How do Christians approach game design? The answer is more interesting and more soul-searching than one might think.
From birth to death most ‘Western’ people are brought up in a world which practises competition. By Western we mean European, American, and British Commonwealth. This ‘cultural norm’ is backed up in the Western world by the dogma of Evolution, which holds the basic tenet that in order for any organism to survive, the strongest and ”fittest” would be the logical winners. (We will not depart at this point to discuss the many plants and animals which contradict this teaching of Darwin’s.) In other parts of the world this tenet is supported by the fact that, in human affairs, the strongest, and best fighters have usually prevailed over the weaker. Economically, the strongest economy wins over the weaker too, and the aim of many people is to work their way to the ‘top of the ladder’, where managerial success is seen as the greatest position to be in life.
But the whole idea of competition, as an accepted, and therefore correct philosophy of life, ought to be questioned by Christians, because there is no support for competitiveness in the New Testament, and, arguably, in the Old. Instead, the teaching is always one of co-operation, helpfulness, condescension and sympathy.
In the Law of God, Israelites were urged to consider orphans and widows (“You shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child” Exodus 22:22) The reason being that “For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regards not persons, nor takes reward” Deuteronomy 10:17 – God has no special regard for people of higher or lower rank in life, nor does he take bribes.
All through the Old and New Testament God requires that people show regard for those less able or fortunate. Tithes were reserved for the poor, and farmers were instructed to leave food in their fields for others to gather. It was to the weak, the poor and the helpless that Jesus came.
So we search in vain for Biblical endorsement for competitive sports, competitive business, and competitive behaviour in any other realm of human behaviour.
Before we go further with this, let us look briefly at what can happen when a person is stronger, richer, faster, cleverer, or better than other people. The usual reaction is a sense of self-worth and also of pride. Pride can lead to arrogance and boasting. Pride can also lead to megalomania, tyranny and brutality – as we have seen through history whenever a military leader starts to think he is invincible.
Socially pride is a destroyer. The pride of life can turn materialism into a god, and the pampering of the flesh into a fetish. As C.S.Lewis pointed out “Pride comes from hell” and pride is one of the major sins against which God speaks many times in anger. “Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place”. Job 40:12
It is a common thing to see children behaving proudly. “I’m better than you at . . .” Or “You’re so dumb!” Jeremiah 9:23
“Thus says the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgement, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight”. Jeremiah 9:24
It is obvious from this open statement that God is not competitive – not that He would need to be(!) – but He reveals His heart to us here, like a man pulling his shirt apart to show us what he is like underneath. He is, by Nature the all-wise, the all-glorious and the all wealthy. He loves those things which are most like Himself – love in action, kindness, caring, justice, fairness, equality without bias, doing what is right, obedience . . . These are the things He delights in, so what place does Man have to contradict God and elevate the very things which God despises?
But one might object : in order to do well at something, mustn’t one be competitive? As I see it, no. The moment we compare ourselves, or possessions or our performance with someone else we are stepping away from God, competitiveness is always wrong – despite its sometimes grey colour.
For example, we all agree that the Nazi Party was wicked and cruel, and its behaviour based on the theory that Germans were a “Master Race” (The Japanese thought they were children of the Sun) led to the worst crimes against humanity. We could call this type of competitiveness ‘black pride’.
But what colour is the pride when old Mrs X down the road wins the needlepoint sewing contest? Or Mr Y gains the medal for growing the largest pumpkin? Or little Z runs faster than all the primary school kids in his class at the Sports? At which point does the grey become too dark to qualify as innocuous?
The alternative is not, as one might think, a dull and boring life without drama or excitement. The notion that the world could not operate without competition is quite wrong. It (the notion, or reaction) comes from the mindset that “we have always done things this way, so can’t we just leave things as they are?” But Jesus always worked that way. He constantly challenged people and presented the opposite as the best, while the familiar he tossed in the rubbish bin.
Jesus elevated the very qualities which ‘the world’ treads on. Blessed, He said, are the poor in spirit, the sorrowful, the meek, the unrighteous, merciful,pure, peaceful . . . all the things we are brought up to devalue. Instead, we in the West are encouraged, culturally, to be quite the opposite. Picture the self-made man (or woman), surrounded by material blessings, talking on the cell phone in a top of the line restaurant, wearing label clothing, demanding the best, swearing about some person he or she resents, snobbish, proud . . . we meet them all the time. We see it starting when they are children, already aiming at the best job, the money, the things of this world. Ambition. Desire to reach the top. Grasping ahead at the things they want, the things they can have. Blessed are the poor in spirit? The meek? No way!
But strangely enough (or perhaps not, considering the fact that God made humans and put a little of Himself into them) we find the very themes which Jesus elevated, which God values, cropping up time after time in movies. How often have we seen the hero, beaten and on the run, suddenly able to win by destroying the villain, yet offering mercy to the villain, even at the point where mercy could spell his own doom? What makes this a ‘great’ moment is the Christ likeness of the hero’s actions. Instinctively we see something great in mercy, yet we are also culturally conditioned to ignore it when it comes to the real world.
The New Testament teaches:
“For Moses said, Honour your father and your mother; and, Whoso curses father or mother, let him die the death” Mark 7:10
“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another” Romans 12:10
“And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness”. 1 Corinthians 12:23
“I have showed you all things, how that so labouring you ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive”. Acts 20:35
“For we are glad, when we are weak, and you are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection”. 2 Corinthians 13:9
But what can we make of the two references in the New testament which seem to imply that Christianity itself is competitive. The context shows that this is not the case at all. In the first reference – “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto you are also called, and have professed a good profession before many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12 – Paul is urging Timothy to make his Christian life an entirely personal thing, between him and God. It would be peculiar if Christians were to compete in such things as kindness and love. “I’m kinder than you! So what? I have more love!” And how do you compete in charity, forgiveness, tenderheartedness and humility?
The second reference is ” . . . they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that ye may obtain”. 1 Corinthians 9:24. But the context is the same as that for Timothy. Paul has just finished explaining how he is weak to those who are weak. Are Christians then to compete in condescension? That would be a total absurdity. “I identify with the poor better than you! Oh yeah? I show more sympathy!”
So we have a dilemma when we come to the subject of designing a game. If we follow the worldly pattern, our game will be competitive, and probably quite exciting! Yet that does not fit with Christian philosophy. If, on the other hand, we follow the Christian way, we must design a game which incorporates the “Blesseds”, and that means we cannot have a competitive game.