And Ye, Jesus was sold along with MW2!

[Dave]

So, I just read the strangest thing:

Those of you enjoying the controversial terrorist scene in Modern Warfare 2 can also now seek spiritual salvation on your Xbox via 'Bible Navigator X', the "first ever Bible Reader on the Xbox 360". We're not joking.

The application - which will be available through Xbox Live Inidie Games from December - features "the complete Old and New Testaments, a search tool, bookmarking, and adjustable settings--for big screen viewing and customizing reading themes." No Achievements though, tsk.

B&H Publishing's Aaron Linne, said: "The Xbox isn't just secular entertainment anymore. We can use technology that other people developed to study Scriptures through a new medium. Some people are just more comfortable with a controller in their hands than a book."

Wow! That was my first thought on the matter. The fact that the Bible is now being put onto the Xbox 360 really doesn't do much for me. I mean sure, people can now find the religion through a different medium and discover the word of God as they lay Smackdown Vs Raw 2010. However, this just seems very "Eugh" to me. Yes, that is a technical term. For me, the Bible doesn't mean much. I have always been an atheist and the Bible has never held any draw for me. However this is not a thread to discuss the ins and outs of Christianity.

What I had in mind when I created this thread was to find out why Microsoft would want this on their console. I mean are they going to release the Torah? or the Qur'an? I doubt it very highly. I personally don't think that Xbox Live is the place for "holy" documentation but what do you guys think? Is it out place?

 

[ABMorales787]

I'm a Christian and this seems dumb. Who would read the Bible out of an Xbox? A cell phone, yes. But an Xbox? It seems unnecessary and a rather lame excuse to testify all of the mature rated games for the system. They don't need anything to testify the mature content of their system. Nothing wrong with the bible but still, its pretty dumb.

 

[The Doctor]

Well, that's just...

NSL can talk about how terrible the Food Network Wii game will be, but this is just plain stupid. I mean, who is really going to use it? Maybe kids who are trying to show their parents that the Xbox isn't that bad, or hyper-religious families who play nothing more violent than Viva Pinata, but that's a limited audience.

I assume that the point of this is really to reach out to a niche market. If it doesn't work out, it's really not a big deal. Microsoft has a million other ways to make money.

 

[Brilliant Human Being]

I, like most other people who own Xbox Live, go on it to relax with friends, rather than think deeply about religious teachings. Don't get me wrong, there will probably be some people out there who will ove this. But for me, there will be many Christians out there who have an Xbox, believe in God and the Bible, yet dont want to mix the two together.

 

[Dave]

I think the real issue here is whether this is going to be free-to-view or not.

Personally, I don't really care about it that much. The thing is, this will be hidden away and you probably wont find it unless you are actually seeking it out. Now, this brings up a few points. The first point I have, is that I don't think that a holy text belongs on a games console. Call me cynical or call me sacrilegious but as a gamer, I really do not want to see things like this around. Also, as an atheist, I could get upset and find it disgraceful that something I do to escape the real world is now pushing that same world down my throat.

However, as I say, the real issue is whether or not they are going to make you pay to watch it. My gut tells me they wont have the nerve to make people pay for the text. However, my brain is telling me that if you couple Microsoft's thirst for money and religions thirst for money, you have a different story.