Can you believe in Christian non-violence and play Call of Duty?
Call of Duty: Black Ops
I consider myself an advocate of Christian non-violence; in other words, I believe Christians should follow the Prince of Peace and be people of peace in a world at war (as Hauerwas would say). However, I also own an Xbox, and one of my favorite series of games for years has been the Call of Duty games. Recently, I bought Call of Duty: Black Ops, and I really enjoy playing it–not from the killing people standpoint but the fun standpoint (hopefully, there’s a difference for you too). The game is a “shooter,” and it involves shooting a lot (emphasis on “a lot”) of simulated enemy troops. I have been wondering, and I am open to the dialogue, is it hypocritical to play Call of Duty games and be an advocate for Christian non-violence?
I guess there are a few reactions that I could think of:
1) Yes, it is hypocritical.
2) No, it’s totally fine like watching Saving Private Ryan is not conflicting to Christian non-violence.
3) You believe in Christian non-violence? Tell me more.
What do you think? Is it hypocritical? Should Christians be playing games like this at all?