I like the arcade and it is fine for amusement during the week. However, since PB provides it even on the Lord's day are we laying a stumbling block in doing so? I've given the thread a cute sort of WWCD (What would Calvin do) title playing off an article I wrote nearly nine years ago now, but it is a serious question on which there may be some disagreement on the board.

I know none of use can keep the Law of God perfectly, including, and perhaps particularly the Fourth Commandment (note the Westminster Assembly's answer to LC Q121,Why is the word “Remember” set in the beginning of the fourth commandment?), but I think we can have success in avoiding things that tempt us to misuse time on the Lord's day, and if we can positively effect that, I think that is a good thing.

I don't consider PB in general a waste or unlawful to frequent on Lord's days as we can indeed have profitable Lord's day discussions through this wonderful medium that brings folks from across the globe together to converse. However, I don't see how playing the Arcade is in keeping with the Fourth Commandment.

Any way, I thought I'd bring it up. Rich can very easily bring the Arcade down for the hours across the time zones the Lord's day takes up each week. However, in the past I think we've let members police themselves as far as discussion content on Lord's days. Maybe we should simply encourage everyone to avoid it on their Lord's day, as it would be simply one more thing for Rich to do and it would have to be done manually each week, to turn off and turn back on. I have to do that with my website shopping carts, and I do forget, so it is not a perfect solution.

Any way, what think ye? This is not a Sabbath thread per se, but how to operate PB as reflective of the various Confessions, particularly the Westminster Standards, to which PB adheres already.

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Chris Coldwell
Lakewood Presbyterian Church (PCA), Member
• Naphtali Press: Presbyterian & Reformed Books
• The Confessional Presbyterian, A Journal for Discussion of Presbyterian Doctrine & Practice
• The Blue Banner Archive

When heresy rises in an evangelical body, it is never frank and open. It always begins by skulking, and assuming a disguise. Its advocates, when together, boast of great improvements, and congratulate one another on having gone greatly beyond the ‘old dead orthodoxy,’ and on having left behind many of its antiquated errors: but when taxed with deviations from the received faith, they complain of the unreasonableness of their accusers, as they ‘differ from it only in words.’ This has been the standing course of errorists ever since the apostolic age. Samuel Miller, Introductory essay, The Articles of the Synod of Dort (1841).

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Add a fifth option, a display that reads: "Who's online playing games on the Lord's Day"

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R.Vic Bottomly
Providence Reformed Baptist Church, Tacoma, WA

We already have that, it's called "Who's Online".

Shut it down for 36.

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Josh Hicks, Chloë's Daddy
Member of TRBC. My Blog
The Puritan Pub (Team Blog)
Board Rules-Signature Requirements-Suggestions?

As reigning King of the Arcade and Leader of the Leaderboard, I hereby decree that it should be shut down for 36 hours.



Ok...so I have no power or authority. Oh well. Voted.

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Chris Rhoades -32
Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church (PCA) Nashville, TN-Under Care

Vera theologia non theoretica, sed practica est; Finis siquidem eius agere est hoc est vitam vivere deiformem. - Martin Bucer
""True theology is not theoretical, but practical. The end of it is living, that is to live a godly life."

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Jeff Bartel
Mechanical Engineer
Member - Trinity Reformed Church - RPCNA

"To believe in the power of man in the work of regeneration is the great heresy of Rome, and from that error has come the ruin of the Church. Conversion proceeds from the grace of God alone, and the system which ascribes it partly to man and partly to God is worse than Pelagianism" (The Reformation in England (London, 1962), Vol. 1, p. 98)

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

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Scott
Dallas, Texas
PCA

"I believe that pluralistic secularism, in the long run, is a more deadly poison than straightforward persecution." - Francis Schaeffer

Wouldn't creating Sabbath laws on the forum be creating extra biblical law? How is that different that Phariseism? The Pharisees did not want people to stumble so they created extra biblical laws to "protect" the people. All that did was bind them to a law not ordained by God. Why should rich or any moderator play Sabbath police? Is it their job to convict men’s hearts of sin? Leave the forum up, not to tempt, but the other hand, so as not to bind any man to a law that is not God's.

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Wes Faulk
Southern Baptist
Oklahoma

I voted, "Do Nothing." Are we to police the conviction of brethren who have different views on the Sabbath?

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B.B.
Elder
GBC

Deo volente

No. It wouldn't be extra biblical law, as the PB is a voluntary club. It's also not a representative republic. Thus, if the owner/Admin thinks it wise to establish such a rule, they may do so.

Josh - obviously. Just giving my opinion. It's moot actually because if someone really wants to play video games they can go to Zone.com or turn on their television. I was sharing my .085 cents (that's what .02 cents is worth after inflation!).

The view of whether the Sabbath is perpetual or not is an exegetical issue. Those who fall on the side that it is completely abrogated could be accurately described as Pharisees to impose a "rule" - if done in the Church. Those who see the Sabbath as a Creation Ordinance and not strictly a Mosaic ordinance are simply obeying their consciences and it is not proper to speak of somebody who believes the Sabbath is Biblical as being Pharisees.

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Rich
Okinawa, Japan
Deacon, Central Baptist Church, SBC

SoliDeoGloria.com - A Community for Reformed Thought and Discussion
WebsiteMaven - Web Hosting Reviews, Guides, and Advice to build and promote your web site.

James says we are blessed when we 'endure' temptation, not 'remove' it! Leave it up and it provides an opportunity for those who are tempted to be blessed! The next thing you know PB will be serving grape juice with the Lord's Supper!

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That's what I voted and why as well.

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http://www.myspace.com/aleavelle
"Speak wisdom to a fool and he'll think you have no sense at all"

Exactly, there is far too much of this nowadays. Even if the person's view of what is permissible on the Sabbath is wrong, Paul says (in cases like this) that we are not to look down on our brother , but to respect his view (Rom. 14).

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Daniel Ritchie
Saintfield, Northern Ireland - Queen's University, Belfast:History/Politics
Member of Dromara Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland (Covenanter)
http://reformedcovenanter.wordpress.com/
The Regulative Principle of Worship: Explained and Applied (Xulon Press)
A Conquered Kingdom: Biblical Civil Government (Reformed Worldview Books)

I don't lock up the various gameboys, PS2's, or computers at our house on Sunday morning, we just don't use them.

If you don't think you should play...then don't.

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Kevin Rogers
Mount Zion ARP
Moncton NB

THERE'S AN ARCADE ON THIS SITE???

Good grief! I leave for 8 months and I come back to a site that is almost a full-blown web service!

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Ben
Sanford, NC
TE Ohio Valley Presbytery, PCA

I have a need to grow more deeply in this area. Whether one agrees with this or not, this is not phariseeism. It would be a great benefit to our souls if we practised our confession a little better.

LBCF 1689

(Jas 4:8) Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

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R. Martin Snyder
1689er PuritanCovenanter's MySpace Page
Harmony Baptist Church (Member)
"Our object should not be to have scripture on our side but to be on the side of scripture; and however dear any sentiment may have become by being long entertained, so soon as it is seen to be contrary to the Bible, we must be prepared to abandon it without hesitation."William Symington

P.S. I have failed miserably in this area.