Life is a series of experiences.  Games are one such experience.  In that regard games are certainly part of real life.

Obviously if one aspect of your life is allowed to harm other parts of your life (games excessively distracting from child/spouse time, as an example) then that's a net negative overall.

As for religion, I'm technically agnostic but I feel there's such a stark lack of proof of the existence of god that I frequently claim to be atheist. Someone's sig had an amusing quote the other day by Richard Dawkins, "We are all atheists about most of the gods that societies have ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further."  But I don't have a problem with religious people as long as they keep their religion passive and to themselves (as I do with my own beliefs; I don't go proclaiming them unless it's the subject of conversation.)

 cool story bro

Games are about as real life as work is. Both can end at an instant without your control. You shouldn't put too much time into work, and you shouldn't put too much time into gaming. No one has sat at their deathbed thinking "I should have been at the office more."

The most important things are the people you love. Family, friends, and forging new relationships. Those things bring happiness. Not work, not money, and not video games. Although, all those things are activities that may help or hinder someone seeking happiness.

Originally posted by Axehilt

Life is a series of experiences.  Games are one such experience.  In that regard games are certainly part of real life.

Obviously if one aspect of your life is allowed to harm other parts of your life (games excessively distracting from child/spouse time, as an example) then that's a net negative overall.

Well said.

I'm interested in hearing about your games.

I haven't read the entire thread so apologies if some of this has been mentioned.

To the OP: I certainly appreciate your take on life, and how you perceive life should be. In reality, not everyone's natural state is "joy and bliss". In reality, at least in the area I currently reside, 99% of the area's population survives on hatred, jealousy, and moral ambiguity.  Now, I can tell we might disagree on whether these are "natural states" but the people around where I live are born and bred on anger and hostility.

I would prefer if the world survived on joy and bliss. It would make life simpler and we would have no need of authoritarian figures to enforce laws that keep the majority of people afraid to break those laws. Don't kid yourself, if you want to do a case study, study traffic patterns when there are police cruisers present vs when they're not. You'll find people generally run a lot more red lights when Johnny Law isn't right there.

So then we come to the conclusion that your observation is flawed. Specifically, your observations regarding:
1) People's natural state is joy and bliss AND
2) That people should do what they find joyful.

I don't have anything against joy, but I do have something against rape, murder, theft, kidnapping, etc. To some, these actions bring joy and bliss. Do you see the inherent flaw in your logic?

I do agree that games are a simulcrum of reality in certain situations, and I wish I could agree with you that people should do what brings them joy, but unfortunately, I can't totally agree with you.

If you are buddhist as your name implies then you already realize that most people will not reach enlightenment, and will end up being back here regardless of what you or I say. Humans haven't evolved to the point where the majority would have a positive, defined morality that they actually believe in. It's unfortunate, but it's true.

Also please realize that I respect your message and mean you no ill will. However, posting your message on these forums is asking for trouble. The mmo crowd is pretty cranky after the past several years.

Good luck with your quest for enlightenment and remember that enlightenment bears the burden of responsibility. Keep in mind that no two people's definitions or perceptions of life are exactly the same, and it should help you on your path to wisdom.

-CymTyr

Originally posted by buddhaneo

It's anchor MAN, not anchor LADY, and that is scientific FACT!!!

Perhaps you are thinking scienceTRIFFIC.

Perhaps philosophy isn't scientific either. Ponder.

Why is your philosophy any more correct that religion, religion is the word of God, how can you beat that? More pondering please.

God invented and desinged video games as well as everything else in your life, but what in your life is REALLY that good? Video games right. God is Good, you can't qustion that.

You're obviously bad and it says that in the Bible. Who can argue with the Truth. The Truth will set you free - how free are you? IF you are not free then you don't have the Truth.

When there are no more athiests, then we will see a Golden Age and not before. God is working on it and nobody can stop the Will of God.

Peace out!

If religion is the ultimate truth then you, sir, are the anti-Christ.

Now, I'm not religious in the traditional sense, myself. I believe in the possibility of an afterlife and the possibility of a god or gods/goddesses but I do not live my life by them or what they'd want. I've never read the bible cover to cover and probably never will as I find it to be skewed to an unreadable degree.

