ADMIN: TC, RetroRoleplaying, and Self-Appointed Pagan Community Spokespeople

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[RandallS]

I received the following message from someone who did not identify themselves via our problem report email system:

I have noticed your new roleplaying web site, retroroleplaying.com. You should be ashamed of yourself. The public associates roleplaying games with satanism and being out of touch with reality. Paganism gets enough bad press without the owner of a major pagan message board being connected with d&d. We don't need more bad press and more people who believe pagans are out of touch with reality. Shut the retroroleplaying.com site down now before it harms the pagan community.

I've tired of this crap. I don't give a damn that some in the Pagan community think Pagans should not have anything to do with roleplaying games because some people associate rpgs with Satanism, demon summoning, people who can't tell fiction from reality or whatever. I don't care if my association with roleplaying games gives some fundie loudmouth yet another reason to think that all Pagans should be burned. Said fundie loudmouth would think that no matter what I do or don't do, so why should I let it limit my choices?

I've been involved in roleplaying games in one form or another since I started college in 1975. That's almost as long as I've been Pagan. I have recently begun to work on a web site on the older rpgs that I enjoyed. I'm not going to shut it down because some Pagans reading this message board don't like the idea of someone who runs a "major" Pagan web site also running an rpg web site. And yes, it has to be someone reading this board because the only way to easily connect the two web sites is my signature here on TC.

Heck, I've already been warlocked by a total stranger (along with all past, present, and members of this board) -- see ALL Cauldron Members Warlocked?! on our old DelphiForums board -- because TC is a discussion and debate board and not an "accept whatever is said as true" board, so why the heck would anyone reading this board think I care that they don't like what I'm doing on something like this?

To whoever wrote this: Just go away. RetroRoleplaying.com is here to stay. I'm enjoying working on it. In fact, if I was forced by some type of law to choose between closing RetroRoleplaying.com and The Cauldron, I'd be closing The Cauldron. Deal with it. Go play personal interest/personal lifestyle nazi someplace else.

[LyricFox]

I received the following message from someone who did not identify themselves via our problem report email system:

**giggle**

**snort**

LMAO...oh dear. Where DO these dingalings come from and why do they find TC?

Anyone who has spent more than a few days on this board will figure out that the hosts really don't give a shit what the fundie Christians think. Hell, the hosts don't care what "wash out all the icky" White Lighters think either.

I guess they just like to waste time. Hopefully it will make them feel better. I know it made me feel better because I needed a good laugh.

[Sperran]

To whoever wrote this: Just go away. RetroRoleplaying.com is here to stay. I'm enjoying working on it. In fact, if I was forced by some type of law to choose between closing RetroRoleplaying.com and The Cauldron, I'd be closing The Cauldron. Deal with it. Go play personal interest/personal lifestyle nazi someplace else.

Gee Randall, don't keep everything all bottled up like that.    For the record, I am really excited about your new site.  I learned to roleplay with 2nd edition and have been increasingly frustrated with new versions of D&D that neglect character development in favor of munchkin power gaming.  Not to mention the fact that I'm not willing to fork over several hundred more dollars when I can manage just fine with the source books I have, thank you very much.  I also think that if someone is stupid enough to think that roleplaying is Satanic, his/her reaction to persons that worship a non-JCI deity or call themselves a witch is not going to be that open-minded, regardless of whether they make a connection between Pagan religions and roleplaying.

Sperran

[RandallS]

**giggle**

**snort**

LMAO...oh dear. Where DO these dingalings come from and why do they find TC?

I suppose it is funny, but it really annoyed me. I'm tired of self-proclaimed "Pagan Community Spokespeople" trying to tell me how to run TC or my life. Last I checked, not a one of these people was paying a living wage and full benefits me to work for them 24/7, so they don't have any right to tell me how to run TC, let alone my life. I don't take that from fundie Christians and I'm sure not taking it from Pagans.

It have gotten this type of "harms the Pagan community" crap from who we have as staff to why I really need to follow the Wiccan Rede as law even though I'm not Wiccan and said Rede was never intended to be law because to do other than they say "harms the Pagan community."

