Why are Horror Games so Hard to Play as a Christian Youtuber?!

I have found myself struggling so much lately on trying to record myself playing horror games. Objectively it is the biggest genre online when it comes to reacting to videos games. I can't bring myself to playing much of them anymore and it falls into two categories: personal spiritual warfare and being a bad role model.

Horror games usually glorify or highlight certain aspects that go against my beliefs. It may not be the games themselves, but the outcomes of playing these games open a doorway that glorify things that aren't God. I am a Christian and I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sins. The tropes many horror games usually showcase are demonic incantations, cult-like behaviors, or even the devil himself. As I grow in my faith, I find myself more and more uncomfortable with horror games that show pentagons, rituals, or sacrifices. The games themselves usually portray those things as antagonistic, but the more times I play them, the more desensitized I feel towards playing these games with these kinds of tropes. I genuinely feel like I am sinning when I do play these games. I want to preface this first. I am starting to be spiritually weak in this category. There are other Youtubers out there that are both Christians AND play horror games. I am glad to see that they don't feel the same convictions I do, and frankly, I still enjoy watching it (ironic I know) as a consumer.

Once again, it's the games themselves that don't glorify God (sometimes). It's the outcomes of those games that create communities that end up glorifying those tropes as a "good" thing or a "cozy" thing. I don't want to mention specifics, but I hope you get the point.

I think the hard part for me is that because I have a ton of viewers watching my content, I feel like I have this obligation to be careful of what I show online. I do have a choice in what i show in my videos and I do feel like what I showcase affects viewers. I don't want to potentially lead viewers down the wrong path. God gave me the role of a leader/role model. What I say and do does affect people's views in their own lives and that sometimes makes me feel like I walk on eggshells with horror games. There are a ton of verses in the Bible that tackle this specific topic: "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." - Matthew 18:6 "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction." - 2 Peter 2:1 "For those who guide this people have been leading them astray, and those who are guided by them are swallowed up." - Isaiah 9:16 "So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ..." - 1 Peter 2:1-25 Basically, I have a role to play as a Christian who has a ton of people who watch my videos. Because I have the choice to decide what I make and what I show, I want to choose the path that brings people to Jesus. On a side note, I don't mind playing thriller games or video games that don't glorify the devil. It's just that so many horror games follow that mindset. These are the reasons why I simply can't play a lot of horror games on my channel anymore.

With that being said, I pray that this blog somehow gets you to know the love of Jesus more. I love Jesus so much, that I am willing to cut stuff out of my life to pursue him more and I pray that you can see how much he has changed me, even if it's as simple as removing the devil or anything related to him from my channel. I want to glorify him in everything I do and I pray that my love for him shines out for everyone to see. - Lumi_Night