Does the Church of England have any rights over a virtual Manchester Cathedral?
Andy Merrett writes…
An almighty row (no pun intended, honest) has broken out between two giants: Sony and the Church of England.
It’s all down to the highly controversial use of Manchester Cathedral in Sony’s hit game “Resistance: Fall of Man”.
Both the Church, and relatives of victims of Manchester’s gun crime, have condemned Sony for producing the game, branding it “sick” and “highly irresponsible”.
Sci-fi it may be (the first-person shooter is annihilating aliens as they dash around the sanctuary toting a huge gun) – and that’s the line Sony is sticking to – but the Church of England is considering legal action if the game is not removed from shelves and if Sony do not apologise.
In the highly unlikely event that Sony do remove the game voluntarily from shelves, they’ll be reaching up to the number one shelf position – this controversy will probably just increase the game’s popularity.
So does it matter?
Well, putting the religious and moral views of this case aside for just a moment, should gaming companies seek permission to use recognisable locations in their games? Or is it enough to say that it’s an unreal world (however lifelike it looks on the latest hardware) and it’s fair game for use?
Sony say that they sought all the “necessary permissions”, but the Church obviously doesn’t agree.
Why did Sony feel the need to use Manchester Cathedral anyway? Would the game have been any less dramatic had it been set in an obviously fictional cathedral?
Perhaps not. I can’t really believe Sony thought they’d get away with this without causing a stir. Maybe it was deliberate?
There’ll always be controversy when a church is used in a non-traditional way. I can’t help feeling that Sony wouldn’t tread on the toes of any other religious group, but that’s not a debate for Tech Digest!
This kind of issue is only likely to escalate as virtual reality becomes ever more popular, and more realistic. Let’s draw it away from religion for a moment (or perhaps not) – would Apple be happy if Microsoft launched an Xbox game depicting people running round their Cupertino HQ shooting aliens, people, or (heaven forbid) Macs and iPhones?
How about what happens in worlds like Weblo and Second Life? Does anyone in the real world have the right to say what can happen with their virtual property?
There’ll come a time when no-one will be able to keep track, anyway. Virtual property is instantly duplicable. There could be a hundred Manchester Cathedrals lurking in cyberspace and video games, with just as many virtual things going on in them.
2 comments
MY NAME – NAVODIT RATNAM
DATE-OF-BIRTH – 12-10-1987
MY EMAIL- [email protected]
MY HOME TOWN- RAIPUR [C.G] INDIA
MY RECIDENCE-NAVODIT RATNAM
C/O J.C RATNAM
NEAR GOPAL STORES
RAJATALAB
RAIPUR 492001
CHHATTISGARH
INDIA .
MY PHONE-O7712420996
MY MOBILE-9425513909
MY SISTER-9424216334
HI dear all of you “PRAISE THE JESUS”. Wishing you in the name of his holy name LORD JESUS CHRIST. I am a Christian boy .i am very good follower of JESUS CHRIST . And now I accept him that he is my saviour LORD. I know you pray for me but I don’t know you are male or female but we all are same and one in GOD. That’s why I fell you as my friend to let you understand me .And I hope you might understand me.I am all these writing to you so it might be secret please I request you to do not show this to media.
My name is Navodit Ratnam .My date of birth is 12-10-1987.
First of all I want to tell you that I am a Christian boy I am a very good follower of LORD JESUS CHRIST . I start from start .when I was 9 so then from that I understand everything. I realize the conscience that what is wrong and what is right.
Sir,
People and my relatives came to meet in our family as this is common in every family .My relatives have children their children were some big and some were small and whenever they came there starts gossiping and laughing and parents asked each other children that when you grow up what you’ll became so the children said I’ll became DOCTOR any engineer any architect any teacher …etc. Then my number came and it will be asked what will you became when you grow up but I did not have answer after that for that moment and for formality I just said I’ll become doctor but there was nothing in my mind that what I will became when I grow up I didn’t have any tension about my future because I know JESUS . But from the beginning I am very good and I am very interested in motor speed and in machine and in technical works but I didn’t tell this to any one because if I tell them so then people make joke and make laugh with me because they thinks I will become an ordinary means any small mechanic and joke making they didn’t take it serious .Because in INDIA one mechanic and a motor engineer is poor and very low in position and even from that engineer and mechanic they didn’t talk and because of this I didn’t tell people that what I want to do and to prosper and to go ahead in my life even I didn’t tell my parents because even they do not understand me . When I was in 6 class I friendship with bad boys they were drunk and I started bad habits means only not alcohol and much more except drugs but I did not take any cokeing drugs .
Every Sunday I gone to church . I didn’t remember whose Sunday it was in that Sunday I saw a girl and her name is sunam she is still some bit younger then me means maximum in my age and in the church in the assembly of LORD I feel something something something and my heart does beats very fast and I don’t know what happened to me in that time I was having one good and something wonder feeling then after sometime I know I am come in love with her.