Just for shits and giggles go watch Zeitgeist. This is why I don't believe that "Jesus" was a divine being. It's why I'm less inclined to believe that Christians alone have the right idea.

Originally posted by Moaky07

So these have become religion vs science brds now?

I dont understand how this topic continues....If God didnt create whatever caused the so called "BIG BANG"...then who did?

I believe a simple concept is that you cant have something from nothing.

Somewhere/somehow something had to of started it all. If you follow that trail back far enough, you have to come to what intitially set things in motion.

Athiests would have you believe there is no intelligent design.

I say hogwash.

Regeardless if it happened as described in Bible, I have no doubt there is something beyond mortals out there. Due to their intervention/actions, we have a universe to reside in.

Anyways can we take this to the off-topic brds plz?

If you don't understand God, you don't understand gaming, so this isn't off topic. The title of the thread is 'Games ARE real life' and we need to understand that, and talking about Life increases your gaming pleasure. I need to get everyone to understand that games ARE real life, for reasons that may become clear to you.

Life keeps getting better and better doesn't it? and a big part of that is gaming. It was all leading up to this. God worked very hard to give you the best life possible and I think we all know that that means making gaming a big part of your life. It all about this life time, forget about what happened in the past, it was all so we could play video games about it.

All life is ONE, and video games are not separate from Life, they are a big part of it and you can not separate video games from Life, for one thing video games were always God's Plan. The two best things in life are video games and sex. I love both and I want them to be good, otherwise it's not worth it. Ponder. Perhaps you are getting the most out of you gaming experience, perhaps not. Relationships are a what life is all about and video games are an excellent way to enhance your relationships as is the internet and computers. More pondering please. I am teaching you about LIfe and video games are a part of that, you just need to know that, through and through.

Remember... I Love you!

Peace out!

With all the "God" talk and his seemingly "uber-christian" approach to things it seems odd to have a name like "buddhaneo". I thought Christians were morally and religiously opposed to Buddhism. Mix that with Neo (a reference from the Matrix?) and you're basically combining two different faiths together as Neo represents "Jesus" in a way... Add to this the amount of posts and I think this is a troll. A troll who waited years to be a troll... Or just one of many alt accounts.

Or are you one of those weird cult leaders?

Personally i think we all live in a matrix world, where just a few people are willing to take the red pill...

The whole matrix series is kind of a metaphor for get your ass of the computer, go out of your own comfort zone, and go out in the unknown seeking answers, destiny and character to get durable fulfillment in life.

The evolutionary definition of life is Survival and replication. (The R-complex & The Limbic system)

The psychological definition of life is the ability to make decisions. (Neocortex)

How many decisions can you really make in a game, without being influenced and/or limited by the game itself?

Originally posted by winghaven1

hahaahahh  Games aren't Real life !! ... u need to get more out often then wearing a planket over ur head all the time u no lifer  if u play games all of ur life ull get fat and loneley poor and prolbary get evrything from u if thats ''JOY'' then u need a doctor

Reading comprehension is something you should work on.

Seriously, yours and many other posts have me wondering if *anyone* actually reads anymore. 

Like you, some people just seem to reply to a thread's title, completely skipping the post itself.

Then there are some that seem to skim a post, just looking for the right this or that so they can slap some dumbass cliche in their reply. It makes them look real cool ya know..

Seriously folks.. If you can't slow down and read someone's post while comprehending the message, please don't bother with the forums.

Obviously the OP wasn't saying that he condones playing games 24/7. 

Anyway, to the OP, I agree with you.  I was just talking to a friend of mine the other day along similar lines.   We were talking about people and how they view hobby 1 versus hobby 2.  It seems that gaming as a hobby is looked down upon.

And then there are people that actually see watching television as a lesser evil than playing games.  I, personally, hardly ever watch TV.  In fact there are only 2 shows that I like to follow - that's 2 hours a week that i actually watch TV.  I prefer to spend my free time gaming.  That's my choice and there shouldn't be a problem with it as long as I have my priorities straight.

