I'm about the same age as VardenKenzei, and I remember those days. I was fortunate enough to live in a liberal university town in my teens, and my parents (who are both pastors) were/are open minded, and not given to "moral panic." (not a term I'd heard before this discussion, but it sure fits.) It probably helped that at the time they were campus pastors and not serving a local church. Not that my parents would have bowed to pressure from parishioners to keep their kids "in line," but there might have been a lot more pressure on my brother and I to reject D&D coming from the congregation itself. College kids didn't care about such things. I have a vague memory of the four of us being interviewed for a story in the local paper about D&D, but it could have been just a discussion we had with folks who were skeptical.
As alluded to here, there have been moral panics about comic books, and later about Harry Potter. In a completely different genre, there was a similar moral panic around the movie "The Last Temptation of Christ" when it came out. They all shared a common thread: a small but vocal, close-minded group of Christians misrepresenting the book/game/movie/trend they objected to, and too many other folks not bothering to take the time to determine if the claims were accurate, and instead accepting those claims at face value.
a small but vocal, close-minded group of Christians misrepresenting the book/game/movie/trend they objected to, and too many other folks not bothering to take the time to determine if the claims were accurate, and instead accepting those claims at face value.
You've just summed up a good-sized chunk of the story of humanity, except that it wasn't always Christians.
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"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
"You've just summed up a good-sized chunk of the story of humanity, except that it wasn't always Christians." Well said, sir.
"...but there might have been a lot more pressure on my brother and I to reject D&D coming from the congregation itself."
We played with a youth pastor about 20 years ago. We got spoiled having a big-enough table, free cold pop, and an actual dry-erase board to use in his church's fellowship hall.
A few years ago, my friend and I thought about hosting a Christian gaming con at our church. His wife, the secretary said that the elders wouldn't allow it; "the roof would fall in!"
Back in the 80s, I do remember kids telling me that their parents didn't have any objection to them playing Marvel Super Heroes or Traveller.
Admin on MeWe's Conservative D&D Players group, but I believe that no matter what our differences are, our love of D&D is something that should bring us together. So, if you don't start something I won't either. Fair enough?
Method Actor, Storyteller, Tactician type who plays peacemaker at the table. This fall will be my 39th year playing D&D, Gamma World, Car Wars, Talisman, Serenity and Traveller.
We played with a youth pastor about 20 years ago. We got spoiled having a big-enough table, free cold pop, and an actual dry-erase board to use in his church's fellowship hall.
A few years ago, my friend and I thought about hosting a Christian gaming con at our church. His wife, the secretary said that the elders wouldn't allow it; "the roof would fall in!"
Yeah, it all depends on the local context and how many (and which) folks have bought into the moral panic around D&D. I pastor 3 churches now, and have been pretty open in the last year or so about playing D&D--even mentioning it in a sermon once. Wondered if folks would object. So far, crickets, which is nice. I run a weekly D&D game at the local library, too. I wondered if that would raise eyebrows in some quarters, especially from the friends of the library group which is mostly little old ladies. (The friends of the library is covering some of the expenses for modules, and supplies) But I should know by now not to stereotype little old ladies. The librarian tells me the only comments she's heard have been positive ones.
I had a very late start to DnD, in no small part due to my parents being mega-christians and being placed in churches that condemned DnD, and portrayed at as something its not. We look back at features such as Dark Dungeons and laugh, but that really is the way christian media looks at DnD. I had gotten a starter set in my late teens, but never knew anyone else interested in playing. Finally have a playgroup and I am a DM (now that I am in my mid thirties, lol).
For people who have no clue what Dark Dungeons is, check out this guys review:
Admin on MeWe's Conservative D&D Players group, but I believe that no matter what our differences are, our love of D&D is something that should bring us together. So, if you don't start something I won't either. Fair enough?
Method Actor, Storyteller, Tactician type who plays peacemaker at the table. This fall will be my 39th year playing D&D, Gamma World, Car Wars, Talisman, Serenity and Traveller.
I have a solid group now, although when I first started with my first group it was very shaky, we were on 3.5 and they knew (or had access) to EVERYTHING, every tiny obscure rule. I began DMing a new group here in town on 5E and haven't looked back.
