Critics accuse the game of encouraging a violent message of religious intolerance. The teen-rated PC strategy game is based on the popular "Left Behind" Christian book series. The game is set in New York City after millions of Christians have been transported to heaven. Players must recruit and convert an army to participate in physical and spiritual warfare with the antichrist and his “evil followers”. The group "Campaign to Defend the Constitution", which monitors right-wing religious activities, calls the game too violent and pro-Christian. It has urged retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to discontinue any sales. In a secular society, the critics describe “Left Behind: Eternal Forces” as "a violent video game in which born-again Christians aim to convert or kill those who don't adhere to their extreme ideology." A Wal-Mart spokeswoman said the company was selling it in stores where it expected demand in consumer goods with Christian themes. There are an estimated 60 million evangelical Christians in the United States, but their political clout was shaken by some candidate losses in recent elections.

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend