"Avid players form clans, women submit to sires, and the language and fantasies are explicitly demonic. Some players drink blood. Some let the occult masquerade dominate their whole lives."
"This is a game where you're attacking your living, breathing opponent by using devils to conjure demons and cast spells."
If ignorance were a crime these people would get the death penalty. There are few things more frustrating than ignorance on parade. "Women submit to sires", ". . . using devils to conjure demons and cast spells", "Satan worshipers who practice . . . Semitism!"
What is all this?! Are people really this lost. Unfortunately. . . Yes.
Anti-gaming movements began with the introduction of Dungeons and Dragons(r) in the early eighties, and have persisted to this day. There hasn't been a popular role playing gaming that has escaped badgering by the media, and fundamentalist Christian groups have turned anti-gaming propaganda into a modern day crusade. Why is it so easy to attack these games, and why can they get away with it? Easy, throw the words "children" and "cult" together and you get instant panic. People don't realize that out of all these "game related" crimes there have been zero, zip, nada, zilch, no relationship to role playing games. But of course, once the baseless claims hit the media the damage has been done, and the industry doesn't have the finances or popularity to effectively counter attack, or even provide a solid defense against them.
In the end, it all boils down to the people and what they think. And on the topic of associating role-playing with occult indoctrination: get a grip!
Playing role-playing games is a safe and healthy way to spend any night. Think of the alternatives. It is a relaxed and controlled social activity with rules and structure that promotes teamwork and improves social skills and problem solving abilities. While it shouldn't be used as the educator of your children, it shouldn't be made a scapegoat for your problems and failings as a parent. Society always needs scapegoats for all its ills, because the alternative is to realize that the disease runs deep in us all and the individual holds the only real responsibility. People would rather point fingers than accept an ounce of blame.
The next time you see a news report that attacks the hobby industry, instead of throwing up your hands in disgust or changing the channel, call them up and exercise your first amendment right. Let people know when they're wrong. Never let an opportunity to set things right pass you by.
For more information on what you can do to help promote role playing games contact:
Or on-line at:
| [More Rants] | [Back to Collector Times] |
| [Prev.] | [Return to Articles] | [Disclaimer] | [Next] |