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I use summon instrument to summon my kettle drum, hold it overhead like Donkey Kong, and chuck it at the nearest kobold.
Dude, 5E is so much better than 3.X. I DMed Bastion of Broken Souls - the 20th level module - and I swear it was harder than refinancing my mortgage.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Admin on MeWe's Conservative D&D Players group, but I believe that no matter what our differences are, our love of D&D is something that should bring us together. So, if you don't start something I won't either. Fair enough?
Method Actor, Storyteller, Tactician type who plays peacemaker at the table. This fall will be my 39th year playing D&D, Gamma World, Car Wars, Talisman, Serenity and Traveller.
I'm a Christian. Church of Christ. Strangely, or maybe not so strangely, living in the buckle of the Bible belt means that there's only 1 Adventure League game within reasonable driving distance and very few groups to choose from. :( We are a major city y'all!
PS. I play D&D to slay devils, not worship them. :P
...living in the buckle of the Bible belt means that there's only 1 Adventure League game within reasonable driving distance and very few groups to choose from. :( We are a major city y'all!
In my experience, there are more gamers in the bible belt than their appear to be. So many of them are just convinced that "there's nobody else around that games" that they don't actually go looking for other gamers, and there is a self-assigned stigma many that I've met had where they will not bring up gaming with anyone they don't already know is a gamer because they are worried they will be setting themselves up to be judged by people that have bought into the moral panic.
But when I lived in the bible belt, all it took was me being open and honest when meeting new people (i.e. "What do I like? I'm really into D&D and other RPGs") and suddenly I had a pool of like 30 people to play games with - but there was still no local game store, and the book store in the mall had like 1 single shelf for gaming stuff so we always had to special order anything we wanted and the employees were clueless about things, often responding to a special order with "I don't think we can get that" before one of us would say "yes, you can, just put it down on the order list with the title and ISBN I gave you and it'll show up, trust me."
I even managed to find a LARP that hundreds of people regularly attended. But if you ask anyone other than me, even those that were in my super-huge group, they'd say "There's like no gamers around here."
...living in the buckle of the Bible belt means that there's only 1 Adventure League game within reasonable driving distance and very few groups to choose from. :( We are a major city y'all!
In my experience, there are more gamers in the bible belt than their appear to be. So many of them are just convinced that "there's nobody else around that games" that they don't actually go looking for other gamers, and there is a self-assigned stigma many that I've met had where they will not bring up gaming with anyone they don't already know is a gamer because they are worried they will be setting themselves up to be judged by people that have bought into the moral panic.
But when I lived in the bible belt, all it took was me being open and honest when meeting new people (i.e. "What do I like? I'm really into D&D and other RPGs") and suddenly I had a pool of like 30 people to play games with - but there was still no local game store, and the book store in the mall had like 1 single shelf for gaming stuff so we always had to special order anything we wanted and the employees were clueless about things, often responding to a special order with "I don't think we can get that" before one of us would say "yes, you can, just put it down on the order list with the title and ISBN I gave you and it'll show up, trust me."
I even managed to find a LARP that hundreds of people regularly attended. But if you ask anyone other than me, even those that were in my super-huge group, they'd say "There's like no gamers around here."
It's less the moral panic and more just a lot of mainstream sports interests, etc. However I went on "Meetup.com" and signed up for a few events, or at least inquired about them.
Hope it’s okay to comment on a dormant thread, I’m a pastor (in Australia). I was first introduced to D&D through the Satanic Panic. Discovered real D&D through friends at boarding school. Got banned by my Dad because I was basically addicted to it. 30 years later finally getting back into it. Sadly, only one of my children shares my interest in the hobby.
I'm a Christian, specifically a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka Mormon). I'm going to school at Brigham Young University Idaho, where most are are as well. I help lead a group of about 30 students. We meet each week for two-hour one-shots with about 4 or 5 tables going. It's pretty great!
I'm a Christian, specifically a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka Mormon). I'm going to school at Brigham Young University Idaho, where most are are as well. I help lead a group of about 30 students. We meet each week for two-hour one-shots with about 4 or 5 tables going. It's pretty great!
That's very interesting. Does the church have an official stance on the game? Do games take place on campus?
