Is Dungeons and Dragons evil?

[Mr. SmartyPants]

I honestly think that it is not. i understand that there are fanatics on the game... who may do unChristian stuff with it. But... it's not really satanic in my view. It's a board game, where you're a character. And do some quest. It's basically an RPG!

Yes, there are demons, monsters, and magic spells in the game. But it's not real, it's a game! And if you believe that, what abotu stuff such as "Lord of the Rings"? That has teh SAME concept! good vs evil. Orcish Hordes, demons. magic spells. Elven archers. etc etc etc!

I think that, as people become Christians, they tend to become "narrow-minded" on many stuff they are not accustomed to. Such as anime, and D&D

ya get average nerdy teenagers in a kitchen, or a living room. there is no "dark music" or "candle lights" or whatever. It's about kids going around. Looking for cheetos, and arguing on whos turn it is next...

http://www.flashplayer.com/animation/8bitdnd.html
watch that
(note, a tiny bit of sexual reference is in it, although it is not really bad)

[ZiP]

I don't think D&D is any more evil then Harry Potter,
So not at all.

[Yojimbo]

D&D invented Role Playing Games as we know them. It's no more evil than Final Fantasy or any other RPG.

[water-bearer]

I don't believe it's evil. As stated, it's just an rpg. As long as it doesn't become an addiction or something that does lead to wrongdoing I don't see anything wrong with it. Heh, great movie by the way. Funny stuff.
-The Water-bearer

[Kinkosami]

I don't see anything wrong with it. Although I'm sure there are people who do find something wrong with it, so we should respect their opinion.

[glitch1501]

just like any other rpg

as long as you dont take it too the extreme and start thinking that you are that character, gotta remember its just a game

[cbwing0]

I don't think it's evil; but as an avid video gamer, I do think that it sounds like a pretty boring game.

[JediSonic]

Ditto what cb said

I've watched the 8-bit d&d thing before... what was it he said? "it was the gym teacher's fault, for making them feel inferior just because they couldnt do one single pushup.

[Technomancer]

[quote="cbwing0"]I don't think it's evil]

Hey, don't knock it 'till you've tried it. It really is a lot of fun, at least if you have a good group.

[uc pseudonym]

We have already had a fair number of posts of people thinking the game isn't evil. Any more would basically be redundant. So please consider what you have to say before posting.

[quote="cbwing0"]I don't think it's evil]

As Technomancer said, it does not have to be boring. However, this would be primarily determined by your feelings regarding certain issues. I myself highly enjoy number crunching and planning, both of which have a fairly high role to play in the game. But it is too large of a time commitment in any case, and I don't really play.

[skynes]

I at this moment take no stance on the game. I am tired of viewing sites than praise it to the heavens and sites that condemn it to hell. What I wanna do is get a hold of the rulebook(s), read it, pray over it, and let God tell me what the deal is and give me my own convictions on it.

[cbwing0]

As Technomancer said, it does not have to be boring.

Certainly not; in fact, I am currently working my way through Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2 for the PS2. I own--and have read--the Monstrous Manual (which was very interesting even for someone who has no intention of playing the game), so I do know a little bit about the game, the world/s etc. On top of that, I have read several of the novels (including the excellent quadrilogy by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman, which is based on the Dragonlance universe). To summarize, I am quite familiar with D&D, thank you very much.

The point is this: the world and mythology surrounding D&D is a rich source for fiction and games; however, the pencil-and-paper incarnation of this world is the one that interests me the least.

[uc pseudonym]

[quote="cbwing0"]The point is this: the world and mythology surrounding D&D is a rich source for fiction and games]

I see. In that case, I believe you are entitled to consider the pencil and paper games somewhat boring, and I can at least understand your position.

Skynes, you may wish to peruse the following link. These are the legitimate online rulebooks.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35

[Kawaiikneko]

It sounds really interesting and I don't think its necessarily evil. However, my mom is against it (not to the point of "If you play that game you're going to hell!" but she thinks its a bad influence or something) and so by playing it without her permission I'd be disobeying my parents and at that point it would be something bad.

So no D&D for me until I'm older/my parents let me. Chances are I won't ever get interested enough in it to ask.

