Is Dungeons and Dragons a sinful/bad game?

in the 80s there was an incident with this kid named something like James Egbert III (not positive I have the name right.) He used to play D&D with his friends in his college steam tunnels. He disappeared and there were stories all over the news about how he went crazy playing D&D and lost track of reality. There was even a movie, starring Tom Hanks, about the incident called "Mazes and Monsters." These stories caused a panic in parents, who had no clue what D&D was and thought it was some kind of secret satanic society that was brainwashing kids in the disguise of being a game. In the name of selling papers and getting viewers, news outlets milked the panic for everything they could get. This only made parents more panicked about D&D.

About 10 years later the whole story came out. James ran away because he was gay and had AIDS and was afraid to tell his parents. It had nothing to do with playing D&D with his friends in the steam tunnels. However, it was 10 years later and not many people remembered who James Egbert III was, so nobody really paid attention. The feeling that D&D was evil was already deep set into the peoples consciousness.

Your Mom's reaction is almost certainly a result of this story, whether directly or indirectly.

D&D is a role playing game. Meaning you create a character and then "take on" their morals and beliefs. Within the game there are different alignments you can play (including evil characters) as will as different religions you can embrace.

If a player (or group) decides to play "evil" characters or align themselves with certain deities, the game can easily become an excuse for "evil" acts and immortal decisions within the game. For some people, those fantasies can "spill over" into their real thinking. What you think about - even in your game playing - does have affects on your real world thinking.

The game does include the use of magic and the fighting of monsters. Again, that can lead to an interest in trying to learn magic in the real world. (Interesting how many of the same Christians who object to magic in D&D love the writings of CS Lewis in his Narnia books with all its magic.)

The answer is that if the group goes into the evil side of the game and gets so involved in thinking about and talking about that, the game can be harmful. However if it is kept in perspective and played with good characters doing good things and saving people, etc., it can be a perfectly fine game.

If you are interested in a similar game, you might google "Dragon Raid". It is role playing game similar to D&D set in a fantasy world with dragons, monsters, etc. Only it replaces the magic with quoting scriptures, and it is designed to teach Christian principles in its scenarios. Granted, the game did not sell well and was discontinued years ago. So there are a limited number of campaigns, etc for it. But those that are out there are worth playing.

http://www.dragonraid.net/home
http://lightraid.tripod.com/index.html (for links to more campaigns including my own)

People still fear D&D? It's a harmless game. Nothing more. Anyone who's interested they have quick start rules on their website.

yes and no ! its a GAME ! people who are not saved dont know any better. it could be defined as a game of idleness. it could be a game that teaches sorcery and witchcraft it could be a game that influenced a generation to practice these sins in real life but for the most part its just a waste of time and but also entertainement for the people who are bored.

"Is Dungeons and Dragons a sinful/bad game?"

sin is a bullsiht cult doctrine. nothing more. jesus doesn't exist, and never has.

D&D is a game. Play it and enjoy yourself. It actually requires a lot of thought and creativity.

In the 1980's, before video games where mainstream, Dungeons and Dragons was a convenient scapegoat for "unexpected" and "deviant" behavior, and teen suicides. Most of the connections were very, very tenuous, and many of them have proven to be exaggerated, or even fabricated, in the years since. Others completely ignore history of mental problems in the "victims". However the stigmata still hangs on in various places.

Two of the most major arguments depend on mistaking fantasy for reality. The first argument is that the *players* cannot tell fantasy from reality and will fall to demonic worship and "witch-like" behavior. The second argument is that the *arguer* cannot tell fantasy from reality and believe that lists of tables and charts constitute real spells and rituals that will lead a person away from being Christian.

Another major argument is that any mention of other gods, or magic, constitutes turning away from God, and that merely encountering these things is sufficient. These same people are the ones who condemn things like Harry Potter for the same reasons.

One silly argument is that a game that requires you to be face-to-face with other players is somehow more isolating than playing video games alone in your room.

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What Dungeons and Dragons simply make believe with rules. If you've played cops and robbers, if you've played any video game, then you have essentially played D&D, you just didn't know you were.

I've never heard anyone say that D&D is a sinful game to play. There are some that don't enjoy the game, so they could call it "bad" as in "not fun," but if you enjoy it I don't see any reason why you shouldn't play it.

What you should do is ask your parents to explain what they said. They should be able to give you some reasons why you shouldn't do it. If they can't, they're probably just repeating something they heard once, and they should learn more about it.

SINS WHERE MAN MADE UP TO STOP YOU FROM ENJOYING NON RELIGIOUS HUMOR AND MAKING AN IMAGINED GOD JUST A FARCE OF A BELIEF!!!

A man I was in seminary with, who now has a Doctorate in Theology is a big D&D player. He has two big things in life, his religion, and his gaming (at least, according to his Facebook posts!). Dungeons, and Dragons is a game, and not sinful, or bad at all.

there is nothing wrong with it - the game has been around for 40 years - it's no different than any computer role playing game

no

Your parents are morons.