On August 15th, 1979, James Dallas Egbert III went missing from Michigan State University. Dallas had been an avid Sci-Fi/Fantasy fan, a computer wiz, as well as a player of the role playing game entitled \"Dungeons and Dragons.\" Dallas\' family hired a well known private investigator known by the family, William C Dear. Dear suggested that a Dungeons and Dragons game gone awry may have been the cause. Three years later a movie was released called \"Mazes and Monsters,\" which seemed to resemble the case. Many people assumed the movie was based on the truth, rather than fiction. The media, along with the misconception of the movie, promoted the idea that role playing games were evil, and a source of violence. In 1984, William Dear released a book called \"The Dungeon Master: The Disappearance of James Dallas Egbert III.\" He attempted to clarify his studies in the book, but it was largely ignored by the media, and the critics of the game. In the book Dear talked about some other possible causes of Dallas\'s disappearance. Dallas was a frequent drug user, who used his knowledge of chemistry to create his own drugs. He was also either gay or bisexual, which cause him discomfort among his peers. He suffered from severe depression which his university\'s psychologist said was caused by \"parental pressure, criticism, academic pressure, and the failure of all persons to realize that, although Dallas Egbert was a genius, he was socially retardant, and in some respects could be considered mentally retarded.\" The fact that he played Dungeons and Dragons has little baring on the actual cause of his disappearance. Dungeons and Dragons, role-playing games in general, are often said to be the cause of suicide, or other violence\'s. It is said to cause people to lose connection with reality and many people relate it with Occultism. Dungeons and Dragons is called evil by the church and religious fanatics.
Friends, and especially parents, often blame games for the behavior of their children. I can understand how they might feel when their child commits suicide, or an act of violence. I can understand them needing something to blame, something tangible to fight, but their is almost always a more likely cause. Role-playing games are an easy target for parents to vent on, but are very rarely a true factor. Drug use, alcohol use, abuse, depression, bad relationships, thousands of other causes, and yet a game is blamed. The game, which is nothing more than a game, is a convenience. After all, how many people who have committed suicide ever played some form of a game before?
I recently read an article about the Israeli army prohibiting anyone engaged in \"Dungeons and Dragons\" from joining any high security positions. It was being said that the game causes people to lose connection with reality. I have been playing the game for almost 5 years, and many other role-playing games for much longer, and I can tell you from experience that they are not the cause of any detachment from reality. When a fictional author writes, he creates a character in his head. Appearances, mannerisms, abilities. It takes someone with imagination and passion to become good at it. This is exactly what someone does while playing role-playing games, only it\'s done collectively. Each person has their own unique character. They use their character to create a story interactively with their friends. It promotes imagination, socialism, and usually helps ones writing ability. There is a definite line between the \"writer\", and the character. If a person blurs reality with fantasy, then fantasy is not the problem, but reality. A person unhappy with their life may turn to fantasy for escape, may over-involve himself, but reality is, and always will be, the initial cause.
The Christian church, and many others, has always had problems with role-playing games. Their main arguments usually involve the worshipping of deities, the casting of spells, and involvement with devils. My friend Kevin, who is a Christian, once convinced a church to let him to run a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, even using the fantasy pantheon of gods provided. His argument was \"Imaginary gods for imaginary people.\" He felt that it would degrade the integrity of his god to use him in a game. Magic spells and items are involved the game, and it does give a vague description of what your character must do to cast the spell, such as speak, or make motion, but no semantics are given, and no specific motions are provided, it\'s purely make believe. Magic items are just part of the game. In some games one might pick up a flamethrower and use it on his enemy, and in others you might pick up a wand of fireball to use on your enemy. In some games you might have a medic stitching up your wounds, in others you have Clerics magically curing them. It is similar to technology, while still keeping the mood of the setting. Magic is just a tool. Involvement with devils is very minimal, and in most cases they\'re your foes. Angels and good being are always greater than evil, not even considering that evil never has mutual trust with other evil. You can choose your alignment for your character, but as MJ Young said, \"Any game is only as good as the referee and the players.\" If you want to be good, you can be good. I should note that many of the worlds great fantasy authors, such as C. S. Lewis and JRR Tolkein were Christians.
