Most of the modern games we see today are essentially feeding programs, for occult, witchcraft, and violence. There is hardly a game in which the players do not indulge in murder, arson, torture, rape, sorcery, witchcraft, or highway robbery. I felt compelled to write this article to create a state of awareness in the Church after realizing the degree of risk caused by these supposedly harmless software programs.

The Presence of the Occult in PC Games

“Dungeons and Dragons” is probably the first game with an emphasis on the occult to appear in the gaming world in the 80th decade. The game was full of activities like casting spells, summoning up demons, observing satanic rituals, and throwing curses. A former Satanist and black magician (now a born-again Christian) said the following about D & D.

I was a witch high priest (Alexandrian tradition) during the period 1973-84. During that period (1976-80) I was also involved in hardcore Satanism. We studied and practiced and trained more than 175 people in the Craft. Our “coven Dom” was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; just a short drive away from the world headquarters of TSR, the company which made Dungeons and Dragons. In the late 1970’s, a couple of the game writers actually came to my wife and me as we were prominent “sorcerers” in the community. They wanted to make certain the rituals they included in the game were authentic, and of course they were.

William Schnoebelen

Today more and more games of this genre are being developed and released targeting teenage and young adults. These games invite the player to cast spells, throw curses and even summon up demons. The third one calls the player to take the role of an astrologer.

The question remains, does playing with a supposedly innocent but authentic spell or a curse given in a computer game really affect the player and/or those who are around him? If you play at shooting your friend in the head with what you think is an unloaded pistol and don’t know a shell is in the chamber, is your friend any less dead because you were playing?

Remember demons are real. God says that if you fool around with black magic and the occult, you are stepping away from His will and His protection (assuming you are a Christian). If you are not a Christian, then you are playing with fire and you will get burnt at some point in life. The Word of God says so in Exodus 22:18, Leviticus 19:31, Leviticus 20:6, Deuteronomy 18:10, 1 Samuel 15:23, 2 Kings 21:6, Isaiah 8:19, Galatians 5:20, Revelation 21:8, Revelation 22:15.

Crimes Committed by the D & D Players

I do not intend to discredit the video game industry but the incidents mentioned below suggest the damage is way too much to ignore. (Source: Chick Publications)

1. William Bonin the “Freeway Killer” who committed suicide in his cell in 1987 while being held as a suspect in a string of murders was an avid D & D player. Vernon Butts who introduced Bonin to D & D and aided William in his crimes was an Occultist.
2. A 14-year-old D & D player committed suicide by hanging in 1979. His name was held back from the media honoring his parents’ request.
3. D & D player Michael Dempsey, (17 years old) from Lynnwood, WA. committed suicide by a gunshot wound to the head, on May 19, 1981. Witnesses saw him trying to summon up D & D demons just minutes before his death.
4. D & D player (? years old) Steve Loyacano, Castle Rock, committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning, on October 14, 1982. Police reported satanic writings and a suicide note linked the death to D & D.
5. D & D player (21 years old) Timothy Grice, Lafayette, committed suicide by a shotgun blast, on January 17, 1983. Detective reports noted, “D & D became a reality. He thought he was not constrained to this life, but could leave [it] and return because of the game.”
6. D & D player (18 years old) Harold T. Collins, Marion, committed suicide by hanging, on 29, April 1983. Collins was noted to be “possessed” by D & D as if he were living the game.
7. D & D player (16 years old) Daniel Erwin, Lafayette, CO., was murdered by his brother’s shotgun blast to the head, on November 2, 1984 (right after Halloween). Death was apparently the result of a death pact as part of the game.
8. D & D player (12 years old) Steve Erwin (see above) committed suicide by gunshot, on November 2, 1984. Detective report: “No doubt D & D cost them their lives”
9. D & D player Joseph Malin (no age given), Salt Lake City, UT., pled guilty to first-degree murder on March 2, 1988 and was sentenced to life in prison. He killed a 13 years old girl while acting out the fantasy-role game. The girl had been raped, her throat cut, and she had been stabbed twice in the chest. Police said, “His violent urges were fed by extreme involvement in the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons.”
10. D & D player Sean Sellers (14 years old) was convicted of killing his parents and a convenience store clerk in Greeley, Oklahoma on January 11, 1987. He is the youngest inmate on death row in the country as of this writing (22 now). His involvement in hard-core Satanism began with D & D, according to his own testimony. Praise the Lord; he is now a Born Again Christian.
11. D & D player Tom Sullivan, Jr. (14 years old) got into Satanism and ended up stabbing his mother to death, arranging a ritual circle (from D & D) in the middle of the living room floor, and lit a fire in its midst. Fortunately, his dad and little brother were awakened by a smoke detector; but by then, Tom, Jr. had slashed his wrists and throat with his Boy Scout knife and died in the snow in a neighbor’s yard. This incident transpired on January 19, 1988.