And dear friend before to saw that girl my life was in drunk as I tell you I done it I saw bad films and even I stool from my own house and I expand the money in bad works and I was completely ruin I was going to the way of death but when I come in love with her and then whenever I drunked ,I saw bad films , stool the money and tell lie and do bad works whenever I did all these things so I was having the feeling that she is standing among me and saying do not do this . After some days slowly I changed and after that when I talk to her and I said to her that I want to friendship with you then she saw me and said me I’ll think and tell you.
Dear friend ,
She is really very very beautiful and when people saw her so people watching her and watching her proceeding ……,.and others saw her in a bad eyes like x .
But don’t know why whenever I saw her and think about her I do not think to do x with her .
But whenever I saw her and whenever I think about her then I completely feel rest and happy and so refresh like I am starting some new. My mind my heart and my everything was clean with her and I was not having any wrong thinking and any wrong feeling about her even till now and slowly we started growing up I feel so uncomfortable and so hesitation I wanted to talk her but didn’t do then slowly she become model and her friendship with rich boys then after that I wish and wanted and didn’t talk because I felt that if I talk to her so they will make joke and laugh with me because I am from middle class family and I was not having that things that the rich boys have I was become frusted that every one have feeling before death I completely decided to sucide I will encounter my self and not only for this reason there are so many reason that I can not tell you in this and again I started drunk even I pray to GOD that oh! My lord show me the way and now he has given me the chance because I was weak in study and now my relatives make joke and make laugh with me that he is not studing and he can not do anything and can not go ahead and every time makes joke with me because here the thinking of people is like that only the person can study means he will go school ,he will go to college he will take degree then only he can go ahead [ here my relatives , my parents and the people are Christians they know JESUS but they don’t know who is JESUS CHRIST AND don’t know about his power, parents teaches their children about JESUS that he is GOD his worses , his commandments and about his life SPECIALLY OUR PARENTS . BUT THE REGRET AND THE SAD THINGS IS THIS WE CHILDREN NOW THERE COMES NEED TO TELL OUR PARENTS ABOUT JESUS CHRIST WHO IS HE ABOUT HIS POWER THAT WHO IS JESUS CHRIST , WHAT HE CAN DO ? , WHAT IS HIS POWER ?
THEY DO NOT TRUST IN HIM BECAUSE OF THIS REASONS THEY HAD NOT PROGRESS AND STAYING THE SAME POOR AND SAD LIFE BUT WE CHILDREN KNOW ABOUT JESUS CHRIST THAT WHO IS HE ? WHAT IS HIS POWER ? AND HE IS EVERYTHING AND HOW HE LOVES US SO SO MUCH AND HE GIVES US FEELING OF CONFIDENCE AND ABSOLUTELY WE TRUST IN HIM AND WE WANT TO PROGRESS AND WANT TO GO AHEAD BECAUSE WE KNOW HE IS WITH US AND HE CAN NOT LEFT US AND CAN NOT FORGET US AND HE WILL BE WITH US AND WITH HIS HELP WE WILL PROGRESS AND GO AHEAD BECAUSE WE ABSOLUTELY TRUST IN HIM AND YOU CAN HELP ME
About the people they say haa!!!!! What he will do and make me laugh in subject but ,first of all I am now here because of JESUS, and my younger sister shipra and her friends one of loveleen and one of shalu her friends are not very close to me only my sister I am really very close with my sister shipra the only person in the world who understands me she always encourage me and almost with me even till now she is with me and whenever I innerly sad and frusted she comes to me and talk to me and she says please do not do this do not sad your mind because JESUS is with you he loves you and he will never ever left you and never ever forget you even if the earth shaken . Because you surrender in his hand .
And almost she shows me this worse “ GOD IS OUR SHELTER AND STRENGTH AND ALWAYS READY TO HELP IN TIMES OF TROUBLE SO WE WILL NOT BE AFRAID EVEN IF THE EARTH IS SHAKEN ”.
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD I HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED.
Because of that there comes to me to stay one new life .
Every one in my family loves me but sometimes says like that I innerly get hurt,and my trust and confidence get short and less but my JESUS and my younger sister always support me and always encourage me in everything .
Because of I do not study my parents do not talk to me well and whenever I say something by my own so always they neglect me and always taunt me,and whenever I discus about my future that I want to become like that so instead of giving me the couragement they often tell me about my weakness . and order me to study in agriculture college but I don’t want to study in agriculture college I want to go in Moto gp. and I am completely interested in this . and I feel like that my JESUS CHRIST has given me this gift and this ability is from him and my thinking is he has make me for this not for study because I am very good in this and whenever I do this work { I mean ‘[whenever I ride my bike so feel like that JESUS angels are all around me AND feel much save but when I do other work so I do not feel save and I do not consantrate who is ahead me and who is behind me I don’t care of anybody at all . I FEEL LIKE THAT JESUS IS AMONG MEANS AHEAD ME AND CALLING ME AND I SEEMS LIKE THAT HE IS GOING FAR FROM ME SO THEN THAT’S WHY I RIDE VERY FAST AND IN A VERY HIGH SPEED AND FOR THAT MONENT I DON’T CARE ANYTHING THAT IN WHAT SPEED I AM IN . AND IN MY THOUGHT MEANS IN MY MIND ALMOST IT COMES THIS “THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD I HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED”.
