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DISCUSSHead of Jesus Hacked Off in New Muslim Video Game
04/01/2008By Sean Stroud
LONDON, April 1 — Everyone was still buzzing this week after the Bishop of Rochester’s blistering comments on Saturday during Evensong service in which he lashed out at violent video games that have become popular among the youth of Pakistani neighborhoods in England.
Dr. Michael Nazir-Ali is the only Pakistani-born bishop serving in England—he has dual citizenship—and so his opinions are often sought on issues involving Muslim/Christian dialogue.
It turns out that the most popular of the “blasphemous” games being sold at market stalls in Manchester and Leeds is a “first-person shooter” game with an Arabic name that translates roughly as “Blood on the Walls” or “Street Bleeding.” The bishop was specifically upset over one of the “missions” in the game, in which the player is ordered by a stern-faced mentor to use a number of medieval implements to torture and kill Jesus. If the player turns down the mission, he is instructed instead to actually behead Jesus with a scimitar, after which a grinning character in a tunic holds up the head in triumph and shouts “Allah-hu Akbar!,” or “God is great!”
It wasn’t clear from Nazir-Ali’s brief presentation where the game is manufactured, but the packaging featured crude images of soldiers that look similar to terrorist recruiting literature that circulates in Pakistan’s Northwestern tribal areas, especially Peshawar.
Nazir-Ali called on British authorities to find all the copies of “Street Bleeding” that are currently in circulation and have them destroyed, but civil liberties experts said that sort of roundup is highly unlikely, and Muslim clerics were quick to call the bishop’s remarks racist.
“We were just treated to a full week of various depictions of the killing of Jesus, much of it paid for out of public monies,” said Samir Futayn al-Sabend of the Ludlow Road Mosque in Birmingham, “so I hardly think a few lads doing the same thing in the privacy of their flats should be cause for alarm.”
Other defenders of the game included designers who work at Rockstar North in Edinburgh, the company most famous for the “Grand Theft Auto” series. “Every game like this is a bit of a put on,” said Gareth Kinsley, who worked on “GTA: Vice City,” “and although the programming of ‘Blood on the Walls’ is fairly primitive, there’s an obvious exaggeration in the way the various Mohammedan warriors decapitate their victims. It’s not just Christ who gets beheaded. Christ is actually just one step above your average NPC (non-playable character), on a par with several other characters who are simply ‘in the way,’ so to speak. All of the focus is on the torturing of the savior, but most people wouldn’t choose that option anyway. No one talks about the stoning-of-adulteresses side quest. In my opinion that’s quite nasty stuff, but you don’t get the same outrage because the victims are female.”
Supporting the comments of the bishop, and elaborating further, was Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who has been under heavy security since releasing his film Fitna last week but issued a statement through a spokesman: “This is exactly the sort of anti-Christian, anti-European and anti-civilization outrage that is systematically destroying our culture. Somewhere the next Mohammed Bouyeri is playing ‘Bleeding Walls’ (sic).”
Mohammed Bouyeri is the Islamic fanatic who murdered Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh.
After the bishop’s comments, several reporters tried to purchase the game in Manchester and other British cities with large concentrations of Pakistani Muslims, but no one could come up with a copy. The issue even came up in Parliament on Monday, when Liberal Democratic leader Nick Clegg said the bishop’s speech was “a gross caricature of reality” and that the idea of dismembering Jesus or any other historical figure was perfectly within the bounds of protected speech.
The Muslim Council of Britain, after initially refusing comment, eventually said through a news release that, “Once again, this bishop is scaremongering among people who have no contact with ordinary Muslims. We have reviewed the offending video game and, while we decry the depiction of the mutilation of a religious figure revered by many people in the world, we find it no more offensive than the mutilation of the same religious figure in the film Passion of the Christ by Mel Gibson. We also decry the section of the game in which Jews are burned with hot pokers, which evokes images of the Holocaust and has no place in our society, although we would note that none of the Jews seem to be historically revered figures, as in the Christ portion of the video game.”
The problem here is two-fold:
1. Most of the PC media won't ever report this kind of thing, deeming it unnecessarily offensive to the supposed majority of non-violent muslims; however, they'd be falling all over themselves to let us know of a similar anti-muslim "game". Of course, they probably won't find one. Enough said.
2. It can simply be reported (just the facts, ma'am, with no editorialization) and people can make up their own minds about Islam. But we don't get that. Instead, we're constantly told how most muslims aren't like this, how we need to understand why they're angry, blah, blah, blah. If we're scared to tell the truth, for fear of being labeled some sort of "-ist", shame on us.
What's most striking about this whole deal has nothing to do with the game. It's that a a Bishop in the Church of England gave a talk..and it's news! Gracious me.
As pastor, gamer, and one who pays attention to the gaming industry, let me say that this sort of game is hardly news. A few years ago, there was a game produced by atheists that used the Doom II graphics engine...you just walked around and killed Jesus repeatedly. It was pretty lame, as the young 'uns say.
The question here..from a threat assessment standpoint...is this: how does this compare to the far more sophisticated games put out by the U.S. Army? The game "America's Army" teaches teens the fundamentals of squad-based combat. It gives grounding in basic urban combat tactics, military terminology, and current weapon systems. It's a sophisticated training simulation and recruiting tool, and is available on PC and all major consoles. If jihadists start producing things like *that,* then it's cause for alarm. This piece of **** game doesn't even come close.
