of 200 points, and the enemy goes into its shell, turns upside down, and falls off the screen. There was no blood, no gore, no real world weaponry. If I recall, I believe Nintendo actually went to some lengths to maintain a 'family friendly' reputation and would go to some lengths to not allow violence in their video games if it was too realistic. The Sega Genesis around the same time, I believe, was more likely to allow violence and was much more well known in video game circles for having a better library of 'fighting' games.
Eventually a lot of us moved from video to computer games.
Lets move on with the following classic:
Doom - it was a game that would end up being a forerunner for many other games like it. Although it was not the first game to utilize this sort of play style, it became a very well known and popular game where you play as a soldier who goes around fighting demons and other nasty critters. I remember spending a lot of time playing this game when I was younger. We can see in this screen grab that we now have real world style weaponry and blood in our examples of violence. Although there was a limitation on how detailed graphics could be at the time, it was still enough to cause concern with some families and groups who were concerned about the effects violent video games might have on children.
Now, with the technological leaps and advances in gaming, we now have games that seem so life-like and realistic, you might be hard pressed to know for sure whether what you are witnessing was a game, or a scene from a movie. I would also like to note that there are many games available that promote criminal behavior, such as shooting civilians or taking hostages, robbing banks, stealing vehicles, and so on. Grand Theft Auto and Payday are two examples of games in this category. The below screen shot is from the Payday 2 game, where the player is encouraged to rob and steal and shoot at police.
Payday 2 screenshot
Now a lot of this discussion comes down to whether or not you believe playing these games has any effect on your psyche, your consciousness, your soul. Some individuals will likely say that playing these games has no effect on an individual's likelihood to engage in real world violence. It's a game, and the participant realizes this to be so, so why would they allow it to influence their real world behavior?
This was actually my line of thinking prior to being a Christian. Growing up, I enjoyed putting a lot of time into playing these games. They were a lot of fun. I knew, as far as I could tell - the difference between fantasy violence in games and real world violence. What I don't believe I really knew at the time was that these games had a sort of desensitizing effect on me. Sure, I knew the difference between violence in a game and real world violence, but was I as adverse to being near, or being "involved" with it on some level? I certainly had no problems firing up a game that utilizes weapons and the act of shooting at others, the 'enemy' in the game I was playing at the time. Examples of games I would favor for example - the Fallout computer game series. Stalker was another game series, as well as Skyrim. These games all have a sort of open ended world where you can explore a vast area and run into all sorts of bizarre encounters - but they all shared a similar theme in that one of the main mechanics of the game is to progress by attacking or shooting at opponents.
I never really considered just how much these games conditioned me to enjoy this activity until I gave my life over to Christ Jesus and asked myself - would one of Jesus Christs' servants really spend their time indulging in this kind of behavior, even if it was in a virtual or fantasy setting? Does not Matthew 5:44 state: "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." ...? Does it not say in Proverbs 25:21-22 "If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.' ...?
Would Jesus Christ really want any of His followers to be spending their free time getting enjoyment out of shooting others even if it was just a game? As someone who takes their walk and servitude seriously, I would have to say, "Probably not!". How much more saintly will we be if we refrain from participating in games with violent behavior and graphics because we value what our savior taught and because deep down, we realize that a saint does not do these things? Show me where in the Holy Bible the apostles and the saints did Christ Jesus' will by going around committing violent acts. You won't find such instances. It was the world that did violence to our Lord and those who followed Him. So why should we lower ourselves to indulging in this kind of behavior, even if we argue that it's only pretend violence? It may not be real, actual violence, but it is still indulging in, and receiving satisfaction from the act of simulated violence. This is not where a servant and saint should be focusing themselves, friends.
Let us also realize that we don't really know for certain what kind of effects participating in these violent games might be having on us on a much deeper level. Although when I was actually indulging in these violent video games at the time I never really believed they could be harmful to me - having been a Christian for a number of years now, and spending much of my time committed to my family, my friends, researching the gospel and trying to keep busy in productive ways, I really do feel that these sorts of games were not really good for my overall mental health. Of course when you are a fan and customer of these kinds of games you will defend them - because you have a vested interest in protecting an activity you enjoy. That's normal human behavior. But I would ask you to consider abstaining from playing these sorts of violent games for awhile. See how long you can stay away from them for. Can you abstain for a week? A month? A year? If not, why not? Should it not be concerning that violent games might have that sort of sway and power over you, if you are unable to remove yourself from them for a period of time? I am willing to bet if you remove this kind of content from your life for a long enough period of time, you will start to have second thoughts about going back to it afterwards, especially so if you are a Christian and taking your walk seriously.
