Video game question?

[damooster]

I’m sorry if this is in the wrong forum, and yes, this is a serious question.

I’m currently in the RCIA (just did the Rite of Acceptance today), so I’m not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to stuff like this.

I play an online game called Ultima Online. It’s a game that you play with thousands of other people. Anyways, one of the professions is that of the necromancer, and the necromancer can cast spells. I was looking at some of the spells and I noticed that the some of the spell icons have a pentagram depicted.

Is it wrong to play this game because of the pentagrams? This isn’t a devil worshipping game or anything like that, but seeing the pentagram makes me wonder if I should stop supporting the game by playing and paying a monthly fee.

Thanks for your help.

 

[TLDenmark]

Hey I used to play that game, and have spent hours around Cove on the European server (was heavily involved in setting op a guild in that region) . However that was back in the days when Ultima Online was only Britannia in 2D, so I imagine that the game is almost unrecognizable now (we had mages back then, but not any necromancers). Anyway I think you are fine, but you might consider discussing your doubts with a priest. Finally good to hear about you joining RCIA, you have so much to look forward to.

 

[damooster]

Hey I used to play that game, and have spent hours around Cove on the European server (was heavily involved in setting op a guild in that region) . However that was back in the days when Ultima Online was only Britannia in 2D, so I imagine that the game is almost unrecognizable now (we had mages back then, but not any necromancers).

I’ve played off and on since launch, so I remember the days you are referring to. I actually play using the 2d client, but you’re right, you probably wouldn’t recognize the game. There are ninja’s and samurai’s…and the necromancers. There are paladins too, which I play.

Anyway I think you are fine, but you might consider discussing your doubts with a priest.

I’ll ask a priest this week at RCIA, thanks for the recommendation. I didn’t know if this was something that I could approach him about.

Finally good to hear about you joining RCIA, you have so much to look forward to.

It has been an amazing experience so far. This was only my second time going to Mass, so I have to learn the prayers and everything, but everyone has been so supportive. I’m going to Mass tomorrow morning too, with my sponsor. He’s been great.

 

[TLDenmark]

I’ve played off and on since launch, so I remember the days you are referring to. I actually play using the 2d client, but you’re right, you probably wouldn’t recognize the game. There are ninja’s and samurai’s…and the necromancers. There are paladins too, which I play.

I enjoyed the old UO immensely, but lost some of my interest when the world was divided into a PvP part and a none PvP part. My characters have always been the knight in shinning armor type, so my favorite past time was hunting player killers. After the wold was divided, they more or less became a thing of the past. Since killing NPC monsters wasn’t enough for me, I ended up being limited to role-playing and guild wars. Finally I had to stop playing due to time constraints.

I’ll ask a priest this week at RCIA, thanks for the recommendation. I didn’t know if this was something that I could approach him about .

You certainly can. Both while going trough RCIA, and eventually when you start going to confession.

It has been an amazing experience so far. This was only my second time going to Mass, so I have to learn the prayers and everything, but everyone has been so supportive. I’m going to Mass tomorrow morning too, with my sponsor. He’s been great .

My parish is run by American Franciscans, and they have actually introduced RCIA to Denmark. It was an awesome experience, and converting was the best decision I have made in my life (despite opposition from my surroundings). So you have a lot to look forward to .

God bless you
TL

 

[chevalier]

Yeah, talk to the priest. I did when I had a similar problem (not Ultima).

 

[Belgarion]

I think it depends on your involvement and understanding.

If you play a game like Doom 3 where there are evil demon things running around, being summoned by pentagram-like symbols…You are actually OK…well…unless you’re worshipping those demons!

Obviously you’re killing them, and those kinds of things are show to be evil.

However…if you’re playing something and its associated pentagrams with good…that may not be the best thing for you…

But if you know right from wrong, I don’t know how playing the game can harm you.

Ask a priest, as suggested before.

 

[cthulhubryan]

I’ll ask a priest this week at RCIA, thanks for the recommendation. I didn’t know if this was something that I could approach him about.

I’m starting RCIA this week and I also wondered about talking with a priest. I mean here’s a guy who’s celibate, lives a pretty boring life, has highlights like the Christmas Bazaar. How can he possibly understand.

I’ve learned you can talk to a priest about just about anything and they usually have good advice too!

 

[iluvmybabies]

My db and I are gamers, we share similar tastes and could spend most of our adult moments just playing video games…Sounds lame but it keeps us occupied…Yeah perhaps we could just read the newspaper but then my kids would tell me we are just like the grandparents so, eh I rather be the cool mom that actually plays video games!! I mean my db and I went to a gamer competition once, took the kids with us, and we won!! They were so happy that their mom kicked video game buttie!!!

