Do you prefer video games or board games?

Board Games (Photo credit: Canadian Veggie)

I found this pretty interesting the other day. Someone did a study on 228 people who classified themselves as religious, not religious or outright atheist, and asked them whether they preferred board games or video games.

Wow.

Now, the group asked were all young, hip, up-to-date, tech-savvy university students so it’s no surprise that the majority of them voted for video games over board games, but here’s the interesting bit: the further away from ‘religious’ you get, the less enjoyment you get out of board games. Which is a shame, really. Board games are lovely.

The conclusion drawn by the entirely non-biased website ‘Secular News Daily‘ is that board games need more imagination, and the foolish religious people obviously have that because they believe in something that so obviously doesn’t exist.

I’m not buying that I’m afraid. I think that humanity was created to exist in community, and that ‘religious’ people tend to have experienced that through church or whatever, so they appreciate board games which requires interaction with other humans.

Why do humans crave community? Because we’re created in the image of God, exists eternally in community; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

What a mighty God we serve!

Adrenalin junk mail

I robbed a PC-Game Bank (Photo credit: Preshit)

I enjoy computer games. Quite a lot, really. And I think I’m pretty safe saying that a lot of other guys also enjoy computer games.

But are they bad? They’re clearly pretty addictive seeing that so many people are so into them, but does that make them sinful?

Well, the answer is either ‘yes’, anything that begins to control your behaviour is by nature bad, or ‘no’, it’s just like having any other hobby.

Or is it, as I’d suggest, more along the lines of ‘it depends’?

I think that computer games as a recreational activity are harmless; they can genuinely bring a sense of relaxation (particularly to men, who have the ability to think of literally nothing and still breathe), and they’re also fun as a group activity.

But one thing they do is provide a sense of adrenalin and excitement without any real effort, danger or responsibility. With a computer game I can hit a hole-in-one, play in the World Cup, and fight in a war without even standing up. And is that reallya good habit to be building in men?

The Princess Bride plus Monopoly

So, one of the best films ever created has been combined with one of the best board games ever created, and the result is a satisfying combination of greatness. Oh yes.