----- Original Message -----
From: Bill Thomlinson <bthomlin@...>
To: <dragonraid@...>
Sent: Saturday, January 08, 2000 4:38 AM
Subject: Re: [DragonRaid] Re: A new character idea


Bill

> Did you quit because you sensed God's displeasure?  Or...?

I have been a youth pastor for the past 10 yrs and early in my ministry I
struggled with the issue as a witness, as well as God askin me to not dvote
alot of my time to it but rather refocus and in addition what the church
would think about it etc. So rather than cause a fuss i just quit.

> > The bible says "as a
> > man thinks(imagines) in his heart so is he". The basic premis behind
role
> > playing, as you know, is to become that character for a little while.

> I don't know how others think when they roleplay, but actually
> pretending to be the character is quite a distance from my actual focus
> during a game.  For me it seems to be more about applying a set of
> abilities to given problems than about 'being' anything.  I wouldn't say
> anything my character does is directly related to my heart.  I'm not
> saying there's no impact; just that perhaps there can be more separation
> than we assume.

Everone plays at a different level. I agree.
>

> That seems to be pretty standard for a lot of Christians.  What I don't
> understand about that is, why roleplay if you're just going to play
> 'yourself'.  Maybe the answer is, "it's an excuse to be with the guys,"
> which is fair enough.  But why must everything be a lesson?  How come we
> can't relax and have fun with games like this?  To me, nothing's fun
> about interpreting everything your friends do as reflective of their
> unsaved hearts, and double-checking your own actions for consistency and
> adherence to something that may or may not be important at the end of
> the day.  If we have a healthy relationship with God, and our motive is
> love for our fellow gamers, can God not work through that just as well
> or better than if we behave like we're uptight and frightened of the sin
> we are supposedly free from, and wanting to set others free from?

I dont agree in pointing out all the other gamers sin but if you participate
in "roleplaying activity" that is beyond what Christ would have you do then
you send and unsaid message that  "I agree with your choice". I wouldn't
make every action a bible study but there is no time at which we turn off
our witness for Christ including rolplaying

> How attractive is the Christian faith to gamers when they see that if
> they give their life to this Jesus, they will have to roleplay boring
> paladins the rest of their days? *grin*

 . Now, I did not always play myself. sometimes I was a half elf, or elf.
Sometimes I was a lawful good fighter etc. besides all my Paladins rocked.




> There's alot I haven't said there, but maybe the point makes it through
> anyway.

Yes, I get it.
>
> > Basically everytime you play it's like being in Jr. High again. You are
with
> > your peer group and are you going to go along with the crowd or do the
right
> > thing. bill ,
> > >
> I don't understand what you're getting at, here.  Please explain, if you
> don't mind.

Sure. I was speakiing of all of us who roleplay. The group we normally play
with is our peer group. maybe I should just speak for myself. I felt
pressured even as an adult to conform with a group to do bad things even in
roleplay land. . I think we all fall into it one time or another.

my prayers are with you as you make these decisions, and
> > remember God loves you just he way you are, but he loves you too much
 leave you(us) that way.

Just a little saying. We are always changing and God is always challenging
our ideas and prodding us to seek His ways rather than our own. I was trying
to express my nonjudgemental attiutude. my apologies if it was not expressed
clearly.

 Paul
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