Articles such as https://theconversation.com/how-the.....soldiers-73826 seem to suggest that indulging in these sorts of games can have a profound and lasting effect on how we think and deal with real life situations. An excerpt:
As part of a study, we interviewed 15 current and former members of the U.S. military who were between 24 and 35 years old to understand the role violent first-person shooter games played in their recruitment and training.
The majority of interviewees told us it was important to stay in the mindset of a soldier even when not on duty. To them, first-person shooters were the perfect vehicle for doing this.
Game preferences varied among the soldiers we interviewed, but popular titles included “Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2” and “ARMA 2,” which a current member of the Army said was “one of the most hardcore assault experiences in gaming.”
Meanwhile, an Iraq War veteran described “Call of Duty: Black Ops 2” and “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” as “the ultimate first-person shooter experiences ever” and “intensive and highly realistic approaches to tactical combat. The choice of attacking with stealth or unleashing an all-out frontal assault full of mayhem is yours. It’s violent, it’s chaotic, it’s beautiful.”
In this, the Iraq War veteran seems to say that video games can reflect real-life combat situations, an attitude that others share.
Altered realities
But it’s tough to make the case that games accurately simulate what a soldier’s life is really like. First, military tours of duty are not solely made up of hard-charging, chaotic battles, like those in first-person shooters. The majority of soldiers won’t participate in any full-frontal combat operations.
Second – and, most importantly – in the digital world there are no legal and ethical considerations. When things go wrong, when innocent people are killed, there are no ramifications. If anything, the games warp these real-world consequences in the minds of players; in 2012, psychologists Brock Bastian, Jolanda Jetten and Helena R.M. Radke were able to use brain scans to show that playing violent video games had the potential to desensitize players to real-life violence and the suffering of others.
In a 2010 article for the Brookings Institution, political scientist Peter Singer quoted a Special Forces soldier who was involved in the production of “America’s Army 360,” a video game developed to recruit and train enlistees.
“You lose an avatar; just reboot the game,” the soldier said. “In real life, you lose your guy; you’ve lost your guy. And then you’ve got to bury him, and then you’ve got to call his wife.”
Indeed, journalist Evan Wright wrote in his book “Generation Kill” that solders were on “intimate terms with the culture of video games, reality TV shows and internet porn.”
Also consider what is said here: https://videogames.procon.org/argum.....sive-behavior/
The US military uses violent video games to train soldiers to kill.
The US Marine Corps licensed Doom II in 1996 to create Marine Doom in order to train soldiers. In 2002, the US Army released first-person shooter game America’s Army to recruit soldiers and prepare recruits for the battlefield. [6]
While the military may benefit from training soldiers to kill using video games, kids who are exposed to these games lack the discipline and structure of the armed forces and may become more susceptible to being violent. [79]
Dave Grossman, retired lieutenant colonel in the United States Army and former West Point psychology professor, stated: “[T]hrough interactive point-and-shoot video games, modern nations are indiscriminately introducing to their children the same weapons technology that major armies and law enforcement agencies around the world use to ‘turn off’ the midbrain ‘safety catch’” that prevents most people from killing. [77]
Clearly, there may be indications that playing these violent games has an effect on our minds. At the very least, I would argue that they remove a portion of your purity and innocence versus someone who of their own free will tries to abstain and stay away from games that encourage you to shoot, kill, or otherwise incapacitate some perceived opponent.
The good news is that there is an incredible amount of games out on the market in our current time. It is not too hard to find games you can enjoy that utilize a game mechanic where you can generally play and enjoy a game without shooting at, hurting, or committing violence against others. You just have to have a will and a desire to seek these types of games out. I never would have really looked for these types of games prior to being a Christian. I was all about the first person shooters, the violent games, etc.. Now? Not so much. I may play a game that has some of these elements if I have friends who want me to play it with them - but in these scenarios I am doing it more because I love and value my friends. I care about their happiness and well being. I may try to gently suggest or nudge them towards games that are less violent though, if I can. It's what a good friend who cares about their friends ought to do.
