Game News Diablo III Muslim Controversy

[VentilatorOfDoom]

I don't think Chess is forbidden in Islam, there are arab and iranian grandmasters for instance. But it was forbidden for some time in some regions:

In 1981 chess was forbidden in Iran as it encouraged gambling (haram). The chess players went underground with their boards and pieces. In 1988 the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (1900-1989) issued a religious decree (fatwa), permitting chess play for Muslims as long as it was not played for the purpose of gambling (haram) and it does not delay the obligatory prayers or neglects other duties. The Ayatollah changed his mind after admitting that chess had its high educational and intellectual values. Chess made a comeback, spawning chess parks, chess palaces, and chess masters. In 2000, an Iranian became a world chess champion. In October, 2000, the World Girls' Chess Championship for 12 and under was won by Atousa Pourkashian of Iran at the tournment held in Madrid, Spain. Iran also produced a recent World Boys' Under 10 Champion. Today the Chess Federation of Iran occupies one of the best buildings among all sportive federations in the country. All over the country there have construction of chess clubs.

Prior to the Ayatollah, Iran, under the Shah, was the only Islamic country that organized chess and participated in chess tournaments, including the 22nd chess olympiad in Israel in 1976 (in Haifa).

In 1996 chess and other clubs were banned from some high schools in Salt Lake City, Utah. Most of the school board is Mormon which condemns homosexuality. Rather than let gay high school students form an organization, they banned all nonacademic clubs. School board members said federal law gave them only two options: allow all extracurricular clubs or eliminate them all. Some 30 clubs, including the chess club, are banned for 1996-97.

The Taliban believed chess was a form of gambling and distracted people from saying thier prayers. When the Taliban caught people playing chess, they would burn the chessboard and pieces and put the players in jail. For five years (1996-2001), Afghanistan was the only place in the world where playing chess was illegal. It was banned by Mullah Mohammad Omar, the supreme leader of the Taliban

Note the bolded part.
http://dreamgreen.org/games/noble-celts ... idden.html

 

[muslimgamer]

Why don't you just pretend that the developers were paying their due respect to all muslims by including muslim symbols in their game. A gesture of respect and admiration for the religion of peace. Would that degrade your gaming experience?

Hey Ventilatorofdoom.
If you are asking me personally, I would rather that religious stuff just wasn't in the game at all. I personally just don't see the point of mixing games, which are mostly based on stories and mythical stuff with real life religious icons\objects. Diablo which has no RL basis could replace that graphic with a triangle and the game we get to play is no different at all. IMO no ones gaming experience gets degraded. Like I said if they didnt replace it, nothign happens apart from some people being offended.

On a side note, i noticed you posted the original news article, nice touch with adding the "punishable by death", very classy and definitely makes it sound like a real news article, keep up the good work

 

[Marsal]

http://www.faithfreedom.org/features/verbatim/playing-chess-and-dice-games-is-prohibited-in-islam/

Buraida reported on the authority of his father that Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: He who played chess is like one who dyed his hand with the flesh and blood of swine.

...

Yahya related to me from Malik from Musa ibn Maysara from Said ibn Abi Hind from Abu Musa al-Ashari that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever plays games of dice has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger. ”

I will send you money if you convince me there is any room for interpreting these passages.

What is the context? At that time and place was chess most commonly played with money wagered? Was chess generally considered a gambling game?

If someone today said "I don't think it is right to play poker" most people would interpret that as that person doesn't think gambling is right.

Also what is the context or the larger text that those quotations came from? Was it in a piece that was harping on how gambling is wrong and forbidden? Or was it talking about how playing games wastes your time you should be spending more productively? I certainly don't know enough about the topic to determine that and your link doesn't provide that information either.

Dude, what's with all the logic, context and reason stuff? If the book says that chess is forbidden, you don't play chess. If it says to kill the infidels, you go and kill some infidels. No pigs, no fucking pigs! It's that simple. Does it mention video games? Nope. Games are cool.

