Sin To Win

Last weekend, San Diego hosted Comic-Con, one of the largest comic and pop culture events in the world. Each year I keep a strong eye on the internet, living vicariously through bloggers and news sites. Who said what and the panels? What new projects were announced? What cool swag am I missing out on? And most importantly, which companies have done something stupid and tacky to market their product.

EA Games seem to have won the title of most inappropriate marketing for 2009 with their competition “Sin To Win!”

EA are promoting their new game, Dante’s Inferno. Based on the classic poem, the player will have to descend through the levels of Hell to rescue his beloved, hacking and slashing their way through whatever tries to stop them. I’d be really keen to hear from any gamers once this game comes out as I’m sure it will say a lot about what the world thinks of Hell.

Apparently, in order to promote the game, EA are choosing one of the seven deadly sins each month to promote. At Comic-Con, participants were encouraged to engage in the sin of Lust to win. Here’s how it worked:

For those who aren’t aware, Booth Babes are a marketing tool where you get good looking women in tight clothing drawing attention to your booth. It’s really a pretty demeaning tactic, both for the consumer and the girls involved. I think it’s a pretty lazy marketing tool as well as being ethically suspect. But this is taking it to the next level. Here these women are treated like objects in a scavenger hunt, where young men will “hunt” them down to take photos with, then post photos of them online like some kind of trophy. They are to do this in order to compete for the prize to spend a “sinful night” with even more women who are being treated like objects. All of this so they can indulge in Sin. Whoever thought this was a good idea needs to have a good hard look at themselves.

Beyond the fact that it treats women in an  inappropriate way, an act that as Christians we should find in and of itself abhorrent, it also glorifies sin. Sin is something to be enjoyed and indulged in. Sin is something that is so bad it’s good. Our societies fascination and obsession with sin portrays it as something ultimately harmless. Our world rarely shows sin for what it is: a break down in relationship. Sin is contrary to our makers instruction guide. When we sin, we hurt ourselves, those around us, and most importantly God. Sin is not something to be trivialised. Sin is not something to be glorified. And sin is not something to be pursued.

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”a: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:17-32)