 The correspondence with Jon Pugh
 04-10-2000 Subject: Your video game
From: Jon Pugh To: Lee Blum Hello, I just thought that you might like to know the opinion of someone who consciously practices the religious principle which you ridicule in your video game. First of all, it is offensive to the Almighty that you would be critical of another's relogious principles in the way that you are. Next, it is disrespectful to all Hindu people of the world to represent their preistly class as cult leaders. third, your video game is in poor taste. You should find something more productive to do with your time. Like some other theme that doesn't criticize God or his devotees. You are talented enough people that you can make games with real content. I am a game designer myself and I've got concepts that wail all over this petty attempt at religious criticism. Just because it is popular doesn't mean it's all that cool. this is definately something that I wouldn't want to be bragging to a top notch animation studio about. anyhow it is a pretty disrespectful message that you are disseminating. It appears though, just from the fact that you made the game at all that respect, and the fact that you are dogging one fifth of the people of the earth probably doesn't matter too much to you. this kind of attitude ultimately distills itself down to the underlying theme of bigotry. Which you have admitted is your position by creating the game. And is basically what keeps humans from evolvong as a species. I offer my apologies for being so blunt, but really, grow up. Quake isn't critical of anyone's religious principles. I mean, in the end do you want to be the one who says that his great contribution to humanity was a third-rate video game called cult. Move on already.
04-13-2000 Subject: Re: Your video game
From: Lee Blum To: Jon Pugh Hello there First of all, if there are mistakes in my English, it is because English isn't my mother tongue. My apologies are just for that. Now, for your remarks. It is obvious that you do not know what you are talking about.First of all, let's make it clear - my game, by all means, does not ridicule ANY religious beliefs, especially not the Hindu beliefs. I am Jewish and a believer in God. I respect all the believers in God, from all religions, since after all, it is the same God (I also respect other religions such as Hindu and similar, if they preach to tolerance and morality).I wanted, in my game, not to show disrespect but to set a warning signal of all people that take advantage of other people's religious beliefs for personal gain. I warn people of following blindly other who are pretending to be messengers of God. How dare you accusing me of ridiculing religious beliefs when such 'cult leaders' ridicule all religions, mixing prophetic and eastern-cultures into their distorted messages, all for their best interests. They are twisting our beliefs and the outcome is something very different of what we know as 'religion'. After all, as a game developer, it wouldn't be reasonable for me to work so hard for a game that is dogging any part of earth's population, but a positive message of thinking for yourselves and not to lose your personality for someone else's ambitions. I think it is rude to attack me like that, when you probably know the case of the Davidians at Waco, the Heaven's Gate tragedy and just these days the slaughter of approximately 4000 people in Kenya - 900 bodies were already found when I last heard about it!! These people, who had no place to go, found comfort in the hands of this Christian cult, and their leaders killed all of them and ran away with their money, and I didn't mention so many other events. How do you see that?! Do you SUPPORT it? What went through your mind when you accused ME of intolerance to such acts? Of course I do not condemn religious beliefs! In the game, a cult barricades itself with children in a house, they have ammunition, and their intentions are not clear. These things have happened not once and not twice in the past, and I sent a message of peace - these situations should not be ended the way Waco has ended. And one more thing - If you're so sure of your opinions, bother to sign your name. Lee
04-14-2000 From: Jon Pugh To: Lee Blum Lee, I commend your efforts and I apologize if my message came across so strongly. Currently there is one religious system in which the priestly order shaves their heads and wears a little pony tail in the back. I suppose that if you had chosen to give your cult leaders hair then your game would seem a lot less like an attack on a particular religious system. From your humanitarian standpoint what your are doing is quite noble but depicting the cult leaders in this way puts you and those who practice these faiths in positions that may make them uncomfortable. Actually your english is not bad and I apologize for being so ignorant that I cannot reply to you in your mother tongue. Being a game designer I can appreciate the endless hours that it takes to get your program just right. I suppose that may be part of why I contacted you in the first place. I know that I should have worded my message more in the nature of suggestion rather than criticism. I hope that you can see what I am getting at, though. Most people make decisions and act on what they see rather than intelligence; myself included. If some average American or whomever downloads your game and sees what look like Hindu Brahmans storehousing weapons and holding children hostage, this sets the stage or reinforces a certain perspective on this religious system. I don't figure that you would go and change all of your imagemaps of the cult members to have hair but at least your game wouldn't seem to be an outright attack on the Hindu priestly order. I was actually quite shocked when I opened up and ran the game for the first time. I can also appreciate your position as a believer in God, and I hope that you wonder whether or not something like this pleases or offends Him. Ok, look at it like this: somebody writes a video game called "Hostages". A group of guys that look like Rabbis have seized the federal courthouse and booby trapped all the entrances. What's worse is that they are holding all of the civillians that were in the building hostage. The goal of the game is to enact the role of a BATF agent, make it inside and negotiate with the Rabbis so they don't hurt anyone.What are people going to think. What kind of flak would the game designers catch from the followers of your faith.
It sounds ridiculous doesn't it? Yet, this is what I'm looking at. Once again, I apologize.
Jon Pugh
04-14-2000 From: Lee Blum To: Jon Pugh Hi Jon Apology accepted. I reacted strongly only because I couldn't bear being accused of bigotry.I find it very noble of you to apologize. I understand what you are suggesting - the characters in the game might make people who play the game for the first time think that they are a ridiculed representation of real Hindu worshipers, and your example with the Rabbis was very clear and effective. I think it should be appropriate that I will add a comment about that in the new version of the game, to avoid such misunderstandings - it really wasn't my intention to hurt anyone.May I propose, only with your full consent, the publication of our short correspondence in the website? I think it will be very interesting to other people, and will make the message of the game a lot clearer. Of course, you can ask to remain anonymous at the site, or not to agree at all, just a thought... Anyway, this game is running around the Internet for two years, with downloads totaling approximately a lot more than 200,000 downloads, and I have never heard such an opinion, not to mention thought of it this way. Interesting. Thank you for your attention!Lee
04-14-2000 From: Jon Pugh To: Lee Blum Lee, All glories to God !!! That's really considerate of you to understand where I'm coming from. Ultimately the solution would be to give the guys in your game hair, but that may involve quite a bit of work...a comment in the game itself would make it clear up front that you mean no offense. I think that posting our correspondence would be a valuable resource as well, to enthusiasts of your game. It is a nice reflection of the message of negotiation that you are trying to communicate through your game. You ceratainly have my permission to do so. Best regards, Jon
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