Every religion is pretty much the same. Spread our religion, kill the infidels, don't question our authority, give money.
I, for one, practice regular baths in blood of swines. Refreshing and keeps the crazies away.

 

[muslimgamer]

Muslims have computers ? @_@

sorry i missed this one FatCat. Dont be silly! I send this message to my social worker using Osamas old Donkey and he types it up and posts it for me.

 

[muslimgamer]

I hope Blizzard will texture a steaming pile of shit on your precious Quran comic book.

Have you added J_J_M to your Facebook yet? You guys would get along like a house on fire!

If you feel so strongly about it, you guys should start a petition or maybe send an email with both of your names signed to Blizzard, 2 signatures are better than one!

 

[Regdar]

As I mentioned Im not in a position to make rulings, so i have a feeling you pulling a quote from the interwebs most certainly doesn't make you a scholar either, all i can tell you is that there are differing views on the status. Its up to each individual Muslim to pick their teacher and follow their advice.

This is fascinating. So most Muslims have no idea what the Koran says about this issue or another, and trust some self-proclaimed scholars to basically tell them what to do (since these interpretations are followed as the will of God).

What's wrong, Muslims? Why don't you think for yourselves?

And in any case, this "makrooh" may be a lower level sin that haraam, but you engage in it willingly every day, for several hours a day, even though you don't play for money and you have a clock to remind you of your prayer time.

Or could it be that you understand the passage prohibits one from playing any kind of games, but choose to trust some obscure "scholar" (who accepts donations, I bet) because he tells you what you want to hear? Lying is a sin, but lying to yourself, while trying to deceive your God and willfully engaging in sinful behavior is a triple sin. And 3 is the devil's number. I believe the ginns will have a mighty feast on the day your soul is sent to hell.

(Or whatever they're supposed to do. I can't keep up with this nonsense.)

 

[VentilatorOfDoom]

On a side note, i noticed you posted the original news article, nice touch with adding the "punishable by death", very classy and definitely makes it sound like a real news article, keep up the good work

Sorry, I just assumed that including a texture resembling the Quran is on par with drawing a caricature of Mohammed and deserves a nice beheading or at the very least a flask of acid to the face. If you say it's no big deal but just a minor offense I'll take your word for it.

 

[I.C. Wiener]

That book in D3 bears no more resemblance to the Quran than some generic hardcover from my infidel atheist bookshelf. It's three diamonds and a frame, not even the same size frame, and without the ornate design. Completely generic.

 

[Marsal]

On a side note, i noticed you posted the original news article, nice touch with adding the "punishable by death", very classy and definitely makes it sound like a real news article, keep up the good work

Sorry, I just assumed that including a texture resembling the Quran is on par with drawing a caricature of Mohammed and deserves a nice beheading or at the very least a flask of acid to the face. If you say it's no big deal but just a minor offense I'll take your word for it.

It is a minor offense punishable by death, silly. You haven't seen the punishment for a major one. Yet. Infidel.

 

[muslimgamer]

As I mentioned Im not in a position to make rulings, so i have a feeling you pulling a quote from the interwebs most certainly doesn't make you a scholar either, all i can tell you is that there are differing views on the status. Its up to each individual Muslim to pick their teacher and follow their advice.

This is fascinating. So most Muslims have no idea what the Koran says about this issue or another, and trust some self-proclaimed scholars to basically tell them what to do (since these interpretations are followed as the will of God).

What's wrong, Muslims? Why don't you think for yourselves?

And in any case, this "makrooh" may be a lower level sin that haraam, but you engage in it willingly every day, for several hours a day, even though you don't play for money and you have a clock to remind you of your prayer time.

Or could it be that you understand the passage prohibits one from playing any kind of games, but choose to trust some obscure "scholar" (who accepts donations, I bet) because he tells you what you want to hear? Lying is a sin, but lying to yourself, while trying to deceive your God and willfully engaging in sinful behavior is a triple sin. And 3 is the devil's number. I believe the ginns will have a mighty feast on the day your soul is sent to hell.