What about violence in movies and tv shows? Sitting down to a good movie can be a great and popular way to unwind and relax, but it can be difficult to find a film or a show that abstains entirely from violence. Can it be done? Certainly.
A very cute movie!
The film Sing 2 is a charming example of a movie the whole family can enjoy. It is cute. It is silly. It is wholesome. You might even find yourself wishing you could leave this corrupted world of violence and sin and be a part of their silly adventures.
It is possible - shows usually state if there will be violence at the beginning when it displays the rating it received, but there will be a lot of stuff that is off limits if you disallow any violence whatsoever. Can we as Christians have legitimate reasons for watching shows and movies that contain violence? Yes, I believe it is possible. First, in this case, it is more of a passive role. We are not actively "pulling the trigger" as it were such as in violent video or computer games. You should also ask yourself - is the violence going to have the potential to cause you to sin or behave badly? If you have a drinking addiction and have a habit of not controlling your temper under certain situations, I would advise working on that before allowing yourself to watch movies with violence in it. They can influence you in bad ways.
However, if you generally are strong in your faith and in your walk, I believe it is possible to watch films and shows that have violence in it. As a Christian, you should not really enjoy the violent parts - but we can always look away if things get too rough during some segments of a movie. But why watch a 'dark' or violent movie in the first place, if you are a Christian? Well, violent or scary movies can offer us a glimpse into something that few other film genres will let us examine - that of abject evil. It is possible to want to study and know your opponent without approving of, or wanting to engage in the sort of behavior that your opponent indulges in. An angel who serves the LORD who is never exposed to what demons and those on the 'dark side' do is going to be much more naive and vulnerable compared to an angel who has taken the time to observe and study what the dark side does. Will the angel have a little less innocence? Perhaps - but it may be better to have some angels who are experienced with the behavior and technique of darkness so as to be better prepared to counter it than to have angels who are easy prey to the darkness. And so it is with humanity as well. I believe that you can have appropriate reasons to watch certain genres in film and shows - the horror genre has much content that deals with devils, demons, angels, fallen angels and sin. You can better understand what you are up against through many of these films. You will not be as innocent as someone who never allows themselves to watch any of this content - but you may have an understanding of evil and how it operates that you may not have otherwise had. It's a judgment call you will have to make. If you have a strong will and are on fire for the Lord Jesus Christ, I do not see this as much of a danger to you. If you are raising a family and children, you may wish to try to keep violent material away from your household, and I would say this is a wise thing to do. If you are single and have dedicated your life in service to the LORD and Lord Jesus Christ, perhaps your calling may require you to study the darkness while in service to the LORD.
I could say the same when it comes to furry art. Generally speaking, a lot of furry art falls into the sin category of lust. I have discussed this with you my brothers and sisters in past journals. There is some art that may also fall into the category of being violent. We should cover our eyes from this material as we do any sort of furry art that is lewd in nature. As I have mentioned there are at least a few artists out there that cover the topic of Heaven, Hell, and sin in their furry art. I would argue that it is acceptable to view this material if it is a part of your journey in service to the LORD while studying Heaven, Hell, the fall, good angels, bad angels, and what effects sin has on our Lord's creation. My only request is that you do not get pleasure out of it. Study as a student who takes their work and their service seriously and may be called upon by the LORD in a variety of ways. Remember, the more you study the darkness out of a desire to understand how it functions and why it functions the way it does, the more you will place yourself on its radar. Do not stare into the abyss so long that you become its willing servant. Even if you are a servant who has committed to study evil, please make sure to allow yourself time to recover and enjoy the beautiful and wonderful things that our LORD has made for us to enjoy and be a part of.
Philippians 4:8
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Are you a furry or a brony struggling with your faith or with the task of trying to find your place in the world? Are you seeking guidance on how to be better to yourself and others? Would you like to be part of a community of friends who loves you and will labor with you in your struggles? If so, please consider giving my Discord server a snuffle! Christian Furs and Ponies is a discord community of furries, bronies, and people who are not from either category who have a love of Christ Jesus and a desire to be obedient servants to the Lord Jesus Christ and to each other. We will treat you with love and with a desire to help you grow spiritually.
To be a part of our community, simply click on the following link and write up a little welcome/introduction about yourself in the channel. A moderator will give you access to participate with others after that. We hope to see you soon!
https://discord.gg/MpPF6zUA6N
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