Is Magic the Gathering an Evil Game? Can Christians Play It?

LutheranGuy123

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OP, sounds to me like you have a bit of an issue with it, otherwise you wouldnt put it on here. If you feel there is an issue with these cards its probably best to get rid of them.

And as for the subject of is magic real, modern witches cast spells to influence the spirit of other people, put curses on them and things like that. I have heard of stories of people being struck down with illnesses and dying from modern magic (cant prove if its actually true one way or the other) and other things like that. Its spiritual warfare for the enemy.
I believe it is blasphemous to suggest that God would allow Satan or any demon to bring harm to a good Christian. Even Job, whom God explicitly allowed Satan to test, was not allowed to be killed.
 
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RabbiMike

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If you like the game that's fine, I liked the game and collecting the cards as well, that doesn't change the fact that the game simulates magic. If you want to find some way to ignore the fact that the game has ties to occultism that's fine, just don't manipulate my posts to justify it to yourself.

Fine: A micro-rule that lets you look at cards in a pile--by picking them up with your hand, turning them over manually, and looking at them with your eyes--before drawing them simulates real divination. That's your stance, is it? I fail to see how that bolsters your case, which is why I didn't bother quoting your whole post.
 
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Blade

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Polar Bear Quest... which person are you asking? Well each might give a different answer. Its what GOD says and magic..is never ok with GOD. Thinking its a cartoon or picture or made up in our heads.. does it bring glory to GOD? Does it point to Christ? There is no such thing as "its not real so its ok". If I think of lust with someone .. I did it. You think killing, magic, stealing.. in some GAME is what.. more UNREAL then some thought?

But its not what ANY of us say.. its what HE says.. you dont answer to man.. so ask HIM.. He will show you tell you.. you are SO LOVED HELLO!
 
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LutheranGuy123

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Polar Bear Quest... which person are you asking? Well each might give a different answer. Its what GOD says and magic..is never ok with GOD. Thinking its a cartoon or picture or made up in our heads.. does it bring glory to GOD? Does it point to Christ? There is no such thing as "its not real so its ok". If I think of lust with someone .. I did it. You think killing, magic, stealing.. in some GAME is what.. more UNREAL then some thought?

But its not what ANY of us say.. its what HE says.. you dont answer to man.. so ask HIM.. He will show you tell you.. you are SO LOVED HELLO!
So children shouldn't play soldiers? Cops and robbers isn't okay? If the kids play cowboys and Indians, which kids are going to Hell? Is it the kids pretending to be the cowboys who murdered the Indians for land or is it the kids who are pretending to be heathen Indians? Or are all the children going to Hell?
 
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archer75

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So children shouldn't play soldiers? Cops and robbers isn't okay? If the kids play cowboys and Indians, which kids are going to Hell? Is it the kids pretending to be the cowboys who murdered the Indians for land or is it the kids who are pretending to be heathen Indians? Or are all the children going to Hell?
Some places on this thread I see a very tight focus on the idea of MAGIC. Now I think that imitating something that's evil and real is much more serious. I've never seen MAGIC in action...
 
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LutheranGuy123

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Some places on this thread I see a very tight focus on the idea of MAGIC. Now I think that imitating something that's evil and real is much more serious. I've never seen MAGIC in action...
Children can only play such games because they don't know the harsh reality of violence. Let them enjoy their innocence before they see something that ruins it.
 
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Soulfly.01

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I hadn't really been collecting Magic: The Gathering cards for too long but I do have a lot of cards, as well as Yu-Gi-Oh! cards (another questionable game that involves magic) and a few other card games. I've come to the conclusion playing or collecting these cards isn't of God and I stopped playing the game a couple of months back, but what to do with all the cards I have is a question I don't really have an answer to.

There's a couple of options. I could of course sell the cards or give them away. The only problem is I could help someone else get more engrossed in the game if I give the cards away or sell them. This is why I have been considering throwing the cards away so no one gets more engrossed into a game about magic.

What do you guys think? Should I sell, give away the cards, or throw them away?

Everything that is good, is a gift from God. MTG and yu-gi-oh are certainly awesome and good games. It's not bad because it contains concepts of bad things. Or do you say that all action movies are wrong, because they contain concepts of murdering, stealing and so on? There is real occult magic and there is fictional fantasy entertainment. There is real murdering and there are action movies. It's basically using a concept of something bad (such as war, killings or demons) and making something good out of it (such as an awesome world war 2 movie or lord of the rings, harry potter, magic the gathering, whatever).
 
