Changes

Although the original game deliberately used a system of magic that was not found in any actual occult or religious system, starting in the late 1970s the game and others like it came under attack mainly from some conservative Christians as promoting occult and criminal activity. Its dangers were infamously summarized in the Dark Dungeons tract by fundamentalist Christian author [[Jack Chick]].<ref>Jack Chick: [http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0046/0046_01.asp "Dark Dungeons"]</ref>  

Although the original game deliberately used a system of magic that was not found in any actual occult or religious system, starting in the late 1970s the game and others like it came under attack mainly from some conservative Christians as promoting occult and criminal activity. Its dangers were infamously summarized in the Dark Dungeons tract by fundamentalist Christian author [[Jack Chick]].<ref>Jack Chick: [http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0046/0046_01.asp "Dark Dungeons"]</ref>  

These attacks on the franchise came in the form of calls for censorship as well as boycotts and lawsuits. One item of concern for conservative Christians is that player characters do not usually worship a single God, but instead choose a patron deity from a polytheistic pantheon. Player characters may also have the ability to summon and worship demons and devils, and are sometimes rewarded with treasure and occult powers for doing so. Another criticism is that illustrations in the rule books for Dungeons and Dragons often contain images of women in various states of undress, and wearing excessively revealing armor.

These attacks on the franchise came in the form of calls for censorship as well as boycotts and lawsuits. One item of concern for conservative Christians is that player characters do not usually worship a single God, but instead choose a patron deity from a polytheistic pantheon. Player characters may also (depending on DM approval) have the ability to summon and worship demons and devils, and are sometimes rewarded with treasure and occult powers for doing so. Another criticism is that illustrations in the rule books for Dungeons and Dragons often contain images of women in various states of undress, and wearing excessively revealing armor.

Tracy Hickman, one of the main authors of Dungeons and Dragons, and a Christian with conservative politics and theology, has written a number of articles defending and discussing D&D from a Christian perspective. <ref name="Hickman">The Journal of Religion and Popular Culture: [http://www.usask.ca/relst/jrpc/art9-roleplaying.html "Role-Playing Games and the Christian Right"]</ref> Others within the Dungeons and Dragons community responded by writing other defenses from rationalist perspectives or other perspectives or by writing parodies such as ""Chess: The Subtle Sin: Should Christians play chess?". In response to the perceived Christian persecution of the Dungeons and Dragons, darker themed, deliberately counter-cultural games appeared in reaction such as [[Call of Cthluhu]] which is based on the horror writing of [[H.P. Lovecraft]] and set in the [[Cthulhu|Cthulhu Mythos]].<ref name="Hickman"/>

Tracy Hickman, one of the main authors of Dungeons and Dragons, and a Christian with conservative politics and theology, has written a number of articles defending and discussing D&D from a Christian perspective. <ref name="Hickman">The Journal of Religion and Popular Culture: [http://www.usask.ca/relst/jrpc/art9-roleplaying.html "Role-Playing Games and the Christian Right"]</ref> Others within the Dungeons and Dragons community responded by writing other defenses from rationalist perspectives or other perspectives or by writing parodies such as ""Chess: The Subtle Sin: Should Christians play chess?". In response to the perceived Christian persecution of the Dungeons and Dragons, darker themed, deliberately counter-cultural games appeared in reaction such as [[Call of Cthluhu]] which is based on the horror writing of [[H. P. Lovecraft]] and set in the [[Cthulhu|Cthulhu Mythos]].<ref name="Hickman"/>

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