(Or whatever they're supposed to do. I can't keep up with this nonsense.)

I can see i have to speak slowly with you, you have trouble understanding. So lets try again and ill give you some examples so that it might help, cant draw pictures for you though sorry

So lets say your going to court for a traffic offence you committed. Have you heard of a lawyer regdar (or would you like me to quote something off the internet?), you know those people you get advice from?

Well its a bit like that. You know you shouldn't go through a traffic light but you may not know the intricacies of traffic law like a lawyer would. So before you go to court you speak with a lawyer, cause you know, they know more than you.

Well its a bit like that my friend. Every Muslim knows how ever much they have studied, I personally, know enough to live my life, but im not a scholar (think of the lawyer example so you don't get confused here buddy). So when I have a question, i go to those that know more, you know like a lecturer at uni or maybe how a lawyer might go to a judge to confirm the finer details of law. So as much as "self-proclaimed scholars" tell me what to do, your lawyer, lecturer and anyone else you have got advice from tells you what to do.

As the rest of your comment is more of a comment than a question ill leave it there. But just so you know, there is no payments to scholars in Islam, i think your mixing up Christianity with Islam

 

[muslimgamer]

On a side note, i noticed you posted the original news article, nice touch with adding the "punishable by death", very classy and definitely makes it sound like a real news article, keep up the good work

Sorry, I just assumed that including a texture resembling the Quran is on par with drawing a caricature of Mohammed and deserves a nice beheading or at the very least a flask of acid to the face. If you say it's no big deal but just a minor offense I'll take your word for it.

Yeah thats why Fox news is Fox news, some news stories base their stuff on facts, others just "assume" and feed it to the masses as news and the masses slurp it up

 

[muslimgamer]

On a side note, i noticed you posted the original news article, nice touch with adding the "punishable by death", very classy and definitely makes it sound like a real news article, keep up the good work

Sorry, I just assumed that including a texture resembling the Quran is on par with drawing a caricature of Mohammed and deserves a nice beheading or at the very least a flask of acid to the face. If you say it's no big deal but just a minor offense I'll take your word for it.

It is a minor offense punishable by death, silly. You haven't seen the punishment for a major one. Yet. Infidel.

Please direct your questions to Marsal aswell guys and girls, we have another learned Muslim here! We can share the spotlight now Marsal

 

[Coyote]

This sort of reminds me of a story about the Christian warrior-monk Shenoute. One day, I think during the Council of Ephesus, he saw a man pick up the Gospels off a chair and place them on the ground so he could sit. So Shenoute wordlessly strode up to the man, picked up the Gospels off the floor, slammed the man across the face with them, and gingerly placed the Gospels back onto the chair. Then he walked away.

He was also known for beating Roman magistrates to a pulp, chasing down peasants who slandered a local shopkeeper to enact vigilante justice, and generally acting like the extreme, collar-grabbing Commander Shepard of fourth-century Egypt. There were tons of stories about him doing stuff like this; sadly, I don't remember most of them and can't find any of them online. Oh, and he became a saint and heavily influenced the monastic movement in Christianity and commanded an informal Christian army in northern Africa (a large part of what made him impervious to the consequences of his craziness) and some other stuff like that, too.

None of this is really relevant to the conversation at hand, but the paragraph about it being disrespectful to place the Quran on the ground reminded me of this story.

 

[Marsal]

...

Are you an American, muslimgamer?

 

[jiujitsu]

...

Are you an American, muslimgamer?

That gif is awesome...

 

[Black]

Yeah thats why Fox news is Fox news, some news stories base their stuff on facts, others just "assume" and feed it to the masses as news and the masses slurp it up

I love how ironic it is when insa- err, religious people talk about masses slurping bullshit up.

 

[muslimgamer]

sorry guys have to run off for a while, if there are any questions,ill answer them later. If not thanks for the fun

 

[Bulba]

WOW muslim world is offended!!!



