A Cog in the Gears of War
12-03-2006
by Johann Snyder

Note: Gears of War is rated M for Mature and is not recommended for anyone 17 or under.

It's the killer app for the Xbox-360. It has overtaken Halo as the most popular game on Xbox Live. It's one of those rare games that lived up to the hype. It's the fastest selling game for the 360 so far, and it's sure to be a popular selection during the holiday season for gamers everywhere. I'm talking of course about Gears of War, and not only has it become a videogame phenomenon, it also happens to have a very important message for Christians.

Let me set the scene for those of you who are gaming impaired. Gears of War takes place on another planet sometime in the future. This planet has been overrun by an aggressive race known as the Locust Horde. The Locust dwelled underground, gathering their forces for a devastating strike on the surface; and initially, it looked as though their efforts to destroy all those living on the surface would be a complete success. That's where you come in. In the game, you play as Marcus Fenix, a solider in the Coalition of Ordered Governments and all around tough guy stud. In the game, you join up with other elite soldiers on an errand that will hopefully turn the tide against the gruesome, horrifying Locust. There isn't much to the story of Gears of War, but then, it's a game that really isn't about story; it's about action.

The heroes of Gears of War are the toughest tough guys you can think. Take the star of every action movie you've seen - like Ahhhnold or Sly or The Rock - and roll them all into one, then multiply their toughness by twenty and you have the soldiers that star in Gears of War. These guys shoot first and ask questions never; because asking questions is boring. They're about one thing; getting the job done, no matter how many bad guys and gruesome monsters or hellish places they have to go through to get that job done. These guys wear some of the biggest, baddest armor you've ever seen. They look like tanks or huge robots in their armor; but of course they're so tough that they don't need helmets. Sure they have enough armored plating to stop just about anything short of a direct hit by a fusion bomb, but wearing something to protect their head would make them look like wimps. This game is a walking, talking action movie cliché, and that's probably why it's so popular.

So by now you're probably wondering, "What's the point?" A fair question; especially considering that I claim to have found inspiration as a Christian in a fairly brutal and violentvideo game. But the fact remains that I have. You see, as I was playing the game, I couldn't help but admire the attitude of the protagonists in the game. They faced insurmountable odds as they battled the grotesque creatures of the Locust Horde. They were on an impossible mission to go straight into the heart of the enemy's lair in order to defeat them; and yet these heroes didn't even blink at the prospect. They grit their teeth and got the job done. Why? Because that's what they do. Blowing stuff up and surviving against the odds is all in a day's work for the soldiers of COG. They lock and load and fight every battle no matter how bleak, no matter how long the odds. Surrender isn't an option. There's no time to bleed. All that matters is sending the Locust back beneath the earth where they belong; this time to push up daisies. Quite frankly, such an attitude inspired the warrior spirit within me.

Perhaps we've become too comfortable behind the high walls of our church campuses. Perhaps we've become too accustomed to the safety of our Christian bubbles. As I played Gears of War, I couldn't help but be reminded of the fact that as a Christian, I too am at war. I am facing an enemy more devastating, more horrifying, more gruesome than anything in any video game. This enemy wants nothing less than world destruction and to take down as many lives as possible before the inevitable end comes. They are relentless, and they are devious, and they love Christians who are marginalized by apathy and comfort. However, Ephesians tells us "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." (Eph 6:11) It's a verse that we're all familiar with, but as I played Gears of War, I saw it in a new light. It's a call to battle. It's a call to strap on, lock and load, and get down and dirty in the grime of spiritual warfare. Why? Because it's what a Christian does. It's all part of the job. It's all in day's work. It's really just that simple. The reason we fight is because that's what we do. Does that seem circular in reasoning to you? Perhaps it is, but that doesn't bother the tough guys of COG, and it shouldn't bother the warriors of God either. We face dark times, and that can be frightening, but I don't want to be a marginal Christian who's perfectly comfortable in a safe environment isolated from what's really going on in the world. I want to be a Christian who takes action. I want to be one who straps on his armor and plunges head first into the thick of battle. I want to be one who grits his teeth and faces down the overwhelming odds and fights even the battles that look like losing battles. It's what this world needs, and what the enemy fears most. Most importantly; it's what I've been called to do as a Christian warrior.

It may seem strange to find such inspiration from a video game, but you can find that kind of inspiration just about anywhere in today's pop culture because when you come right down to it; every story is merely a reflection of The Story. So what about you? Are you ready to be a cog in the gears of a spiritual war that has eternal consequences? Or do you prefer to sit in the comfort of your home and merely pretend to be a warrior by playing some meaningless game? Me; I'm going to do both.