Wish I could delete this.

[payn]

Honestly, if you're not into Harry Potter, it's not exactly a word that slips off the tongue.

Right, I have no idea what you folks are talking about.

 

[Alzrius]

Which is odd because I've never heard another Jew refer to it as a phylactery unless they were talking about DnD and pointing out the... connection? Honestly connection feels like a strong word.

This has been my experience as well; "tefillin" was something I overheard many times at my local synagogue, but I never once heard anyone there mention "phylacteries."

 

[Parmandur]

Right, I have no idea what you folks are talking about.

In Harry Potter, the Dark Lord Voldemort is an undead wizard kept alive by a series if doodads called a "horcrux." As long as they are in place, he keeps coming back.

 

[payn]

In Harry Potter, the Dark Lord Voldemort is an undead wizard kept alive by a series if doodads called a "horcrux." As long as they are in place, he keeps coming back.

...and folks think D&D should rip that off?

 

[Parmandur]

...and folks think D&D should rip that off?

No, folks think Rowling ripped it off from the D&D Lich already, but the word has less antisemtic baggage being only recently made up. Unfortunately, it's probably protected by IP laws, and now HarrybPotter is a can of worms itself.

 

[AnotherGuy]

No, folks think Rowling ripped it off from the D&D Lich already, but the word has less antisemtic baggage being only recently made up. Unfortunately, it's probably protected by IP laws, and now HarrybPotter is a can of worms itself.

I fail to understand the claim of anti-Semitic in the use phylactery. I can understand (barely) wanting to separate the word phylactery of a Lich from an item in a RW religion, but to claim anti-Semitism feels like a stretch.

Are we really suggesting there is portion of players who are anti-Semitic that are using the word phylactery in D&D to act out their anti-Semitism? Why wouldn't they use the word tefillin if they are so anti-Semitic?

 

[payn]

I failed to understand the claim of anti-Semitic in the use phylactery. I can understand (barely) wanting to separate the word phylactery of a Lich from an item in a RW religion, but to claim anti-Semitism feels like a stretch.

Are we really suggesting there is portion of anti-Semite players who are using the word phylactery in D&D to act out their anti-Semitism? Why wouldn't they use the word tefillin if they are so anti-Semitic?

I believe (and im sure ill be corrected on this) this is a case of use by ignorance. The term was used at its most base definition for D&D purposes, but also has other offensive uses outside of D&D. The problem using it is the possibility of having a poor association.

 

[AnotherGuy]

I believe (and im sure ill be corrected on this) this is a case of use by ignorance. The term was used at its most base definition for D&D purposes, but also has other offensive uses outside of D&D. The problem using it is the possibility of having a poor association.

I have no issue claiming a word-change for the game to separate it from a RW religion, but this claim of anti-Semitism seems far-fetched.

EDIT: I'm curious to ask my Jewish player about the anti-Semitism he has endured with having to deal with this word all these years.

 

[Umbran]

EDIT: I'm curious to ask my Jewish player about the anti-Semitism he has endured with having to deal with this word all these years.

First, the experience of one person does not define all of anti-Semitism. Like, most of my Jewish friends did not have pennies thrown at them as a kid, or get asked if they had horns, but one did.

Second, the effort we put into excusing use of other people's language of faith is also effort we put into claiming our entitlement to their language of faith. Maybe don't? Maybe stop trying to figure out if they use it "enough"?

It is a word. It should not wound us to leave it behind.

 

[AnotherGuy]

First, the experience of one person does not define all of anti-Semitism. Like, most of my Jewish friends did not have pennies thrown at them as a kid, or get asked if they had horns, but one did.

Second, the effort we put into excusing use of other people's language of faith is also effort we put into claiming our entitlement to their language of faith. Maybe don't? Maybe stop trying to figure out if they use it "enough"?

It is a word. It should not wound us to leave it behind.

Like I said I do not mind changing the word to separate it from a RW religion, its the anti-Semitism claim I find perplexing,
I couldn't be clearer on that.