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DOD Stops Plan to Send Christian Video Game to Troops in Iraq

August 15, 2007 11:19 AM

Dodstopsplan_mn Plans by a Christian group to send an evangelical video game to U.S. troops in Iraq were abruptly halted yesterday by the Department of Defense after ABC News inquired about the program.

Operation Start Up (OSU) Tour, an evangelical entertainment troupe that actively proselytizes among soldiers, will not be sending the "apocryphal" video game in care packages as planned, according to the department. 

"Left Behind: Eternal Forces" was inspired by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins' best-selling book series about the battle of Armageddon, in which believers of Jesus Christ fight the Antichrist.

The game has inspired controversy among freedom of religion advocates since it was released last year. 

"It's a horrible game," said the Rev. Timothy Simpson of the Christians Alliance for Progress. "You either kill or covert the other side. This is exactly what the Osama bin Ladens of the world have portrayed us."

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Troy Lyndon, the producer of the game, said the game's "warfare" is not violent, and that it emphasizes "spiritual battles" over fighting with guns. The game gives incentives to recruit believers instead of killing the forces of the Antichrist, according to Lyndon.

Lyndon added, "There is no forcible conversion to Christianity, and killing is never an objective in any of the 40 missions in the game."

A team of researchers at the Military Religious Freedom Foundation discovered OSU Tour's plan to send the game to Iraq, and their discovery was first reported by Max Blumenthal in The Nation last week.

MRFF President Mikey Weinstein said he is gratified the Pentagon "claims it is going to cease this provocative act" that emboldens organizations like the Taliban and al Qaeda.

"I doubt this will prevent unconstitutional activity in the Pentagon with regards to freedom of religion for more than just a few days," said Weinstein.

OSU Tour is one of the newest members of the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which connects citizens and corporations with members of the military and their families at home and abroad.

OSU Tour's entertainment aims to help military children and families become stronger through faith-based entertainment, according to its Web site. Sports personalities, comedians and actors, including Stephen Baldwin, make up the show.

OSU president Jonathan Sprinks in a recent press release said of Baldwin, "Since God made a difference in his life, he's been very outspoken."

Sprinks came under fire from bloggers for writing on his Web site, "We feel the forces of heaven have encouraged us to perform multiple crusades that will sweep through this war-torn region," about OSU Tour's planned trip to Iraq. "We'll hold the only religious crusade of its size in the dangerous land of Iraq."

The above text has been removed from Sprinks' site but can be viewed on the cached page.

Sprinks did not return requests for comment on this article.

The Defense Department's only comment on the record was that the OSU Tour is "currently not planning on sending any care packages to the troops in Iraq."

In addition to the game, OSU Tour's "Freedom Packets" were supposed to include pocket-sized editions of the New Testament, evangelical DVDs and books, baby wipes and phone cards, according to its Web site.

This post has been updated.

Do you have a tip for Brian Ross and the Investigative Team?

August 15, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (76)

User Comments

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Game in the name of God or car bomb in a crowded market in the name of God and the game angers you.

Posted by: Isador Vulcan | Aug 15, 2007 6:51:39 PM

Oh yeah everyone, lets replace something "Christian" with porn mags. If that is the caliber of some troops.

Posted by: Sereneladee | Aug 15, 2007 7:12:21 PM

Good job terrorist loving anti-christian ABC News on stopping this video game. Are you going to follow up and team up with CAIR to have one were Islamic terrorist kill the christians and other unbelievers in the middle east instead to replace it?

Posted by: Jeff | Aug 15, 2007 7:32:45 PM

This is an indication that the Christian Right has become the most radicalized element in this country. It is time for DHS to wake up to this fact instead of constantly picking on easy targets like American Muslims.

Don't forget that the various connotations of "crusade" and "jihad" mean essentially the same things.

Posted by: Chris | Aug 15, 2007 9:14:30 PM

Sereneladee, try growing up for a minute; you have no idea whatsoever of the physical and mental stress that combat induces, let alone the plain fact that these young people are away from loved ones (and the benefits of life in the U.S.) for up to a year and a half straight. Compound that with the fact that you're 19, and your hormones are going crazy.

You need an outlet...and I'm not too sure that being a christian conflicts with watching porn on your downtime in a war zone, anyway. You don't have to "replace" one with the other, either...it has absolutely nothing to with the "caliber of the troops", who are the most professional, best trained, and most dedicated warriors on the planet.

Go ahead, be petty and judge other people, Sereneladee...that's one of the most un-christian characteristics that I could find in anybody...

Posted by: Me Think You Stink | Aug 15, 2007 9:29:29 PM

Again with all of this religious nonsense. Get a life or take pity on the rest of us and take yours and leave the rest of us out of it. After all, religion is for the individual. Let's keep it that way. The big brain of ours does have it's downside. So all of you brainiacs that have the time to be religious in fulfillment please remember that the person standing next to you may not view the world as you do.

Posted by: viet vet | Aug 15, 2007 10:02:32 PM

It's unfortunate that so many lies have been spread about this game, and it's just sad how many otherwise intelligent people have mindlessly and unquestioningly swallowed the lies because of their prejudice against evangelical Christians. Not one person who has criticized the game as promoting "convert or kill" violence against non-Christians has ever pointed to exactly where in the game it is promoted. Not one. Ask them and they dodge the issue. They are liars and they know it.

Posted by: Jason | Aug 15, 2007 11:26:23 PM

These evangelical zealots are not true Christians by any stretch of the imagination, so there's no point in tarring those that are with the same brush.

