"D&D is evil. I have seen it from the inside."

[Quasqueton]

Many of you have read the old article titled, Straight Talk on Dungeons and Dragons. If you haven't, you can find it on several Web sites (Google it if you want a link). I don't want to discuss the stupidity of the article itself, as we all here know the truth. But there is one paragraph in it that I'd like verified or debunked:

On top of that, the second issue is that the materials themselves, in many cases, contain authentic magical rituals. I can tell you this from my own experience. I was a witch high priest (Alexandrian tradition) during the period 1973-84. During some of that period (1976-80) I was also involved in hardcore Satanism. We studied and practiced and trained more than 175 people in the Craft. Our "covendom" was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; just a short drive away from the world headquarters of TSR, the company which makes Dungeons and Dragons in Lake Geneva, WI. In the late 1970's, a couple of the game writers actually came to my wife and I as prominent "sorcerers" in the community. They wanted to make certain the rituals were authentic. For the most part, they are. These two guys sat in our living room and took copious notes from us on how to make sure the rituals were truly right "from the book," (this meaning that they actually came from magic grimoires or workbooks). They seemed satisfied with what they got and left us thankfully. Back in 1986, a fellow appeared on The 700 Club who was a former employee and game writer for TSR. He testified right on the show that he got into a wrangle with the management there because he saw that the rituals were too authentic and could be dangerous. He protested to his boss and was basically told that this was the intent to make the games as real as possible. He felt conscience-stricken (even though he was not a Christian at the time), and felt he had to resign from the company.

I highly doubt "a couple of the game writers actually came" to him to learn real rituals for the game. There is no way to prove it unless someone steps up and says, "It was me and so-and-so." But the mention of a "fellow appeared on The 700 Club" can be verified, possibly. Back in the 80s, I saw/heard D&D mentioned as an occult/satanic game on more than one religious TV/radio show, including The 700 Club. But I never heard of someone from the game industry actually "coming out", as it where, on one of these shows.

Since there are several folks from the time and industry who read these boards, I'm curious if someone can verify that this mentioned appearance is based in some truth/fact. Or did any of you gamers actually see/hear this episode of The 700 Club with the game insider? If this incident is true, who was the fellow?

Quasqueton

 

[Hand of Evil]

What rituals? D&D has spells, not rituals. It is a bunch of hype and crap to scare and control the sheep. Here drink my cool aid!

 

[Lord Judas]

I started playing in 84-85. The most complex "ritual" I recall with spell casting was saying "I cast Fireball". If magic was real, and that easy, we would all be wearing pointy hats. So, that alone tells me the whole thing is made up.

Blackleaf, could you pass the Cool-Aid please?

 

[Mercule]

Um.... I'd like a citation from this bozo on any ritual -- real or false -- that is actually described in detail in any edition of D&D.

I've also never heard of a "witch high priest" (I assume he means what we'd now call "pagan" or "wiccan") having anything to do with "hardcore Satanism". Wicca is just another religion -- like Hinduism -- and only real nuts (either as accusers or practitioners) would equate Wicca with Satanism, anymore than one would associate Hinduism with Satanism.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I think the debunking was done some time back when it was proven that the "rituals" are not in the least bit real. Look here:

http://www.theescapist.com/random011102.htm

Of course they could be dangerous when you try to leap off the roof and fly...

 

[cmanos]

OK i'm sure you can check with the 700 Club and get a list of speakers from 1986, and what their topic was. Proving the guy worked for TSR may be a difficult task, but I'm sure that is all public record somewhere.

Saying one worked for a company, doesn't make it a fact, just as saying one was a Navy SEAL doesn't make it a fact.

Show me proof that the guy worked for the company, and show me these rituals, and we'll see if they work. I've been putting one of my eyelashes in a piece of gum arabic for 25 years and I still haven't turned invisible.

 

[diaglo]

meet me in the steam tunnels beneath MSU and all will be explained.

 

[fredramsey]

You know, D&D has never made me violent, but hearing lies like this from religious nuts makes me wanna kick somebody in their asshat

 

[Cerubus Dark]

Since there are several folks from the time and industry who read these boards, I'm curious if someone can verify that this mentioned appearance is based in some truth/fact. Or did any of you gamers actually see/hear this episode of The 700 Club with the game insider? If this incident is true, who was the fellow?

Quasqueton

Thanks I needed a good laugh today.

I was a witch high priest (Alexandrian tradition) Next on Springer!

 

[DMScott]

Since there are several folks from the time and industry who read these boards, I'm curious if someone can verify that this mentioned appearance is based in some truth/fact. Or did any of you gamers actually see/hear this episode of The 700 Club with the game insider? If this incident is true, who was the fellow?

My vague recollection from seeing this claim investigated some time in the 90s is that the guy's qualifications were overstated - that he was a freelancer of some kind. But it's been a while.

I actually have no trouble believing that some kind of occult research went into D&D, for example the properties of herbs/gems stuff in the 1ed DMG. I always figured that such research consisted of cracking open a book at the local library, finding a bit about the sort of properties historically associated with those items, and then adding a few tons of artistic license. Where I differ with organizations like Chick Ministries or the 700 Club is that I don't believe the occult holds any supernatural power, so I don't care if a game draws on occult trappings.