Confession: D&D

[StTommyMore]

Words and their meanings are not Truth. If they were there would only be one word for everything, yet we agree that Red and Roja both mean the same thing.

So right there, the meaning of Red is subjectively based on your culture and language. The underlying color is what is part of Truth, what we call it is not.

Again, I said it was hard to grasp.

But your example is still faulty because we are not referring to empirical qualities, but to entities. Why is it so hard to understand the simple fact that there is a Norse god of Justice named Tyr. In the FRCS there is a god of Justice named Tyr. Both are depicted as having one hand. But you claim there is no connection whatsoever between the two?

 

[Aramis]

Huh. I know a girl named Dubh.

In Alaska, it’s a noun, meaning a marijuanna cigarette.

@Tommy:

Many early saints had pagan names. Including St. Hermes, Martyr (Roman Calendar: Aug 28), and St. Saturnin of Toulouse, also a martyr. Both bore names of Roman Gods!

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

But your example is still faulty because we are not referring to empirical qualities, but to entities.

I’ve already addressed this. In fact, it just hearkens to Havard’s words a few posts back.

Empiricism is irrelevant. We are Catholics and hence, this whole discussion is on the assumption that demons are as real as the color red is real.

As much as Jharek may believe he is not educated as we are, he in fact illustrates the point quite nicely with his example of different languages having different names for God.

Does the fact that I call God “Panginoon” in my language whilst a Japanese Catholic would call him perhaps, “Kami-sama” change the nature of God or simply the sounds and symbols we use as a sign to point towards the concept who is our Almighty Father?

Why is it so hard to understand the simple fact that there is a Norse god of Justice named Tyr. In the FRCS there is a god of Justice named Tyr. Both are depicted as having one hand. But you claim there is no connection whatsoever between the two?

By fact you mean the ancient vikings came up with a fictional deity who sacrificed his hand to the monstrous wolf Fenrir so that the gods may bind the beast? Yes.

The tale itself though? Fiction. The god? Well until you answer my questions regarding where to find a one-handed deity capable of masterful, Norsemen-style combat, he will remain as fictional as the stories themselves.

As far as a connection, no there isn’t a connection. The god Tyr in DnD is a separate entity from the “real” god in “real” Norse myth purely because he is already in a universe that is separate from reality. Why is it so hard for you to understand that you are clearly demonstrating your incapacity to distinguish fiction from fact?

You know there’s an evil dragon goddess named Tiamat in the DnD universe as well right? However, if you actually read about the original Tiamat of the Enuma Elish, she doesn’t take any form that even remotely resembles a five-headed dragon (much less one with different colored heads). I should know, I did a short paper that contrasted and compared the fictional Tiamat of DnD and the mythical Tiamat of the ancient Babylonians. It got decent marks, if that means anything.

 

[StTommyMore]

In Alaska, it’s a noun, meaning a marijuanna cigarette.

@Tommy:

Many early saints had pagan names. Including St. Hermes, Martyr (Roman Calendar: Aug 28), and St. Saturnin of Toulouse, also a martyr. Both bore names of Roman Gods!

Herein lies the difference: in gaming the names of gods reference the god themselves, and not an individual who happens to bear a cultural name which happens to be that of a god.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Herein lies the difference: in gaming the names of gods reference the god themselves, and not an individual who happens to bear a cultural name which happens to be that of a god.

Wrong again. There’s a game called Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny where there’s this mother goddess named Lilith who is called the Mana of Creation.

The Lilith in original mythology? Not as benevolent. If anything, she is more related to demons (succubi in particular).

Again, learn to distinguish fiction from fact.

 

[Aramis]

Herein lies the difference: in gaming the names of gods reference the god themselves, and not an individual who happens to bear a cultural name which happens to be that of a god.

No. They refer to collections of game stats.

 

[StTommyMore]

No. They refer to collections of game stats.

I am leaving this thread I have done all I can to show what i percie as spiritual dangers, but for some reason you will not see. Peace be with you all.

 

[Dan-Man916]

You-all have talked about names having power. This is a long thread, so it’s hard to go through all of it, but I think the point erally might be about invoking a certain name, and what one does (their intention) when calling a certain name.

Certainly we invoke the name of Jesus in the Spirit and know that that has power.
Listening to Fr. John Corapi in the story of his conversion, he talks about being present at times when someone would invoke a curse calling on the name of Satan.

I think that these are real issues. However, simply saying a name, whether it be Belial, Asmodeus or whatever doesn’t have any power in and of itself.
To believe that it does, seems more like magic. Now, that’s probably not what is meant by STM, but that is the danger that some here are pointing out.

It seems to me that the authors of the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons system pulled names from many mythos to borrow ideas from them in creating a dualistic fantasy world of good and evil. The game system is neither Christian nor demonic but probably pulled these names because they would have some name recognition and would thus evoke some kind of mythical/legendary image that would help form their pantheon of good and evil.

There have been Christians of old who’s names used to be pagan names (and there are still a few that are today). The Church didn’t require them to change their name because of a fear that they would invoke the wrath of a demon. In fact, there is a regular poster on this forum who’s parents named him after an ancient deity, who is Eastern Catholic (byzcath and aramis probably know him). There is no danger that his name is going to draw the attention of demons.