PS: For a better bit o' blasphemous gamin' fun, you can all play the game "Bible Fight," which is both 1) free and 2) a total hoot. Unless you have no sense of humor, that is. In which case...why are you here?
http://www.adultswim.com/games/biblefight/
Really liked your blog, David. The level of thought and study on this issue was impressive. You seem like a good pastor, we don't have enough of 'em out there, so keep up the good work.
Bible fight it reminds me of Mortal Combat minus the decapitation. Pull off a good combo move and you can sail right through the game. Though you have to think about the theological message that comes from the bible fight game that in the end you beat up God.
Had me going there for a few with this article, started to boil the old blood...then I remembered what day it was!!!! :-)
Mb seems to have it right. Doh! I am such a sucker.
You guys are good! Had me googling up a storm. No wonder this is the only magazine I subscribe to... Yay you!
Yeah.
April Fools!!!
BTW, they do something like this every April 1st. I forget what last year's joke was, but it was pretty funny if my faulty memory serves.
april fools. This can't be real.
As the first "commenter" on this piece, I feel dirty, used, manipulated. If this is a joke, you got me. I'll come kick your ass later. It might take me a few days, as I hear you all have some awesome faith healers down there that I'll want to check out first, but when I get there...POW! right in the kisser.
besides Muslims wouldn't be all about killing Jesus in a game. Have you ever heard some of them mention his name, they almost always follow it with "peace be upon him" or something like that. Ive heard em do it a lot.
Boys if you want to convert a Muslim, you can't do it arguing religion.
First you got to introduce him to the miracle of BBQ/smoked Pork ribs and cold beer. A little tastse of that an he'll throw the Koran out the window.
The way to a muslim is through his stomach, not through his head. Yes sir, even Fried Pork Rinds and free beer at your neighborhood block party and you'll have Jews and Muslims dancing together.
Kudos for a great April Fool's story. Yup, you had me going. Of course, you realize that for using our Lord in a joke you are going to hell now...
Why not? You use HIM in a lie.
Of course it was an April Fool joke. Just for the record, Jesus is the second most important figure in Islam, second only to Mohammed himself. The scenario described is about as likely as a computer game for Christian fanatics where they'd decapitate the Virgin Mary.
He won't stay dead!
He won't stay dead!
He won't stay dead!
He won't stay dead!
He won't stay dead!
He won't stay dead!
He won't stay dead!
ROFL!!
This is THE Epic Win post.
If it is true, I wonder if the Muslim leadership in England would be so flippant if instead of Jesus' head it was Mohammad the prophet. Now that would be interesting.
Of course,the same Parents who crapped their pants about"Grand Theft Auto"being so violent wouldn't think twice about buying the(proposed)"Left Behind"Video game!!!
Okay,if your'e an animated Kirk Cameron or Gary(A)Busey running around killing"heathens"and"pagans"in God's name,it's okay for Little Junior or Missy to play!!
If theyr'e"Los Vatos Sagos"killing"Trailer Park Mafia"in GTA,it's blasphemous and dangerous!!
"Give That Bone to Another dog!!":Judge Maria Lopez.
As a parent I wouldnt let my kids play any game with Gary Busey in it even if it were nonviolent. He's creepy and his teeth are like big chicklets. Just kidding, gotta chuckle at the Buse though. Maybe if there was a game with him and Willy Aames together.
Why oh why oh why do Muslims keep claiming anything negative that's in any way related to their RELIGION is RACIST? To me, that's racist, since Muslims, like Christians, come from various countries - so they reckon you're only a real Muslim if you're black ("Asian") do they?
Perhaps real Muslims are only black ("Asian").
I know I've never met an African-American Episcopalian.
You don't get out and about much do you?
i just got out of prison in miami fla i didnt seek religion i sought salvation it was kinda easy for me because of my past with addiction bondage would be a proper expression and i must tell you in all honesty gods greatest rival or rivals helped me find the truth of jesus christ and what true freedom really means even in prison i was free as a bird why and how my because of the lies and decptions of muslim confusion that satan himself placed in each one of there minds and cold peaceless hearts see God the Lord of Hosts is not the author of confusion and muslims in prison or in the east are full of confusion Christ gives us life in abundance satans only job is only to kill steal and destroy its a great big puzzel theres keys doors and pieces to put together but only one master key remember one thing my beloved God said my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge also keep in mind not everybody is worthy of the kingdom God has a specific purpose in each one of his creations how can the pot ask the potter why he made it that way broters in Christ dont try to fight the prince of this earth satan and his lies physicaly because we fight not against flesh and blood but spiritual princapality use your enemy to inhance wisdom learn what this means just as God stands at the door of your heart and knocks so does satan dont be decived by the tricks and perversions of the muslims just as mohammod was in that cave he certainly heard from angel but that angel definatly wasnt from heaven grow strong from there weakness remember this is a won battel and do you really believe in your hearts Gods plan will ever fail he that overcomes will taste the fruits of Gods perfection cant you see the signs you know what the wheathers gona be later
Geez, and I thought Paul used a lot or run-on sentences!
At www.thefaithdebate.com you can discuss this issue, share your opinions with others and get to know what other people have to say. Be a part of the debate!
Muslims to not have much disputes with christ and actually many believe he is a prophet, they do not worship him....
this is ridiculous. a few zealots and all muslims are evil...
http://www.answering-christianity.com/ac.htm
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