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Polar Bear Quest

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Everything that is good, is a gift from God. MTG and yu-gi-oh are certainly awesome and good games. It's not bad because it contains concepts of bad things. Or do you say that all action movies are wrong, because they contain concepts of murdering, stealing and so on? There is real occult magic and there is fictional fantasy entertainment. There is real murdering and there are action movies. It's basically using a concept of something bad (such as war, killings or demons) and making something good out of it (such as an awesome world war 2 movie or lord of the rings, harry potter, magic the gathering, whatever).
How is MTG and Yu-Gi-Oh! "good" according to the bible? According to the bible magic is evil and when one plays a magic card they're literally "casting a spell." On top of that there are mechanics that mirror almost exactly REAL magic. As I've mentioned a few times scrying is literally mimicked in the game.

Scrying is the occult practice of using a medium, most commonly a reflective surface or translucent body, to aid perceived psychic abilities such as clairvoyance. The media often used to "see" are water, polished precious stones, crystal balls, or mirrors. Scrying, in this context, uses a "visual" process.

If you play magic you know how closely related the two are, actual game mechanic and REAL scrying. On top of all this there are magicians, wizards, demons, and all sorts of other wicked things.

You compared MTG to evil movies that are violent and involves certain content. And I personally have cut out certain movies that I would have watched if I were an atheist. For instance, movies with cursing, sexual acts and things of that nature. The context also matters, for instance there may be Christian movies with violence but the overall message is good and the violence shown isn't for just for pointless, mindless amusement.

MTG and Yu-Gi-Oh! do not have good intentions and they simulate REAL magic very accurately. To add to this the games are very addictive and can easily become an idol.

When you became a Christian did you not drop certain activities you formerly took part in?
 
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LutheranGuy123

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How is MTG and Yu-Gi-Oh! "good" according to the bible? According to the bible magic is evil and when one plays a magic card they're literally "casting a spell." On top of that there are mechanics that mirror almost exactly REAL magic. As I've mentioned a few times scrying is literally mimicked in the game.



If you play magic you know how closely related the two are, actual game mechanic and REAL scrying. On top of all this there are magicians, wizards, demons, and all sorts of other wicked things.

You compared MTG to evil movies that are violent and involves certain content. And I personally have cut out certain movies that I would have watched if I were an atheist. For instance, movies with cursing, sexual acts and things of that nature. The context also matters, for instance there may be Christian movies with violence but the overall message is good and the violence shown isn't for just for pointless, mindless amusement.

MTG and Yu-Gi-Oh! do not have good intentions and they simulate REAL magic very accurately. To add to this the games are very addictive and can easily become an idol.

When you became a Christian did you not drop certain activities you formerly took part in?
They are not literally casting a spell. They are pretending to cast a spell. If you want to say that that's just as bad, then why is it okay to pretend to be a bandit in the old west or pretend to be a robber shooting at the cops? Cops and robbers has been played by children for hundreds of years.

Also, no, they do not simulate "real" magic (What even is that? Magic isn't real.) at all. Traditional scrying methods involve crystal balls, animal bones or intestines, fire, or some other kind of thing. I guess you could say tarot cards are scrying with cards, but then playing Bridge would be simulating magic. And if turning a mountain sideways and putting a card called "Firebolt" on the table accurately simulates casting a spell, then why does watching Cinderella's fairy godmother WAVE A WAND and SAY MAGIC WORDS not result in millions of small children going straight to Hell?

And you want to talk addiction? Most people play Magic once a week, on Friday night. I don't know a single person who gets extremely upset if they miss it (assuming it wasn't a really special event) but I know plenty of people who gamble because of sports, who are upset for an entire week if they miss their weekly sport game, and who emotionally abuse their sons who for some reason can't play like a pro when they're in Little League and lack the proper fine motor control to write their own names. I know of plenty f parents who play Magic with their kids and not one who forces them to play or berates them for failing.
 
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Soulfly.01

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How is MTG and Yu-Gi-Oh! "good" according to the bible? According to the bible magic is evil and when one plays a magic card they're literally "casting a spell."

