My 3 yr old pretends he can fly, he sticks his arms out and runs around the house making all kinds of swooshing noises (sometimes I join along). I have no idea where he got this from as we haven't exposed him to any superhero genres but never-the-less he does it.Are Roleplaying Games Sinful?
I believe they are. Let me explain before you stone me.
#1. Sin can happen in the mind and be regarded just as the equivalent of a physical sin. The fantasy of committing adultery with a woman is considered as the very act of adultery according to Jesus. For He says, "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:28). So the desire to lust after a woman in one's heart (even in fantasy type way) is still the same as adultery. For Jesus says in Matthew 15:19-20, "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man." So to have evil thoughts means we can be defiled by such evil thoughts. To hate one's brother is the equivalent of murder (See 1 John 3:15).
#2. So if a person fantasizes about being sorcerer, they are committing sin because the Bible condemns sorcery. Just merely saying it is fantasy does not undo the sin. A person can fantasize about women, but this would be condemned by Jesus in Matthew 5:28-30. Even if they think real sorcery is wrong, the fact that they toy with the idea of the sin of sorcery in some fantasy world does not make it any less sinful.
#3. One of the major reasons to play a role playing game is to escape into a world of fantasy. I know. I used to be something like a Dungeon Master but it was not D&D, but another roleplaying game. The Bible says, "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" (2 Corinthians 10:5). Jesus says pick up your cross, deny yourself and come follow me (See Matthew 16:24-26). So our escape should be in the Bible and in following Jesus and not in a role playing game that satisfies the lusts of the flesh with vain and sinful imaginations.
#4. Can a person play a Bible based roleplaying game and not sin?
I think it would be difficult to do so. The problem I see is that the Dungeon Master in a Bible based roleplaying game would be acting as if they are God in the story. So if your goal was to get somebody saved in the game, the dungeon master would have to step in for God by creating openings and or obstacles for the scenario to take place (Thus taking the position of God). This would not be a problem if they were simply writing a script for a book, movie, or comic book because they are not making such a creation as if it was some kind of game to have fun over for our enjoyment. The battle we fight spiritually should never be treated as some kind of game of enjoyment on our behalf. The purpose of a Christian fantasy book, movie, comic book should be to lead others to Jesus Christ. But if a person is going to play a Bible based role playing game it seems like an escape from doing the real thing. We have to as believes get our hands dirty in reaching lost souls and in helping the poor. This cannot be done in some fantasy world amongst ourselves for pure entertainment with the rolling of some dice. We can spend all our time wishing or fantasizing about reaching the lost, but if we are not actually doing that personally ourselves, we miss the point of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
#5. Fantasy Roleplaying Games are something that is originally of the world. It's purpose is to lead others to escape reality into some fantasy world that can lead to doing sinful things in one's own mind. Such games are generally associated with sorcerers and magic (Which is clearly condemned in the Bible).
So why would any Christian want to associate with something like this?
Now the ability for a human to stick his arms out in front of them and begin to fly would be a supernatural ability that a human is incapable of doing themselves. My 3 yr old is not pretending he is in a plane or some other thing that can fly he is pretending he is a super flying version of himself. In order for this to actually happen, he would have to draw this power from another source, good or bad, but I tend to think that's not going through his head (then again I've never asked).
so where do we draw the line? is my 3 yr old committing the sin of sorcery or are their forms of role-playing that even though the abilities are unnatural they are not examples of lusting after power they don't have, competing with God or drawing strength from a dark source. While we're on the subject should I hold off on burning my copy of Lord of the Rings too? Could there possibly be a form of good role-playing?
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