Can A Christian Watch Games Of Throne?

[debrand]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2 ... y/2389553/

That, in turn, has prompted intense debates about whether Christians should watch "Games of Thrones" at all, or whether the show's only possible virtue is depicting how the world would look if Christ had never been born — or what it could look like if Christianity disappeared tomorrow.

History is one of the inspirations for Game of Thrones. In an article for Huff Post, Martin wrote:

"And believe me, the Starks and the Lannisters have nothing on the Capets and Plantagenets."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/26/george-rr-martins-inspiration_n_2945193.html

You only have to read an actual history book to understand that history with Christian leaders has been as violent as history without Christianity. Sometimes people are inspired to do very noble things because of their religion and sometimes they are inspired to do very evil things. If Christianity existed in Martin's world, the outcome would be the same

From the USA Today article:

But, Muth concluded, "Seeing the hopelessness and savagery of what this age threatens to become may serve to shake us from our torpor."

When people make these kind of statements it worries me. What exactly does it mean? Christians are the majority religion in the US. We have far right wing Christians trying to speak for other Christians and for the most part, the news media seems to let them. Would waking up from a torpor mean that those right wing Christians would become even more obnoxious? Would they try to force everyone to think like they do?

[GeoBQn]

I thought it was going to be from the standpoint of nudity. "Weiners WEIners/Floppy WEIners . . ."[/south Park]

[anti-antichoice]

The fact they think the history of Christianity and the Bible is less violent and explicit than what's on Game of Thrones makes it obvious that no one should listen to a word this man says.

[Snarknado]

The fact they think the history of Christianity and the Bible is less violent and explicit than what's on Game of Thrones makes it obvious that no one should listen to a word this man says.

QFT. So much violence in the history of Christianity and in the name of Christ. I love when Christians speak of violent historical shows and how they depict a godless society. Ummm...much of that violence was in the name of God. But since it was God's plan they will excuse that violence.

[polecat]

Of course a Christian can watch Game of Thrones. "All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable." If a Christian enjoys Game of Thrones and gets something out of it -- why shouldn't he or she watch it? And if he/she gets nothing out of it, then don't watch it. Simple as that.

I've never watched it because I don't have HBO and I'm too cheap to get it through a streaming service. But let's face it: The Bible is filled with horrible, violent stories that -- quite honestly -- I wouldn't want my kids to read until they're older. It's filled with rape, incest, murder, decapitation, dismemberment, genocide and more.

[Arete]

OK, as a Christian I am going to say that I really don't care if other Christians are having discussions about whether or not it is profitable to watch Game of Thrones. I also don't care if they take those discussions public in USA Today, because it represents one point of view that is not binding on all Christians.

Now, if some lemming needs an "authority" to clear their TV viewing, no point in anyone losing any sleep.

[Loveday]

Well, this Christian watched most of the first season, but stopped after that because it was just too gory for my personal taste. :? (Not to mention I never got over Ned Stark's death! :angry-banghead: ) But my husband is hooked on the show and fills me in on the basics every now and then, so I've got a general idea of what's going on.

And I did watch the last few minutes of Joffrey's wedding episode the other week. Several times. :twisted: :mrgreen: :cracking-up: LOL.

So yeah, this:

Of course a Christian can watch Game of Thrones. "All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable." If a Christian enjoys Game of Thrones and gets something out of it -- why shouldn't he or she watch it? And if he/she gets nothing out of it, then don't watch it. Simple as that.

I've never watched it because I don't have HBO and I'm too cheap to get it through a streaming service. But let's face it: The Bible is filled with horrible, violent stories that -- quite honestly -- I wouldn't want my kids to read until they're older. It's filled with rape, incest, murder, decapitation, dismemberment, genocide and more.

and this:

OK, as a Christian I am going to say that I really don't care if other Christians are having discussions about whether or not it is profitable to watch Game of Thrones. I also don't care if they take those discussions public in USA Today, because it represents one point of view that is not binding on all Christians.

Now, if some lemming needs an "authority" to clear their TV viewing, no point in anyone losing any sleep.

[Trynn]

Of course a Christian CAN watch game of thrones. CAN means that you don't have a disability that prevents you from turning on the tv and watching the show. The question should be SHOULD a Christian watch game of thrones.

That being said, I don't watch game of thrones. Even when I was a Christian I wouldn't have watched it because it just doesn't interest me.

[Childless]

Last I heard, Game of Thrones was simply a tv show. If you're faith is so weak that watching a tv show causes you to stray from the path of righteousness, then you were never that faithful to begin with.

[lilwriter85]

When I saw this thread title, the first thing came into my mind was ebil nudity.

[ADoyle90815]

Last I heard, Game of Thrones was simply a tv show. If you're faith is so weak that watching a tv show causes you to stray from the path of righteousness, then you were never that faithful to begin with.

