Car News

Pat Robertson Takes a Swing at 'D&D'

http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/25552.html

On 'The 700 Club'

Published: 04/21/2013, Last Updated: 04/22/2013 05:06am

Televangelist and media mogul Pat Robertson has criticized Dungeons & Dragons for having "destroyed people's lives" on The 700 Club last week.  He was responding to a question:  "Is it safe for a Christian to enjoy video games that have magic in them if the person playing the games is not practicing the magic?"

Robertson's response, in total was:

"The idea is not how close can I get to danger but how far away can I stay from it.  I don't know what game you're talking about.  I know there's one called Dungeons and Dragons that literally destroyed people's lives.  They got into this thing and it was like demonic."

"I don't know what game you're talking about it.  If it's based on magic, or the occult, stay away from it.  There are other games you can play.  But don't get into that.  Is it wrong, or not wrong?  I just think that we should flee from evil, period."

Robertson smoothly segued from the question about videogames to his reference to Wizards of the Coast's Dungeons & Dragons, using it as an example of a game to avoid.  Criticism and fear of D&D is not new, of course; it predates WotC's acquisition of the property in 1997.  If anything, it's probably become less common as geek culture has become more mainstream.  But Robertson's comments are a reminder that such attitudes persist and affect perceptions of hobby gaming.

--

 

------

-Hawke Robinson

Role-playing gamer since 1979.

Game master since 1984.

In training as recreation therapist, music therapist, and research psychologist.

Retired computer scientist.

 

The RPG Research Project

Research Facilities & Mailing Address

http://www.rpgr.org

(509) 252-0800

1312 N. Monroe Suite 114

Spokane, WA

99218

 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rpgresearch

Twitter: http://twitter.com/rpgresearch

Skype: dev2devportal

 

Mission: Clearly establish through rigorous scientific

testing the causal therapeutic and educational impact

of role-playing gaming on participants.

 

"Holistic medicine treats the person rather than the disease,

its concern lies with the 'whole person' and with permitting

individuals to assume self-responsibility for their own health.

Whereas illness is the sole concern of 'traditional medicine',

holistic 'well medicine' deals with wellness and health promotion"