Dungeons & Dragons

[The Seeker]

Just saw something that reminded me of this before. Like most sad, pathetic geeks, I play D&D (among other RPGs, but D&D and Warhammer are the only ones most people have ever heard of, despite Warhammer sucking so badly). I was just curious as to exactly what some Christians' beef is with D&D. Is it the magic thing, or what?

 

[ChristianCenturion]

Just saw something that reminded me of this before. Like most sad, pathetic geeks, I play D&D (among other RPGs, but D&D and Warhammer are the only ones most people have ever heard of, despite Warhammer sucking so badly). I was just curious as to exactly what some Christians' beef is with D&D. Is it the magic thing, or what?

Is that still popular or even played today?

D & D has other issues than just a magic component; there is also the clerical with deities and demons.
But a former Dungeon Master, I suggest that one doesn't taunt the Paladin into testing the edge of his Vorpal blade.

 

[The Seeker]

Is that still popular or even played today?

Popular as it ever was. In Britain anyway.

Though it is on edition 3.5 now, totally new system came in with 3rd edition.

D & D has other issues than just a magic component; there is also the clerical with deities and demons.

True enough, I suppose playing as a cleric of another deity might be a bit of a problem for some Christians.

But a former Dungeon Master, I suggest that one doesn't taunt the Paladin into testing the edge of his Vorpal blade.

Hehe

 

[Skydancing]

What is supposed to be 'evil' about the game? I am amazed that some people seem to see evil in everything!

 

[Spinrad]

I voted before I realised this was a question for theists.

 

[The Seeker]

What is supposed to be 'evil' about the game? I am amazed that some people seem to see evil in everything!

Some Christians seem to believe that D&D is some kind of occult training system or something. Its all very baffling.

 

[Skydancing]

Oh grief, the occult is hocus pocus and only has power in the mind of the superstitious!

 

[Ananel]

Is that still popular or even played today?

D & D has other issues than just a magic component; there is also the clerical with deities and demons.
But a former Dungeon Master, I suggest that one doesn't taunt the Paladin into testing the edge of his Vorpal blade.

3.5 edition still only sells so well. D&D shot itself in the foot with that one, but in the end it remains one of the primary fantasy genre systems, so it will probably retain a decent market share.

 

[Spinrad]

Oh grief, the occult is hocus pocus and only has power in the mind of the superstitious!

 

[The Seeker]

3.5 edition still only sells so well. D&D shot itself in the foot with that one, but in the end it remains one of the primary fantasy genre systems, so it will probably retain a decent market share.

3.5e is much maligned, but its far better than 3e, IMO, much more balanced (bards and rangers are suddenly playable, and monks are not terrifyingly broken anymore).

 

[NothingButTheBlood]

My husband and I have played D&D and Magic the Gathering. Both with a group of other Christians. Unless you really think your a evil magician or overlord it's just a bit of fun.

 

[Ananel]

3.5e is much maligned, but its far better than 3e, IMO, much more balanced (bards and rangers are suddenly playable, and monks are not terrifyingly broken anymore).

It's an improvement, to be sure, but while I acknowledge some of the advantages of the system, I remain unsold on the glories of d20. It's a useful system, but its imperfections can be oh so glaring sometimes (Rokugan comes immediately to mind, as I am a long-term L5R player).

 

[Eudaimonist]

From Dark Dungeons:

 

[Autumnleaf]

I grew up playing second edition but haven't played in awhile. People used to say some kids got too involved in it and started acting out as their characters. I was told some even killed themselves when their characters died so parents got worried about it. Of course churches don't like talk of kids playing games with magic and false Gods in it.

 

[The Seeker]

People used to say some kids got too involved in it and started acting out as their characters. I was told some even killed themselves when their characters died so parents got worried about it.

I've heard those rumours, but I've never seen even one iota of evidence for it.

 

[Skydancing]

Magic is hocus pocus, it has no power at all!

 

[The Seeker]

Okay, that's weird, the poll says only one vote for stupid, but when you pull it up, there are two names. One of which is Diane_windsor

 

[Rae]

1. Pat Pulling's son committed suicide. She seized on D&D as the reason for his suicide, even though people other than her see that D&D had nothing to do with it.

2. A few extremist Christians misinterpreted a few game supplements from D&D, seeing them as "instructions" for a new religion, rather than a game that in a few aspects (but not many) mimicks reality.

3. Thus we have the furor over the "evils" of D&D. It's kind of funny, actually. In Dr. Jeffrey Victor's book Satanic Panic he takes the stats that Pulling's organization uses to show the likelihood of suicide of teen D&D players and proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that according to them, teen D&D players are five times LESS likely to commit suicide than the general teen population.

 

[loriersea]

A bit of fun / stupid

 

[Code-Monkey]

I think most christians who are against dungeons and dragons are generally just misinformed about it.

CS Lewis has a lot of magic & sword-fighting in his books, but these are generally widely accepted by Christians. But Harry Potter is not.

I do think there is some truth to the idea that when you pretend to be something, you more and more turn your central self into something more like that. So if you pretend to be a chaotic, evil thief who backstabs and steals from people, then there's a good chance that can eventually lead into your thinking that way in real life. At least my experience is that I'll get so wrapped up in a game that I start thinking that sort of thing in real life. Although I always only play neutral or good characters.

There are some healthy parts to D&D, just as there are some healthy parts to playing G.I.Joe. Some of the games are teaching tools that more or less teach us about courage. We pretend like our character is boldly going forth into battle and we feel a since of pride/courage for our character. That can carry over into real life.