MTG and Yu-Gi-Oh! do not have good intentions and they simulate REAL magic very accurately.

When you became a Christian did you not drop certain activities you formerly took part in?

I think LutheranGuy123 summed it up good, but I'll just add a couple of things.

MTG and Yu-Gi-Oh! don't have bad intentions. Does chess have bad intentions? Chess simulates war. You want to kill your enemy's soldiers and then his king. War and killing.. that's what chess is. We're just going to get weird when we go by such logic.

Certainly we should drop sinful activities when we become christian. Entertainment is not sinful. It has nothing against loving God and your neighbor. I do agree that movies shouldn't have sexual content. It's just very hard on me, because I'm still single.
 
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Ringo84

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I hadn't really been collecting Magic: The Gathering cards for too long but I do have a lot of cards, as well as Yu-Gi-Oh! cards (another questionable game that involves magic) and a few other card games. I've come to the conclusion playing or collecting these cards isn't of God and I stopped playing the game a couple of months back, but what to do with all the cards I have is a question I don't really have an answer to.

There's a couple of options. I could of course sell the cards or give them away. The only problem is I could help someone else get more engrossed in the game if I give the cards away or sell them. This is why I have been considering throwing the cards away so no one gets more engrossed into a game about magic.

What do you guys think? Should I sell, give away the cards, or throw them away?
No. It's just a game. Play what you want to play.
Ringo
 
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The Liturgist

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Being named after an occult idea is not the same thing as being evil any more than being named after something good is the same as being good. Otherwise any "adult" venue with the word Heaven or angel in its name would be a fine place for Christians, and eating a Carolina Reaper pepper would be a sin.

Eating a Carolina Reaper probably is a sin as far as your digestive tract is concerned!

I mean, consider the name of the company that cultivates them; that ought to tell you everything you need to know. By the way, that company is run by a former pothead who used to grow marijuana before, in his own words, becoming addicted to chili peppers, and also some of his more powerful and recent peppers are more potent than OC Spray!

So needless to say, I’m not going to be eating any Carolina Reapers. I’ll eat Tabasco Sauce or other decent pepper sauces gladly, but the Carolina Reaper frightens my intestines! ;)
 
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The Liturgist

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There is no such thing as magic. People can't do magic. Magic is not a sin.

The only sinful thing about magic is belief in magic. If you believe that a man can manipulate reality, you are blaspheming against God. If you do not believe so, then there is no harm in reading fun stories or playing fun games that include magic. Remembe, a Christian wrote Faustus, a play about a man making a deal with a demon and even punching the Pope in the face, and the SparkNotes of that play are now read by high schoolers everywhere.

If you're dead set on getting rid of them, I'll buy them. I already play, and I don't intend to stop.

So, with regards to Magic the Gathering, or computer games with magical theming, I don’t have an objection to that. I recall from my teenage years that MtG had some pretty cool 90s graphic design.

However, I would argue, based on the writings of the early church fathers, that Christians should avoid engaging in specifically occult practices. The use of Ouija boards, the use of various means of divination, and the use of occult practices, even in jest because they are supposedly harmless, can be dangerous to Christians, because of the risk of demonic delusion.

It is via demonic delusion that people become convinced of the false miracles associated with Hinduism and several other Eastern religions which have historically persecuted Christianity (it is a miracle the St. Thomas Christians in India, who were converted by Thomas the Apostle, survived; he himself was martyred by a local rajah).
 
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GirdYourLoins

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There is an argument that tings like this are used to desensitize people to satanic practices. Things like this, halloween, etc are used as a way of embedding the idea in people that its fun and not something to be avoided. I've met a few people in the church over the years who are reformed witches/wizards and most say things like this started their desensitising to it which grew into wishing they could do magic which in turn grew into practising it.

Its a bit like when you invite a friend to a church bbq. you say its only a bbq, but in reality you want them to meet people from church in the hope they will be saved. Most wont go any further but some do.
 
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The Liturgist

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There is an argument that tings like this are used to desensitize people to satanic practices. Things like this, halloween, etc are used as a way of embedding the idea in people that its fun and not something to be avoided. I've met a few people in the church over the years who are reformed witches/wizards and most say things like this started their desensitising to it which grew into wishing they could do magic which in turn grew into practising it.

