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TechnoratiPlans by a Christian group to send an evangelical video game to U.S. troops in Iraq were abruptly halted yesterday by the Department of Defense after ABC News inquired about the program.
Operation Start Up (OSU) Tour, an evangelical entertainment troupe that actively proselytizes among soldiers, will not be sending the "apocryphal" video game in care packages as planned, according to the department.
"Left Behind: Eternal Forces" was inspired by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins' best-selling book series about the battle of Armageddon, in which believers of Jesus Christ fight the Antichrist.
The game has inspired controversy among freedom of religion advocates since it was released last year.
"It's a horrible game," said the Rev. Timothy Simpson of the Christians Alliance for Progress. "You either kill or covert the other side. This is exactly what the Osama bin Ladens of the world have portrayed us."
Troy Lyndon, the producer of the game, said the game's "warfare" is not violent, and that it emphasizes "spiritual battles" over fighting with guns. The game gives incentives to recruit believers instead of killing the forces of the Antichrist, according to Lyndon.
Lyndon added, "There is no forcible conversion to Christianity, and killing is never an objective in any of the 40 missions in the game."
A team of researchers at the Military Religious Freedom Foundation discovered OSU Tour's plan to send the game to Iraq, and their discovery was first reported by Max Blumenthal in The Nation last week.
MRFF President Mikey Weinstein said he is gratified the Pentagon "claims it is going to cease this provocative act" that emboldens organizations like the Taliban and al Qaeda.
"I doubt this will prevent unconstitutional activity in the Pentagon with regards to freedom of religion for more than just a few days," said Weinstein.
OSU Tour is one of the newest members of the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which connects citizens and corporations with members of the military and their families at home and abroad.
OSU Tour's entertainment aims to help military children and families become stronger through faith-based entertainment, according to its Web site. Sports personalities, comedians and actors, including Stephen Baldwin, make up the show.
OSU president Jonathan Sprinks in a recent press release said of Baldwin, "Since God made a difference in his life, he's been very outspoken."
Sprinks came under fire from bloggers for writing on his Web site, "We feel the forces of heaven have encouraged us to perform multiple crusades that will sweep through this war-torn region," about OSU Tour's planned trip to Iraq. "We'll hold the only religious crusade of its size in the dangerous land of Iraq."
The above text has been removed from Sprinks' site but can be viewed on the cached page.
Sprinks did not return requests for comment on this article.
The Defense Department's only comment on the record was that the OSU Tour is "currently not planning on sending any care packages to the troops in Iraq."
In addition to the game, OSU Tour's "Freedom Packets" were supposed to include pocket-sized editions of the New Testament, evangelical DVDs and books, baby wipes and phone cards, according to its Web site.
© 2007 ABC News
20 Comments so far
Show AllIs it the agenda of 'common dreams' to be anti U.S.?
to be ANTI everything. ANTI right,
ANTI military (God bless those men - my son is serving now) ANTI BUSH! and ANTI
Christian, just for starters.
I Pray you would study the scriptures to get the Truth.
johner
"Apocryphal" also means "spurious" or referring to writings falsely attributed to Biblical characters. It works for me in the context. But you are right, they probably did mean "apocalyptic". The quotes may indicate the makers of the game mislabeled themselves, not the author of the article.
The "Left Behind" people represent a great many of the Christian Right and that includes George W. Bush who saw himself as God's annointed, the trigger for his beloved Rapture. Thankfully, he was as inept with starting Armageddon as he has been with most of his policies.
Just wanted to clarify something: In the second sentence, I think the author meant "apocalyptic" instead of "apocryphal." Apocryphal means "of doubtful authenticity," as if the video game were an urban legend of some kind. "Apocalyptic" refers to the genre of literature that describes the "End Times" and "Day of Judgment," such as the book of Revelation in the New Testament.
By the way, the "Left Behind" people get apocalyptic literature completely wrong. Revelation and books like it were written in first- and second-century communities oppressed by the Roman Empire. Apocalypses were a way of coping with the violence they saw on a daily basis and reaffirming their hope and faith in a better future. These writings were never meant to be geopolitical crystal balls for 2,000 years in the future. Apocalypses (especially Revelation) actually espouse nonviolence as a way of life for Christians (despite the bloody metaphors, which are usually meant to be ironic). A great book to read is "The Rapture Exposed" by Barbara Rossing. It counters all the "Left Behind" arguments and presents a scholarly and sound interpretation of these ancient texts.
This country gets more frightening by the day! The religious nuts running amok and trying to convert everyone to their way of thinking. I often wonder if we are going to be a nation 20 years down the road? I had the crap they spew shoved down my throat as a child. It's something I have never gotten over completely either. It ruined my sister and I both on religion for life. I cringe when I read article's like this one. The misery parents inflict upon their children in the name of God is sometimes hard to fathom. There are as many times where children wind up like my sister and I detesting everything religion stands for. I have come across numerous other's like myself throughout my years. So, parents need to stop and think before they shove to hard!
Congratulations "Christian" right. You've killed close to a million Iraqis. Jesus would be so proud.
What happens if one of your own officers in the game happens to be a Muslim? Do you get to frag him?
"DOD Stops Plan to Send Christian Video Game to Troops in Iraq"
Congratulations! I wonder if they'll be presented with an "Einstein" or "Schweitzer" award?
The far to right, Evangical Christians take themselves very seriously. The Jews are the chosen people of God, the Arabs are direct decendants of Satan thru Cain. The Arabs are the scum of the Earth and must be eradicated from the face of the Earth. Study the book of Acts in the Bible. Those far to right people include some of the richest Americans, people who control our government and us. They are serious and we should fear their leaders.
