Posted By: shade (Moon Shade) on 'CZreligion'
Title: DnD Evil ?
Date: Sun May 4 19:08:56 1997
Jo a tohle je v podobnem duchu ... Ja jenom doufam, ze temhle
plantum nikdo neveri, a nezacne mi tady tvrdit, ze je to pravda ...
Ondra.
-- cut here --
A Biblical View of Dungeons & Dragons
Scott Jones
_________________________________________________________________
* Introduction
+ Scripture Reading: I Thessalonians 5:21-23 "Test everything.
Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God
himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.
May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is
faithful and he will do it."
+ It has been estimated that over 3 million Americans play a
game called Dungeons and Dragons. On Saturday mornings there
are cartoons which your children can watch that are based on
this and other Fantasy Role Playing games ("F.R.P."). The
games can be played almost anywhereby anyone. With the
increase in popularity of this and other F.R.P. games in the
last two years, and with the increased availability of the
material to play the game it is essential that Christians
know just what the game is all about in order to "Avoid every
kind of evil" asthe Bible instructs us to do.
+ The information for this topic was taken from a book called
Playing With Fire, written by John Weldon and James
Bjornstad. These two men have presented a very clear and
verifiable study that objectively looks at F.R.P. from the
Bible's view.
* History and Background.
+ F.R.P. games of which, D & D was the first, got their start
as a spin off of strategy simulation war games.
+ Gary Gygax founded a society called the "Castle and Crusade
Society" as a special interest group of the International
Federation of Wargaming.
+ Gary Gygax took some ideas from a man by the name of Dave
Arneson and developed the first D & D game called "Greyhawk."
+ Originally the game was introduced to college campuses around
the country. However, now 46% of the games and materials sold
are bought by the 10 to 14 year old age group and an
additional 26% of all games are bought by 15 to 17 year olds.
+ The game initially received a lot of attention due to the
disappearance and subsequent suicide (which occurred about a
year later) of an undergraduate by the name of James Dallas
Egbert III, who was an avid D & D player. An investigation
into his disappearance and suicide did not produce conclusive
evidence of a connection to D & D.
+ How the game is played.
o Although there are game boards available along with
other game materials, the game is mostly played in the
mind. This is one of the reasons that the game attracts
so many people of above average intelligence.
o There are no rules only guidelines.
o There is no time limitation, thus one game could last
indefinitly.
o There appear to be no absolutes or boundaries.
o Three or more players and a Dungeon Master are needed to
play the game. (REFER TO P#31)
+ Principles:
o These are role playing games, which means that the
player must assume the part of the charactor to the
point that he must think how the character would
accomplish any given task.
o The roles that can be played, are not desirable
according to Biblical standards.
o In the past, role playing games had a historical
setting, but today in F.R.P. games the setting is
fantasy and mythology.
o Today there is not only violence and a quest for power
found in war games, but add to that immorality,
idolatry, and occultism found in games such as D & D,
one has to wonder just what kind of effect these games
might have on one's own philosophy and morals!
o Unfortunately, most players participate without ever
considering the world view in which the are playing, and
the Christian players who particpate may not consider
just how far the game's ideology is so in conflict with
the principles of the Bible.
* The world view or philosophy contrasted with the Word of God.
+ Each F.R.P. game has it's own universe (i.e., world view or
philosophy fashioned by words or concepts that work together
to provide a more or less coherent frame of reference for all
thought and action.
+ In order for a player to be able to play one of these games
he has to comprehend the universe of the game and thus the
game's outlook on life.
+ The comparison :
o The subject of God.
# F.R.P. games in general support polytheism.
# In these games one is supposed to have a patron god
and is expected to have contact with him (or her).
# The Bible clearly states that there is only one
true God and that we are to Worship Him only. (Ex.
20:3)
# The Scriptures state that there are many things
called god but there is by nature only one True
God, the God of the Bible. (I Cor. 8:4f)
o The subject of creation:
# F.R.P.s in general suggest a non-theistic
universe(s), that is, without an infinite creator
God.