[MorwenLaicoriel]

I've played a Star Wars d20 game before. I prefer console RPGs, but it was pretty fun.

I guess the thing with D&D is that role-playing spells might be dangerous. I guess it just depends on how you do it.

[Scribs]

I recently had an oppertunity to become vaguely aquainted with D&D and it was quite ineresting...

My friend and I were at an anime convention and the two of us happend upon a sign up sheet for a short D&D senerio (the sheet was worded in such a way that I didn't know that it would be D&D) so we and an aquantance of my friend signed up. we arived at the appointed area and were greeted by a hardcore D&D dungeon master. Because we needed a fourth player, a middle aged woman in a cape joined us. we played out this "short scenario" for awhile but quit before the end because we had been there for almost three hours and our turn was over. the biggest event that happened was that all three of us fell in a pit and tried to get out for about an hour. This was surprisingly addicting however. My friend's aquaintence had named his charachter "fudge face" and this annoyed the woman in the cape to no end.

In conclusion the game in itself is not inherently evil , however I can see how it could become addicting to a seriously unhealthy level (the lady in the cape) if a person were not carefull. It could monopolize days/weeks/months/years of a persons life for a completely frivolous reason (not good). as with almost all things, it is not he object that is wrong/evil but the way and ammount in which it is used.

[Destroyer2000]

There was a report on the news quite a while back about some teenagers who got drunk, went into the desert with weapons, and fought and killed each other, because they thought they were D&D characters. Becoming like them is what the problem is, but otherwise it is fine. I enjoy D&D quite a bit, actually. It is an RPG; you can make it good or evil. Well, along with the DM, that is.

[Linksquest]

I at this moment take no stance on the game. I am tired of viewing sites than praise it to the heavens and sites that condemn it to hell. What I wanna do is get a hold of the rulebook(s), read it, pray over it, and let God tell me what the deal is and give me my own convictions on it.

yeah... thats how i think about that...

but it makes you wonder though, bad things must have been happening for so many christians to be against it.... hmmmn...

[JediSonic]

UC mentioned time investment.. I HATE large time investments

Thats why I dont like monopoly!

[uc pseudonym]

but it makes you wonder though, bad things must have been happening for so many christians to be against it.... hmmmn...

I would not consider this to be necessarily a direct indication of anything in particular. There were many Christians in the Nazi army and many against abolition. Conversely, there have been many perversions of Biblical teachings, leading to cultic sects. One thing that I believe it does tell us: sin can appear in anything and anyone.

[PumpkinKoRn52]

D&D's pretty fun. Some people take it too extremes and dress up and fight each other though. That's just kinda scary when people do that. But I don't think it's evil. I play it with a group of christian friends.

[Shinja]

im not going to say its evil, it can be for sure like most things. ive seen my friends play it, and so the only thing i can say about it is it wierds me out. somthing about it just dosent sit well with me, maybe its the whole lets make up fake lives in a fake world and pretend were fighting fake things. not my cup o' tea

[skynes]

but it makes you wonder though, bad things must have been happening for so many christians to be against it.... hmmmn...

Many Christians are against any Bible but the KJV, doesnt make others bad.
Many Christians are against Christian Rock, doesnt make it bad.
Many Christians are against television and movies, doesnt make them bad.

Ultimately many Christians are going to be against EVERYTHING....

My point: Majority opinion does not determine truth.

There was a report on the news quite a while back about some teenagers who got drunk, went into the desert with weapons, and fought and killed each other, because they thought they were D&D characters.

From this I would take a few things.

1. As they're teenagers, they shudnt have been drinking, let alone getting drunk.
2. I bet everyone whinged about the D&D and not the fact that they had alcohol or guns.
3. Whoever let them get weapons was an idiot...

Skynes, you may wish to peruse the following link. These are the legitimate online rulebooks.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35

Thanks, I'll definitely take a look through these.

[Scribs]

Quote:
but it makes you wonder though, bad things must have been happening for so many christians to be against it.... hmmmn...


