Go and sin no more...
That's pretty much what the Church of England is saying to Sony this morning. And while the PlayStation 3 manufacturer is unrepentant over its depiction of Manchester Cathedral in Resistance: Fall of Man, the CoE's forgiveness seemingly brings the episode to a close.
Unless there's a Resistance sequel...
As the BBC reports, Resistance failed to win the BAFTA award for which it was nominated at last evening's ceremony (full list of winners). That apparently was the go sign for the Very Reverend Rogers Govender to issue absolution to Sony (We suppose that if Resistance had won it would have generated a new round of complaints from the CoE).
Said Very Rev. Govender:
I think some important lessons have been learnt. So we do forgive Sony for what they have done, even though they still believe they have done nothing wrong.
He followed up with this baffling comment:
In an industry that is breaking new frontiers, it is important that long held traditions of film and television are maintained. These traditions include having courtesy, respecting the dignity of your subject, and admitting when mistakes have been made.
GP: The Rev and I must be watching different channels on TV... He continues:
In so many ways Sony have failed to live up to these standards by disrespecting people of faith and the victims of gun crime here in Manchester.
And there's a silver lining for the Cathedral, perhaps literally. Very Rev. Govender told the BBC that visits from young people and tourists had spiked since the Resistance controversy broke. That could translate to new converts and fuller collection boxes.
GP: Big thanks to longtime GP reader E. Zachary Knight for the heads-up!
Comments
but beer + anything = skewed scores...then again...some of the newer sht you need to be impaired to enjoy it...
LOL
A) Haven't sinned in the first place.
and
B) Never asked to forgiven in the first place.
Just the church trying appear to be the 'bigger man' as it were, after kicking up such a stink over such a non issue.
Organised religion is just another money grubbing corporation, except with robes and a 'holier than thou' attitude.
*Que trolling from Pandralisk*
@E.ZK
Beat me to it.
No, they wanted to screw money out of Japanese companies. Sony was an easier target than Nintendo.
Does this man even watch British TV and Film? Pah, he's certainly never seen an episode of Little Britain.
I really do wonder what would have happened if Resistance had won that BAFTA. Would the CoE really have been able to forgive then? They sure didn't act like it when Resistance was nominated.
But yes I see tons of respect and courtesy on tv. /sarcasm
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower
Some anti-gamers use religion as a reason to ban violent video games.
While 2 violent video games have now HELPED bring in new young people to the church.
Go figure.
Almost like US states that want to create legislation to limit sales while also wanting to create laws to give tax breaks.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
That had what to do with Manchester Cathedral?
In NO WAY WHATSOEVER did the game disrespect people of faith! If anything, it promoted them as the cathedral is being used as a temporary medical centre where people are being cared for in the game.
But I have to say, it is appalling the disrespect that they have shown to victims of gun crime in Manchester. How many extra-terrestrials have landed in Manchester only to be shot by local gang members and thugs, and then have their plight lampooned in this fashion? It's disgusting.
What is really disrespectful though is trying to pin responsibility for Manchester's gun crime problem on video games. Looking at something that has no bearing on a problem and ignoring the ACTUAL causes such as poverty, drugs, unemployment, etc. is stupid and irresponsible, and that is a greater disrespect to the victims than a piece of science fiction fluff could ever be.
It's one of those "insincere" forgivings. You know, where you still criticize and berate the person you're forgiving, as you're forgiving them?
And I'm willing to forgive them for that... ;)
I wouldn't. This was a cheap shot at Sony that failed. If they can't get thisone, they've no hope on St.Pauls.
Funny how he tries to speak for the victims of these gun-related crimes, instead of letting them step up to say that video games were the cause of their problems.
If I was a game developer, at this point, I might have made a game purposely including their church constantly and having you play as a priest killing "sinners" because God demands it, then you find out that he's just a psychotic asshole who's killing people for the sake of killing. I'd have him drag people back to the church, throw them up on an alter, carve a large cross into their chest, then slit their throat and bleed them dry. He'd then mix the blood with wine and serve it next session.
