Website created!...

Concerned Parent wrote:

Dear Sir or Madam:

I wish to direct your attention to an online game that many of your youth parishioners may currently be playing, Runescape. This is an online role playing game based in Medieval times. It has been in existence for over a decade and is in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the highest membership of any MMORPG game. Furthermore, this game has a history of being represented and marketed as a “family friendly game”.

While Jagex, the company responsible for the online game, has stated in its terms and conditions of use that the game is not intended for children under the age of 13, they have and do market the game to minors under the age of eighteen. A large portion of the game's demographic is comprised of minors from all over the globe, as well as here locally.

The reason for this letter is to inform you of the recent change in the atmosphere of Runescape. The evolution of the game is no longer what one could consider to be “family friendly”, let alone to be used by unsupervised minors.

In the past year, Jagex has loosen their “language filter” to allow obscene words to be typed, displayed, and read by anyone who wishes. The company did implement an Auto-Filter option. The option, when engaged, will replace designated obscene words with asterisks, so that the viewer does not know what was said. However, the option to censor obscene words can be turned off with the click of a button by the user. (A parent may engage the filter – however their child may turn if off at will.)

While it may be impossible to protect teens from hearing obscene language, they should not be subject to gambling, and yet they are. Runescape has implemented what they call “Squeal of Fortune”. This is a giant graphical roulette wheel. The wheel is set into motion and the player stops it by pressing a button. Each slot of the wheel contains an in-game prize that the player can win, some considered to be “rare items”. Along with this, Jagex has added the ability for players to purchase spins. The player spends real life currency for the chance to spin the wheel and win a virtual prize.

Under current United Kingdom (country of origin for Jagex) internet game laws, this practice does not constitute gambling. The argument for such reasoning is that virtual items have no real life value. However, it is merely a matter of time before that view is challenged. There are already international case precedents where judges have ruled virtual items have real life values. Moreover, people have been assaulted in real-life over virtual items. Link to one such story: (http://www.videogamer.com/pc/runescape/news/runescape_theft_now_a_real-world_crime.html )

Regardless of the current legal definitions, the common person would define it as gambling. One is risking something of value for a chance to win something of greater value. It has been designed, marketed, and deployed to resemble a casino environment. I have included links to the company's own website in regards to this so that you may judge for yourself.

Children under the age of eighteen should not be exposed to gambling. They should not be allowed to participate in it – let alone having the ease to do so that only requires a credit card number that can easily be obtained.

I ask that you review the information for yourself. If you feel as I do, that this should not be allowed in the lives of our minors, please inform your congregation, the parents of children playing this game. Let them know that they may not be protecting their children as they thought, that the wolf may be in their homes already.

Thank you in advance for you time and consideration in this matter.

A Concerned Parent

Official description:
http://services.runescape.com/m=rswiki/en/Squeal_of_Fortune

Linda Field wrote:

Janice
You are welcome. I should have more soon. Brother Shaun said he would have them for me soon. Have a good night and God Bless!!

Janice Bly wrote:

Hi Linda, I cannot thank you enough for posting Pastor Trescott's messages. They are such a blessing to me. I am so looking forward to the next group of messages you post. I have listened to the eight that are there several times over. I am looking forward to the next time we travel down that way to visit the with Fitch's and attending services again at Sunnyview. Please pray for my husband that the Lord would see fit to save his soul. Thank you for all the hard work you do to get the messages posted. They are just what I have needed. Love in Christ, Jan

Linda Field wrote:

Hello Mr. Watzke.. Thank You for viewing Sunnyview's site. Brother Trescott let me work on it to add music, Pics and Sermons. I pray it is a blessing to you.
I will let Brother Shaun know about your comment. If you would like to speak with him you may send him an e-mail or we would love for you to come visit and
worship with us on Wednesday or Sunday. Have a good night.
Sincerely, Linda field

David M. Watzke wrote:

Very nice and well put together website. Also, was a pleasure meeting Pastor Trescott and his wife when they came to get an air condition I had advertised. Wish we could have the time to speak more some time.
God Bless and take care to all!
Sincerely, David M. Watzke

Kenneth Austin wrote:

i was saved at this church o i say about 1989-90..missin home and the friends i left behind..goin through tough times and would appreciate a prayer..im the son of Roger and Patricia Austin-my grandparents are also buried in the back

Nikki Richardson wrote:

Thank you all so much for the love and kindness you have shown our family! I know that Pap will never be able to be replaced but I will continue to pray that the Lord sends you a man who can carry on Paps work! We love you all!

Bob Wilson wrote:

While updating our church website I ran across yours while searching for new ideas.
Keep up the good work of spreading the Word. Your site is very nicely done.
Please feel free to check out our site. It is with Ourchurch.com also. Here's the address...http://www.ourchurch.com/member/b/berdine/. If you are ever in the Columbus area please look us up.
Thanks,
Bob Wilson- Pleasant Valley Baptist Chapel