We've all heard about the accusations some Christian groups place on Dungeons and Dragons (D&D). However, I am a Christian and yet, I play D&D; what does this all mean? I have decided to write a short piece on this matter.
Many of my fellow Christians believe there is an inherent evil in role playing games (RPGs) , D&D in particular. But rather than respond with arguments showing how RPGs are not bad (there are many places that already do), I'm going to discuss the heart of the matter, the nature of evil.
First, we must ask ourselves what is Evil. I only know what I believe. Inanimate objects cannot be evil. Evil is defined by motives and intentions. The reason I do not include actions is because some actions may be evil in one situation or good in another. I am not necessarily arguing for situational ethics, however. It is not the situation that defines good or evil, it is the intention and motivations. Also, remember that some actions are so closely related to the motivations that to distinguish between the two is pointless and even offensive (rape being an example). Therefore, if evil is defined by the motivations of people then an inanimate object such as a role playing game cannot be inherently evil.
However, RPGs are games played by people. Because of this, motivations can (and will) effect the game as it is played. Therefore one particular group of players can give their game an evil characteristic, while others can bring good to their game. If a game has evil qualities it is because of the people playing it, not the game itself. Those that argue that D&D causes people to become satanists or occultists must consider whether it was the game or the people playing the game that had the influence. By its very nature an RPG allows the players to play out their fantasies and influence the other players. The game merely allows people to play how they wish, and we dare not condemn this any more than the First Amendment granting us the right to free speech. Both the game and the 1st Amendment are neutral allowing people to be evil themselves.
In conclusion, we should be more worried about who we or our children are playing with than whether they are playing D&D. If a parent is concerned about their child playing D&D, he/she should get to know the people that their child is playing with. My friends and I are Christians, and as we play we bring with us those things we know are good and right. It is these things one must look for.
Question or comments? Email me at bstoner@efn.org
| This page created 9/24/97 |