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Message: <blockquote data-quote="wingsandsword" data-source="post: 7997955" data-attributes="member: 14159">The arguments that it promoted occultism involved the following:1. A total lack of understanding of what the game actually involved.2. Really bad theology.3. A culture of the time that often claimed that pretty much all of popular culture was "Satanic", but since people were less familar with D&D than other things similarly demonized as "Satanic" in the early 1980's (like the Proctor and Gamble Corporation, Heavy Metal music, Star Wars, and He-Man).Seriously, there were people at the same time in the early 1980's who tried to claim that He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was "Satanic" (the argument being that only God is the "Master of the Universe", so anyone purporting to be the "Master of the Universe" otherwise is trying to usurp God's place and is thus Satanic).  There were people trying to say Proctor and Gamble were "Satanic" by some elaborate conspiracy-theory filled interpretation of their corporate logo and trying to interpret it as a Satanic symbol.  Heavy metal was often called Satanic for some imagery that it sometimes invoked, which they often embraced to play to a rebellious image.  Star Wars was often called "satanic" because fundamentalists considered all "magic" like the Force to be "witchcraft" and thus evil.When combined with the fact that RPG's were a new hobby and that your typical preacher or middle-American housewife had no clue what playing the game involved, all they needed to be told was the game involved casting spells, summoning demons (the fact that there were spells like Cacodemon in the 1e PHB that explicitly summoned fiends) and was something kids got together around a table doing and well, paranoia and misunderstanding could create a dangerous mix.Also, as I noted, some people mistook gaming miniatures for religious idols.  Using dice also made them think the game involved gambling, which was also forbidden.Also, a common religious argument used was a Bible verse saying that to think of committing a sin is as bad as actually committing it. . .so if you're pretending to cast a spell. . .that's the same  as casting a spell. . .and since all "spells" are evil, satanic witchcraft (in their worldview), then playing the game is sinful.  Also, that would apply to playing a Cleric of any non-Christian religion, as you'd then be pretending to play a character that worshiped another God.</blockquote>

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