Virtual Killing

A common thing throughout the history of man is this idea of killing for entertainment. In times past we had coliseums in which gladiators would kill one another or kill helpless victims or kill or be killed by animals. All this was done for entertainment value. In other times past we had public beheadings and public hangings which would draw crowds of people. In the Aztec empire people would gather around to watch the hearts be ripped out of sacrificial victims. While much of this was a way to dispose of hard criminals, one cannot deny the obvious entertainment value that it gave. 

Many people have a mistaken belief that our modern society has become too civilized for such things. Indeed if one looks around there certainly don't appear to be any coliseums. Certainly not on the order that was once commonplace. But if we think that this blood thirst that people once had is gone we are sadly mistaken. 

In today's society's we find crowds of people that throng into movie theaters to watch films the portray some of the most heinous blood and gore. On any given night millions of Americans alone tune to television shows that depict murder and violence. 

As if that's not enough often these things are treated very very lightly. Some films will depict minions being disposed of as if it was nothing. They will portray somehow this idea that if those guys are bad guys that somehow their lives are less valuable. Often the heroes are only heroes because they happen to be good at disposing of bad guys. 

And people crave this. So let's ask ourselves has our societies desire for blood diminished over times past?  If our world today is somehow more civilized than previous generations why is it we still crave to see men killed?  

Now the obvious counter argument that comes up is that in times past this entertainment was actual people being killed. In today's civilized society we can depict it on a screen without actually killing anyone. 

Technology even take this a step further through video games which are increasing in the realism, and have become very immersive. Many of these games draw the player in in such a way that their own decisions change the outcome of the game. The player becomes an active participant. Research studies of shown that in many of these games when a choice is offered between a more noble path or a darker more violent path players consistently choose the darker more violent option. In doing so the player has to justify themselves, they have to tell themselves that this isn't real. 

And so here comes the point that I'm really driving it. If a part of our desires are towards seeing murder and bloodshed isn't that a part we need to get rid of?  If we are trying to become more like our Savior, ought we not get rid of anything that is un-Christlike in our characters and conduct?  

The simple truth is that whether we watch it in a movie or television or participate in it through a video game or other simulation, murder is still sin. One does not have to commit the actual act of murder. All we have to do is murder in our hearts. In so doing we actually kill a part of ourselves and distance ourselves from God. Understand this simple concept that life is sacred. If life is sacred and killing or murder is the opposite of life, then that makes the portrayal of killing and murder likewise evil.