They say there are no atheists on the battlefield. Some youth leaders apparently hope that extends to the digital battlefield, as well.
Churches and youth groups are utilizing Halo 3, the über-popular videogame, as an outreach tool. Gamers are coming to church in order to shoot the blue-blooded beasties and staying, theoretically, for the Good News.
Critics argue that church is no place for an M-rated game that specializes in hard-core violence and dabbles in obscenity and dark spirituality. “If you want to connect with young, teenage boys and drag them into church, free alcohol and pornographic movies would do it,” says James Tonkowich, President of the Institute on Religion and Democracy. “My own take is you can do better than that.”
But supporters say that, with church participation decreasing with each passing generation, it’s critical for churches to broaden their appeal. “Teens are our ‘fish,’” one youth group leader wrote to his church, explaining why Halo 3 was being used for outreach. “So we’ve become creative in baiting our hooks.” (New York Times)