Actualy games like this only prove that christions don't even take themselves seriously....I doubt Budhist would ever do something this juvenile.
I prefer the video game "Bible Fight". Look it up on google. It's soo funny. It's kinda like Street fighter 2 but with biblical characters....hahah.. I find it real hard to take anything Christion seriously. I guess thats what happens when you mix politics and religion...
My nephew-in-law just retired out as a Major, with 20 years in the Air Force [he married the niece I raised, who was once quite close to me]
The 'Left Behind' books are all he ever reads, and he believes it all. He is also a member of that cult where all the men get together a couple of times a year and talk about how to gain ever more control of the little women... Oh yeah! They call that little group "The Promise Keepers" Some of you may remember when they had their National convention in D.C. by that great phallic symbol, the Washington Monument...
Don't get me wrong, he's a 'nice' guy, if you don't mind prayer for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as morning, noon and nite.
For a Secular Jewish Agnostic, it was too much! Plus the Military B.S. My late husband was a veteran, and became a Chief Engineer, Unlimited [diesel]in the Merchant Marine, but not very gung-ho about the military stuff.
These games are straight forward propaganda training devices intended to eliminate the natural aversion of young soldiers to killing civilians - especially civilians who look just like they do.
It's one thing to aim that automatic rifle at the enemy and lit it rip, but quite another to fire upon unarmed protesters, whether in Iraq or NYC.
Remember, the people 'left behind' may be your neighbors and cousins, but they worship the anti-Christ, and are fair game!
Propaganda works. Goebbels and Himmler and Heydrich proved that in Germany and Warsaw sixty-five years ago.
Kem Patrick, truer words never spoken than your last sentence (not "edit please", the one before that.)
but most americans don't see it that way. they think the rest of the world is insane (or in need of their brand of salvation.)
the US is threatening to nuke iran and/or pakistan. our prez candidates publicly debate preemptive nuclear warfare, and are called "weak" etc., if they tepidly say they might have second thoughts about doing something that could possibly destroy the entire planet. tom tancredo has said the US response to the next terrorist provocation should be the nuking of Mecca & Medina (he also, at the latest iowa caucus, said his administration would repudiate all laws of war, except one: WIN! think about that one for a moment...)
what words can describe this situation? insanity, madness, demoniacal....
I think all these Christian Right people that promote the hate and killing of the ENEMY are really the disciples of the devil and followers of the antichrist. The devil is supposedly a very devious thing and the antichrist likewise, so who is not to say that they are the evangelical leaders that are spouting all the hate and anger.
Like a man once said "you Christians are so unlike your Christ"
Glade I was born right the first time.
Edit please.
Our combat troops have time to play video games? Yesterday there was a detailed article about our troops not being able to sleep.
These evangilical bible thumpers should don white robes and go to Mesopotamia and stop the mayhem. I recall that there was a Christian movement years ago called the Crusades, I don't rmember how that turned out.
It is little wonder that the rest of the world's populance justly believe Americans have lost their minds, their morality and democracy and most now hate our guts.
So how does this game go? I must believe what you say, but can't prove, or you'll kill me?!! Bring it on you hocus pocus believing crackpots!
The problem with people like Mr. Baldwin is that they haven't got the self confidence needed to go take that next step:
Realizing that no "god" helped them get clean. Rather, at best, it was their own internal idea of god that allowed them to accept themselves and their issues and find ways to cope with their issues in more healthy ways. This came from within him, and not from anybody else or an omnipotent being that allows for the craziness and injustice that we see every day in this world.
If you need to believe in something (besides having another beer) try FSM.
In my mind christians are every bit as bad as Osama and his kind. Convert or die is the muslim mantra, and while the christians have done more than their fair share of killing those who believe differently, they don't even practice what they preach! I.E. Thou shalt not kill.
Now don't get me wrong, if someone needs killing I'd do it in an instant to protect myself, my family and my percieved sovereignty. (Yes, that last sentence was deliberately worded.) Just don't anyone come to me and tell me that I have to kill someone else for what they (not necessarily what I) believe in.
Just another glimpse into how deluded and evil these evangelicals really are. I am more afraid of them than any overseas terrorist. They truly believe we must either join them or die..
Hmmmm! Soldiers are normally trained to kill, but killing is not a objective of the 40 missions in the game? I guess the soldiers can preach the enemy to death, I know that most Christian evangelical rants can be pretty fatal.
Jesus, save us from your followers.
From a born again Agnostic...
Not one to buy into the "war toys" arguments, and actually know of the fact that the average age of video gamers hovers around 30, year in and year out.
But the whole idea of killing for a god or doing heavenly deeds with violence, is child-like in anything other than a joke or spoof. The makers apparently believe the major themes of the game to be real. "fighting" or "struggle" against "evil". It seems the same thing with the word "jihad". Makers of the game will defend the "fighting" against evil as not actually killing. But as a metaphor.
So why have characters in your game shoot people if it is a metaphor and given one of the most basic precepts of the Christian faiths, the commandment "thou shall not kill" ?
What's this game again? "King of Kings" for the NES was kind of fun. Though it was kind of lame. This game might be equally lame and might pass most people by even if it is playable.
I have trouble keepng my Baldwins straight, and the Baldwins seem to have trouble staying straight.
lets see....
Alex is the child abusing Baldwin
Daniel as the fat drug addict Baldwin
William is the ex-fashion model closet-gay Baldwin
Stephen is the born-again butt ugly retarded Baldwin