Video games as a religion

Im gonna take a big gamble today and say video games and religion are a metaphor of each other.

Think for a minute – there’s various video game systems available between the classics and what’s currently available today. In religion, there’s various beliefs which are also available since ancient times.

In video games, some concepts are borrowed from the past, present, and there’s various genres for everyone to enjoy in one form or another. In religion, there’s also concepts as well borrowed from each other; and one religion will try to say they’re “the one” with various concepts.

For video games:

Saving the princess/damsel in distress/family member(s)/friends

Saving the world/city/home

Becoming the best in a sport

Rebuilding a society

Self Discovery

Survival

Followed by the various genres:

Platformer

Sports

Fighting

RPG (Role Playing Game)

Beat em up

MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online)

First/Third Person Shooter

Puzzle

Survival Horror

Stealth

Racing

Space Shooter

For Religion:

All have a creation myth

All have some sort of flood-related incident

Depending on the situation, there’s always some sort of “chosen one” to live through a crisis

All have various lessons learned from the story

Loss of documentation (meaning records can be altered)

All cater to the “our’s is truth because…”

Various rules to live by

And the various types (Condensing due to space and time, as well as the top 10)

Christianity

Islam

Non religious

Hindu

Chinese Traditional Religion

Buddhism

Primal-indigenous

African traditional and Diasporic

Sikhism

Juche

What do video games and religion have in common?

Both are an escape from reality

Both have risk/reward stories which the human race can learn from

Both can provide a livable income

Both require research to know what fits your needs

Both can have endless debates on which area(s) are better and why

Both can help expand your mind

Possible to meet “the one” through the same beliefs/hobby

Both are considered “bad/evil” by non-believers

Both can help through a crisis

Both can provide answers through reading between the lines

Both have places to congregate

Both can cause friends/family to divide based on differences and beliefs

For differences, I’m only going to mention the most important, not nitpick or choose mundane topics.

Marriage

Religion – Marriage is part of a belief

Video games – Can be used to promote/prevent marriage depending

Death

Religion – Final stage of life

Video games – Can help cope with death in creative ways. Also can help a person through a time of need

Companionship

Religion – See marriage. Also promotes the idea of friends and family for help and support

Video games – Can be an alternative for those who want limited human contact. While it’s possible for companionship (friends, and/or “the one”), gaming isn’t really looked at as a way for a potential relationship despite claims

Financial status

Religion – Help through your place of worship, and at times your higher person in charge

Video games – Tournaments, resale market(s), and light gambling

Beliefs

Religion – Some will go as far as sacrificing themselves to prove loyalty. Majority will go to the lengths of trying to recruit for their own beliefs through various means

Video games – Consoles, game genres, and maybe some form of gathering is enough

Conclusion

When someone religious starts the debate of video games being bad, or the work of an evil entity, or some other negative factor, remind them they’re basically one of the same when you think about it. Both will be around from creation till the end of time; both have their loyal followers; both does answer questions within reason; and both are what the majority of all humanity takes part in.

And a bonus for the Atheists – yes atheism is a form of belief, because you believe in something not being there. Wrap your head around that concept for a while.