US Hindus criticize India's first game

US Hindus criticize India's first game

Sony's managed to offend Christians and Muslims in recent years, and now, Hindu adherents are taking the Japanese console maker to task.

At issue is a Playstation 2 game called "Hanuman: Boy Warrior", reportedly the first console game developed entirely in India. It allows its players to control Hanuman, a key figure in Hindu mythology, and that's riled up the president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, Rajan Zed, who said in a press release: "Controlling and manipulating Lord Hanuman with a joystick/button/keyboard/mouse was denigration. Lord Hanuman was not meant to be reduced to just a 'character' in a video game to solidify company/products base in the growing economy of India."

I understand why people would take offence of their games if they are badly viewing some group, but according to Sony, they actually haven't done anything wrong here, even portraying the lord as a character winning over Evil …

Except for it being a religious thing, I actually realy liked this quote:

If you're keeping score, Sony has now offended dignitaries from all three of the world's dominant religions in less than two years.

If someone made a game with Jesus as the main character, unless it did something which would really be offensive, I wouldn't make an issue of it. A little perspective would be nice once in a while!!

I would completely turn around the "Sony offended" quote, and instead write it as it is;
"Both Christians, Muslims and Hindus have managed to extort their power upon Sony in recent years".

Because that's really all that the demand to not be "offended" is; a demand for power and recognition. A disagreement that respect is gained for actions and merit but should instead should be given automatically or else.

Making satire, no matter how offensive, of any religious character should be equal to making the same for any icon for any ideology. Being allowed to trashtalk any leader or authority, whether real or not, whether religious or not, is a key aspect in a working democracy. If such criticism cannot be opposed through gaining good reputation and good arguments, but instead censorship and demand for respect, then it's time for that leader to be taken down quicker than you can spell Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.

Go say that in an Islamic nation like Iran!!

Originally Posted by Corwin
Go say that in an Islamic nation like Iran!!

The Islamic Nations act as an icon for what this corrosion of western values lead to.

Remember that the US democracy is an exception in the world, the rest have stood for max a couple of generations, getting repeatedly challenged by groups that wish it to go away. For that fragile free society to prevail we cannot give automatic respect to any totalitarian agenda. If we do that, how are we going to inspire the people of Iran and Saudi-Arabia to demand their freedom? We will never be able to do anything about Iran if we strive to be like them!

On a related note :
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090428/…faith_fighters

Faith Fighter.

Personally I found Bible Fight to be funnier, but God's "Holy Ghost" attack in Faith Fighter made me laugh.

Originally Posted by JemyM
The Islamic Nations act as an icon for what this corrosion of western values lead to.

Remember that the US democracy is an exception in the world, the rest have stood for max a couple of generations, getting repeatedly challenged by groups that wish it to go away. For that fragile free society to prevail we cannot give automatic respect to any totalitarian agenda. If we do that, how are we going to inspire the people of Iran and Saudi-Arabia to demand their freedom? We will never be able to do anything about Iran if we strive to be like them!

WHAT??????? The US democracy is not an exception. Countries like Canada, Australia and England have had democracies for far longer than a couple of generations. You certainly take extreme positions on issues!!

Originally Posted by Corwin
WHAT??????? The US democracy is not an exception. Countries like Canada, Australia and England have had democracies for far longer than a couple of generations. You certainly take extreme positions on issues!!

The EU democracies all have restrictions on freedom of speech, though. Not sure about Canada and Australia/New Zealand.

They are very similar to what you have in the US. If anything they may be more liberal. We're not as much into litigation as the US

Well, libel and slander cases are notoriously hard to win in the US. If I went on the news and said that Jay Leno murders puppies it'd be hard to convict me. Doesn't mean he wouldn't crush me solely because of court fees, though.

Based on what Trine Game Studios did with Gothic 3: Forsaken gods, I don't think India should ever be allowed to develope another game!

Originally Posted by Corwin
They are very similar to what you have in the US. If anything they may be more liberal. We're not as much into litigation as the US

Actually the Libel and slander laws in the UK and Australia are much stronger in the US so R is right in that respect - not that I think they have much to do with democracy. Not sure where Canada's are.

Faith Fighter II is released.

Love religion, or the world will end.

Originally Posted by V7
Actually the Libel and slander laws in the UK and Australia are much stronger in the US so R is right in that respect - not that I think they have much to do with democracy. Not sure where Canada's are.

Just in terms of … you can actually punish people for voicing bad/unpopular opinions in most EU countries. Holocaust Denial is a crime with a prison sentence in a good deal of Europe, here you can say the Holocaust never occurred and Hitler was the best person in the history of the whole entire world ever and the worst thing that could happen to you is getting punched in the throat.

Originally Posted by Rithrandil
Just in terms of … you can actually punish people for voicing bad/unpopular opinions in most EU countries. Holocaust Denial is a crime with a prison sentence in a good deal of Europe, here you can say the Holocaust never occurred and Hitler was the best person in the history of the whole entire world ever and the worst thing that could happen to you is getting punched in the throat.

Still, Freedom House ranks most of Western Europe higher than the United States. See the thread on P&R for details.