As has already been said, that dosn't meen all that much. firstly, I have personally oberverd people who blame the devil for evvry thing from natural disasters to bad hair days, (this is just going a mite too far in my oppinion) and secondly, When one person says that somthing is bad, other people sometimes take their word for it, and then tell their friends about it. Those friends then tell other friends...ect. These things tend to snowball (especially when a thing has a "bad sounding" name such as Dungeons and Dragons)

[uc pseudonym]

I think that a great deal of energy is wasted on issues such as this that could be much better spent in other ways. Many people condemn something, many people attempt to defend it, many more condemn those defending it, etc. Mayhaps the body of Christ as a whole would be much better off if we actually could just let such issues go...

[kaji]

I’m surprised UC.

The reason issues like this will never be let go is for the same reason that you used for us to let it go in the first place.

If you, as a Christian, believe something to be ‘evil’ or counterproductive in our walk with Christ. Then, would you not have an obligation (as a brother in Christ) to let some one know? It is NOT your responsibility to harp on them day in and out, but if they do not know it is wrong then you should tell them. And tell them why.

As far as condemning the sinner and not the sin, well, we all know that to be wrong.

I do agree that people spend an inordinate amount of time bickering over which is true and which is false, but I do not think the answer is to just drop the issue all together. I would think that agreeing to disagree would be more appropriate.

I think in-depth discussion around topics, such as this, is what can make the body of Christ a lot stronger. It can help people to really understand, rather then just presume.
(This, of course, only works if the body is mature enough to have a discussion and not a mindless debate, followed by anger and resent…)


-kaji

EDIT: Oops, I didn’t post my opinion on D&D.
I think D&D is no different then any other RPG. Its not the material, its what you do with it. Guns don’t kill, people do. D&D isn’t evil, people are.

[uc pseudonym]

I think this is merely a misunderstanding, or perhaps a mistatement on my part.

If you, as a Christian, believe something to be ‘evil’ or counterproductive in our walk with Christ. Then, would you not have an obligation (as a brother in Christ) to let some one know? It is NOT your responsibility to harp on them day in and out, but if they do not know it is wrong then you should tell them. And tell them why.

Certainly, it is. However, I was speaking to great expenditures of energy. Also, I believe that in issues like this it is better to speak with people personally, as opposed to making blanket statements that generally feed further argument.

I do not have time to type much more here. So...

I do agree that people spend an inordinate amount of time bickering over which is true and which is false, but I do not think the answer is to just drop the issue all together. I would think that agreeing to disagree would be more appropriate.

What I meant was basically said in your last sentence.

[cbwing0]

If you, as a Christian, believe something to be ‘evil’ or counterproductive in our walk with Christ. Then, would you not have an obligation (as a brother in Christ) to let some one know?

To use a favorite phrase of the late Rev.Walter Martin, this is what you might call "playing Holy Spirit" for someone else. That is, taking something that is a matter of conscience and personal conviction, and claiming that it is universally wrong. This is not something that we are to do.

Although more legalistic Christians would not like to admit it, the Bible is clear that in almost every area of dispute, it is the more lenient practice that is technically correct; but before you prepare your response, please allow me to explain what I mean by that. What I mean is that neither the person who believes that a certain act is permissible, nor the one that is convicted that they should not practice it, are sinning. Both are within the bounds of their freedom in Christ.

The mistake that people make is in thinking that the instigation of their own conscience is meant to be enforced in the lives of others. If we could just recognize this, then we would avoid a lot of pointless debates.

[kaji]

I think this is merely a misunderstanding, or perhaps a mistatement on my part.

No problem. No need to exert needless amounts of energy where it is not necessary.

[kaji]

What I mean is that neither the person who believes that a certain act is permissible, nor the one that is convicted that they should not practice it, are sinning. Both are within the bounds of their freedom in Christ.

The mistake that people make is in thinking that the instigation of their own conscience is meant to be enforced in the lives of others. If we could just recognize this, then we would avoid a lot of pointless debates.

Yep, as far as I know, that is the way it is.

On many of these areas, going against your conviction is sinning, while for another (who was not similarly convicted) it would not be.

And you are right, many people do over step the bound of maturely discussing and imposing their personal convictions on others.

However, we as Christians should never assume that we know the right answer for every thing. We should always be studying in Gods word, and from those that he has ordained as teachers (or with other brothers/sisters). It is not wrong to change your conviction once you have gained a different perspective on something.

-kaji