This article was brought to my attention by a friend of mine who found it on [url=http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com]Ctrl-Alt-Del[/url], a popular Web Comic.

---Journal Entry from Ctrl Alt Del---
From GamingHorizon.com:

"Earlier this month, gamer named Mitchell S. with the online screenname "Kuja105" who posts on a few online videogame forums (including GameFaqs.com and MetalGearSolid.org) committed suicide. On January 2 he posted a message in both forums detailing his intent to end his own life, citing overwhelming complications with school and finances.

A very brief period of initial disbelief was followed by a barrage of replies from fellow forum members pleading that he not take his life, trying to talk him out of it.

For days, no word was heard from Mitchell. Fearing the worst, members and administration from metalgearsolid.org began searching for contact information, spending hours on the phone trying to get in touch with him. Finally on January 4, Ryan K., an administrator at metalgearsolid.org, got him on the phone and spent hours desperately trying to talk him out of it.

Sadly, Mitchell soon ended his own life by consuming antifreeze and painkillers.

Later, members from the site contacted Mitchell's family to find out the grave news. They reported it to their online community, and posted a tribute to their passed friend on the front page of metalgearsolid.org." Full Report Here.
Mr. Jack Thompson then sent in the following letter regarding the situation to MetalGearSolid.org, one of the forums frequented by Mitchell, where he was known well:

"Your "gamer friend" will find peace through the Lord, Jesus Christ, but sadly it's too late for that.

There is a void in every heart. You can fill it up with the things of God, or the things not of God. This unfortunate soul chose to fill it up with combat games. The playing of these video games is masturbatory activity, meaning senseless self-stimulation. If you gamers could use a dictionary you would know that that term is not necessarily a sexual one.

The real tragedy here extends beyond the life and death of this one fellow. There are literally millions of young people and young adults whose despair is deepend by turning to the things of this world and then finding them meaningless.

All of you gamers need to put down the controllers and get a life. The utter inanity of the vast majority of postings here shows how vapid "gaming" really is.

You are one of the cheerleaders for this wasting of time and the wasting of lives. Do you feel any remorse for having contributed to this "culture of death?" Of course not. Hey, let's all play MORE games, and ignore all the really productive things to do with our lives.

Let's pretend to be shocked that a gamer might descend into deeper depression, as his gamer "buds," knowing he was killing himself, couldn't figure out how to call 911 themselves for him. That would have involved leaving their computers I guess.

Sad. Sad for all of you."

---End Journal Entry---

There's really no way to describe how much of a dick this guy really is. But if you have a few choice words, go ahead and share em.

And, I plan on buying one of these in the future...
[url]http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts/pennyarcade/7a15/[/url]

We should all go do something productive like play football right? Football is the most important thing ever. How about I pour my entire life into one of thousands of religions that nobody knows is true or not? Infatuating oneself with something that very well could be made up (people fail to realize that christianity is a very small percentage ofthe world's religious views, therefore making the odds of it being correct even smaller) like a religion seems kind of similar to video games doesn't it? How about I follow sports and watch the fucking news all day and devour everything I'm told? Goddammit stupid idiots piss me off.

/end of rant

Sigh. Jack Thompson is no more than an extremist-Christian griefer-troll.

Not to worry though. No one takes him seriously.

I thought the name Jack Thompson sounded very familiar, so I punched his name into Wikipedia.

[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Thompson_(attorney)[/url]

Now I remember. Just look at all the ridiculous lawsuits this guy started.

Missed a spot.

[quote="On January 20, 2006, MetalGearSolid.org"]

Once again, Mr. Thompson, you've proven that your ignorance knows no bounds. We're not going to participate in this war you wish to wage against us -- we're bigger than that. We're bigger than you.

This is a case where our tragedy is greater than the sum of our transgressions. The fact that you want to exploit the loss that both we and his family have suffered to forward your own selfish, religiously driven ambitions speaks volumes about the integrity (or lack, thereof) of your character, and it only serves to strengthen our resolve.

You can continue to try and discredit us and insult us, though no true man of God would do such a thing. We pity you and your ignorance, and only hope that someday you can come to terms with and mature away from your biggotry. As Metal Gear Solid fans, we have learned to believe in the best of individuals. We've learned to show charity. We've become better people, and through the loss of our friend, we've become a closer-knit community.

