Are Role-Playing Games Okay for Christian?

[Riniel]

First and foremost I want to thank everyone for replying, and giving me such wonderful advice!

Much of the advice that was given was conflicting. Some of you say I should try to convert him for a lack of a better term, and others are saying I should let it go and find someone who is a Christian, even if he doesn't have the same common interests.

I am getting the feeling that this guy is not right for me. I don't even know if being friends would be worth the journey, because we might end up liking each other too much.

One thing that a fellow poster said I believe his name was Heb11:6, is that I should not be involved with things that contain witchcraft. One of the things that bothers me about this is that most games and movies that have elves, faeries, wizards, etc. in them is that it is all completely made up. I have a very strong love for God, and at the same time I have an imagination for things that are faerie tales. Watching Harry Potter, or playing magic the gathering is not like going out to a forest some where and deliberately worshiping Satan, and trying to summon power from Satan. I feel that this is a very murky subject for many people because most of the fantasy in this world is just for fun and it's completely fake. There is no real ground to watching Harry Potter, and inviting Satan into your life. I do not invite Satan into my life, and I know that God protects me from Satan and his minions.

If I were claiming to be a Christian, but also practice wiccan "religion", that would be a very different scenario. I actually had a friend in middle school who grew up with parents who were wiccans and she said she also believed in God. Well, by the next year in school, she renounced God and went fully wiccan. She changed a lot after that, and I decided that I would give her some final advice of what I believed God wanted me to communicate to her, then cut off all ties with her.

She didn't like the fact that I didn't want to be here friend anymore, but I told her that as long as she professes to be a wiccan, I can't be her friend. I prayed for her, and I haven't spoken to her in many years, but I found her on myspace a while back, and it seems that she is still wiccan. Her profile was very dark, and there was a lot of very ungodly statements and pictures on her profile.

The point of this is that I take witchcraft, and Satanism very seriously. I do not believe that if you are being serious about trying to contact Satan, and talk to the dead that you can claim to be a Christian at the same time.

C.S. Lewis is one of the many beloved Christian writers. He wrote 'The Narnia Chronicles', and as we all know there are some very dark things in those books. Many people think that it's only the witch that is evil, but if you read the books carefully, and watch the movies, you'll see that there are minions of the witch that are very evil, and almost resemble demons. In the first book 'The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe', the witch performs a ritual to try to kill Aslan, the lion in the books and movies that resembles God. She performs the ritual, (which seems fairly satanic to me) wrongly and Aslan does not perish. Can you tell me, and please be honest, don't lie to me because you don't want to admit, but have you ever read, or watched the Narnia series and enjoyed it?

It seems I am going more into the witchcraft subject than the original subject of biblical advice on dating and relationships, but I just want to let Heb11:6 know that I am not justifying the reasons why I watch Harry Potter, Narnia, and play games with fantastical creatures in it. I am just stating that the bible talks about witchcraft in a more literal sense. God doesn't want us getting involved with the real deal. I think many people take this much too seriously, as God doesn't want us to get involved with real witchcraft, because it would be inviting Satan into our lives. I do not watch, or play games that have made up spells and wizards in them, then want to venture into how to really do those sort of things for real, and how to perform rituals to try to get power from Satan. People who really worship Satan are doing a lot more than watching Harry Potter, or Narnia. They are practicing witchcraft to try to bring Satan into their lives, and hope that they can get some power. I don't even like talking about Satan because it makes me feel strange. Movies and games that have made up spells and wizards are not promoting that they are worshiping Satan. Furthermore, I dare ask does it make me a witch for finding innocent enjoyment in made up stories like Narnia, or Harry Potter?

 

[Mike]

Re: I need some biblical advice

I agree completely with everything you have said. I really think D&D is an easy target because of what some people who haven't played it think is involved. I've never played, mostly because no one I've known never had.

If someone is convicted not to play D&D or watch those movies, or if they have a weakness to be drawn into the occult by such things, by all means they shouldn't. You clearly are grounded enough to avoid any dangers that potentially come with them, so I would say you are fine.

Really, there have been people calling everything from the TV to Spongebob "of Satan" since they were around. I love C.S. Lewis, and I always remember his forward the "The Srewtape Letters": There are two mistakes people make with Satan. They either give him too much attention or not enough. I'm sure I botched up that quote, but I think the point is there. You sound like you have a good bead on him.

 

[handy]

Re: I need some biblical advice

I don't know if this was a widespread phenomen...or just something that happened in crazy California back in the day.


But, in the late 70's and early 80's, many Christians were combating the powers of Satan by targeting something. I actually heard a whole sermon preached on the evil of this thing. Well meaning Christians, not wanting to be sucked powerlessly into the darkness of the occult earnestly exhorted others to not just get rid of these things...but to actually destroy them...by first smashing, then burning, and then burying what remained.

What dreadful evil thing had been insinuated into our unsuspecting lives to forever trap us...again powerlessly, we who have the Spirit within us?

Crystals. Yep...decorative crystals. You know those things that can be hung in windows to make rainbows and sparkle and be pretty?

Hanging crystals in windows was a decorative fad for a while, at least where I lived. People would give them to each other...they were quite popular. We had a number hung in our kitchen window.

But, then the new-agey mystic types started using them and, suddenly, if a Christian housewife hung a crystal in the window, bam...she was inviting Satan in to oppress the entire household. My sister, upon the advice of her pastor, smashed all of hers...this was when she was a new convert and had little Biblical knowledge.

Now, she recognizes that kind of thinking for what it is...rank superstition.

Not that Satan doesn't look for footholds in our lives, of course he does. And, like Mike says, if one stumbles with the occult, if one is drawn to it...then one should avoid things that can be a stumbling block.

But, we are never powerless. We have the Holy Spirit and the Spirit will most definitely convict His own to what they should and shouldn't be a part of.

I've read all the Harry Potter books, LOTR, Narnia...I love fantasy for the telling of stories. And, believe me, I'm not the least bit under conviction about it. Not that there aren't things that I'm fully and completely convicted about that other Christians have liberty to partake in.

Fantasy can be a foothold for Satan in the lives of Christians...but not always...probably not even most of the time. For me, the easiest foothold for Satan to cause me to stumble is simply my mouth...my tongue. Comes from having a bad temper.

 

[Nathan Alterton]

Re: I need some biblical advice

Regarding the issue of "magic" or "witchcraft" in works of fantasy, I have to completely agree with Mike and Riniel. I believe that to say, "The Bible condemns witchcraft so a Christian can't read Harry Potter/Chronicles of Narnia/The Lord of the Rings/etc," is a rather ham-fisted approach to passages like Deuteronomy 18:10-12. Romans 14 is very applicable to the issue of fantasy magic.

Now, back to the OP!

Two things:

1) I think you're leaning in the right direction on this one Riniel. We are shaped by the people we love, particularly our spouses, almost more than anything else. Daily, I am thankful that I married a strong and Biblically literate young woman. We talk constantly, and she has changed my views on many things, called me on the carpet many times when I wasn't living the way I should. As I have for her. I imagine it would be much harder for me to maintain my Christian walk without her there beside me.

2) There are a lot of Christian guys out there that love fantasy/Star Wars/Star Trek/D&D/Magic TG/Etc. I am one of them, as are two of my brothers in-law (although the bigger nerd is married to my sister, so he's off the market). Hang in there, you'll find someone.

 

[Nathan Alterton]

Re: I need some biblical advice

Well said, Handy!

 

[Heb11:6]

Re: I need some biblical advice

Friends, I know I am of the minority opinion here; but here is what it boils down to for me and I don't know if everyone see's this.

Games, books, movies, and etc. that portray any magical act in a harmless or positive light undoubtably attract many many people who further venture into the practice. It can in some ways be compared to drug abuse - people don't generally strart with the big things - they start with small things. These things (and don't misunderstand me, I am not talking about sci-fi, or fiction in general, I am talking about things which create interest and enjoyment in magic, etc.,) do draw people further in and trap them. You might not get trapped in it but many many do, especially children. I have had some experience with young adults who are into this stuff and where they began was also probably thought harmless.

If something is drawing people away from Christ and into darkness, it is most certainly not of Him, nor do I believe He would endorse it - if it is hurting the cause of Christ then I will having nothing to do with it. Whether or not the subject "brings conviction" is not a good test of whether or not it is Biblical. Many Christians are living in immoral relationships and partaking of a host of different things that they claim "don't bother their conscience". This could be a Romans 14 issue although those verses are often used by people who like to walk the line. I would rather choose to live by 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
"<SUP>21</SUP>Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. <SUP id=en-KJV-29644 class=versenum>22</SUP>Abstain from all appearance of evil." KJV

Either way guys - I don't agree with you but I love you and Christ - God Bless

 

[Nathan Alterton]

Re: I need some biblical advice

Heb11:6,

I am not unsympathetic to your concern. However, that some may be led astray by a thing is not a good reason to ban that thing for the entire church. C. S. Lewis in Mere Christianity wrote that all virtues can and have been twisted into vices at times (some more frequently than others). In one of my favorite of Lewis' works, The Great Divorce, Lewis examines how one woman has been led astray by motherly love, by the love she had for her son. It seems to me that the numbers of people led away from God by their "love" for a child may very likely be far greater than the number ever led astray by fantasy magic. I doubt many would agree that, even given that likelihood, the church should rid itself, cold turkey, of motherly love.

