Hallelujah, Ian! Many people don't know that Jesus actually entered Jerusalem carrying a needler rifle.

Speaking as both a gamer and as a Christian ... this story makes my insides cry. Eeeagh.

I ran across this about six months ago when I noticed a flyer advertising a Halo tournament at the Christian Fellowship House. It's a very interesting phenomenon. I wonder how successfull it is for them.

The biggest success, it would seem, is that Christians are embracing a rather popular trend, and attaching themselves to it. What's better? Selling hot dogs at a stand in the desert, or selling hot dogs at a stand at a train station?

There are thousands of reasons why Christians absolutely should *not* be rebranding themselves as some kind of Church of Jesus Christ The Warrior -- mostly because of every line in the New Testament. Still, this is about building membership, not in spreading the message.

Afterall, if it were about spreading message, Christian groups wouldn't shun swearing, open acceptance of those with different lifestyles, and rock n' roll. I wonder what would make Halo 3 repulsive to Christian groups? What if the hero were gay? What if he had a mouth like truck driver?

Yep -- there are some strange people out there. I'm a sinner, but man, at least I don't have to delude myself to make my life make sense.

Hey if most of the church can claim that gays are "going to hell" and that jesus dissaproves of their lifestyle, why not claim that jesus approves of a violent video game. Funny buggers. So mixed up. Don't worry, the bible says ad naseum that any disciple of God must give up all his worldly possesions, so they are going to hell anyway. :)

I think it's weird that xtians try to relate to the game when it seems to me that this game is really about how organized religion is misleading the masses and that there are many sheep who are just following blindly.

I quite agree with josh q- I find this highly amusing, mostly because I am both a dedicated Christian and gamer... Witnessing with Halo 2, eh? Maybe /this/ I can use as a reason to beg my parents for Xbox Live...

"Hey mom! Buy me XBOX Live and I'll use the chat feature to witness to folks in Brazil!"

I'm not sure about some of the rest of you guys, but I'm an agnostic (prove something to me and I'll believe it). And if I see someone trying to spread the word of any type of religion, or anything along those lines, I'll kill them even if they are on my team. I bought the game and XBox live to enjoy them, not be preached upon. If I wanted to be preached at, I'd go to a church down the road. Now that I have this information that people are using Halo 2 as a religion, now I am disturbed with the thoughts of the new pope sitting in a hovering chair with his white robes and Vatican City as a giant space ship, and Bush in mjolnir armor with a texas flag on his arse and a cowboy hat on over his helmet. (wow, that'd be a battle no one should miss...) Maybe they aren't disturbing images.

But still, I want to enjoy my gaming, without religion in the middle. Religion controls and ruins too much nowadays.

I'm a sinner, but man, at least I don't have to delude myself to make my life make sense.

If I played Halo 2 online I would try and find these guys and make them key members of my team.

They'd be the ones drawing fire away from me as I completed my objectives.

I am actually part of the group "Whats Next". One of the earlier comments refered to seeing a poster about this stuff.

Other comments refer to how absurd and unbiblical it is.

Well the first tournement alone raised almost 2k for overseas missions, and we still have another 4 planned. I have personally seen Christians faith grow tremendously. Whether Christians or non Christians like it, God is using our organization to better His kingdom.

If you have any questions on how a Christian could play this game, or even use it for Christ's sake, please contact me.

Our website is www.xboxmission.org/Forums

My GT is Fighter4Christ

Again, if you have any questions please contact me.

Well... if you think about it, it does seem to have some religious overtones. The music at the beginning is very church-choir-esque, the game is called "Halo"...you have The Covenant and The Flood...

I don't think it was an accident, but I don't think it was part of a religious vendetta either (unless Gates finally admitted he thinks he's God)...

Witnessing doesn't equal 'preaching'. My witness is simpling not cursing, playing fair, being friendly, being a pleasure to frag with (unlike, unfortunately, alot out there on Xbox Live). I love to play and want to play. I think Halo and Halo2 are blast to play especially with other gamers. I am Christian that happens to be gamer.

Pray God everyday, and you will got it!

Indeed, witnessing and preaching are 2 different terms. If the author of this article is still around, I find it interesting that you were at the Christian post, wonder what you were doing there since your article reads as if it your against it...

i like halo

i love christ

to me playing halo 2 is a chance to relate to those around me. jesus did a lot of that. he spent time with those around him. i enjoy playing with people in a place that doesn't have people saying things just to offend people. i dont like people saying that jesus had an oedipus complex. the only reason in a game that i should get mad is because i get stuck repeatedly.