I don’t have solid evidence to prove that the other games ranked with D & D have affected people in the same manner. But what is the guarantee so that you can claim these games are harmless fun. What we see in the above list are only the incidents that are traced back to D & D? How much more must have gone unnoticed?

A Presence of Brain Washing Techniques

Additionally, Fantasy-Role-Playing (FRP) games like D & D do employ brainwashing techniques. (Source: Chick Publications)

1. Fear generation-via spells and mental imaging about fear-filled, emotional scenes, and threats to the survival of FRP characters.
2. Isolation-psychological removal from traditional support structures (family, church, etc.) into an imaginary world. Physical isolation due to extremely time-consuming play activities outside the family atmosphere.
3. Physical torture and killings-images in the mind can be almost as real as the actual experiences. The focus of the games is on killings and torture for power, acquisition of wealth, and survival of characters.
4. Erosion of family values as the Dungeon Master (DM) demands an all-encompassing total loyalty, control, and allegiance.
5. Situational Ethics could justify an act in the mind of the player. Hence there are no absolutes of right or wrong; no morality other than “point” morality is needed to ensure survival and advancement. There are no win-win situations and good forces seldom triumph over evil forces.
6. Religious values and belief systems (see below) are restructured from traditional Judeo-Christian ethics (which most people in Western culture adhere to) to belief in multiple gods and deities. Players align themselves with specific deities they select; patron deities are strongly urged. These are not fantasy deities, but are drawn from genuine ancient religions and beliefs! Only occult gods are included. In addition, defilement is urged in many ways, such as excrement or urinating to “defile a god.”
7. Loss of Self-control-authority over as the self is surrendered to the Dungeon Master. Depending on the personality and ego-strength of the player, this loss can be near-absolute.

Degradation pain and torture are heavily involved in sadistic, sexual situations that graphically appeal to visceral impulses. Much of the material (as mentioned above) is well into pornographic areas and stresses the defilement of innocence.

Time for Action because it’s Now or Never

1. Church and Christian community are the best entities that could take action against this situation. Church leadership (Pastors, youth leaders, etc.) must pay attention to creating awareness about this matter among parents, children, and young people. There is a variety of preventive measures parents can take.

If you don’t know how to use a computer at least get familiar with the basic skills. It helps you to explore your child’s computer if necessary. Pay careful attention to the games your child purchase, borrow, download and install on the computer. Also, try to find out what are the games preferred by his best friends.

The most basic reason that parents buy a home computer is to help kids with their education. If your child insists on purchasing a PC with high-end capabilities beware. Most of these games require expensive and comparatively powerful hardware. Usually, such a machine costs more than 1000 US Dollars to start with.

Pay close attention to the media, as it is used to advertise these games. Don’t just forbid your children from playing the games. Explain to them why and be ready to answer their questions with godly and acceptable answers.

Closing Remarks

Often the companies who sell these products say, “It really (the game) helps to boost the player’s thinking ability” or “It Contributes to developing the individual’s intellect” Isn’t this something much similar to what the serpent told the woman back in the Garden of Eden? Our spiritual enemy is clever and knows how to manipulate anything to destroy man, God’s crown creation.

I am not telling it’s ungodly and un-biblical to play a computer game. I play them myself when I feel bored or need a break after a long day at work. But the difference is I choose not to enjoy anything that contradicts my beliefs, attacks my relationship with God and people, and despises my principles.

Neither it’s wrong to buy your kid a fast computer. Apart from gaming fast and expensive PCs are used for computer-aided graphic designing and planning. Therefore just find out why is the reason your child wants an expensive item. Think, maybe I am wrong about my views. You can call me extremist, fundamentalist, fanatic, and whatever comes to your mind, but what shall I lose? Then what if you are wrong?

If you found this content helpful, I kindly ask you to leave your feedback in the comments section below. Sharing it with your friends and family through email or social media would also be greatly appreciated. Your feedback not only encourages me but also contributes to the growth and edification of the Church. In order to promote meaningful and respectful dialogue, I request that you use your full name when commenting. Please note that any comments containing profanity, name-calling, or a disrespectful tone will be deleted. Thank you for your understanding and participation.