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2014-12-11
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A Biblical View of Dungeons & Dragons
By: Scott Jones
I. Introduction
A. 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."
B. 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
anywhere by 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
the just what the game is all about in order to "Avoid every kind of
evil" asthe Bible instructs us to do.
C. 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.
II. History and Background.
A. F.R.P. games of which, D & D was the first, got their start as a
spin off of strategy simulation war games.
B. Gary Gygax founded a society called the "Castle and
Crusade Society" as a special interest group of the International
Federation of Wargaming.
C. Gary Gygax took some ideas from a man by the name of
Dave Arneson and developed the first D & D game called "Greyhawk."
D. 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.
E. 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.
F. How the game is played.
1. Ought 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.
2. There are no rules, only guidelines.
3. There is no time limitation, thus one game could last
indefinitly.
4. There appears to be no absolutes or boundaries.
5. Three or more players and a Dungeon Master are needed
to play the game. (REFER TO P#31)
G. Principles:
1. 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 charactor would accomplish any given
task.
2. The roles that can be played, are not desirable
according to Biblical standards.
3. In the past, role playing games had a historical setting,
but today in F.R.P. games the setting is fantasy and
mythology.
4. Today there is not only violence and a quest for powerfound
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!
5. Unfortunately, most players participate without ever
considering the world view in which the are playing, and
the Christianplayers who particpate many not consider just
how far the game'sideology is so in conflict with the
principles of the Bible.
III. The world view or philosophy contrasted with the Word of God.
A. 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 provid each more or less coherent frame of
reference for all thought and action.
B. 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.
C. The comparison :
1. The subject of God.
a. F.R.P. games in general support polytheism.
b. In these games one is supposed to have a patron god
and is expected to have contact with him.
c. The Bible clearly states that there is only one true
God and that we are to Worship Him only. (Ex. 20:3)
d. The Scriptures state that there are many thingscalled
god but there is by nature only one True God, the God
of theBible. (I Cor. 8:4ff)
2. The subject of creation:
a. F.R.P.s in general suggest a non-theisticuniverse(s),
that is, without an infinite creator God. b.
The Bible maintains a theistic universe(s), one that begins with the
personal, infinite God who "created the heavens and theearth" out of
nothing. (Gen. 1:1).
3. The subject of man:
a. Most F.R.P. games say that man can better himselfand
progress through various levels by means of cooperation skill andluck.
▄j ▄î b. In some games it
is possible to attain the level of a divinity or deity.
c. The Bible states that man has disobeyed God, thus
alienating himself from God. (Rom. 3:23) Payment for sin or
atonementis needed, but sinful man is incapable of producing or
providing this. God loves us so much that he took the initiative in
history by sendinghis Son, Jesus Christ, the second person of the
Godhead to pay thepenalty for sin by His deaths on the cross.
d. According to the Bible, Jesus Christ alone is theonly
way to life and to God. (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; John 3:36) 4.
The subject of resurrection.
a. F.R.P. games address immortality in two areas; resur
rection and reincarnation:
(1) Resurrection meaning resuscitation or revival of a person after
death by means of magic or by petioning one's patron god.
(2) Reincarnation is the belief of bringing back a dead in the form of
a new incarnation (or in a new body). b. The
Bible clearly states one conclusion for man after death: a resurrection
to Heaven for the believer, or resurrection toHell for the unbeliever,
depending on what you think about Christ, andwhether you accept Him as
your personal Saviour. (Rom. 8:23-24) 5. The subject
of morality :
a. F.R.P. games see an amoral world at best. Good and
evil seem to be presented as equal and opposite sides.
b. Such activities as rape, stealing, murder, mutilation and human
sacrifices are incorporated into the adventure of the Games. c.
The Bible maintains a moral universe, based on the integrity of God.
Thus there is an absolute standard by which all moraljudgments can be
measured.
d. God has revealed this standard to us in the various
laws and principles expressed in Word, the Bible. These laws
andprinciples are given for our instruction that we might know what
isright and what ought to be done in a given situation.
D. Principles:
1. The theology found in F.R.P. games is an outright
denialof much (if not all) of Biblical theology.
2. The theology found in these games is not true and there is
a false understanding of the supernatural and the gods and demons
onecalls upon and imagines may not at all times be purely imaginative
andnonexistent after all.
IV. Assessing F.R.P. games.
A. To categorically declare that all F.R.P. games are "evil"
andof the Devil would be simplistic and erroneous, just as it would be
anerror to accept them all unquestionably as "good" and "harm less."
Inorder to make an intelligent assessment of these games we
mustcritically examine at least four basic areas. First, the role
offantasy; secondly, morality; thirdly, escapism and lastly, occultism.
1. Fantasy:
a. Neither fantasy or fantasy role-playing is wrong
inand of itself. When carried out with in the context of the
Christianworld view, it can serve as a useful and creative activity.
▄j ▄ b. We are creatures made in the
image of an imaginativeGod and we should consider it a privilege to
possess and exercise thisgift of imagination. However, we must also
recognise our obligationbefore God to use this gift in a wholesome way
and to guard against anymisuse, (I Cor. 10:3-5).
c. If Christ taught that looking at a woman with lustwas
committing adultery in the heart, would it not follow that if youlust
after power given by false gods that you are in fact committingidolatry
in the eyes of God?
2. The morality of the games.
a. In D & D and games of its kind there are no moral
absolutes, nor are there any moral conclusions. Good does not have
totriumph over evil in the end.
b. The good morals that might be brought in to the game
have no effect on how the charactor is played. If your charactor is
anevil (alignment) thief then that is how he must be played.
c. Where there is power and violence there is
oftensexual immorality. For example, in D & D "non-human soldiers"
areexpected to "rape freely at every chance."
d. Remember, in these games, not only does the player
become the charactor, but in some games the charactor becomes a modelfor
all to emulate.
e. 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,
castingspells, using magic, and practicing necromancy are wrong, then
shouldone pretend those things or become involved in a fantasy game in
whichone participates by imaginative role playing? NO!