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15 Responses to “ Daily Breakfast 490 - Grand Priest Auto ”

1. 
   Joe A. May 30th, 2008 at 12:09 pm

   Good episode. Just wanted to say something about video games. There’s this website started by a former editor-in-chief of the games industry magazine ‘Electronic Gaming Monthly’. It’s a website designed to help parents make informed decisions about what games their children play. You can find it at http://www.whattheyplay.com/ and I think it’s a great resource for parents.

   There’s also something I want to say about making a more ‘Christian’-based game that could compete with something like ‘Grand Theft Auto’. While I’m not saying it can’t be done, I’m just saying that it may have an extremely difficult time competing on the same level as more mature games. I guess it has to do with what kind of game it should be. Most popular games, be it Grand Theft Auto, Halo, or even Super Mario Bros., all revolve around some kind of action and usually a violent action. Grand Theft Auto’s action revolves around violence like shooting and stealing, while Super Mario Bros. has more cartoon-like action like jumping on things or kicking enemies. I don’t see how it’s possible to make a ‘Christian’ game without including some kind of physical action the player can do or can be done to the player, be it cartoon-like or otherwise. I do, however, see it possible to make a game in the more open-ended ‘casual’ market (like the Nintendo DS game Nintendogs).

2. 
   Gabriel Stefan May 30th, 2008 at 12:51 pm

   What exactly is a “Christian” game?

3. 
   Michael C May 30th, 2008 at 2:52 pm

   I posted this comment here because I didn’t see a comments box still there for DB 489. -

   Tim on May 29th, 2008 at 2:46 pm wrote:

   “I am a born Catholic, lapsed and drawn back, largely down to Fr Roderick, I am proud of my faith and of the tolerance that I feel. I am from London, directly affected by the Islamic extremist bombs of July 7 2005. What made London stand out that day was the unity and support that we showed each other - values that we as Christians all strive to achieve daily were achieved without effort that day by ALL Londoners, British, asian, Muslim, Christian.

   I feel that comments and feedback recently have been used as propaganda, people with an agenda, displaying language and attitude that I find damaging to our faith, damaging to our future. Muslim bashing is not good. Muslim children are no different to children from the roughest housing estates of south London or from the spoilt Brats of the mansions in Chelsea.”

   I tend to agree with Tim although I think that peoples generalizing comments that bash Islam and/or Muslims tend to be from stereotypes and a lack of knowledge of Islam and the Quran. If you make a comment about Islam and/or the Middle East, especially to a Muslim it is essential that you have accurate information because if you are wrong then they would have no reason to believe whatever else you say, even if true.

   Personally most all of the Muslims I have met are good fine peaceful people which we should also love as Jesus taught us. Many of them are not aware of how much Jesus is mentioned in the Quran and how much Mohammed revered Jesus’s teachings. And yes many are not aware of how much more there is to know by being a follower of Jesus but I suggest that instead of condemnation of Islam and/or Muslims, an easier path would be of love, friendship and a gradually sharing of the wisdom of Christ.

   In the next week here I’ll write another comment on this discussion area with some quotes on Jesus from the Quran, maybe something on praying for Muslims and the story of a friend of mine who has made the long journey from a young militant Muslim in Beirut, Lebanon to being a Christian missionary and minister.

4. 
   Jim in Columbus, Ohio May 30th, 2008 at 4:41 pm

   Thanks for sharing Mike! I am looking forward to good news on Islam.

   Contrary to what you may believe, I have spent considerable time trying to learn more about the message of Islam and the goals and motivations of Muslims….and I am open to hearing and learning more.

   There are a lot of potential opportunities to help us learn more. I hope you can do that for us Michael. I think many of us are trying to get a nuanced understanding of Islam and Muslims.

   I agree with your comment that it is better to reach out in love and friendship rather than condemnation. I have reached out to Muslims in the spirit of the “Golden Rule”. I want to hear how Muslims are reaching back in the spirit of the “Golden Rule”. Please show us if you can.

   I do judge a tree by its fruit…and welcome good news. I am particularly interested in hearing about Muslims in Muslim majority countries. The “group think phenomana”. I would enjoy hearing about one Muslim majority country helping another country (Muslim or Non-Muslim) with humanitarian efforts.

   I am curious if practitioners of Islam treat Christians differently when Muslims are the minority versus when Muslims are the majority.

   I would also be interested in learning why your friend switched from a young militant Muslim to a Christian missionary and minister.

