Nun Role Playing Groups & More

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abbatia

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Hello everybody! I have been spending a lot of time lately on the internet discerning my vocation. I have joined a lot of groups (mostly through yahoo) and have come across three groups that are “nun” role playing groups. I only joined one (the other two interview you) but left right away because it wasn’t very religious at all, and certainly no help for someone in discernment. In fact, in reading their archives, I saw that they declare they are not “Catholic” at all!!!

This was my first exposure to role playing. Has anybody else here joined (or maybe even belongs) to a group like this? Did it help with your discernment? As far as I could tell, most of the members are married, and I believe some are elderly (I believe a grandmother or two). Does this seem like a weird hobby or am I just being overly paranoid? I guess I wouldn’t be so alarmed if I hadn’t read the old posts where they call each other names. I feel tainted.

Also, one of the yahoo groups I tried to join for vocation support asked me for my phone number so the moderator could call and verify it was me. I declined. Has that happened to anyone here?

TIA,

Abbatia
 
May be we understand different things under “role-playing” term? These yahoo groups sound strange for me. I guess these are groups for people who act like imaginary “nun” characters?

I play in live role-playing games since year 2000. Several times I played table-top games and forum-based games. These games are usually based on science-fiction or history. Once in history-based games I played a dominican friar and inquisitor (male character) and this summer I played a dominican sister. These vere great experiences (especially when I played an inquisitor!) and I enjoyed wearing habit and getting involved in theological disputes. We with one guy who played a dominican priest, too, were sitting in the castle and discussing theology - real things that were interesting to us - and other players around us were thinking that we just play =)
I was not just a player, but one of the creators and “game-master of religion” in this game (it took place in 2005) and my duty was to introduce players to catholic faith in Middle Ages. This year (2008) I was helping game-masters to prepare a “catechism for game” explaining basics of catholicism and protestantism for the players who knew very little about religion.
All my games vere really interesting and inspiring.
And, that game in 2005, really played its part in my decision to join the Catholic Church.

That’s me, dressed as a dominican, during this game.
mejeniterra.narod.ru/pic_0090.jpg
zoi.0x01.ru/patrix/255.jpg
 
i find “role playing nuns” strange too. If you are discerning, why not try living in a true convent for a while?
 
Thank you both for your answers. Inity, I thought the role playing group would be something along the lines of what you described and would possibly allow me the opportunity to explore religious life with other people interested. When I saw that they weren’t Catholic, I realized that was not the case. (And no specifc “role playing” to be exact.) This has stayed with me as I wonder what in the world they are actually doing, and I thought perhaps others would have insights.

And yes, I do plan on living the life. I have applied to a community for a live-in.

Abbatia
 
Oh, great. I bet you got tricked into that crazy group with Mother Luke and Mother Abbess (and that illiterate Sister Collette who is one of their alter egos) and all the other whacks who all have different orders and habits and do nothing but talk about Mr. Clean! When I started discerning, I also made a wrong turn and ended up on that group. Big, huge mistake. Waste of time, my mail box got flooded wtih insane chit-chat about gossip and most of the links they posted were copied from Phatmass or from here.

It is NOT a real role playing group like what you were hoping for. I’m on some (more along the lines of mystery and history/science fiction) and they are fun. I would think a nun one would be fun if they took it seriously. These gals are really strange, nasty and paranoid. They go back and forth between being really idealistic, simplistic, sticky sweet and then outright MEAN. Frankly, I seriously doubt any of them are real writers as their spelling and grammar hits it big time. I wrote to one of them privately and got a hideous answer back which was crazy. You have a right to feel completely and totally tainted!

To anybody who is thinking about a religious role playing group: BE CAREFUL! As for the one that asked for your phone number, that is just insane. I guess I don’t have to tell you to not give your number out.

There are two others that I know of, and I am on both of them. Both are great. One was created by a bunch of disgruntled/turned off members from the AA (that is their initials! very appropriate!) one. That one is not listed, and it is really interesting because it allows me to explore some of the various themes of religious life in a mature manner with mutual respect. Great conversations! (No domination or weirdness, that is for sure! Everybody is an adult!) The other one is lighter, but very welcoming and nice. Both are closed groups and you have to be interviewed.

If anybody is interested in the one that is not listed, send me a message and I will send you the link.

Good luck.
 
abbatia said:
Hello everybody! I have been spending a lot of time lately on the internet discerning my vocation. I have joined a lot of groups (mostly through yahoo) and have come across three groups that are “nun” role playing groups. I only joined one (the other two interview you) but left right away because it wasn’t very religious at all, and certainly no help for someone in discernment. In fact, in reading their archives, I saw that they declare they are not “Catholic” at all!!!

This was my first exposure to role playing. Has anybody else here joined (or maybe even belongs) to a group like this? Did it help with your discernment? As far as I could tell, most of the members are married, and I believe some are elderly (I believe a grandmother or two). Does this seem like a weird hobby or am I just being overly paranoid? I guess I wouldn’t be so alarmed if I hadn’t read the old posts where they call each other names. I feel tainted.

Also, one of the yahoo groups I tried to join for vocation support asked me for my phone number so the moderator could call and verify it was me. I declined. Has that happened to anyone here?

TIA,

Abbatia
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Abbatia,
I couldn’t speak to the role playing groups as I haven’t investigated them, however from what others have said it sounds like they are more for people just role playing or acting the part of religious as part of a chat or forum or game.

My suggestion to you if you are trying to discern a possible vocation and want some basic ideas or sounding boards in your initial steps …would be to look at them many forums here and also websites listed [here] for initial vocation discernment…[in addition to the basics of prayer and spiritual direction of course] I hope you find the help you are looking for.
Blessings of Peace and All Good!
 
abbatia said:
This was my first exposure to role playing. Has anybody else here joined (or maybe even belongs) to a group like this? Did it help with your discernment? As far as I could tell, most of the members are married, and I believe some are elderly (I believe a grandmother or two). Does this seem like a weird hobby or am I just being overly paranoid? I guess I wouldn’t be so alarmed if I hadn’t read the old posts where they call each other names. I feel tainted.
Click to expand...
Not with Nuns, but I once splayed Traveller, Space Opera and Dungeons and Dragons with a priest and a cantor.
 
Thanks again for the answers. Yes, I am in actively discerning my vocation. I am going to post an update on my progress on the right thread, but in the meantime, I am getting some friendship from others who are on the internet. Thanks to all of you who have answered me privately. Very helpful information. I guess I was being a little naive in the beginning!
 
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