I'm sure they'd be thrilled with that. ;)
Feel free. Might even join you.
oh don't do that, you know what they say. When life gives you lemons, squirt in somebody's eye and run like hell, so let's just do that.
No, i've got an Artillery Battalion on standby. When Pandralisk shows up, we're ready for him.
"And there’s a silver lining for the Cathedral, perhaps literally. Very Rev. Govender told the BBC that visits from young people and tourists had spiked since the Resistance controversy broke. That could translate to new converts and fuller collection boxes."
Halo 3 being the other violent video game used to bring in new young members of the church also.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
Hey, I wonder if the British Museum or London's transportation department, especially in regards to subways, will throw a hissy fit next week over Hellgate London?
Doubt it.
Dang most corporations aren't this greedy....
I wonder if the next controversy will be the ability to go into a game replica of a real church and pray in a game...how dare you let people pray in a church without paying us money will be the sin at that point...
Also, it looks like they still need to work out the kinks in the Baftas. It's like the video game Brit awards from last year. The entirety of the recent gaming was condensed down into around eight or nine games and the awards given out between them. "Wii Sports! I've heard of that!" Extreme kudos to Okami and all that, but there are *hundreds* of excellent games out there that really should have made an appearance. Heck, most gamers could get a more varied list of winners even if they restricted themselves to a single system.
Case in point: the castle featured in Monty Python and the Holy Grail experienced a vast influx of tourists after they saw it in the movie.
How's that for proof?
I think some important lessons have been learnt. So we do forgive Sony for what they have done, even though they still believe they have done nothing wrong.
"
We proved we can still get out 15 minetes of fame in now and then and show the world for the asses we are.
Matthew
there is not "100's" out there, 20-30 at best.....
Fair enough. Still, if you sat down a group of cross-platform gamers and gave them a supply of beer and crisps you could easily come up with fifty games worth considering by the time the night was out. Unless they were from GameFAQs in which case the winner would be "PS3 is gay."
Yeah, I did. I learned that you can do pretty much anything to a British church and not get in trouble (assuming the church is digital). Thank you SONY!!
"I think some important lessons have been learnt."
What do you mean, neither you nor Sony had much negative outcomes from this (other than criticism).
"So we do forgive Sony for what they have done, even though they still believe they have done nothing wrong."
Forgive and forget, hate the sin love the sinner, that's the way it should be.
"These traditions include having courtesy, respecting the dignity of your subject, "
They did respect the dignity of the church, it represents humanities last desperate hope for survival (the house of God), and it was not planned to be the site of the battle.
"by disrespecting people of faith and the victims of gun crime here in Manchester."
They make no mention of ANYONE who goes to the church, they say nothing about the clergy, the churchgoers or chrisitianity in general. They mean no disrespect.
Honestly, who wants their forgiveness? I don't think Sony needs the forgiveness of a church so steeped in greed and idiocy.
That is all.
Am I the only one seeing a double-standard here?
I'm glad to see a critic of religion here that doesn't have an over the top hateful attitude like some (one) I could mention. But yes, I'm a christian (technically a Christian Agnostic Theist, but who cares) and I can't stand the hypocrisies of organized religion.
Remember the eleventh commandment... Keep thine religion to thine self.
since when was Digitising a building a sin? =S
1. the CoE is now inventing sins so that sony can commit them.
2. however because more people want to see this place, since they've seen it in the game, the CoE gets more visitors, and thus more collections money
3. the CoE sees nothing wrong with this.
oh man, what hypocritic douchebags.
Already said that :P
I still can't believe he actually tried to make this seem like a gun violence issue when this issue first surfaced. This whole thing has been completely ridiculous, and fueled by greed.
...0_0 wow, something actually involving religion and pandralisk actually managed to produce a reasonable opinion without insults to christianity. *sniff* kind of brings a tear to your eye.
See, that's the way to post about Religion. Insult the people trying to block creativity in his name and I won't be an enemy of yours.