My db has played some “demonic” games, at least I call them that, and has gone to confession for it, the priest almost laughed at him because he was so scared he was going to hell for that, you could hear the priest trying to hold it in and then they spoke about how, as long as my db wasn’t using those games to actually defy GOD or blasphemize against him that it was fine, and db explained that he was actually the hero trying to rid the world from “demons” in the video game so the priest just told him he was fine… It’s a story I will have to tell my grandchildren some time… Sorry…Bad sense of humor…

Anyhow, you can always ask your priest about these things and see what he can tell you…I mean as long as you aren’t really you know, like elevating demonic things in the games I don’t know why it would be a problem…

 

[pumpkinbeast]

It’s not wrong to play a game just because it has pentagrams in it. If the game is somehow asking you to worship the devil or turn your back on God (I’m having a hard time imagining a real game like this ), then I’d probably stop.

I’m a World of Warcraft player myself. I play a paladin, too! Warcraft has warlocks, which are similar to necromancers, I think.

I think putting video games in the same frame of mind as books helps, because you’re essentially telling a story when you play a video game. An author can write about demonic things, as long as they are placed in the proper context. Michael O’Brien, a very conservative, well educated Catholic author writes about people who speak with the Devil and his minions, but it is very clear that what they are doing is evil, and that the Devil’s power corrupts and destroys.

Hope that helps!

 

[jmcrae]

I’m starting RCIA this week and I also wondered about talking with a priest. I mean here’s a guy who’s celibate, lives a pretty boring life, has highlights like the Christmas Bazaar. How can he possibly understand.

He didn’t fall from the sky; before he became a priest, he was a child and a young man living in a family, going to school, working at a job, and experiencing everything that we all experience. And, since becoming a priest, he’s been hearing Confessions for at least an hour every week, so, he’s pretty much heard it all. (Also, they do go to school for this, as well, and they train them at the school on how to give good advice, etc.)

I’ve learned you can talk to a priest about just about anything and they usually have good advice too!

This is very true!

 

[DustinM]

I think it depends on your involvement and understanding.

Yeah, that pretty much sums up how I feel about it.

Most games like that are only dangerous for people who have difficulty separating fantasy from reality (and there are a few like that even as adults).

I suppose if the game promotes evil somehow that could be bad, and most certainly would be for a youngster (who is still learning to separate fantasy from reality). But I’ve never encountered such a game myself.

 

[punisherthunder]

Play your game.

Unless you decide to act out spells and draw pentagrams in real life. In that case, you should stop.

Other than that, play your game.

 

[jwashu]

Play your game.

Unless you decide to act out spells and draw pentagrams in real life. In that case, you should stop.

Other than that, play your game.

As an EQ2 player, former EQ, WoW, DAOC, Ultima and others don’t worry about it from the aspect you are concerned about unless you are trying to act them out IRL.

However as a recent convert myself I would suggest you consider the amount of time you spend in the game.

I believe 100% that God understands our fragile need to “get away” from time to time. However we a game, or anything else mind you, takes most of our time away form the things He wants us to do then it could be problematic.

Joe

 

[chevalier]

It’s not wrong to play a game just because it has pentagrams in it. If the game is somehow asking you to worship the devil or turn your back on God (I’m having a hard time imagining a real game like this ), then I’d probably stop.

Last time I stopped playing a game because it required the player to trade one subject’s soul for another’s with two devils. I decided there was no way I was giving anyone’s soul to the devils and cheated my way through, later deciding the whole stuff wasn’t worth it anyway.

In Warcraft 3, I don’t use statues that summon a daemon to fight for you, or abilities that transform a unit into daemon form. Too much for me.

Most games like that are only dangerous for people who have difficulty separating fantasy from reality (and there are a few like that even as adults).

It’s a bit like acting out romance in a roleplaying session if you’re married or at least have someone in real life. Theoretically harmless, practically there’s often some bad blood. Say, X and Y are Catholics in a Dungeons & Dragons session and Y is X’s girlfriend. Y elects for her self-based elven wizard to have sex with the bartender for a free room for the party or with a guard to let them pass or some such. Or even worse, another player’s character. After all, it’s not reality, the characters aren’t Catholic, so they don’t believe in the sexual ethics and so on. But is X happy with it? Hardly. The religious aspects of a game can be similarly unsettling.