Fantasy, Fiction and the Christian World View (a Christian Perspective by Robison Bryan) I am writing this brief paper in advance of any misunderstandings. I will answer some questions that could be put to me: Q: "How can a committed Christian be involved with Fantasy Games?" A: The same question can be posed regarding all works of fiction. I believe that interactive fiction is a valid art form, and like any art, the artist is responsible for the content. Q: "Why does your engine talk about Clark Kent and unreal stuff like that, rather than biblical subjects?" A: Works of fiction make up untrue things about fictional characters. I would much rather take a unicorn's name in vain than God's name. Anyone who writes a story or game about biblical subjects, times and or characters had better be very careful about what they say. It is much safer to talk about fictional characters. Q: "Why is there a wizard in your game engine, and what is its purpose?" A: The industry standard term for an interactive design or configuration tool is a wizard. The term wizard is used in the modern technological context. A software wizard leads the user through the accomplishing of a certain task. Q: "What about the unexplained powers or abilities that a game character can have? Doesn't that constitute witchcraft? A: If every unexplained phenomenon had an evil significance then all fiction would have to be outlawed. Fiction, by its very nature posits situations that do not have unbroken, well documented chains of events leading up to them. That is why it is called fiction and not journalism. Q: "Doesn't the idea of objects making it possible to do amazing things get people used to the idea of magic?" A: Yes and No. Do you fully know how your computer works? It's like magic, isn't it? How about a future invention that makes the home computer seem primative? Can you write a story about that? Can you explain that invention well enough to get a patent for it? Do you think your story would be evil? Q: "What about people who write games using your engine, that specifically talk about magic, and have characters that are like fairy tale wizards?" A: I am not the thought police. But because I anticipate people doing just as you say, here is my view about fairy tale wizards and magic. Please understand that my view is not held by everyone, and if you are easily influenced or prone to personal fantasy about your own life, you should avoid any such games or other kinds of similar fiction. My simple statement is this: Magic is not real. Neither are Vulcans, Klingons, Romulans, Tricorders, Light Sabres and Wookies. The Bible is real, and should be taken seriously. In all imaginative and fanciful things that are not real there is not a single shred of reality. I am aware that there is a real Space Program headed by NASA. But it is accomplished by Engineering, and powered by rockets, rather than antimatter reactors and Warp Drive. Likewise I am also aware that there are real devotees to pagan religions, who seek to consult with spirits and the dead. Just as there is no commonality between Star Trek and the real space race other than the term "Space Ship", there is no commonality between fairy tale wizards and real pagans. The real pagans try to amass power by doing things to entice evil spirits to do their bidding. They are obviously duped, and are actually doing the bidding of the evil spirits they claim to control. Conversely, a fantasy or fairy tale wizard has nothing to do with the dead, nor evil spirits. Instead, this imaginary being wields imaginary power through the use of arbitrarily designated actions, words and objects. Just as it is on Star Trek, there is no explanation offered nor needed as to how and why certain objects or procedures have the power to accomplish certain tasks. It is simply posited that they do, within the fictional universe being described. Although many real pagans may be confused about this fact, I do know for certain that the pagan himself has no power, but is merely asking for favors from evil spirits who seek to destroy him and those with whom he is concerned. Therefore I will not bother to talk about "real magic", which does not in actuality exist any more than does "fantasy magic". I am aware that, while all things are lawful, not all things are expedient, and I would not flaunt any liberty in the face of a weaker brother. Yet the weaker brother also has a duty not to flaunt his weakness nor wield it as a tool by which to intimidate and restrict the liberties of others. I do believe that the bible contains many references that model the placing of limits upon the extent to which we tolerate the tyrany of the weaker brother. One example is when Paul withstood Peter to his face when Peter had caved in to the tyrany of the weaker Judaizers. Thus, there may be many who disagree with my views on the subject, just as there are many who would disagree with my view of the rapture. This should not divide us as Christian brothers, as long as we agree on the central doctrines of the faith. We should be able to agree to disagree on nonessential issues. Otherwise we would only need one brain between us all. Yet God has given us each a brain. Even so, it can be asked, whether something that may bother someone else is necessary. Most things we do in life are not necessary, and there will always be at least a few people who are bothered by anything that you do. Nonetheless, there are things that I do find highly distasteful, and would not wish to encounter them in a fantasy game. Such things as obscenity and blasphemy would be at the top of such a list. Whereas there is no attempt to write code to police against such things, I have never forgotten where to find the delete key on my own computer, and I also ask that if a game author knows that his game would not be welcome at church, that he would give his game an honest movie rating so that people do not have to be confronted with things they do not appreciate. Additionally, I defend the rights of those who engage in obviously fictional fairey tales but I have no tolerance for consorting with demons. If a game graphically depicts horrific acts or endorses the consulting of evil spirits I will not advertise it on my site. What others do is to their own benefit or harm. Whereas I provide a mechanism that displays fiction, I encourage every author and player to seriously consider the nature and content of every work. In conclusion, as long as any powers described are strictly arbitrary, and have no basis in demonology, I find that the fantasy worlds and characters of fiction, along with their arbitrary powers, are so far removed from anything resembling reality that they represent a safe playground where one can temporarily focus on frivolity, strategy and perhaps even some abstract issues isolated and portrayed within a fantasic, unreal setting, rather than focusing upon the integrated concerns and worries of a complex existance. And to anyone who finds that it is too hard to distinguish between the real world and the fantasy worlds of adventure games, whether those worlds deal with wizards or warp drive, I would strongly recommend that they seek professional help before they become a danger to themselves or others.