Right-Wing Hypocrisy-Part One
Sunday, June 29th, 2008Today’s blog is the first of a brief four-part series on right-wing hypocrisy. We all know that right wingers claim to be the champions of good morals in America. Of course, much of the right-wing movement is made up of Evangelicals. And, they have appointed themselves as watchmen over America’s secular culture.
The Evangelical movement led by James Dobson’s “Focus on the Family” organization, has often denounced Hollywood for all of the violent entertainment it produces. They say that the abundance of violence is corrupting America’s children. A great deal of their focus has been on many violent video games being marketed to our kids. And, I do share their concern about many of these violent video games.
So, where’s the hypocrisy? A little more than a year ago a new Christian video game hit the market. It is titled “Left Behind Eternal Forces”, picking up on the famous Left Behind novel series. The game is licensed by Tyndale House, which is also the publisher of some of James Dobson’s books. The problem with this game is that it is also violent.
Left Behind Eternal Forces pictures the Earth after the Evangelicals’ supposed “secret rapture” event. There are two types of people presented in this game; those who have become Christians after the rapture, and those who are not Christians. And, Christian kids can play the part of the Christians and shoot to kill the infidels.
I find this to be troubling and hypocritical. If it is wrong for Hollywood to produce violent entertainment, why is it alright for Evangelicals to do so, and to market this game within Evangelical churches? Does violence become acceptable if Evangelicals can make money on it? This is pure hypocrisy.
It is also interesting that Tim LaHaye, one of the authors of the Left Behind novel series, told the LA Times that he hoped Christian teenagers like the game. In other words, he hoped that Christian kids had fun blowing away non-Christians in this apparently “Christian-approved”, violent video game. Can you say, “do as I say, not as I do”?
