Should christians play Dungeons and Dragons?

[tuba_peter]

There are people that I know that say that D&D is a satanic game, and to play it is to worship the devil. However, I have different thoughts, I feel that it is perfectly okay. Yes, there is magic and demons, but it is only bad if the person, or christian, believes that they can do the magic and summon all the demons, and dragons, and other mythical creatures, but all my friends, including me, don't believe it, so I guess that I think that it is okay. What do you think?

 

[Dust and Ashes]

Only if you have a good DM.

PnP RPGs are like anything else and require a bit of common sense. If you play with people who are into the occult, there might be some occultic influences in the game. If you play with Satanists, there might be some Satanic influences. If you play with other Christians, there might be Christian influences. Don't buy into the Jack Chick, Dark Dungeons garbage but also, be careful about playing with people who are into the occult.

IIRC there are even some Christian PnP RPGs that are supposed to be pretty good. Ultimately, the quality of PnP is determined by the people you play with.

 

[thywill77]

What ever game you play, try to group with Christians if the game content may concern you. Games are meant to be fun. Remember that it is fiction, but for those who may be unsure about the people the are playing with, try to group with fellow Christians, we are always online.

If the game is just too violent, dark or just plainly evil, then simply do not touch it. You have to know foryourself what is bad for your spirit.

 

[Dracil]

Romans 14

 

[Chrome]

if they have a stable mind, yes.

its like playing video games and such or reading a book and pretending you're there. It just takes a little common sense to differentiate reality from fantasy, no one wants to end up like those guys on Reno 911...

 

[Helo]

How is D&D satanic?

 

[Dust and Ashes]

How is D&D satanic?

Dude, you need to read more Jack Chick tracts. Here is the skinny on D&D.

 

[Psalms34]

Dude, you need to read more Jack Chick tracts. Here is the skinny on D&D.

Ohhh man, that’s AWESOME!! Wish I had that one…. I gatta bunch of other ones

 

[Dust and Ashes]

I like the MST3K treatment.

 

[spitfire07]

There are people that I know that say that D&D is a satanic game, and to play it is to worship the devil. However, I have different thoughts, I feel that it is perfectly okay. Yes, there is magic and demons, but it is only bad if the person, or christian, believes that they can do the magic and summon all the demons, and dragons, and other mythical creatures, but all my friends, including me, don't believe it, so I guess that I think that it is okay. What do you think?

I agree with you completly. It is only bad if you think you can do all that stuff. Its like with Final Fantasy. The dragons, magic and screwed up characters. I play it, but I dont believe that I can do all that stuff they do. Its the same a music, its only bad if you can interpret the words

 

[peanutbutter12]

I find it very funny. There is some Christian group out there opposed to everything. Be it D&D, Harry Potter, Rock Music, wearing anything but a suit... no matter what you do, there will always be some wack job out there complaining about it.

While I don't play D&D anymore, it's more due to lack of players in my area and lack of time. I've started looking at Warhammer lately, but I'm not sure. I've been considering getting a fantasy boardgame instead which I know can take just as long to play, but it's not as involved as Warhammer or D&D.

So go ahead and play. There is nothing "demonic" about the game, it's only a game. As long as you realize that you're human and can't cast spells irl, you'll do fine.

CJ

 

[TriptychR]

I played at a friend's once. It took about two and a half hours to set everyone up and I only got in about half an hour of actual playtime before I had to leave, so I can't say I have much of an interest in playing again. XD

What I did see though seemed like your average video game RPG, just on paper. As long as bad things aren't introduced through the game, there's nothing wrong with it.

 

[Dracil]

2.5 hours to set up? Was it like the first time everyone had played or something?

Usually character generation should be done BEFORE the session.

 

[Helo]

Dude, you need to read more Jack Chick tracts. Here is the skinny on D&D.

That man is freaking insane.

EVERYBODDY knows that the OTHER PLAYERS kill the loser. We dont let them kill themselves!

Ive never played D&D, I dont plan to because quite frankly Im too flippin' lazy. I like bright and shiny graphics. I have dozens of awesome RPGs that I can play if I want to.

 

[TriptychR]

2.5 hours to set up? Was it like the first time everyone had played or something?

Sadly, no. Myself and one other were the only noobs there. All the veterans wanted to create new characters, though, and were very, very picky about what they had, what they'd be, etc. Snooze.

 

[CyberPaladin]

Me I will stick with RPG video games though I do enjoy the D&D video games based off the forgotten realms series. That would be Baldur's Gate, Ice Wind Dale and Neverwinter Nights for those not familiar with game series.

 

[Psalms34]

Weather you can cast a real spell or not being the determining factor if it is right or wrong is bogus. What is the issue is what goes on in the heart and mind of the person in the eyes of God.

I thought part of the point of the tract was pretty good, did the character cast fireballs from her staff or something? No! The character simply used it to influence someone to do something. So one can trump up the requirements of magic and demand results like throwing fireballs for it to be eligible (so they can dismiss it as unlikely) while an actual user of magic (a power) simply uses it in ways that from what I see from Judeo-Christian scripture is completely possible and likely to be quite real since there are fallen angels ready to assist in the process for those that give themselves to such thoughts and uses of the heart.

As with ANYTHING you are suppose to guard your heart, but in some cases these games go way too far into the occult for a Christian whom is suppose to be guarding their heart to actually enjoy such an experience. Now I’ve seen Christian versions of D&D, toned down versions of the game as well as some that go full tilt into occult gaming. I don’t mean from pictures or something, I actually played D&D for years so I know what it is and where it can lead to. And I can easily say that as Christians use bible tracts to open up a door to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost, it’s just as easy for someone lost to use their D&D game to share their Gospel of the occult with those that will listen.

no matter what you do, there will always be some wack job out there complaining about it.

And meanwhile the souls of those departed that did not repent from where those things led them to are separated from God and spending eternity apart. Yeah us wack jobs don't want to offend anyone by saying things that may get the person all upset as if they may be doing something disobedient to God and his will. Can't we'yall jes get alooong?

 

[thywill77]

And I can easily say that as Christians use bible tracts to open up a door to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost, it’s just as easy for someone lost to use their D&D game to share their Gospel of the occult with those that will listen.

So true, but I'll leave this topic alone. I've seen pentogram images in Quake one too many times when I used to play. Many RPGs have images, symbols and the like of the occult. People get upset when you make a game and place some sort of Christian image in it. I simply say that maybe some games need to STOP trying to convert people to what ever and just make the dang game fun.

 

[Helo]

Was the symbol with two points up or one?

There is a difference. A pentaCLE (pen-ta-cull) is a symbol used by many Pagans, Wiccans, and Witches.

It has a single point facing upwards, symbolic of the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water with the top point representing Spirit (or Soul, sometimes). Its considered a protective sign. Interestingly enough it was a symbol used by the early Christians for a long time. It was supposed to represent the five wounds of Christ.

Its often mistakenly called a Pentagram, though the correct term is Pentacle. A small but important distinction.


The pentaGRAM (pronounced like it's spelled) is a pentacle turned up-side down

The Pentagram is most often used by Satanists and counter-culture types. The symbol is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a Pentalce, though the correct term is a Pentagram. The aim is the same as the inverted Cross, used to mock religion and symbolized the antithesis of what that religion stands for.

 

[Dust and Ashes]

Quake uses a pentagram.