“Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways; for the LORD detests the perverse, but He is a friend to the upright.”

Many Gen Z youth have no idea how blood in video games was such a hot topic in the 90s. Back in the day, games shied away from blood and gore (with a few notable exceptions) because video games were mostly for kids and geeky dads who loved tinkering with computers. Enter Midway’s Mortal Kombat series in 1992, where photo-realistic fighters could shed blood, decapitate heads, rip off arms, and pull out hearts. It was a huge jump in violence from the Street Fighter series.

The concerned parents of the world took to arms, protesting, banning, and taking legal action against the game. My own mother wouldn’t let me have it until I begged her nonstop. Mortal Kombat was edgy, gritty, and way more adult than those kiddie fantasy games. I felt so cool memorizing all the fatalities. And then other fighting games cloned Mortal Kombat’s edginess, like Primal Rage, Tattoo Assassins, Time Killers, Killer Instinct, and Way of the Warrior (most of those games did poorly).

Cut to 2026, and now video games with blood and dismemberment are not that impressive. Games with gore aren’t as big a deal, and blood is just a special effect. At the same time, it is so ingrained in our culture that it is no longer shocking. In fact, Mortal Kombat has to ramp up the violence to satisfy a new generation of gamers.

I have to remember Proverbs 13:31-32 “Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways; for the LORD detests the perverse, but He is a friend to the upright.”

Surely, God must hate all violence, especially in video games. Everyone in the Bible was all about peace treaties and singing harmonious songs together. Right?

BUT WAIT

What about the most violent man in the Bible? I am talking about Samson, a divinely appointed judge who was famous for killing hundreds of Philistines with his bare hands. If Samson can dismember legions of warriors with a donkey’s jawbone, then surely God wouldn’t mind me playing violent and gory video games.

Let’s examine Samson’s life. Although he was a judge appointed by God, he chose a path that led to very negative consequences. Samson struggled with self-control. God gave him specific guidelines as a judge, such as avoiding dead animals and refraining from cutting his hair, but Samson repeatedly disobeyed them. Additionally, he formed unhealthy relationships with the enemies of Israel due to his inability to control his desires. Samson’s story ultimately ended in defeat, as his enemies exploited his weaknesses. His boastful nature and penchant for violence made the Philistines eager to eliminate him, while his attraction to a beautiful woman contributed to his downfall. His life serves as a warning to those who act impulsively on emotion. Although God used him for significant military victories against Israel’s enemies, it was the aspects of Samson’s life that he couldn’t control that ultimately led him into trouble.

There’s a correlation between following our selfish and primal impulses and ruining the future we really want. That is why we seek purity. Not only can we see God in our lives with purity, but we can also ensure a better future by detesting perverse things.

I spent my teenage years memorizing fatalities in Mortal Kombat, but now I need to practice being free of selfish impulses, violent fantasies, and perverse thinking.