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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
question on a game	Suzanne	Monday, October 25, 2010
Question: Hello Brother , I've been struggling with something and i don't want to come off odd but i play a game called world of warcraft. I don't know if you ever heard of it but its a game with different races and classes like a paladin or priest, etc. There are two sides you can pick one is good and one is not good..i play the good side and i only play catholic like classes like paladin and priest and a few others that are not of any religion. yea there are classes like warlocks but i choose not to play those because i know its wrong to play things like that. Its a good fighting evil game basically. I hope you are not staring at your computer screen like what is this girl talking about but i hope this description of the game is helpful. Am i doing wrong by playing this game? I really like it because of the catholic/christian overtone it has. I don't make this my life either but i do enjoy playing it because of certain classes like a paladin it has. I'm not addicted to it at all. I tried certain on the internet if the church had anything bad to say about it but i found nothing but stories of a lot of Catholics playing it and enjoy it on a religious level. I prayed to god for an answer but i don't get one. I just know what classes in the game i should be playing and should not be. So your advice?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r) Dear Suzanne: Warcraft contains elements that are inconsistent with the Christian worldview. There are characters, for example, who cast spells. To role play characters who cast spells and such is profoundly dangerous to the spiritual health of the person. Even if you are not personally playing those roles, that does not matter. You are participating in the game and thus facilitating the playing the game that includes witchy actions. I know that many Catholics think this is "just a game." There is no such thing as "justa" anything. Games, music, books, movies, TV shows, etc. are not "justa". Each of those things has a message. What is that message? God says that we are not only to avoid evil acts, but we to "Abstain from all appearances of evil" (1 Thess 5:22). Such things as casting spells is an abomination to God. Those who practice witchcraft (sorcery) will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:20-21). This condemnation of divination and witchcraft is also mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:9-14. Also see Isaiah 44:25; Jeremiah 27:9; 2 Kings 21:6; 23:24, Ezekiel 21:21; Isaiah 19:3; 1 Samuel 28, 1 Chronicles 10:13-14. Thus, to playact these abominable acts in role-play games fails to "Abstain from all appearances of evil." Role-play can be particularly dangerous. Proverbs 23:7 is rendered by some as, "as he thinketh, so he is". Whether or not that is the best translation of the text, the sentiment is true. How we think determines who we are. This is one reason that St. Paul said that we are to think about things that are excellent. Another reason is to guard our senses from that which the devil can sift our imaginations like wheat. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Phil 4:8). And St. Ignatius Loyola warns us too to guard our senses. "All should take care to guard with great diligence the gates of their senses (especially the eyes, ears, and tongue) from all disorder, to preserve themselves in peace and true humility of their souls... showing exteriorly, in an unassuming and simple religious manner, the respect and reverence befitting each one’s state, in such a way that by observing one another they grow in devotion and praise God our Lord, whom each one should endeavor to recognize in his neighbor as in His image. In my opinion Warcraft does not pass the test, as defined by the Bible and the Saints, as an activity for Christians. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

question on a game

Suzanne

Monday, October 25, 2010

Question:

Hello Brother ,

I've been struggling with something and i don't want to come off odd but i play a game called world of warcraft. I don't know if you ever heard of it but its a game with different races and classes like a paladin or priest, etc. There are two sides you can pick one is good and one is not good..i play the good side and i only play catholic like classes like paladin and priest and a few others that are not of any religion. yea there are classes like warlocks but i choose not to play those because i know its wrong to play things like that.

Its a good fighting evil game basically. I hope you are not staring at your computer screen like what is this girl talking about but i hope this description of the game is helpful. Am i doing wrong by playing this game?

I really like it because of the catholic/christian overtone it has. I don't make this my life either but i do enjoy playing it because of certain classes like a paladin it has. I'm not addicted to it at all. I tried certain on the internet if the church had anything bad to say about it but i found nothing but stories of a lot of Catholics playing it and enjoy it on a religious level. I prayed to god for an answer but i don't get one. I just know what classes in the game i should be playing and should not be. So your advice?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r)

Dear Suzanne:

Warcraft contains elements that are inconsistent with the Christian worldview. There are characters, for example, who cast spells. To role play characters who cast spells and such is profoundly dangerous to the spiritual health of the person.

Even if you are not personally playing those roles, that does not matter. You are participating in the game and thus facilitating the playing the game that includes witchy actions.

I know that many Catholics think this is "just a game." There is no such thing as "justa" anything. Games, music, books, movies, TV shows, etc. are not "justa". Each of those things has a message. What is that message?

God says that we are not only to avoid evil acts, but we to "Abstain from all appearances of evil" (1 Thess 5:22).

Such things as casting spells is an abomination to God. Those who practice witchcraft (sorcery) will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:20-21). This condemnation of divination and witchcraft is also mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:9-14. Also see Isaiah 44:25; Jeremiah 27:9; 2 Kings 21:6; 23:24, Ezekiel 21:21; Isaiah 19:3; 1 Samuel 28, 1 Chronicles 10:13-14.

Thus, to playact these abominable acts in role-play games fails to "Abstain from all appearances of evil."

Role-play can be particularly dangerous. Proverbs 23:7 is rendered by some as, "as he thinketh, so he is". Whether or not that is the best translation of the text, the sentiment is true. How we think determines who we are. This is one reason that St. Paul said that we are to think about things that are excellent. Another reason is to guard our senses from that which the devil can sift our imaginations like wheat.

Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
(Phil 4:8).

And St. Ignatius Loyola warns us too to guard our senses.

"All should take care to guard with great diligence the gates of their senses (especially the eyes, ears, and tongue) from all disorder, to preserve themselves in peace and true humility of their souls... showing exteriorly, in an unassuming and simple religious manner, the respect and reverence befitting each one’s state, in such a way that by observing one another they grow in devotion and praise God our Lord, whom each one should endeavor to recognize in his neighbor as in His image.

In my opinion Warcraft does not pass the test, as defined by the Bible and the Saints, as an activity for Christians.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum