Convert or Die

It never fails. There is always something so called "Christian" that makes me cringe. "Convert or die" is the latest.

It's a new computer game in which players must either convert or kill non-Christians. No I'm serious! Who came up with this bright idea? None other then the guys behind the popular (and misguided) Left Behind series. Yes, Left Behind: Eternal Forces, produced the game inspired by a series of Christian novels that are hugely popular, especially with teens.

The series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins is based on their interpretation of the Bible's Book of Revelation and takes place after the Rapture, when Jesus has taken his people to heaven and left nonbelievers behind to face the Antichrist. I've taken some flack for warning about Left Behind and the whole Battle Cry generation stuff. I don't like what I see under the surface.

Left Behind Games' president, Jeffrey Frichner, says the game actually is pacifist because players lose "spirit points" every time they gun down nonbelievers rather than convert them. They can earn spirit points again by having their character pray. Ummmmm..... Ok.

There is no blood. (The dead just fade off the screen.) But still you are killing your enemy with a gun. One of the evil characters is a rock musician. ... If you get too close to him your spirit is lowered.

So what's the goal here? Well the company's ultimate goal in offering the game is to bring parents and kids together to talk about the Bible. I'm not sure that they have reached that goal here. Pac-Man anyone?

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