Dungeons and Dragons promotes imagination and creativity, teaches hope and resourcefulness. It encourages people to believe they can defeat the obstacles they face. Constant math and writing increases academic skills. It is not the cause of violence, derangement, or occultism. It is likely that many of the people in the world who have committed suicide have played D&D. Many of the people who have committed suicide also played football, had kids, or were Christians. Far more suicides can be clearly shown to be directly caused by the stock market than can be even remotely connected to Dungeons and Dragons. That does not make the stock market the tool of Satan.
I had to write a persuasive speech for school (due tomorrow), was hoping to get some feedback!
Friends, and especially parents, often blame games for the behavior of their children. I can understand how they might feel when their child commits suicide, or an act of violence. I can understand them needing something to blame, something tangible to fight, but their is almost always a more likely cause. Role-playing games are an easy target for parents to vent on, but are very rarely a true factor. Drug use, alcohol use, abuse, depression, bad relationships, thousands of other causes, and yet a game is blamed. The game, which is nothing more than a game, is a convenience. After all, how many people who have committed suicide ever played some form of a game before?
I recently read an article about the Israeli army prohibiting anyone engaged in \"Dungeons and Dragons\" from joining any high security positions. It was being said that the game causes people to lose connection with reality. I have been playing the game for almost 5 years, and many other role-playing games for much longer, and I can tell you from experience that they are not the cause of any detachment from reality. When a fictional author writes, he creates a character in his head. Appearances, mannerisms, abilities. It takes someone with imagination and passion to become good at it. This is exactly what someone does while playing role-playing games, only it\'s done collectively. Each person has their own unique character. They use their character to create a story interactively with their friends. It promotes imagination, socialism, and usually helps ones writing ability. There is a definite line between the \"writer\", and the character. If a person blurs reality with fantasy, then fantasy is not the problem, but reality. A person unhappy with their life may turn to fantasy for escape, may over-involve himself, but reality is, and always will be, the initial cause.
The Christian church, and many others, has always had problems with role-playing games. Their main arguments usually involve the worshipping of deities, the casting of spells, and involvement with devils. My friend Kevin, who is a Christian, once convinced a church to let him to run a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, even using the fantasy pantheon of gods provided. His argument was \"Imaginary gods for imaginary people.\" He felt that it would degrade the integrity of his god to use him in a game. Magic spells and items are involved the game, and it does give a vague description of what your character must do to cast the spell, such as speak, or make motion, but no semantics are given, and no specific motions are provided, it\'s purely make believe. Magic items are just part of the game. In some games one might pick up a flamethrower and use it on his enemy, and in others you might pick up a wand of fireball to use on your enemy. In some games you might have a medic stitching up your wounds, in others you have Clerics magically curing them. It is similar to technology, while still keeping the mood of the setting. Magic is just a tool. Involvement with devils is very minimal, and in most cases they\'re your foes. Angels and good being are always greater than evil, not even considering that evil never has mutual trust with other evil. You can choose your alignment for your character, but as MJ Young said, \"Any game is only as good as the referee and the players.\" If you want to be good, you can be good. I should note that many of the worlds great fantasy authors, such as C. S. Lewis and JRR Tolkein were Christians.
Dungeons and Dragons promotes imagination and creativity, teaches hope and resourcefulness. It encourages people to believe they can defeat the obstacles they face. Constant math and writing increases academic skills. It is not the cause of violence, derangement, or occultism. It is likely that many of the people in the world who have committed suicide have played D&D. Many of the people who have committed suicide also played football, had kids, or were Christians. Far more suicides can be clearly shown to be directly caused by the stock market than can be even remotely connected to Dungeons and Dragons. That does not make the stock market the tool of Satan.
I had to write a persuasive speech for school (due tomorrow), was hoping to get some feedback!
