Question:
Do you think playing video games is a sin? I’ve tried doing research on this topic, but some argue it’s okay, some say no, and I can’t forgive out which side is correct. Also, is playing for a couple of hours constitute sin? Would playing like 1-3 hours be okay?
Also, what is a sloth? How does it become a sin, and when does it become a sin? Do you have an example of it being a sin?
Answer:
See:
- How should a Christian handle violent or adult content video games?
- Are all violent video games wrong?
It isn’t the medium (a video game) that is the problem but the content that can be the problem.
A sloth is an animal that moves very slowly. As a result, its name is used to describe someone who isn’t physically active or who performs tasks slowly.
Taking a break and playing a game is not wrong. However, when there are things that need to be accomplished and you are spending the majority of your free time playing a game, then there is a problem. Lazy people do things but none of the things they do are actually productive. As Solomon noted: “As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed” (Proverbs 26:14). A door moves but it doesn’t get anywhere.
Have you put off homework or chores to play? Do you suddenly find yourself in a panic because there is a whole bunch of things that need to be completed and there isn’t enough time? Likely it is because you are being lazy. Laziness is an attitude of wanting to get by with the least amount of effort. “How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep — so shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man” (Proverbs 6:9-11). It accumulates as you put off a little here and a little there. Each one seems like a minor delay but the problem is that it builds up.