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DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS - CONCERNS FOR THE CHRISTIAN
. "Dungeons and Dragons Fantasy Adventure Game ("D&D Game" for
short) is a role-playing game for persons 10 years and older. In
the D&D rules, individuals play the role of characters in a
fantasy world where magic is real and heroes venture out on
dangerous quests in search of fame and fortune. Characters gain
experience by overcoming perils and recovering treasures. As
characters gain experience, they grow in power and ability." TSR,
D&D Basic Rulebook, p. B3.
. TSR (Tactical Studies Rules), producer of D&D, was founded
in 1974. Estimates of its sales have been as high as: $23 million
gross in 1979, $45 million gross in 1980, $60-90 million gross in
1981 with net income of $28 million. In 1980, children age 10-14
bought 46% of the D&D games, those 15-17 bought another 26% of
the games. TSR has 140 employees, is producing academic area
games, translating D&D into other languages, producing a major
film, producing electronic versions, etc, They are one of many
companies producing similar FRP games.
. Children and adults find the games exciting and challenging.
But the games include some aspects that need a closer look by
Christian children and parents. Some of these are suggested here:
1. There is a danger in becoming over-involved in D&D, spending
a large amount of time, money, and interest in it.
. a. Gary Gygax, originator of the game, said that "the most
extensive requirement of the game is time." (D&D Basic Manual, p.
3)
. b. Articles in newspapers and magazines have told of many
people who spent many hours a day or week playing, sometimes
investing hundreds to thousands of dollars in materials and
conventions.
. c. Again Gary Gygax has said: "You have to pursue D&D with
your entire soul if you're going to do well at it." (Rolling
Stone, Oct. 1980)
. d. People tell of talking about nothing else, having no
friends who do not play, experiencing peer pressure to play and
rejection of those who do not.
. e. Ephesians 5:15-17 tells us to make the most of our time,
and to watch carefully how we walk.
. f. Philippians 4:8 says: "...fill your minds with those
things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are
true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable." Does D&D
measure up to these standards?
2. There is a danger in players becoming too involved with
their imaginary characters.
. a. People have said: "I've seen people have fits, yell for
fifteen minutes, hurl dice...when their character dies." "It's
when you take the game home with you, when Johnny's mad for a
week because you killed his character, that it's an addiction."
Gary Gygax said: "when you start playing out a fantasy, it can
really eat up time and capture you totally. Most people can
handle it, but there are probably exceptions." A Dr. Douglas
Brown said: "If a person isn't too well put together to begin
with, it's not going to be good for him."
. b. Many find D&D to be an escape from the real world and
find it more exciting. But some have found it hard to separate
the real from the imaginary and carry the game into real life.
. c. Matthew 16:24 and the verses following talk about
Christians "taking up a cross", not trying to escape from the
world, but giving up their lives for Jesus and serving Him.
. d. See Philippians 4:8 again.
3. D&D contains a lot of violence.
. a. The whole concept of the game is to do battle with
monsters. Characters are equipped with various types of armor,
weaponry, potions and spells. It is necessary to kill, not just
the monsters but even humans, in order to succeed in the game.
. b. A central Washington police department asks as a
standard question of those arrested: "Are you a participant of
Fantasy Role Games?" Another source stated that 60 suicides were
directly attributed to D&D in 1981.
. c. Galatians 5:19-26 describes our human natures and the
fruit of the Spirit. What is it saying?
4. D&D is an effective "teacher". Do you know what it is
teaching?
. a. D&D makes use of several effective teaching/learning
techniques including involving the feelings of the participants,
role-playing, fantasy, and memorization. The roles (classes,
professions) include religious-type roles (although not Christian
by any means) such as cleric, Druid, and monk. Other roles are
that of fighter, thief, illusionist, assassin, etc. The fantasies
include doing battle with devils and demons using various types
of weaponry, spells and potions. Magic-users, elves, and clerics
use spells, which must be memorized before a game begins after
consultation with the proper book of spells. The spell must then
be spoken or read aloud in order to have any effect.
. b. One of the book's author says that in D&D good is given
far more attention than evil, but a 40-hour-per-week player
claims that it is better to be evil because you can do evil
things and get away with them. An FRP games representative stated
in The Milwaukee Journal, 11/5/81, that "these games are teaching
the difference between right and wrong." In D&D even lawful good
characters kill many other human characters in the name of duty
to eradicate evil.
. c. Leviticus 19:26 says not to practice any kind of magic.
. d. I Thessalonians says to avoid every kind of evil ("even
the appearance of evil" in some translations).
5. D&D claims to involve the players in the worship/service of
other gods.
. a. Deities and Demigods, page 5 says: "Serving a deity is a
significant part of D&D, and all player characters should have a
patron god. Alignment assumes its full importance when tied to
the worship of a deity." The Dungeon Masters Guide, page 25 says
this: "Whether or not the character actively professes some
deity, he or she will have an alignment and serve one or more
deities of his general alignment indirectly and inbeknownst to
the character. Another D&D book says that the Gods and their
Cohorts will occasionally assist their devotees with aid, or harm
them.
. b. In Deities and Demigods, a total of over 200 foreign
gods are mentioned.
. c. Exodus 23:13 tells us not to even mention the names of
other gods.
. d. Deuteronomy 7:25 and Ezekiel 6 talk more about idols and
false gods.
. e. See Galatians 5:19-21 again.
6. D&D contains much information and encourages activity that
deals with the occult world.
. a. Dr. Gary North, a Christian economist, author of the
book None Dare Call It Witchcraft, and editor of the Remnant
Review, said this: "Without any doubt in my own mind, after years
of study of the history of occultism, after having researched
historical research, I can say with confidence: These games are
the most effective, most magnificently packaged, most profitably
marked, most thoroughly researched introduction to the occult in
man's recorded history, period. This is NO game." (Remnant
Review, 12/5/80)
. b. D&D uses hundreds of traditional Christian terms, but
not with traditional meanings. It also deals with the casting of
spells, magic, sorcery, witchcraft, voodoo, demon and devil
worship, ESP, levitation, etc.
. c. The words demon, devil and hell appear a total of 225
times in eight pages of Deities and Demigods (pages 16-23), and
encourages the worship of them as lesser gods (page 105).
. d. The words Devil, devils, and Satan also appear in the
Bible (over 150 times), but the Bible teaches something entirely
different about them.
. e. Deuterononmy 18:9 and following tells us to have nothing
to do with people who do things in this area. 1 Peter 5:8 talks
about the devil as a lion, looking for people to eat! John 8-44
calls him a murderer and the father of lies (a deceiver). Check
other Bible passages for more information here.
. f. Ephesians 6-:11 instructs us to put on the armor of God
to do real battle with wicked spiritual forces, the rulers,
authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age.
. g. Philippians 4:8 again directs us to focus our attention
on something better.
. All of the above information is available in a D&D handbook
from Educational Research Analysts, The Mel Gablers, Po Box 7518,
Longview, Texas 75607 for a $5 donation.
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