Fantasy Role Playing has Always Been a Human Thing


A few decades ago when our son was a teenager he and his friends often got together to play a fantasy game called "Dungeons and Dragons." Some preachers at the time made headlines with their condemnation of the game. About 20 million people play or have played the game. Participants create their own characters who wade into imaginary circumstances, wage battles and solve problems. 

I don't know what the criticisms were about. Could it be preachers did not like new imaginary worlds that might replace the one they preached about? It has been said small and obscure religions like paganism are more of a threat to Christianity than atheist because the former has a competing fantasy lacking in atheism. 

The link relates the story of an ordinary person living an ordinary life who played an on-line fantasy game. The fellow, referred to as "Bob from accounting" played a hero, "The General", in the fantasy game. When the actual "Bob from accounting" died, a person who played the game, but had never met Bob, insisted on presenting a eulogy at his funeral. But the eulogy was for The General, not Bob. The General spent his life slaying bad people and helping the unfortunate and should live on in our memories the friend's eulogy said.

The suggestion in the link is fantasy role playing is not always harmless. It could be the explanation for the mass of people who invaded the Capitol on Jan. 6. They were people who lived otherwise boring lives but were swept away playing a fantasy of invading and conquering the U.S. government. 

I've read we all need to feel important in some way. Christianity plays into that fantasy perfectly in its mythological "God" that knows each of us. If no one else knows or cares about us the fantasy God is always a backup friend. And, from the famous book, "Purpose Driven Life" by Rev. Rick Warren we learn your life has a purpose if you devote it to the fantasy God. 

Many wonder what fantasy will replace the God one if it evaporates as it seems to be doing. It would be a bad turn of events if it turns out to be worship of a political leader and Jan. 6 is repeated.  

Comments

  1. Ardy BJuly 27, 2022 at 8:32 AM

    Thanks Jon. Learned more about the bombastic Mr. Bannon.

    A “Hero’s Journey”. In defeat, Steve “Ajax” Bannon will unravel in an awesome hissy fit and fall on his sword. “And that’s [Ajax the Greater]”. Perhaps he’ll be celebrated in story and song as he’s lowered into the smoldering crater of his own enterprise. “And that’s [Steve].”

    Since Christianity is not evidence based, is Jesus an avatar in a multiplayer mind game?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JonJuly 27, 2022 at 10:52 AM

      Ardy B "...is Jesus an avatar in a multiplayer mind game?" Great question. From what evidence we have, he is only an avatar, nothing more. The game is "don't sin, but if you do the avatar will forgive you." As to role playing, one wonders about Bannon and Trump. Trump made a lot of money playing the role of a person like himself on TV. Like others, I wonder if he came to believe the TV show was reality, thinks it is still running and he is still its star. Bannon's reality show is he can give the bird to Congress. Then, he will become such a popular martyr he will walk out king of the hill.

      Delete

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