We forgive you, Jack, and we hope that God will do the same for you.[/quote]

Word.

Honestly, how counter-productive to one's alleged goal of spreading Christ's love can you be? What a dick.

[quote="a very not-nice man"]The utter inanity of the vast majority of postings here shows how vapid "gaming" really is.[/quote]
Lurking, however, saves lives.

[quote="discovolante"]Missed a spot.

[quote="On January 20, 2006, MetalGearSolid.org"]

Once again, Mr. Thompson, you've proven that your ignorance knows no bounds. We're not going to participate in this war you wish to wage against us -- we're bigger than that. We're bigger than you.

This is a case where our tragedy is greater than the sum of our transgressions. The fact that you want to exploit the loss that both we and his family have suffered to forward your own selfish, religiously driven ambitions speaks volumes about the integrity (or lack, thereof) of your character, and it only serves to strengthen our resolve.

You can continue to try and discredit us and insult us, though no true man of God would do such a thing. We pity you and your ignorance, and only hope that someday you can come to terms with and mature away from your biggotry. As Metal Gear Solid fans, we have learned to believe in the best of individuals. We've learned to show charity. We've become better people, and through the loss of our friend, we've become a closer-knit community.

We forgive you, Jack, and we hope that God will do the same for you.[/quote]

Word.[/quote]They pulled a Replica.

Hrm...awkwardly enough, a non aggressive movement by gamers was started...

[quote]A group calling themselves Flowers for Jack is taking donations to send an obscene amount of roses (With an attached, very civil, letter signed by anyone who wishes to take part) to Miami Lawyer and Gaming Culture Supervillian Jack Thompson. At the end of day 1, they have already collected 150 dollars in donations.[/quote]

Read it here:
[url]http://flowersforjack.livejournal.com/[/url]

Existentialists of the world unite.

"We love and welcome you as long as you pray to the same myth that we do. Otherwise, you deserve to die."

...A lovely sentiment expressed by certain followers of certain religions making it clear that 'God' is more dangerous than any video game. A "culture of death"? As I'm fond of noting, more people have been killed in the name of 'God' than for any other cause, ever. No matter how you look at it-- The Islamic form, as Allah, the Christian and Catholic versions...Anyone remember the dark ages? And now look. Since killing is illegal in modern society, we see little more than blatant bigotry and aggression from someone claiming to be a pure, good human being, even in the face of something as terrible as a fellow person feeling so overshadowed by the tension presented by today's world as to give up on himself and find the only way out he could, the comfort in the empty silence.

But, no. All he, and the rest of those like him see, for that matter, is someone who wasn't in with their crowd. "Well, sorry. That's what happens when you don't worship God."

Tell us all, Jack. Where is your God's supposed infinite kindness and mercy in your heart? It wouldn't sicken me so much if only you upheld the values which you use to shield yourself from things that blind faith is very uncomfortable with-- Reason, logic, knowledge.

Love your precious ghosts with every ounce of life in your veins, while some of the rest of us may try to sort out what's really wrong with this picture. It wasn't a chance for you to make an example and 'save a soul or two', you narrow-minded waste of breath, it was a suicide.

It may be considered a sin in your faith, but remember two things.

One-- Jesus preached forgiveness, not once did he call a name or say such awful things about anyone.

Two-- Pardon the loss of my eloquence, but you're a f*cking lawyer, so who are you to speak of virtue?


Rest well, Mitchell. May your journey be more calm from here. We wish you the best here at this dirty station near the star. Mission control probably looks a lot better from the rocket anyway.

P.S-- Jack-o here is a real Bible fanatic, isn't he? But, he obviously hasn't got all his facts straight...I'm not fond of it, but I read those beloved texts of theirs and it's honestly part of what made me decide to stay away from it. However, he's so obsessed with the subject matter that...Heh. Jack, you're what we in gaming culture call a 'Hopeless fanboy'. But, again, you don't have all your facts straight. We'd call that a 'damned dirty newb'. You're just like us. Welcome to hell. <3