# The Bible maintains a theistic universe, one that
begins with the personal, infinite God who "created
the heavens and the earth" out of nothing. (Gen.
1:1).
o The subject of man:
# Most F.R.P. games say that man can better himself
and progress through various levels by means of
cooperation skill and luck.
# In some games it is possible to attain the level of
a divinity or deity.
# The Bible states that man has disobeyed God, thus
alienating himself from God. (Rom. 3:23) Payment
for sin or atonement is needed, but sinful man is
incapable of producing or providing this. God loves
us so much that he took the initiative in history
by sending his Son, Jesus Christ, the second person
of the Godhead to pay the penalty for sin by His
deaths on the cross.
# According to the Bible, Jesus Christ alone is the
only way to life and to God. (John 14:6; Acts 4:12;
John 3:36)
+ The subject of resurrection.
o F.R.P. games address immortality in two areas;
resurrection and reincarnation:
# Resurrection meaning resuscitation or revival of a
person after death by means of magic or by
petioning one's patron god.
# Reincarnation is the belief of bringing back a dead
in the form of a new incarnation (or in a new
body).
o The Bible clearly states one conclusion for man after
death: a resurrection to Heaven for the believer, or
resurrection to Hell for the unbeliever, depending on
your relationship with Christ, whether you've accepted
Him as your personal Saviour. (Rom. 8:23-24)
+ The subject of morality :
o F.R.P. games see an an amoral world at best. Good and
evil seem to be presented as equal and opposite sides.
o Such activities as rape, stealing, murder, mutilation
and human sacrifices are incorporated into the adventure
of the Games.
o The Bible maintains a moral universe, based on the
integrity of God. Thus there is an absolute standard by
which all moral judgments can be measured.
o God has revealed this standard to us in the various laws
and principles expressed in Word, the Bible. These laws
and principles are given for our instruction that we
might know what is right and what ought to be done in a
given situation.
* Principles:
+ The theology found in F.R.P. games is an outright denial of
much (if not all) of Biblical theology.
+ The theology found in these games is not true and there is a
false understanding of the supernatural and the gods and
demons one calls upon and imagines may not at all times be
purely imaginative and nonexistent after all.
Assessing F.R.P. games.
* To categorically declare that all F.R.P. games are "evil" and of
the Devil would be simplistic and erroneous, just as it would be
an error to accept them all unquestionably as "good" and
"harmless." In order to make an intelligent assessment of these
games we must critically examine at least four basic areas. First,
the role of fantasy; secondly, morality; thirdly, escapism and
lastly, occultism.
+ Fantasy:
o Neither fantasy or fantasy role-playing is wrong in and
of itself. When carried out with in the context of the
Christian world view, it can serve as a useful and
creative activity.
o We are creatures made in the image of an imaginative God
and we should consider it a privilege to possess and
exercise this gift of imagination. However, we must also
recognise our obligation before God to use this gift in
a wholesome way and to guard against any misuse, (I Cor.
10:3-5).
o If Christ taught that looking at a woman with lust was
committing adultery in the heart, would it not follow
that if you lust after power given by false gods that
you are in fact committing idolatry in the eyes of God?
+ The morality of the games.
o In D & D and games of its kind there are no moral
absolutes, nor are there any moral conclusions. Good
does not have to triumph over evil in the end.
o The good morals that might be brought in to the game
have no effect on how the charactor is played. If your
charactor is an evil (alignment) thief then that is how
he must be played.
o Where there is power and violence there is often sexual
immorality. For example, in D & D "non-human soldiers"
are expected to "rape freely at every chance."
o Remember, in these games, not only does the player
become the charactor, but in some games the charactor
becomes a model for all to emulate.
o The bible is the final authority on right and wrong, and
if God declares in the Bible that prostitution, rape,
stealing, mutilation, murder, human sacrifice,
worshiping other gods, casting spells, using magic, and
practicing necromancy are wrong, then should one pretend
those things or become involved in a fantasy game in
which one participates by imaginative role playing? NO!