Acidon

I start to feel that gaming has become the next gen religion, instead of being about competition and conquests. (why else do we like gambling and sports?) it has become a reality cult.. instead of designing your own reality (travel a lot, be adventures and novelty seeking.) People just go to the nearest store to buy a pre-designed reality for them self (much like a magic pill,  where they can pretend they are all the stuff they are not)  it surely works as a quick fix, but how long does it really last? it's not lasting happiness, and peak moments doesn't really have much value!

i believe that gameing is not a real life by nature, but it can easly become your lifestyle and than progress to become your identity (real life you) over time!

I play games (if not i wouldnt write here), but i cant really call myself a gamer, because i only play maby an 2-3 hours a week.. theres a big difference here.. because one of the parts is about something you do, the other part is about something you are.

on the sidenote:

"I dont value stuff that has more than one person besides me giving it value, because it's value dropped right there!"

Originally posted by buddhaneo

Originally posted by Moaky07

So these have become religion vs science brds now?

I dont understand how this topic continues....If God didnt create whatever caused the so called "BIG BANG"...then who did?

I believe a simple concept is that you cant have something from nothing.

Somewhere/somehow something had to of started it all. If you follow that trail back far enough, you have to come to what intitially set things in motion.

Athiests would have you believe there is no intelligent design.

I say hogwash.

Regeardless if it happened as described in Bible, I have no doubt there is something beyond mortals out there. Due to their intervention/actions, we have a universe to reside in.

Anyways can we take this to the off-topic brds plz?

 

If you don't understand God, you don't understand gaming, so this isn't off topic. The title of the thread is 'Games ARE real life' and we need to understand that, and talking about Life increases your gaming pleasure. I need to get everyone to understand that games ARE real life, for reasons that may become clear to you.

Life keeps getting better and better doesn't it? and a big part of that is gaming. It was all leading up to this. God worked very hard to give you the best life possible and I think we all know that that means making gaming a big part of your life. It all about this life time, forget about what happened in the past, it was all so we could play video games about it.

All life is ONE, and video games are not separate from Life, they are a big part of it and you can not separate video games from Life, for one thing video games were always God's Plan. The two best things in life are video games and sex. I love both and I want them to be good, otherwise it's not worth it. Ponder. Perhaps you are getting the most out of you gaming experience, perhaps not. Relationships are a what life is all about and video games are an excellent way to enhance your relationships as is the internet and computers. More pondering please. I am teaching you about LIfe and video games are a part of that, you just need to know that, through and through.

Remember... I Love you!

Peace out!

Laughing out loud. You are fucked up in the mind. How the hell are you not banned? Seriously. You are so far in the deep end of crazy, I think you might be scrapping the bottom.

Originally posted by Moaky07

I dont understand how this topic continues....If God didnt create whatever caused the so called "BIG BANG"...then who did?

You're suggesting it's preferable to fabricate a false answer than to simply admit, "We don't know." 

Doesn't that strike you as illogical?

Originally posted by brostyn

 No one has sat at their deathbed thinking "I should have been at the office more."

 

 

You're an incredibly lucky person to not know of the existence of these kinds of people, or to at least have not ever met one. There are tons of people who have done exactly what you said.

I do agree with your idea that games are a means to happiness and that each person can spend their own time playing as they see fit; it isn't someone elses place to say that they are wasting their own time. 

But I don't quite agree with games Being real life.  They would certainly be a part of every gamers life, but I wouldn't go so far as to say games are real life just because they provide joy.

I have now come to the conclusion that the OP is a troll.

www.collegehumor.com/video:1926079

Originally posted by Axehilt

Originally posted by Moaky07

I dont understand how this topic continues....If God didnt create whatever caused the so called "BIG BANG"...then who did?

 

You're suggesting it's preferable to fabricate a false answer than to simply admit, "We don't know." 

Doesn't that strike you as illogical?

'A Universe From Nothing' by Lawrence Krauss, AAI 2009

Here is a quote that applies to gaming and everything else I say.

"What is at stake is far from insignificant: it is how one should live one's life." from Plato's 'Republic'

If anyone has seen Flash Gordon here is a little tit bit for you - 'Gay Ming'. It's a little joke God played.

 Games are a hobby, like watching movies or playing tennis...a way to relax or blow off steam.  When I'm not doing those, I'm working, which almost is a hobby(FX artist) or spending time with my family or doing a combination of all of them=)