The reason is that I do this work not only for me but those who are in trouble and want to say those
Who are of other religion I want to tell them about JESUS And want to help poor because I am also one poor and I know what is poverty . in this I am not having any worth .
One time you trust me and see . I will go and ride bike and gain money and that money I do not want in my hand . but I want one room to stay ,some food to eat .
And dear friend if you help me when I will win so all the money I will give you in your hand and I thought you will invest the money in helping the poor and old people only for the lords people in the assembly of lord .
And I am having one biggest request with you that you will not tell anybody about me that boy is doing this work . FOR GOD SAY AND WITH THE COMMANDMENTS OF JESUS CHRIST YOU CAN DO THIS FOR ME I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME BECAUSE YOU ARE MY LAST HOPE.
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hi i have been tried all these but none is responding i have only bcoz i am compel to going collage outside of my state by my family pressure my parents they want me to see in achievement of collage they do not understands i want to achieve in other thing i am best in that bcoz JESUS has given me this.
HI SIR
PLZ SAND THIS MAIL TO V. ROSSI THE DOCTOR 46 YAHAMAHA GOD/ PLZ SIR HELP ME /I AM A VERE POOR BOY PLZ HELP ME / FOR GOD SAY/
dear THE DOCTOR VALENTINO ROSSI i’m sonu and i’m your very biggest fan in the world and you never find in the world like me i am mad lover of your i’m in love with you don’t scared i mean you are my life and my ideal and i respect you too much i’m asian Indian and I LOVE YOU THIS MUCH MORE THAN YOU . i want to participate you i’m a very poor boy i mean i’m not in a position to participate but i’m very good bike rider like you if i got the chance so i come progresss ahead
so well and if you help me i do fell good because
whatever you want that always fulfil because
JESUS is with you and his blessings just want one
chance to progress ahead and i’ve confidane i do not make
you hurt please help me i want to become VALENTINO ROSSI 2
and i want become your student because you are my master
my age is 20 i’m slim like you and nobody is here to help
me expect JESUS even i dont have any family support and i hope you sure help me.
ONLY YOU CAN HELP ME
my residence-
jacob ratnam
near gopal general stores
rajatalab RAIPUR 492001
Chhattisgarh
INDIA.
MY phone no 07712420996
MY mobile 09425513909,09424216334.
MY e-mail [email protected] Thanking you
with love
sonu.
hi sir i am poor boy and everyone has having his ablity so by their abilty they go ahead in their life and become successful so sir i am also having the ablity of bike riding and GOD has given me this ablity so i also want become prosperous and want to go ahead in my life and want to do something similarly like you in my life .i am having 12 year experience of bike riding. if i got one chance so that i will go ahead and want to let know and introduce the world INDIA also by this ablity and i promise to you i will not disappoint you never . i only want your support because nobody is helping me . rossi he is 7 times world champ in MOTO GP world but i will never want to come ahead you BCOZ VALENTINO ROSSI WAS CHAMPION , IS CHAMPION AND WILL PROCEED EVER and only you mach in first position not in second or third .i hope you help me and support so i will be highly obliged . rossi i want to join you .you are my idol. you to the doctor back in bussiness i just want practice and teachings of rossi i want to become valentino rossi 2 .sssss
but i am having SOME PROBLEMS
1. FINANCIAL
2.TEAM SUPPORT
3.FAMILY SUPPORT EXCEPT MY SISTER
4.GOVERNMENT SUPPORT.
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Hi, Dear copany I’m Navodit Ratnam and i am a very good bike rider i can ride bikes excellent like valentino rossi he had been seven times world champion in moto gp world and i am like him i have also battle hero honda karisma by BAJAJ DISCOVER DTSI 125CC the track was about 12kms and in that the turning ways was 8 in long ways riding it was about 2,4,and 5 kms and in long ways he was first because my bike was 125cc and his bike was 250cc but in turning ways i was first because i am expert in long,short and in every turns my bike has help me because my BAJAJ bike is king of turning and in controlling power and in every long short distances AND BY our INDIA none person has gone to moto gp and i wanna to take first BAJAJ in high i want to make OUR INDIA proud my interest is in bike riding but sir i am unable to participate and to enroll because my position is not provided to go.but sir if i got one chance so i assure you i will win because i can ride bikes very fast and very good and i hope you will help me. THIS MAIL I HAVE SENDED ONE COMPANY BUT THEY DIDNT SHOW ANY INTEREST.
ONLY ONLY ONLY ONLY ONLY YOU YOU YOU CAN HELP ME.
N.C.RATNAM
The principle at stake here is the unauthorised capturing and use of the internal images of the church.
Doug
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