God help us

Folks, very few things really stun me these days, but I have just been stunned. I just read on (my now new favorite blog) http://Jesuswasaliberal.blogspot.com (thanks Rick!) that the folks, Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins, behind the "Left Behind" series of books, are allowing and I guess cooperating with a video game being made called LEFT BEHIND: Eternal Forces. I am quoting from the website itself:

Game description

Wage a war of apocalyptic proportions in LEFT BEHIND: Eternal Forces - a real-time strategy game based upon the best-selling LEFT BEHIND book series created by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. Join the ultimate fight of Good against Evil, commanding Tribulation Forces or the Global Community Peacekeepers, and uncover the truth about the worldwide disappearances!

· Lead the Tribulation Force from the book series , includingRayfordd, Chloe, Buck and Bruce against Nicolae Carpathia – the AntiChrist.

· Conduct physical & spiritual warfare : using the power of prayer to strengthen your troops in combat and wield modern military weaponry throughout the game world.

· Recover ancient scriptures and witness spectacular Angelic and Demonic activity as a direct consequence of your choices.

· Command your forces through intense battles across a breathtaking, authentic depiction of New York City .

· Control more than 30 units types - from Prayer Warrior and Hellraiser to Spies, Special Forces and Battle Tanks!

· Enjoy a robust single player experience across dozens of New York City maps in Story Mode – fighting in China Town , SoHo , Uptown and more!

· Play multiplayer games as Tribulation Force or the AntiChrist's Global Community Peacekeepers with up to eight players via LAN or over the internet!

http://www.leftbehindgames.com/the_games.htm

The emphasis above was mine. On the Left Behind website, there is this statement:

Critics who have raised questions about violence in Left Behind: Eternal Forces have neither seen nor previewed the game as it is still under development. Based upon the bestselling Left Behind® novels, the period in which the game is set is a chaotic and dangerous time where the Tribulation Force is recruiting new members and defending itself against the Antichrist's Global Community Forces. The game is designed to be a classic battle between good and evil, but does not gratuitously depict violence or death.

Left Behind Games, Inc. shares concern over the types of entertainment offered to families. As such it is putting forth every effort to create a quality and engaging game with a high standard of decency and content. As stated by Left Behind Games CEO Troy Lyndon, "Left Behind: Eternal Forces is a little more violent that an animated chess game."

http://leftbehind.com/channelnews.asp?pageid=1285&channelID=17

On the LeftBehindGames.com site, part of the interview with the magazine GameDAILYBiz says:

BIZ: At a time when video games are often cast in a bad light in the mainstream press because of violent or sexual content in some titles, do you feel that Christian games are sorely needed to emphasize more wholesome values among today's youth?

TL: Left Behind Games was established on the belief that given the choice, people will voluntarily choose games with positive moral elements. We just need to make sure the Christian games are as fun to play as other games. Only one of the top twenty grossing movies of all time was rated R, and that movie was The Passion of the Christ.

It is my opinion that Christian games can only make a positive difference in our culture if they portray the Jesus of the Bible; a caring loving person who didn't come to condemn, but to save. This message will reach our youth...and the best way we can show the youth we care, is by spelling love as TIME. As parents, we need to be connected with our kids and video games provide a great opportunity for us to do this on a regular basis.

http://www.leftbehindgames.com/archive/GameDailyNEW.htm

Please, please PLEASE tell me those of you who read this blog are as outraged, shocked, horrified, and angry as I am??? Please tell me that you see the craziness of these statements and understand that THIS is why our country is in the mess it's in in Iraq and in our own country? Please tell me there's a way out of this, and that those of us with the ability to think rationally and logically will be able to make our voices heard, and ACTUALLY make our voices heard???

Had I not read these things for myself I would not have believed them, but something is VERY VERY WRONG in our country and in so-called mainstream Christianity when it is acceptable, and desirable, to have a video game, supposedly portraying what JESUS would WANT us to do, which includes KILLING PEOPLE, ever!

Oh please please please let their be a light at the end of this particular tunnel.

I don't know what else to say here.

With that, I close and say PEACE, to ALL.

WIP