During the initial period of this blog I have written a piece reviewing a site that I've come to enjoy visiting. But sad to say right after I've published that article I've not yet come to visit that site again. That site is emogame.com it is a warehouse that points to a lot of references within the present emo culture.
A lot of people would take humor at visiting such a site especially at playing Flash created video games that takes pun out of every imaginable American trash that we have come to enjoy during the 80s and early 90s.
Fortunately I got the chance to visit the site again just a few minutes ago and with that I was prompted to write this piece, though it might appear redundant to some of you I'd like to take special notice to that of the Anti-Bush Game, which also is a good focal point to understanding why a lot of people all over the world are hating Bush and his neo-conservative policies towards the rest of the world.
A lot of you know that I have a firm stand against US Imperialism and its other ills especaially that's because the country that I live in is one of its unofficial colonies so to speak and that fact also is one of the reason why the Philippines being a third world country cannot go beyond the long shadow that has been cast down over our national identity.
So how does this relate to emo game you may ask?
As much as I'd like to give you a direct answer for that I'd simply like to give you a story, last Sunday my sister and her husband watched Farenheit 911 for free at the University of the Philippines Film Center a movie that I have not come to watch yet but based on what she says its a very humorous look at the utter ignorance of the Bush administration and its arrogant response towards the act of terrorism that hit them on that fateful day of September. She said that one could not help but laugh and be angred at the same time upon watching the movie.
So again you may ask how is this related to emo game?
Here it is plain and simple to people who are yet to see the movie the Anti-Bush game is a very good primer at understanding the extent of the damage caused by the misguided ideology of spreading the American dream to the rest of the world. Like Farenheit 911 the game also offers more than just entertainment packaged in the humor of the game but moreover it offers something that is more of value that is: kowledge.
I used to listen to this band called Propagandhi who live by this motto: "Knowledge is power, so arm yourself!"
To many of us this would seem like a very silly motto uttered only by the likes of Ernie Baron but true enough this is something that the game has to offer.
Though I must admit I have yet to play the game in its full completion, but nevertheless I've browsed and read all the issues tackled in the game, which are neatly organized in a drop down menue below the game's screen.
And one particular issue got the best of me.
The issue of making the self-righteous stand of America upholding Christianity by launching wars of agression against the muslims. Coming from a Christian background this got my attention since a lot of 'Christian' leaders are for this war.
I would agree with them that to some extent the war could be justified, but nonetheless the real issue about the war is about the issue of launching a military attack against a group of people that do not share the same vision as that of America.
Is it just?
Consider this statement by Oscar Romero:
"Even when they call us mad, when they call us subversives and all the epithets they put on us, we know we only preach the subversive witness of the Beatitdues, which have turned everything upside down"
Military attacks equals to violence, injuries and most of all death. Military attacks are planned, thus it is pre-meditated, this in Biblical terms it is 'murder'.
With this in mind I give you now the pre-village to decide for yourself if such is a just war.
There was also this interesting conversation between Jesus and Bush wherein Bush asks Jesus whom Bin Laden would vote for between him and his Democratic opponent John Carey.
(Though I must admit that the way of presenting Jesus here is somewhat misguided to the point that borders to making a mockery of Him, which I utterly disagree with but what is written there clearly speaks of a particular truth that can be better understood if one would read their conversation)
What struck me was this response that Jesus gave Bush which says Bin Laden definitely would vote for Bush, simply because the current mindset of Bush is very much the same as that of Bin Laden, they both monger for proving themselves right whether it would mean the lives of innocents, they are that serious enough at proving their point that they would misquote and directly un-orthodox usage of Scriptures to justify their war mongering aspirations. And it is a sad fact that Bush is rallying the American people to give the terrorists more reasons to hate America more which is really what makes a lot of people disenfranchised with what they would perceive as Christianity, which is really not.
To end I'd like us to keep in mind that one of the tenets of the Gospel is that salvation from eternal hell came out of God's love for mankind that He gave us Jesus Christ to redeem us and to justify us in the eyes of God, which is very much an example of perfect love for neighbor, Christ being sinless chose (in fact Hebrews 12 says looked at it as a 'joy set before him') to endure the cross and pay the penalty for our sins.
The Bible says that 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself' (Mark 12:31) this is the second greatest comandment. If ever America are that sincere at waging war against the terrorist and the members of what they call the 'Axis of Evil' then they should keep this in mind, and do their best to reconsider their tactics seeing that they boast of their Christian indignation then therefore their professed orthodoxy (right thought) should be manifested with their orthopraxy (right action). For America to win against terrorism they must find a way to resolve their imperialist interests and their political issues pertaining to their hegemony, so that the terrorists will have no reason to hate them.
So for those of you who seeks to gain a further understanding of why Bush's agenda should be opposed please do find time to visit the site by clicking --->here<---
