What made D&D 'evil'?

[Eternalknight]

Can someone tell me what the incident was, in detail, that caused people to think D&D was evil?

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Like most things, there was no one incident. Just a gradual perception. I note that D&D has beceome -- in the mainstream eye -- less "satanic" and more "geeky". Probably a good thing when all is considered.

Incidentally, some folks thought jazz music was satanic 80 years ago. Just some food for thought there.

 

[Eternalknight]

Ok, let me rephrase the question: there was an incident where some kids died in some sewers or something... what was it?

 

[KDLadage]

James Dallas Egbert III

The kids name was James Dallas Egbert III. Dungeons and Dragons was balmed by one very miss-informed reporter who then went on to sell the story and that lie became a movie called MAZES AND MONSTERS.

Like many such stories, the fabricated reality garnered much media attention, but when the truth was told, this was not nearly as newsworthy -- so the afbricated version of Mr. Egbert is rather well known while the reality is much less so.

Go to google, do a search on "Dungeons and Dragons" and "Dallas Egbert" and you are bound to find a few hundred detailings o the story. My search just pulled 117 hits...

 

[BlackMoria]

There was a number of incidents, the Egbert one being the most well known.

There is another one - it involved two brother who killed their rich parents to inherit the fortune of their millionaire father. It came out in the press that the reason they had their parents knocked off is so that they wouldn't have to work and they could kick back and play D&D all day.

Needless to say, the media had a field day with the D&D tie-in.

Don't remember the name of these brothers, but it was another well known case in which D&D gained a 'evil' reputation.

In reality, the major reason that D&D is considered evil is the perception among the christian community that the game is all about the occult. They believe that when someone is playing a mage, that person is ACTUALLY memorizing spells and casting them. They believe that someone who is playing a cleric is REALLY worshipping some god other than the Christian god.

And of course, the game has Demons and Devils in it, so that has got to have some foundation in reality....

That is why D&D is associated with Satanism, Demon/Devil Worship, and Pagans.

While the image has softened over time, there is some people who still believe that D&D is inherently evil due to the above factors.

And just when it appears that we might be winning the battle that D&D is a harmless roleplaying game, the Vampire live-action RPGers in their bloodly gothic costumes get in the spotlight of the media here and there, and reinforce those narrow minded notions that RPGers are Satan worshippers. And since the average uniformed person doesn't know the difference between Vampire and D&D, the D&D players get vilified again....

 

[CrusaderX]

In reality, the major reason that D&D is considered evil is the perception among the christian community that the game is all about the occult.

In reality, my Christian community doesn't do this at all.

Please don't generalize. Generalizing that Christians are anti-D&D makes you no different than those who are generalizing that D&D is "evil" in the first place.

Stereotypes aren't very helpful, no matter where they're coming from.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

The only people I have ever had a problem with our "tolerant" Christians who are quick to tell you that you are going to Hell for playing the game.

To be fair though these kind of people will tell anyone who does not believe as they do. DnD to them is just an easy target since there is no one well know that defends it.

 

[Geo]

No, I believe in this case it is fair to generalize. I feel that the idea to christians that D&D is evil is the majority rather than the minority, so with that in hand, I usually don't tell my christian friends that I play D&D, I know it will bother them, so they don't need to know. Again, I feel it is the majority that see it as evil, and I probably would be right.

 

[Dr Midnight]

No, I believe in this case it is fair to generalize. I feel that the idea to christians that D&D is evil is the majority rather than the minority, so with that in hand, I usually don't tell my christian friends that I play D&D, I know it will bother them, so they don't need to know. Again, I feel it is the majority that see it as evil, and I probably would be right.

1. Welcome to the ENboards.
2. Quit it.

To re-hijack the thread, what was the story with D&D and these "steam tunnels" I hear references to constantly, but never the actual tale?

 

[Number47]

Thankfully, I can't think of one single religion that is composed of only anti-D&D people. I have gamed with a devout Roman Catholic, a Mormon, a Seventh-day Adventist, Presbyterians and, of course, several pagans. Not all at the same time, though.