"Straight Talk on Dungeons and Dragons" Topic

A Satanic D&D scare came up on another thread. This is a web site which may interest you.

Straight Talk on Dungeons and Dragons

By William Schnoebelen

Should a Christian play D&D? Schnoebelen's first 'Straight Talk' on D&D (at left) raised lots of questions. Here are his well-researched answers on this controversy.

Dungeons and Dragons is a tragic and tangled subject. It is essentially a feeding program for occultism and witchcraft. For Christians, the first scriptural problem is the fact that Dungeons and Dragons violates the commandment of I Ths. 5:22 "Abstain from all appearance of evil." Much of the trappings, art, figurines, and writing within D&D certainly appears evil-to say the least of it.

On top of that, the second issue is that the materials themselves, in many cases, contain authentic magical rituals. I can tell you this from my own experience. I was a witch high priest (Alexandrian tradition) during the period 1973-84. During some of that period (1976-80) I was also involved in hardcore Satanism. We studied and practiced and trained more than 175 people in the Craft. Our "covendom" was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; just a short drive away from the world headquarters of TSR, the company which makes Dungeons and Dragons in Lake Geneva, WI. In the late 1970's, a couple of the game writers actually came to my wife and I as prominent "sorcerers" in the community. They wanted to make certain the rituals were authentic. For the most part, they are.

chick.com/articles/dnd.asp

Here is a cartoon entitled "D&D Kills with the help of Satan"

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And here's an alternative view of Chick Publications.

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Seriously?

I love stuff like this. It is pretty funny seeing them try to draw these connections. The hall of shame is great.

Imagine if you had to come up with the list of people that killed people or themselves that also watched football.

My favourite thing is how they "contain authentic magic rituals." Why try to ban guns? A kid can always shoot up a school with his AD&D Players handbook there blasting off Magic Missiles. Or even worse, Delayed Blast Fireballs!

Wow I could make good use of some Charm spells at work. Sleep spells would make childcare a lot easier to. If only I'd realised that what I thought was a game was a real book of magic lore:(

Seriously?

Well, it is on the internet. So it must be true..

Pictors Studio that's funny, all I can hear is a kid saying lightning bolt, lightning bolt and throwing a streamer!

So if I visited Milwaukee once, am I a witch?

✴cue Hagrid voice✴

"You're a wizard, boy wundyr!"

> So if I visited Milwaukee once, am I a witch?

Only if you can float like a duck or a very small rock.

I have to write to whoever is left of TSR, *MY* D&D books did not come with ritual instructions of any kind.

Debbie received her powers through D&D. Imagine her powers after AD&D!

I was really into D&D in the 80's. I was also Catholic. If those were really as cool as Chick describes I'd still be there. I WANT MY DEATH COOKIE!

BTW, which D&D writer said those things on the 700?

What a load of old tripe. And why are we bringing this crap up again?

> And why are we bringing this crap up again?

Since "we" won and it is fun.

Wow this is a recent article? I am always amazed at the claim of "extensive" research. There are no rituals or spells done in detail in a game! ?! Christians need to be more worried about loons like this than D&D.

Battle Phlox – I found this which mentions a 700 Club interview. I don't know if there are others. Doesn't seem to support Chick's claim that an employee "wrangled with management" over the game being "too authentic".

Influence Debated

While Gali Sanchez, a former game designer for TSR, acknowledged in a March 700 Club television show interview that D&D is heavily occult, he denied and evil influence.

"I want to stress that the game is a good game," said Sanchez. "I don't see anything that will convert people to the occult. I didn't see any occultists, any Satanists. The people I worked with were outstanding people, good people, and ncluded a minister."

But Rosemary Layacono, mother of a player who committed suicide, says D&D seduces its players into satanism.

"All fantasy role-playing games patterned after the biggest seller, Dungeons & Dragons, are very cleverly written and specifically designed to introduce children to occult research," she says. "Once the children get involved with the occult research they become Satanists."

Patricia Pulling, another mother of a suicide victim who was taught D&D in the classroom, says the game brainwashes children in violent occultism.

"Since it is a role-playing game, it's used for behavior modification. Brainwashing can take place in 72 hours if the proper elemenst and pressures are used," she says.

Sturm has frequently debated Pulling on national TV shows such as 60 Minutes and Entertainment Tonight. He characterizes D&D as mythology, which he says is not the same as religion or occultism.

"The allegations of the game being occult or religious are quite ridiculous," says Sturm. "What is in the books is simply ancient history and is based on mythology."

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Wow this is a recent article? I am always amazed at the claim of "extensive" research. There are no rituals or spells done in detail in a game! Bleeped text?! Christians need to be more worried about loons like this than D&D.

I already said it was on the internet. The internet authorities wouldn't let it get on unless it was solid gold ;-)

Thanks Chortle.

I won't pretend to be an expert on D&D but I really don't remember Gali Sanchez as being a major player.

I made a mistake there. Some distance below

During the 700 Club interview, Sanchez said that he sees actual black magic beliefs and practices in D&D. He once unsuccessfully urged his former employer to write new game scenarios that would not create historical occultism.

Its all hogwash and Fundy Christian hysteria. I am a devout Christian and have played D&D since 1976. Never do any of these people provide any direct evidence or quotes from the source material.

Sad this is even getting any attention. Mine included!

You seem like a nice guy, Slagneb. But how do you know you aren't a sleep walking Satanist?

I suggest you try out one of these activity wrist bands. You would put it on before bed then read the log in the morning. If it looks like you are getting up for some unknown activities in the dark of the night, then you might want to look into that.

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In the mean time you might want to switch to a safer system – like Rolemaster ;-)

I really don't remember Gali Sanchez as being a major player.

He designed Monsters of the Midway

Explosive Runes placed in key locations are they way to go.

Of course, if you can build a Gelatinous Cube out of school lunches, you can also destroy everyone.

One thing to remember, a Satanist or Devil Worshiper is defined by some fundamentalists as ANYONE who does not strictly agree with their own practices in every way. I've met a few of them over the years and such people are scary.

Let's try to keep the topic away from religions in general… that would belong to The Blue Fez, our sister site. thebluefez.com

One of my students at a Christian school showed me his Jack Chick comics. I told him as sternly as I dared -- because I think his parents approved -- that I thought they were a slander of our Catholic brothers.

Yes, a thoroughly hashed over topic. My own take has always been that role playing games are a form of communication -- for many imaginative adolescents a VERY effective form of communication -- and as such are morally neutral; what role is being played MIGHT matter morally or ethically, depending on circumstances. I doubt anyone was ever damned for playing one of the witches in MACBETH. But I wouldn't want my daughter (grand-daughters now) dating a kid who enjoyed playing a torturer. But a paladin, sure!

doc mcb said it perfectly. Yes.

I'm still trying to figure out what prompted this topic in the first place. Talk about beating a dead horse…

Yeah, why now?

I think it is because the movie is becoming available.

I'm still trying to figure out what prompted this topic in the first place.

Because of the other topic, about the Satanists plotting a coup…

Did someone say "beating a dead horse"? LOL.

That pic never grows old!

Its one of my most favorite to use .

What was the original thread that prompted this? I can't seem to find it.

Thanks
Austin