Usually we see people in the media speaking against video games. Today, we come across a rather unusual scene. A Catholic Bishop speaks out against Australia's proposed R18+ rating for video games.

However, while doing so he's essentially advocating the banning of video games that are deemed too graphic for an MA15+ rating. It's a double edged sword, but hey, at least he's not saying that video games are the spawn of Satan!

DESENSITISATION to violence or sexual imagery does not promote the dignity of the human person and, as such, is not in our best interests as individuals nor as a society, says Bishop Julian Porteous, auxiliary Bishop of Sydney.

“The causes of violence and crime in society is a very complex problem,” he said.

“We need not add to this problem with games that numb our natural repulsion to violence and, with regard to sexually explicit games, reduce women in particular to mere objects of instant self gratification.”

The most violent video games on the market could soon be sold in Australia after the Federal Government said it was considering updating the classification system for games to include an R18+ rating.

Avalith via catholicweekly.com.au »