Posted by: squirrel | Aug 16, 2007 1:42:12 AM

Convert or kill is also the philosophy of the Islamists like Osama Bin Ladin. It is clear that the Christianists and the Islamists have exactly the same mindset and philosophy and only disagree about to which religion one is to convert or kill.

Posted by: CaptainVideo | Aug 16, 2007 3:57:07 AM

"They don't mind offending christians whenever..."

Most Christians are not offended by preventing the lunatic fringe of Christianity from sending their loony propaganda to the troops. The religious nuts responsible for this deserve to be offended.

Posted by: CaptainVideo | Aug 16, 2007 4:00:53 AM

No James it is not un-American to stop these videos in a care package. You do not have a right to have special proseltysing rights.
Religion and spirituality are between an individual and there God or whatever they do.
You don't have the right to brainwash people.
It doesn't matter if you are a fervent believer. You don't have the right to impose your religion on our political system.
You also do not have the right to take over our military.
Nobody is warring with Christianity. You don't have the right to claim that someone is threatening you after you kick them in the groin. Grow up and go away.

Posted by: yeranalyst | Aug 16, 2007 4:23:35 AM

I am so glad there has been an halt to imposing the fanatical right wing Christian video game to the soldiers in Iraq. It is incredible that we have managed to allow and give credibility to so much ignorance and insanity into high and powerful places. The American people relly need to wake up and pay attention to the kind of people we elect to repreesent us. All of the countless serious problems we are currently having is a result of too many sleeping people accepting and supporting George Bush and people like him.

Posted by: Mary Dawkins | Aug 16, 2007 5:05:00 AM

Yeah, Weinstein's right, but still -- Stephen Baldwin as celebrity spokesperson? I mean, fer christsake, Stephen Baldwin?
Dudes, they need that game. Who the hell's gonna come see Stephen Baldwin? Jeesh, if I acted like Stephen Baldwin I might be tempted to ask forgiveness, too. Lemme pose this: Now that you know Stephen Baldwin is involved do you really want to be born again?
Imagine -- eternity with Stephen Baldwin, oh, and Kirk Cameron, too!

Posted by: MysteryBoy | Aug 16, 2007 7:24:20 AM

I think at this stage in the game, what most of the troops in Iraq want is a ticket home.

Posted by: Ian McGarrett | Aug 16, 2007 8:22:32 AM

This is just fundamentalist christianity showing its usually hidden side.
The scary thing is not that they would come this close to getting this game into the hands of troops. The scary thing is that they whole-hearedly believe that they are totally justified in doing so.

At least with a muslim fundamentalist you get an open, head-on approach that is easy to detect. With these deceptive christian zealots, detection is many times impossible until their trap is sprung.

Posted by: dean d. | Aug 16, 2007 8:34:22 AM

Our country is being subjected to these so called Christians and their views constantly! As a veteran who served this country, I am outraged at what the Pentagon is doing and allowing these people to do! These so called Christians want to force their beliefs on everyone and will commit outrageous acts or crimes against humanity to do it. Just look at Bush and the so called born again Christian. I am a Christian but not of the ilk these fools are.

Posted by: Neva S. | Aug 16, 2007 9:12:49 AM

"I think some of you are intolerant and look for ANY excuse to criticize someone of Christian faith." -

Criticism of a video game that allows people to play at being generals commanding a paramilitary army attacking and religiously "cleansing" a major American city is not criticism of Christianity...

Unless Christianity demands, as Pastor John Hagee claims of Islam, religious war.

But, I don't think Christian belief mandates that Christians engage in religious war, and I would have found it highly offensive were my taxpayer dollars going to subsidize sending a video game, to US troops in Iraq, that let them play out waging religious war on their fellow American citizens.

Posted by: Bruce Wilson | Aug 16, 2007 9:17:20 AM

I'm glad to see this forced propaganda stunt was thwarted. As a conservative Christian, I continue to be disgusted by the antics of these fundamentalist who spew their 'last days' propaganda. I do not trust a single one of them. This stuff is so over the top it is ridiculous.

I detest all fundamentalist/radical religious groups. They have numerous fear tactics to keep their flock in check. Keep your 'last days' and over interpretations of the Bible to yourself.

If someone wants to send something to the troops, send them a thank-you note and remind them how we sincerely appreciate their service to the USA!

Posted by: Jeff | Aug 16, 2007 9:38:53 AM

I'm glad to see this forced propaganda stunt was thwarted. As a conservative Christian, I continue to be disgusted by the antics of these fundamentalist who spew their 'last days' propaganda. I do not trust a single one of them. This stuff is so over the top it is ridiculous.


I detest all fundamentalist/radical religious groups. They have numerous fear tactics to keep their flock in check. Keep your 'last days' and over interpretations of the Bible to yourself.

If someone wants to send something to the troops, send them a thank-you note and remind them how we sincerely appreciate their service to the USA!

Posted by: Jeff | Aug 16, 2007 9:56:12 AM

I'm amazed and appalled at those who claim "right-wing" Christianity and religion, in general, breed hatred. Re-read those comments. So many of them are dripping with as much hate as they purport that religion breeds.

True tolerance not only supports the right for non-religious views to be trumpeted, but also for anyone to have the right to voice their religious views and even encourage others (within reason) to share those views.

Posted by: Muzakmaniac | Aug 16, 2007 10:08:28 AM

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