Its a bit like when you invite a friend to a church bbq. you say its only a bbq, but in reality you want them to meet people from church in the hope they will be saved. Most wont go any further but some do.

Desensitization is a legitimate concern. We do want our youth to view the occult as a pathetic delusion. However I would argue the worst case of occult glamorization targeting children by far is JK Rowlings.
 
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I hadn't really been collecting Magic: The Gathering cards for too long but I do have a lot of cards, as well as Yu-Gi-Oh! cards (another questionable game that involves magic) and a few other card games. I've come to the conclusion playing or collecting these cards isn't of God and I stopped playing the game a couple of months back, but what to do with all the cards I have is a question I don't really have an answer to.

There's a couple of options. I could of course sell the cards or give them away. The only problem is I could help someone else get more engrossed in the game if I give the cards away or sell them. This is why I have been considering throwing the cards away so no one gets more engrossed into a game about magic.

What do you guys think? Should I sell, give away the cards, or throw them away?

I saw an interview with a man who was in a satanic group and studied dark magic for years- he did say that game specifically, uses real spells he used to practice. Now, that is something to consider, however, it is always important to remember the Holy Spirit is far superior, and mightier than anything the enemy tries to muster. So if you pray over them- rebuke the spells/witchcraft in Jesus name, and pray for protection and guidance- I believe the cards will have the Spirit of harmony, friendship. . . the positive reasons we play any card game. It is important to not give more power and weight to objects or the pathetic attempts of the enemy, rather walk in the authority of Our Father, and change the meaning or intent. What was intended for bad, God creates for good. I can't say whether to keep the cards, that is a personal question and answer between you and God- but I will say again, it's important not to let them dictate you or fill you with fear, angst, stress, etc. over what to "do" with them. I think in your spirit you will feel what God wants you to do. Remember He is a loving God, and He surprises me every day with what I ask- sometimes it is hard to rid of things, other times He doesn't want me to part with things for a certain season. Always ask Him to tell you/show you!
 
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Godwilling

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I hadn't really been collecting Magic: The Gathering cards for too long but I do have a lot of cards, as well as Yu-Gi-Oh! cards (another questionable game that involves magic) and a few other card games. I've come to the conclusion playing or collecting these cards isn't of God and I stopped playing the game a couple of months back, but what to do with all the cards I have is a question I don't really have an answer to.

There's a couple of options. I could of course sell the cards or give them away. The only problem is I could help someone else get more engrossed in the game if I give the cards away or sell them. This is why I have been considering throwing the cards away so no one gets more engrossed into a game about magic.

What do you guys think? Should I sell, give away the cards, or throw them away?
First, what is God telling you? Doing His will is paramount. Second, if you are not hearing from God then you have one of two choices. One, do you believe they are evil? People will tell you that magic is ungodly so you should not keep the cards. So you need to choose if you want to get rid of them to cause less problems for yourself in the future or keep them because you feel no I'll intent from them. If you decide to get rid of them I believe you should throw them away and not sell them because if they are things that you believe are ungodly why give away or sell them to someone and give someone else the curse of having something that is ungodly. I hope this helped.

God bless
 
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2SUTHRN

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The Catholic Church (elders much wiser than either of us) used to charge people with blasphemy if they accused someone of being a witch. While I don't normally agree with them, I think they can be trusted here.

And again, there is no harm in pretend, so long as you don't move to reality. People have dressed as Satan and pretended to be demons on Halloween for hundreds of years, and no denomination I know of discouraged this.

A lot of Christians discourage this for biblical reasons. Might I recommend a different church? Most Baptists oppose this behavior.

A lot of Christians
 
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So children shouldn't play soldiers? Cops and robbers isn't okay? If the kids play cowboys and Indians, which kids are going to Hell? Is it the kids pretending to be the cowboys who murdered the Indians for land or is it the kids who are pretending to be heathen Indians? Or are all the children going to Hell?


The examples you give are classic good versus evil and are not teaching kids about witchcraft, to memorize spells, and the like. I've never heard of a kid casting a spell on anyone our role paying that they are a demon while playing cops and robbers or cowboys and Indians.

And you think soldiers are evil? And that they murdered Indians for land? What one-sided view of history you have. Indians killed people for land regularly as well.
 
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