[LyricFox]

I suppose it is funny, but it really annoyed me. I'm tired of self-proclaimed "Pagan Community Spokespeople" trying to tell me how to run TC or my life. Last I checked, not a one of these people was paying a living wage and full benefits me to work for them 24/7, so they don't have any right to tell me how to run TC, let alone my life. I don't take that from fundie Christians and I'm sure not taking it from Pagans.

I just laugh at them. Honestly it's about the only response they deserve. Anyone who seems to think they can dictate the behavior of the "pagan community" obviously hasn't spent too much time in said "community."

It have gotten this type of "harms the Pagan community" crap from who we have as staff to why I really need to follow the Wiccan Rede as law even though I'm not Wiccan and said Rede was never intended to be law because to do other than they say "harms the Pagan community."

Heh...Fuck 'em. I'd get more riled up if the person had the balls to post his bitch in the forum. But of course people like this never take the risk of being directly laughed at. And that's what's going to happen...always does.

[HeartShadow - Cutethulhu]

*blinkyblinky*

wow.  What a small-minded twit that was.

So I shouldn't tell them I'm writing both my own religion AND a gaming system, huh?

[LyricFox]

So I shouldn't tell them I'm writing both my own religion AND a gaming system, huh?

Oh. You are just SO going to hell. 

[sailor_tech]

I suppose it is funny, but it really annoyed me. I'm tired of self-proclaimed "Pagan Community Spokespeople" trying to tell me how to run TC or my life. Last I checked, not a one of these people was paying a living wage and full benefits me to work for them 24/7, so they don't have any right to tell me how to run TC, let alone my life. I don't take that from fundie Christians and I'm sure not taking it from Pagans.

Does this if I gave you enough money I couild set the rules?

[dpixie]

What an idiot.  I was a gamer before I was pagan.  I read and write and draw fantasy, too - so I suppose I just don't have a real good grip on reality, period, eh?  All that aside, there are just idiots who feel they have the right to try and dictate what other people do with their lives.  Which is, by definition, ridiculous - whether we all be fundies, Pagans, or (my own personal peeve) arteeests.  Yeah, it's annoying as hell, I understand - but all you can do is snort, giggle and toss the email out.  It is their problem, not yours.

You'd think they'd realize forcing "the Pagan community" to conform to anything is like herding cats...

[LyricFox]

Does this if I gave you enough money I couild set the rules?

There's definitely room for negotiation there. 

[RandallS]

Does this if I gave you enough money I couild set the rules?

Feel free to make a large offer, Peter. 

[Steve - ComW]

  I learned to roleplay with 2nd edition and have been increasingly frustrated with new versions of D&D that neglect character development in favor of munchkin power gaming.  Not to mention the fact that I'm not willing to fork over several hundred more dollars when I can manage just fine with the source books I have, thank you very much. 

Of the modern RP systems, for getting right down to rule removal I recommend  BESM 3rd ed. Complete in one book (if only because the company shut down). The DM Has to be careful in character creation, because the system is extremely munchkinable, but with a balanced set of players in-game you NEVER need to refer to the rules. (i made a house rule for a one shot - If its not on the a4 page in front of you, Ill decide how you do it. It worked and we had a complete amature and a professional munchkin playing

It takes a lot of wortk fo rthe gm out of game time though- becuas ethe system is infinalty flexible. (lots and lots of effort)

[EverFool]

Lord.  What a load of crap.  I was into roleplaying before I was a Pagan, while I was a Pagan, and continue to be into roleplaying now I am no longer a Pagan.  It's completely unrelated to religion.  Among my players are two fellow atheists, a very secular Muslim, and a friend who has at least thought about going back to Church since meeting his religious wife.  (For the record I'm currently running the old version of Vampire, and my next game will either be Cyberpunk or Ars Magica.  Hopefully the latter).

I particularly love the vaguely facist tone to the order.  They seem to think they're not just the spokesperson of the 'Pagan community', but also the supreme commander.

[HeartShadow - Cutethulhu]

Oh. You are just SO going to hell. 

well, at least I get a good seat!

[Waldfrau]

There are also some role players who aren't Pagan at all and hate it to be associated with esoterics, Paganism or Satanism. Maybe it was one of them. 

Gee, I'm shocked you'd rather close the cauldron. It's dangerous to cook with closed lids while playing games. Who cleans up all the overcooked mess afterwards?

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