This. It can also apply to movies and other forms of entertainment that aren't strictly from the Bible. I haven't really watched Game of Thrones because I don't get HBO, but I thought the nudity would be a reason why it's so offensive to fundies.

[Maggie Mae]

I'm surprised this is even an article. Warning: I'm a book reader, and I can't/don't always remember what didn't happen on the show.

Obviously GoT is going to be offensive to some people, Christian or not. The first episode alone consists of: magic zombie race beheading someone, a dead child, a child watching a beheading, a man in a brothel, the king being disrespectful to his wife, incest, and throwing a child of a window. Lots of drinking, lots of boobs. If Christians are looking for a show that is about people praising god and engaging in family friendly activities, they won't find it in GoT. No one is 100% good, always making the best decisions. It also makes you think about things like "Is this decision the best decision for the realm, the most people, or for God?"

At one point, a riddle is poised. It involves a sellsword choosing between a king, a religious leader, and a rich man. And that is one of the main conflicts in the series, other than the overall conflict that is promised. While men fight over lands and riches and who sits on the throne, the zombie race people have awoken and threaten to take over the kingdom.

[Marianne]

Hum.. A Song of Ice and Fire, is nudity, incest, rape, violence, murder, slaughter, war, crazy people, genealogies impossible to remember on three pages ... it looks like the Bible !

[singsingsing]

I personally can't watch or read it because I find it revolting (and GRRM intensely annoying, but that's besides the point), but the Old Testament is basically the original Game of Thrones - you just don't get to watch all the graphic details. The argument that Game of Thrones = a world where Christ never existed is crap. GoT is pure fantasy. A society like GoT never existed anywhere in the world. The social structure and systematic brutality would be completely unsustainable in any real life culture, Jesus or no Jesus.

These people need to relax. Watch what you want to watch. If you find it's affecting you in a way you don't like, simply don't watch it. I use this strategy for everything I don't like, including GoT, and I find it works amazingly well. Who would've thought. If you're that conflicted over a TV show there is something else going on.

[Marianne]

I personally can't watch or read it because I find it revolting (and GRRM intensely annoying, but that's besides the point), but the Old Testament is basically the original Game of Thrones - you just don't get to watch all the graphic details. The argument that Game of Thrones = a world where Christ never existed is crap. GoT is pure fantasy. A society like GoT never existed anywhere in the world. The social structure and systematic brutality would be completely unsustainable in any real life culture, Jesus or no Jesus.

These people need to relax. Watch what you want to watch. If you find it's affecting you in a way you don't like, simply don't watch it. I use this strategy for everything I don't like, including GoT, and I find it works amazingly well. Who would've thought. If you're that conflicted over a TV show there is something else going on.

I agree with the "A society like GoT never existed" in the sense of "a society with dragons and white walkers never existed. But a society with this kind of social structure and systematic brutality... Welcome in France during the middle age ! There are a lot of beautifull things during the Middle Age, but it was not a cool time. I agree with Jacques Le Goff when he said it was a time of "progress and purgatory", and a time of "violence that we couldn't imagine"

Btw, Games of throne was inspired by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Accursed_Kings , a book who is better than GoT. Read it, it's wonderfull :)

[artdecades]

The person who wrote this article knows very little about the series or its source materials. To dismiss it as a society "without Christianity" ignores what an important element religion plays in the series.

The faith of the seven is very similar to Catholicism. There is one god who manifests with seven personas (like the holy trinity), septons and septas (priests and nuns), shrines where people light candles, and a high septon who wears a big hat (pope).

The old gods, worshipped in the north through carvings in trees is a form of animism

R'hller/the Red God/the Lord of Light is also very similar to christianity. Technically there are two gods in this religion, with their version of the devil also being a god, but still the similarities are very clear. There is the duality being light and dark, heaven and hell. There is the belief that a savior will be reborn and defeat evil, etc.

Many of the actions are based on religious decisions. Everything Stannis and Melisandre do is in the name of religion. The conflict between the northerners and their religion and the southerners and their religion drives much of the tension. So forth and so on. Yeah, there is not "Christianity" but the religions function much as they do in our world and have functioned in our world.

[JellyHope]

I've only seen snippets of GOT. Mr. Hope is an avid watcher. But isn't there magic of some sort in the show? If so, the Duggars are out. In their brand of Christianity magic is ebil & from Satan himself.

[Arete]

Actually the Red God/ Lord of Light more closely resembles the conflict in Zoroastrian theology between Ariman and AhuraMazda. With a touch of human sacrifice. I think both the books and the movies demonstrate the utter brutality and beastiality of war, and just how far even ethical people can fall.

Agree with singsing that GRMM is getting in my last nerve and the fifth book was just plain sloppy.

[Rachel333]

It's a little much for me, to be honest, and I'm not Christian nor do I usually mind sex or violence on tv. Some of those sex scenes don't seem much different from straight up porn.