In this new chapter of The Third Age, our characters delve into the depths of Moria, from which few emerge whole.  Why did we come to this terrible place?  Because Gandalf told us to.  Yes, the powerful wizard advised our low-level characters to go the way that he himself fears to tread.  No, that sentence will not make any more sense, no matter how long you stare at it. Join me as I confront and taunt new enemies, geek out over armor, and generally ask why, game, why?  Sometimes I discuss game design and Tolkienian lore, sometimes I yell at the camera and make jokes about dwarven Prozac.  In the long, dark journey under the mountains, you do whatever it takes to stay sane. Let's Play The Third Age - Part 11 Let's Play The Third Age - Part 12 Let's Play The Third Age - Part 13 Let's Play The Third Age - Part 14 Check out my Youtube channel, Offscreen Kim, for frequent updates, or stay tuned here at CGC for regular chapter announcements. ...

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say thee is no Santa Claus. Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.' Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Clause?"     Story: "Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus" by Francis Pharcellus Church Genre: Classic, Fantasy Rating:  G        Credits: "Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus" by Francis Pharcellus Church Cover Attribution: Adapted from “Dubai_Christmas” by theedasand  

Geek entertainment presents us with all kinds of deities. The polytheistic families of quarrelling gods in the world of Dragonlance and the slumbering ancient ones of HP Lovecraft are just two of the well-known models of deity in geek fiction. Most fictional concepts of deity are modified versions of beliefs that people currently or at one time have actually believed about the nature of God or the gods of polytheism. As I play video games with religious themes I sometimes like to entertain and exercise my brain by evaluating the ideas presented and comparing them to what the Bible teaches. I've found that despite the fictional nature of entertainment, evaluating the ideas about God presented there can be useful in preparing to evaluate real-world suggestions regarding the nature of God. The ideas inspiring fictional religions are still very relevant and in regular practice by various world religions today. For example, odds are pretty good that you know a polytheist, whethe...

PLEASE NOTE: The mp3 file links for this post are outdated. To listen to this episode please visit  The SBU Podcast Archives.  Sorry for the inconvenience. Some very subjective thoughts on "The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies"! Plus, Jesus compared to fictional gods!

Just before the Great War, Lieutenant Frank Corelli realized he had a mystical ability. Far away from the front lines of the war, though, it serves very little purpose.  Story: "Border Patrol" by Justin Lowmaster Genre: Fantasy, Strange Rating:  PG-13    Credits: "Border Patrol" by Justin Lowmaster thespaceturtle.com twitter.com/chivalrybean smashwords.com/profile/view/Chivalrybean Guard Frequency: the universe's premier Star Citizen podcast - www.guardfrequency.com "Border Patrol originally appeared in Kaiser's Gate Tales from the Front published by Battlefield Press . Cover Attribution: Adapted from “1/3 Sopwith Pup” by Dave_S.

PLEASE NOTE: The mp3 file links for this post are outdated. To listen to this episode please visit  The SBU Podcast Archives.  Sorry for the inconvenience. A review of the movie "Exodus: God's And Kings"!

Matt McKinney takes a brief break from reviewing Star Trek episodes to look at the varied career of another geeky show- Smallville.  Join Matt, Offscreen Kim, and special guest host Paeter Frandsen as they crack open the terrible first season episode Craving to examine the awful kryptonite slurry within. Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b7Bzki49UY Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2qG5WllezQ Want to help Matt pick his next episode, or even guest host yourself?  Consider making a donation to Matt's Extra Life campaign before the end of the year.

PLEASE NOTE: The mp3 file links for this post are outdated. To listen to this episode please visit  The SBU Podcast Archives.  Sorry for the inconvenience. A review of the movie Odd Thomas and some ways geeks might develop an "Old Covenant" mindset.

Welcome to my first attempt at a Let's Play series as we explore this strange little slice of the Lord of the Rings franchise.  Join me, a die-hard Tolkien geek, as I riff cut-scenes, heckle enemies and allies alike, speculate on inconsistencies and cliches, and generally endeavor to be funny in between occasional bouts of nerd rage. In this initial installment, we get to know a few of our suspiciously familiar main characters, rough up some orcs, and acquire loot that I'm not sure I want in my pockets.  Topics covered include: elves that can't pronounce their own language, Tolkien Mad Lib naming conventions, and Gandalf's shameless theft of other people's lines. Links to the first few videos can be found below.  Regular updates will be made on my YouTube channel, Offscreen Kim, with less-frequent chapter updates here at Christian Geek Central. Let's Play The Third Age - Intro Let's Play The Third Age - Part 1 Let's Play The Third Age - Part 2...