As I and others said before, this seems to be a very good example of a thing which should be classified as a Romans 14 issue. Since we may not know where all our weaknesses lie, and since we may be ensnared by almost anything (I knew a woman who wisely wouldn't keep playing cards in her house) this just highlights the importance of continuing to gather together with those of the Body of Christ. Close Christian brothers can often see better than we can when a thing may be turning us aside from the straight and narrow, and loving fellow believers will gently bring it to light if we begin to stray.

 

[Mike]

The previous posts were moved to this newly established thread to focus on this topic.

 

[JNathanK]

A lot of that stuff is just a caricature of witch craft. Its silly and most RPG only see it as just imaginary and fake. Real witch craft revolves heavily around the contact and even worship of spiritual entities, historically seen in the form of ferries, ancestral spirits, pagan deities, therianthropes, elves, grey aliens, etc etc. The problem with witch craft is sometimes people don't even choose to contact these entities. They come to them and intrude on them. I think the problem with these spirits is they're really just created beings like us but exist at a higher plane of reality. The fallen ones are mischievous, not unlike us fallen men, and They mess with humans the way a human might mess with a colony of ants. I'm pretty sure they're the sons of god referenced in Genesis and the Book of Enoch. The name "sons of god" is to denote that they aren't God but that they're supernatural in some way.

Some of these beings might be angels of the Lord too, though. Whether they are or aren't probably all depends on how they choose to convey their selves to us though and what message they want to get across.

 

[Pebbles]

Witchcraft is nothing like D&D style magic do you actually think real life wiccans run around casting magic missile? Or raisng low level zombies?

I knew some pagans, They don't worship satan they worship any number of strange things I will be honest I didn't pay an enormous amount of attention to it. mostly mumbo jumbo.

 

[TheyCallMeYoder]

I see no problem with playing DnD or other RPGs as a Christian. I've even discussed this issue to some extent with on of my pastors. I started playing DnD at the age of 19 in the Army. One theory my pastor put forth is that maybe God put DnD in front of me to distract me from another love I had at the time, alcohol and drunkenness (while I wasn't an alcoholic in the sense that I "needed" the booze, I just found enjoyment in being drunk). When DnD came along, I quit the booze outright...for the most part (haven't drank excessively since then).

Now, my own story of how DnD saved me aside, I will return to the issue at hand. RPGs are not a problem unless you allow them to totally consume you to the point where you begin to believe you are a certain character or possess certain traits. For example, one of the first characters I played was of minimal intelligence. Yet, I enjoyed the character so much, I began to adopt his weakness as though it was my own...I actually began to act dumber and stopped making intelligent decisions (didn't think this was possible, but I guess it is). I took a couple weeks off (we only played on Saturdays so it was two gaming sessions) to reassess this hobby. I went back to the game and enjoyed it for another 10 months until I was transferred stateside from Germany.

So, beyond letting the game alter your identity, there is no danger to it. Remember that the casting of spells is typically done by an announcement (I'm going to cast 'fireball') followed by a role of the dice. There is no actual chanting, summoning, hand motions, etc. So really, you are not casting a spell. After all, if you "Go To Jail" in Monopoly, did you really commit a crime?
Secondly, the character you play is up to you as is how you play it. Now, I have played everything from "Lawful Good" to "Chaotic Evil" characters. This is only a game. While my most beloved character was a thief, I never had any desire to actually go out and actually steal stuff in the real world. It's only a game. Sometimes, it could even be therapeutic. For example, if you have a stressful job and have the unChristian desire to choke the life out of someone who angered you, you do it in the game. Now, let me say that some Christians will view that act alone as sinful but that is a debate for another time. As I said, it's only a game...none of it is real.
Third, on the subject of religion and idol worship, first refer to the "it's just a game" mantra then open the mind. Quite frankly, I found the whole thing educational. I know more now about "demonology", "necromancy", "wicca", "mythology" than I did before I started playing. In fact, I now know more about other religions than I did before I began to play. But to allay your fears, I never ceased my education of Christianity, God, and the Scriptures. Quite frankly, there is another way to look at these DnD religions. You are not required to follow a particular deity unless you are a certain class. However, as a follower, you must adhere to certain strictures to stay in good standing. If you stray, punishment from the deity can be meted out if one does not atone for their sin. Sound familiar? In a sense, they give you a feel for what it is like following God.

There is more that can be discussed but I'll leave it at that. BTW, a little about me, I played DnD off an on for the past 24 years...I am now 43. I still love it. I am married as of June 2011 with no kids. I am a member of a Methodist church. Several years ago, before I moved, I was a member of a Congregational church as well as served on the Elder board of that same church. I have also led several small groups in Bible studies.