The church does not have an official stance on the game, no.
Yeah, we play on campus in one of the main buildings. We're technically under the umbrella of the "board game night" campus organization, though we're working to become our own thing. Most of our players are completely new so it's fun to teach and play with so many new players. Tomorrow we're even hosting a DM workshop since a bunch of players expressed interest in learning to DM.
At some point I'm gonna collect bible quotes to use as cleric or paladin spell verbal components.
I've actually used this before. It works really well!
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"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
I'm a Christian, specifically a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka Mormon). I'm going to school at Brigham Young University Idaho, where most are are as well. I help lead a group of about 30 students. We meet each week for two-hour one-shots with about 4 or 5 tables going. It's pretty great!
That's really awesome! I love that you have a huge group of players like that! You should make a forum post for your DM workshop notes. :)
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"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
I'm a Christian too! After reading through this I think my school has a bit of that moral panic as well. One of the teachers runs a D&D club after school, and that's how I was introduced. The people who ran the school told him there'd be some restrictions to the game, like how all player characters had to be aligned to Good, and that only a few races were allowed to be played (no animal-like races like Kenku or Lizardfolk). He himself loves the game, but it seems like my school has some second thoughts about it. I don't mind, though. It's still fun, although I'd prefer if we had more freedom.
I enjoyed reading everyone' s stories about this. Personally was in a relatively catholic family, but they were heavily invested in fantasy books so there was never the stigma. Reading all of your responses puts things in a bit a different perspective because I grew up after the moral scare, and only had the Dr. Demento DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS skit to have any inkiing of the ... oddness? or the anti DnD craze... that was a prelude to my role playing experiences.
I have enjoyed reading about your pesonal experiences. May you have many more memorable events in your role playing.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
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I'm about the same age as VardenKenzei, and I remember those days. I was fortunate enough to live in a liberal university town in my teens, and my parents (who are both pastors) were/are open minded, and not given to "moral panic." (not a term I'd heard before this discussion, but it sure fits.) It probably helped that at the time they were campus pastors and not serving a local church. Not that my parents would have bowed to pressure from parishioners to keep their kids "in line," but there might have been a lot more pressure on my brother and I to reject D&D coming from the congregation itself. College kids didn't care about such things. I have a vague memory of the four of us being interviewed for a story in the local paper about D&D, but it could have been just a discussion we had with folks who were skeptical.
As alluded to here, there have been moral panics about comic books, and later about Harry Potter. In a completely different genre, there was a similar moral panic around the movie "The Last Temptation of Christ" when it came out. They all shared a common thread: a small but vocal, close-minded group of Christians misrepresenting the book/game/movie/trend they objected to, and too many other folks not bothering to take the time to determine if the claims were accurate, and instead accepting those claims at face value.
Trying to Decide if DDB is for you? A few helpful threads: A Buyer's Guide to DDB; What I/We Bought and Why; How some DMs use DDB; A Newer Thread on Using DDB to Play
Helpful threads on other topics: Homebrew FAQ by IamSposta; Accessing Content by ConalTheGreat;
Check your entitlements here. | Support Ticket LInk
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
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"You've just summed up a good-sized chunk of the story of humanity, except that it wasn't always Christians."
Well said, sir.
"...but there might have been a lot more pressure on my brother and I to reject D&D coming from the congregation itself."
We played with a youth pastor about 20 years ago. We got spoiled having a big-enough table, free cold pop, and an actual dry-erase board to use in his church's fellowship hall.
A few years ago, my friend and I thought about hosting a Christian gaming con at our church. His wife, the secretary said that the elders wouldn't allow it; "the roof would fall in!"
Back in the 80s, I do remember kids telling me that their parents didn't have any objection to them playing Marvel Super Heroes or Traveller.
Admin on MeWe's Conservative D&D Players group, but I believe that no matter what our differences are, our love of D&D is something that should bring us together. So, if you don't start something I won't either. Fair enough?
Method Actor, Storyteller, Tactician type who plays peacemaker at the table. This fall will be my 39th year playing D&D, Gamma World, Car Wars, Talisman, Serenity and Traveller.
Trying to Decide if DDB is for you? A few helpful threads: A Buyer's Guide to DDB; What I/We Bought and Why; How some DMs use DDB; A Newer Thread on Using DDB to Play
Helpful threads on other topics: Homebrew FAQ by IamSposta; Accessing Content by ConalTheGreat;
Check your entitlements here. | Support Ticket LInk
I had a very late start to DnD, in no small part due to my parents being mega-christians and being placed in churches that condemned DnD, and portrayed at as something its not. We look back at features such as Dark Dungeons and laugh, but that really is the way christian media looks at DnD. I had gotten a starter set in my late teens, but never knew anyone else interested in playing. Finally have a playgroup and I am a DM (now that I am in my mid thirties, lol).
For people who have no clue what Dark Dungeons is, check out this guys review:
I use summon instrument to summon my kettle drum, hold it overhead like Donkey Kong, and chuck it at the nearest kobold.
As usual, the pamphlet's better than the movie!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qc9JiIiOSQ
Admin on MeWe's Conservative D&D Players group, but I believe that no matter what our differences are, our love of D&D is something that should bring us together. So, if you don't start something I won't either. Fair enough?
Method Actor, Storyteller, Tactician type who plays peacemaker at the table. This fall will be my 39th year playing D&D, Gamma World, Car Wars, Talisman, Serenity and Traveller.
I have a solid group now, although when I first started with my first group it was very shaky, we were on 3.5 and they knew (or had access) to EVERYTHING, every tiny obscure rule. I began DMing a new group here in town on 5E and haven't looked back.
I use summon instrument to summon my kettle drum, hold it overhead like Donkey Kong, and chuck it at the nearest kobold.
Dude, 5E is so much better than 3.X.
I DMed Bastion of Broken Souls - the 20th level module - and I swear it was harder than refinancing my mortgage.
Admin on MeWe's Conservative D&D Players group, but I believe that no matter what our differences are, our love of D&D is something that should bring us together. So, if you don't start something I won't either. Fair enough?
Method Actor, Storyteller, Tactician type who plays peacemaker at the table. This fall will be my 39th year playing D&D, Gamma World, Car Wars, Talisman, Serenity and Traveller.
I'm a Christian. Church of Christ. Strangely, or maybe not so strangely, living in the buckle of the Bible belt means that there's only 1 Adventure League game within reasonable driving distance and very few groups to choose from. :( We are a major city y'all!
PS. I play D&D to slay devils, not worship them. :P
Hope it’s okay to comment on a dormant thread, I’m a pastor (in Australia). I was first introduced to D&D through the Satanic Panic. Discovered real D&D through friends at boarding school. Got banned by my Dad because I was basically addicted to it. 30 years later finally getting back into it. Sadly, only one of my children shares my interest in the hobby.
I'm a Christian, specifically a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka Mormon). I'm going to school at Brigham Young University Idaho, where most are are as well. I help lead a group of about 30 students. We meet each week for two-hour one-shots with about 4 or 5 tables going. It's pretty great!
The church does not have an official stance on the game, no.
Yeah, we play on campus in one of the main buildings. We're technically under the umbrella of the "board game night" campus organization, though we're working to become our own thing. Most of our players are completely new so it's fun to teach and play with so many new players. Tomorrow we're even hosting a DM workshop since a bunch of players expressed interest in learning to DM.
That's really cool, sounds great!
"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
I'm a Christian too! After reading through this I think my school has a bit of that moral panic as well.
One of the teachers runs a D&D club after school, and that's how I was introduced. The people who ran the school told him there'd be some restrictions to the game, like how all player characters had to be aligned to Good, and that only a few races were allowed to be played (no animal-like races like Kenku or Lizardfolk). He himself loves the game, but it seems like my school has some second thoughts about it. I don't mind, though. It's still fun, although I'd prefer if we had more freedom.
I enjoyed reading everyone' s stories about this. Personally was in a relatively catholic family, but they were heavily invested in fantasy books so there was never the stigma. Reading all of your responses puts things in a bit a different perspective because I grew up after the moral scare, and only had the Dr. Demento DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS skit to have any inkiing of the ... oddness? or the anti DnD craze... that was a prelude to my role playing experiences.
I have enjoyed reading about your pesonal experiences. May you have many more memorable events in your role playing.
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."