Next, it will be THE DIABLO himself offended, and you do not want to piss him off, since he controls hell.

hmmm.... I wonder who is it worse to offend...

 

[Fens]

my only question would be:
why do religious people assume a game called "Diablo" wouldn't contain religious symbols ?

 

[Krash]

muslimgamer defended his his points p. well versus the strawman/troll hordes. If he's Andhaira he's gotten a serious upgrade.

Though, personally I don't give a fuck about symbols, religious or otherwise, in games. I can't possibly think of reasons to get offended if as long as it's not blatant provocation (and it certainly isn't in this case). The Muslim world needs to develop the same desensitization Christians in the west have.

So what I'm saying is, deal with it.

 

[Metro]

Jihad has been declared on RPG Codex.

 

[ChristofferC]

How strange that Andhaira was recently banned and now a new poster called muslimgamer appears who sounds exactly like Andhaira. :mystery:

 

[Morkar Left]

To get things straight; he wants to remove some texture in a computergame because it REMINDS him of the Quram? He can defend his opinion as much as he wants, it's just silly.

 

[Gylfi.Fenriz.Conquests]

much like getting raped will often lead to the poor girl in question getting stoned for "honour" reasons

"but you christies used to do it"

"when we do it it's cute!".

 

[BonziBUDDY]

MUSLIMGAMER!!

I am a friend of Andhaira, the guy everyone here is comparing you with. Andhaira, who is a veteren of this pretigious website, recently got temporarily (I hope!) banned, something which happens once every blue moon or so. Anyhow, he has come across this thread and pm'd me on another website, desperate to talk to you. Here is what he has said:

Assalam-Oa-Alaikum MuslimGamer my brother. I am Andhaira, also known as AndhairaX on the Codex, a 30 year old Muslim from Lahore Pakistan. Before I say anything else, I will say that I am extremely glad this was posted here because it not only made me aware of this issue, but also made me aware of you and your website! Mashallah, it is good to see a brother making his views on gaming known from a religious perspective, and showing the racist West that we are 'normal' human beings.

Anyhow, I will share pleasantaries with you when I get unbanned. Until then, I must say that I have been a member of the Codex for many years, and am quite well known and notorious there. The search function is disabled, else I would encourage you to view my older threads/posts.

I sincerely tell you that the Codex is a wonderful place. Sure, there are assholes here most definately, such as the God less cocksuckers trolling you, but don't worry about them. Feel free to either ignore them (site has an ignore function) or respond to them, or insult them in return. YOU WILL NOT GET BANNED NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY TO THEM. THIS IS A SITE THAT OFFERS FULL FREEDOM OF SPEECH. That's one of the reasons I love it so much!

There are also some nice people here, who will stick up for you and your views, myself included (though I am currently banned).

Best of all, this website contains some of the most hardcore, dedicated and knowledgable RPG fans out there. Visit out CRPG section and browse it why don't you.

I would suggest visting General Discussion after you have visited RPG Discussion. General Discussion is a place where we discuss every topic under the sun, including religion, geo-politics, etc etc. Most codexians are anti Zionist and hate the rogue, terrorist, and nazi state of Israel.

I know you are busy with your site, but if you have the time please do spend it here. I do believe that if you have a realtively thick skin, and love rpg's, then you will love it here. This is also the place to get the scoop on the indie rpg scene. We have a couple of indie rpg makers who are registered here and post here. The AAA devs such as folk from Obsidian and Bethesda and Bioware also used to post here, but could not take the criticism of the shit they are making these dayall that well so now they rarely post.

Whatever you do, please don't leave. I would love to talk with you in greater detail. If you have some personal questions for me pm Bonzibuddy, who should be the dude who is delivering this message to you, and he will give them to me and I will answer them as soon as I can.

Regards
Andhaira

p.s. DarkUnderlord: Plz unban me. 'k thx bai.