wishanem
New Member
DV- Not the sorts people adhere to today, they're more about making a statement and reacting to empiricism then the search for truth and explanations that most scholars attribute to early religions. Paganism is a general term rather then a specific faith, and it's adherents have little in common with each other except that they adhere to some nonstandard (generally animistic) religious beliefs.
On D&D- Like any artistic construct (theater, books, video games, etc.) it is mostly subjective, and subjectivity is something some Christians have a lot of trouble with. I think that playing D&D is no different then writing a story or acting in improvisational theater. A person crafts a character and then uses it to explore a world. I understand that some people would be uncomfortable with the idea of playing an evil character, but it is no different then writing a story which includes an evil character. Acting isn't a sin, is it?
My favorite D&D supplement is called the "Book of Exalted Deeds", and it outlines particular special information regarding good characters. It provides the stats and information a player/DM would need to have a character take vows of poverty, purity, chastity, nonviolence, give tithes and offerings etc.
In the intro to this book it explains that "[this book is about] being an agent of good . . . following a higher call then the lure of gold and experience points, wrestling with tougher choices than which monster to kill first or what magic item to buy with newfound loot, and doing the kinds of heroic deeds that make a difference in the game world. . . This book carries a warning [that it is for mature audiences] because we're relying on you to deal with your own reactions to this material in a mature manner: use what you like, adapt what doesn't fit, and simply ignore what you don't like. We've tried to present the material with sensitivity and appropriate gravity, and we trust you to use it the same way."
A few more choice quotes from the "Book of Exalted Deeds":
"there is no sin so great that it cannot be forgiven. However . . . forgiveness is predicated upon repentance."
"[The idea that an evil deed is an acceptable means to achieve a good end is] ultimately misguided. This line of thinking treats the purity of the good character's soul as a commodity (like her exalted feats) that she can just give up or sacrifice like any other possession. . . What the character sees as a personal sacrifice is actually a shift in the universal balance of power between good and evil, in evil's favor. . . Thus, it is not a personal sacrifice, but a consession to evil, and thus unconscionable."
"Violence is a part of the D&D world, and not inherently evil in the context of that world. . . [but] there are certain limits upon the use of violence that good characters must observe." (1. Must have a just cause. 2. Must be driven by good intentions. 3. Violence must discriminate, it "cannot be considered good when it is directed against noncombatants" 4. No evil spells, ever. 5. No torture, ever.)
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in playing a good character in a D&D campaign, it's chock full of nice tips and suggestions regarding how to make it a fun experience for everyone involved. And fun is the ultimate purpose of any D&D experience, it's a social activity that friends engage in for their own enjoyment.
On D&D- Like any artistic construct (theater, books, video games, etc.) it is mostly subjective, and subjectivity is something some Christians have a lot of trouble with. I think that playing D&D is no different then writing a story or acting in improvisational theater. A person crafts a character and then uses it to explore a world. I understand that some people would be uncomfortable with the idea of playing an evil character, but it is no different then writing a story which includes an evil character. Acting isn't a sin, is it?
My favorite D&D supplement is called the "Book of Exalted Deeds", and it outlines particular special information regarding good characters. It provides the stats and information a player/DM would need to have a character take vows of poverty, purity, chastity, nonviolence, give tithes and offerings etc.
In the intro to this book it explains that "[this book is about] being an agent of good . . . following a higher call then the lure of gold and experience points, wrestling with tougher choices than which monster to kill first or what magic item to buy with newfound loot, and doing the kinds of heroic deeds that make a difference in the game world. . . This book carries a warning [that it is for mature audiences] because we're relying on you to deal with your own reactions to this material in a mature manner: use what you like, adapt what doesn't fit, and simply ignore what you don't like. We've tried to present the material with sensitivity and appropriate gravity, and we trust you to use it the same way."
A few more choice quotes from the "Book of Exalted Deeds":
"there is no sin so great that it cannot be forgiven. However . . . forgiveness is predicated upon repentance."
"[The idea that an evil deed is an acceptable means to achieve a good end is] ultimately misguided. This line of thinking treats the purity of the good character's soul as a commodity (like her exalted feats) that she can just give up or sacrifice like any other possession. . . What the character sees as a personal sacrifice is actually a shift in the universal balance of power between good and evil, in evil's favor. . . Thus, it is not a personal sacrifice, but a consession to evil, and thus unconscionable."
"Violence is a part of the D&D world, and not inherently evil in the context of that world. . . [but] there are certain limits upon the use of violence that good characters must observe." (1. Must have a just cause. 2. Must be driven by good intentions. 3. Violence must discriminate, it "cannot be considered good when it is directed against noncombatants" 4. No evil spells, ever. 5. No torture, ever.)
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in playing a good character in a D&D campaign, it's chock full of nice tips and suggestions regarding how to make it a fun experience for everyone involved. And fun is the ultimate purpose of any D&D experience, it's a social activity that friends engage in for their own enjoyment.
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