   So many good possibilities.

   Your Friend,
   Jim

5. 
   Pat May 30th, 2008 at 5:11 pm

   Father_
   I believe there’s a lot more to the theory of reincarnation than the way you are understanding it. The whole idea is to finally reach a reuniting with the creator:
   <<>>

6. 
   Pat May 30th, 2008 at 5:11 pm

   So a person is encouraged to repent for one’s sins or ill choices that were made while under the influence of lust, anger or greed, and cultivate forgiveness, purity and generosity. A person should also engage in charity, penance, meditation, japa (personal chanting of the Lord’s holy names), kirtan (congregational singing of the Lord’s holy names), and other spiritual practices, which destroy all sins and removes all doubts about spiritual knowledge. Then through steady practice one can gradually reach the spiritual world and be free from any further entanglement in reincarnation.

7. 
   nancy May 30th, 2008 at 8:05 pm

   off topic - Fr. Roderick, just wondering if the videos are gone — the ones like healthy catholic or the godspeed ones?

8. 
   Bernard Low May 30th, 2008 at 11:18 pm

   Hi Fr,

   I have to agree with Pat there, i’m a catholic and do not believe in reincarnation but it is not as trivial as you described and will hurt many believers.

   I remember taking classes in asian religions and remember it like what Pat described. Its the eventual improvement to better one self through all those good deeds, charity and whatnot which is something like a credit system so that they will eventually attain spiritual enlightenment call Nirvana. This then removes them from reincarnation. Its like giving you many chances to improve with a good purpose unlike rebooting in BSG which is purely for survival and meaningless.

   Still a big fan of the show. Keep up!

   Regards,
   Bernard

9. 
   Neil May 31st, 2008 at 5:02 am

   A quick comment and a cheeky one at that, I’ve just listened to this episode on my mobile and hearing you talk about how you can play Grand Theft Auto without doing anything ‘wrong’ by flying around in an helicopter.

   Well, you know, you kinda have to steal one to do that too.

   God bless Fr, and enjoy your weekend!

10. 
    Jim in Columbus, Ohio May 31st, 2008 at 10:47 am

    Good One Neil! That’s funny.

11. 
    indy Jun 10th, 2008 at 7:42 pm

    Speaking of trying to be a good guy while playing grand theft auto, it reminded me of this commercial that’s been running lately here in the states:

12. 
    indy Jun 10th, 2008 at 7:44 pm

    Looks like we can’t embed a youtube clip in the comments, here is linky:

    http://www.youtube.com/v/JoMAqh1N29I&hl=en“

13. 
    Jim in Columbus, Ohio Jun 18th, 2008 at 5:51 pm

    Michael C.,

    I will look forward to whatever comments you are able to share.

    Coincidently, I am in the early stages of a project that Hicham Chihab may be interested in.

14. 
    Michael C Jun 24th, 2008 at 8:24 am

    Thanks for that Jim, I would be interested in what your project is about.

    As for my unique Follower of Christ friend & Teacher-Professor/Missionary/Minister Hicham Chehab, here is some information relating part of his work & story ~

    Former Muslim Brings Gospel to Chicagoland Muslims:

    http://peopleablaze.org/Index.asp?PageID=7176

    -

    His amazing personal testimony ~

    From Muslim Extremist to Follower of Jesus:

    http://peopleablaze.org/Index.asp?PageID=7178

    &

    Islam and Christianity ~ by Hicham Chehab:

    http://peopleablaze.org/Index.asp?PageID=7177

    -

    Although Hicham has quite a personal story but what is the most important is the mission/work of sharing the wisdom, the good news, the Love of Jesus & his gospel with all the new immigrants and refugees who may have come from a different culture/language/religion than we have in the western world.

15. 
    Jim in Columbus, Ohio Jun 24th, 2008 at 9:43 am

    Thank-You again Michael C. (and Tim).

    I understand the need to draw distinctions between peaceful followers of Islam and Muslim terrorist extremists.

    To the peaceful followers of Islam that may read this…

    Don’t just tell us what you believe, tell us what you do. Then we will know what you believe.

    In the next few weeks I will introduce “www.GoldenRuleNews.Com” that will provide a venue for followers of all religions to share news on the good works they do.

    I plan to help search out the good works being done by the widest possible number of groups that teach the “Golden Rule”.

    It would be great Michael C. and Tim if you could share your stories with us on that venue.

    Cheers,
    Jim

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