Halo Controversy: Do the Ends Justify the Means?

Here's a thought-provoking conversation from Abet. I wonder: Are there occasions when the Great Commission cannot be taken as the ultimate driving mandate for Christian theology and ecclesiology? This seems to be one of them. At the very least, just as in ethics, a consequentialist theology/ecclesiology has serious problems. Check out Dan Whitmarsh's blog for more discussion.

"A house divided against itself cannot stand."

Person A wrote:

The latest event in the world of video games is the appearance of Halo 3-- a violent star wars sort of game which has a rating of M, as in for mature audiences only. Now normally that sort of rating would result in Christian parents making sure their under aged children had nothing to do with this sort of time consuming mayhem on a screen. But NOW we learn that many youth ministers are using it in churches to recruit teenage boys (especially) to come to their youth groups. In my view, it's time to ask--- What is wrong
with this picture?

Here is the link to the story in this weekend's NY Times. Read it and weep:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/us/07halo.html?th&emc=th

The headline in the Times reads 'Thou Shall not Kill, except in a Game at Church'. If even a Times reporter can see there might be a two fold contradiction here, then it shouldn't be hard for those of us involved in the church every week to recognize the danger here as well.

Let's start with the fact that the maker of this game has quite specifically told everyone it is for adults, and has adult content. Imagine if you will using the tactic of show skin flicks to attract young men, or offering beer blasts in the church back yard. Doubtless you would attract a crowd, but would you have just vitiated your whole credibility as conveyors of the Good News of Christ in the process? The answer is yes.

If you read the article closely what you notice is the 'ends justifies the means' kind of arguments by the youth ministers in question. But frankly if the means are unethical, and indeed contradict the ends you are trying to achieve, aren't you guilty of using unethical tactics to attract people to
Christ? Aren't you sending an enormously mixed message to youth--- "come to church, and after you've blown the brains out of the enemies, we will tell you about the Prince of Peace and how God so loved the world (even the enemies)!"

I'm sorry but this whole sorry approach to youth ministry smacks of absolute desperation and fear-- fear that if we are not relevant, we cannot attract a crowd. Is this really what Jesus would do? I don't think so.

Nor Paul for that matter-- in his 'garbage in, garbage out' speech he urges his audience in Phil. 4.8--" Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things." There is frankly nothing admirable about this whole approach to youth ministry. If you have so little creativity or imagination that you
imagine that the only way to appeal to youth is by appealing to their most base and basic fallen instincts, then get out of youth ministry-- you haven't got the tools for the task, and your means betray your message. If you want creativity and effective appeal to youth, look at some of the things Rob Bell is doing in his Nooma videos (about which we have commented before on this blog).

I must say that I am stunned that Focus on the Family has not come out and said something against this whole debacle. Even the Southern Baptist Convention hasn't managed to completely condemn it yet. Why not? Perhaps because they do not see the inherent contradiction between violence and the Gospel of peace, or vengeance and forgiveness. But log in and tell me what you think.

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Person B replied:

Does everything a church youth group do these days have to be a
recruiting tool? Can't kids get together and play video games (at our church, they play Guitar Hero), because they are kids and they're having fun?
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Person C wrote:

The pharisees grumbled because Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners. On the other hand, Jesus did not participate in the extortion of tax collectors or in the debaucheries of sinners.

However, Jesus did not want anything to hinder children from his presence. Even as he warned us that, rather than causing scandal on the little ones, it is better to go swimming with a millstone.

Football is programmed violence. Most games include injury; mostly trauma sustained from getting hit. Furthermore, sideline and locker-room camaraderie often includes regular expressions of blasphemy and other language that is "R" rated at least.

5-Part Question: How many pastors have ever:

1. Used football illustrations in preaching?
2. Approved of their congregation's efforts to use football games televised or otherwise as a featured fellowship or outreach event?
3. Rescheduled regular church programming because of key national football events like the Super Bowl?
4. Played full contact football themselves?
5. Are any of these pastors objecting to the Halo outreach efforts?

As a grieving Packers fan, I can tell you that I have done four out of the five listed above. My mind is not made up about Halo 3 as a hook, but I do know that I will not be quick to spot the speck if I am carrying a log.

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Person A responded:

1) I don't think I've ever used a football illustration. Maybe baseball, and certainly Star Trek, but never football. And never, ever, golf.
2) Guilty. We had a get-together for the biggest game of the year (that game we can't mention for fear of litigation) last year. And all the teenagers ignored it completely, choosing instead to sit in the back and play board games.
3) Nope. Don't think I ever would, either.
4) I played a flag football game once that got out of control. . .it was teens vs. adults, and the adults send a couple teens to the hospital. Felt very good about themselves, too.
5) Can't speak for everybody else. I wouldn't necessarily say no
outright - I think I'd just ask "isn't there a better way to go about this?

As a grieving Seahawks fan. . .I would agree you can't be legalistic about it. But I do worry that too many are going into it without pondering the consequences. Youth ministries have been using this "we need to be hip and relevant" argument for the last 50 years or more, and all the evidence seems to say that it's not working. Instead of growing disciples, we're gathering a few extra kids who won't be around 4 years from now. I know its a countercultural thing to say, but I think it's time youth ministries stopped trying to be relevant, stopped trying to appear cool, stopped trying to use Halo as an outreach tool, and instead focused on creating healthy communities of teens who truly live out the Kingdom life, letting love, grace, mercy, hope, and joy be the "hooks to reel in the fish."
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Beth: what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Why shouldn't what Person A says about youth ministry apply just as much to all ministry?