I recently tried starting a Gaming Club in my town of Tampico, IL. The problem I am running into is most of the community is either Mormon or Catholic which have nothing against religion in anyway. I just put up a print out saying that I am looking for new players for the club at the local dinner, genral store, bank, post office and library. The next day I went to see if they're where any people who asked about it and everyone of my flyers was taken down I asked about this and was told by a few places that our local catholic churches priest removed them and in some places they where taken down buy a local lady that is a mormon.
So I guess in all fairness I need advice on how to advertise with out this happening again and I really don't have the cash to advertise in the paper.
Thank you,
Signed a struggling Gamer
Is there any way you can talk to the proprietors of the places where you put up your ads and ask them to perhaps enforce a policy that states fliers cannot be removed? Since they know who is removing them, they are perfectly in their rights to tell them not to, since they are posted on private property and not in a public space (well, with the exception of the post office and library...).
After a quick trip to Google, I see you're in a very, very small town. In that case, simple word of mouth might serve you well. Another idea would be to carry and read your gaming books in public. Curious people will ask questions, which opens the door to talking about your hobby and seeing if you can generate interest during conversation. If that particular person isn't interested, you can always ask if they know anyone that would be.
One final idea: Perhaps once you find a couple of interested people, you can put on a demonstration of a short game for this priest and woman who have been taking down your fliers. This sort of attitude towards gaming is usually born of ignorance. If they get a first-hand experience on how the games are run and what they entail, they might not be as negative in their thinking. Just a thought.
You might try the direct approach: a friendly conversation with the priest and others that seem to be opposed to your getting a group together. I emphasize *friendly* - don't come at at them confrontationally as it seems they're already pre-disposed to look at your preferred hobby as something bad and a poor attitude isn't likely to help that situation. Be eminently reasonable and polite, even if they come at you with stereotypes and derision.
If that doesn't work...well, you tried. Next step is to say "screw 'em" and make it work however you have to do it.
I have played the game with lots of mormons, catholics, baptists, jews, and folks of most other religions (hmmm, maybe no muslims?) and can say with (almost) certainty that there is nothing in those faiths that specifically decries playing a role in a silly tabletop game. Now, simulating cold-blooded murder, rape, demon-worship, and other things might be off-limits with some of these folks (even though there's that and worse in most of the books they consider holy!)
M
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
|
i concur with mearrin69. The local Catholic Church is St. Mary - (815) 438-5425.
I would contact the pastor and politely ask what his concerns are. Surely he's not spending his time tearing down all posters throughout the entire town which don't meet his personal ethics, let alone destroying any books in the library that he might not like.
He may have a misunderstanding as to the nature of your club's activity, or the kind of person you're looking to attract.
Good luck.
Thanks again Mazes and Monsters. Looks like we have to sort out Tom Hank's impressed misunderstandings yet again.
I recently tried starting a Gaming Club in my town of Tampico, IL. The problem I am running into is most of the community is either Mormon or Catholic which have nothing against religion in anyway. I just put up a print out saying that I am looking for new players for the club at the local dinner, genral store, bank, post office and library. The next day I went to see if they're where any people who asked about it and everyone of my flyers was taken down I asked about this and was told by a few places that our local catholic churches priest removed them and in some places they where taken down buy a local lady that is a mormon.
So I guess in all fairness I need advice on how to advertise with out this happening again and I really don't have the cash to advertise in the paper.
Thank you,
Signed a struggling Gamer
Well talked with Priest and Woman politely on there views of the club and there main concern was like some one said Mazes and Monster the idea that in the dark days of D&D people commited suicide or so the media claims. But I did take the advice given and read my gamemastery guide at the public park today and a older man asked are you the young man that put up the gaming flyers and I told him yes he goes i think that was a good idea help keep kids off the street and cut down on vandilism he asked how it was going and I told him about the priest and mormon woman he said hed take my number to give to his sons cause hthey used to play d&d and they may be interrested in having there sons play.
Well talked with Priest and Woman politely on there views of the club and there main concern was like some one said Mazes and Monster the idea that in the dark days of D&D people commited suicide or so the media claims. But I did take the advice given and read my gamemastery guide at the public park today and a older man asked are you the young man that put up the gaming flyers and I told him yes he goes i think that was a good idea help keep kids off the street and cut down on vandilism he asked how it was going and I told him about the priest and mormon woman he said hed take my number to give to his sons cause hthey used to play d&d and they may be interrested in having there sons play.
Hi Ghandi92983, If you talk to the priest again, you can explain the misconceptions of the media (suicides etc.) and explain they are wrong in the same way that some media often portrays that every Catholic priest is a pedophile (a bit extreme I know but he should understand that people that have a "problem" with the church are really good at making a lot of noise about a bad minority in the church's history. Always dragging the churches name through the mud because of individuals that don't follow the teachings of the church in the first place). Obviously you would have to point this out in a delicate way.
It may also help to point out that D&D is a narrative in the same way a movie is. Its the telling of a story that people interact with and the content is within the same vein of CS Lewis's Narnia series (who is a strong christian writer).
Anyway just some quick thoughts from me on a difficult problem for you. Either way I hope you are able to get it up and running without attracting the wrong (and incorrect) attention.
Good luck!
Blackcat
Stupid board, eating my post. Let's sum this up quicker.
1. Use PATHFINDER to describe it, not D&D. People have negative pre-assumed judgement about D&D. Pathfinder may BE the same thing, but most people don't know it, and it won't get torn down as fast.
2. Use the INTERNET to find a group. You can't tear down websites. Meetup.com, Penandpapergames.com, Wizards.com, enworld.com, Nearbygamers.com and more.
3. Tolkein was also an active catholic in his community. Everyone remembers Lewis 'cause he wrote Mere Christianity and the rest, but they always forget Tolkein <3 God, too...
Thanks again Mazes and Monsters. Looks like we have to sort out Tom Hank's impressed misunderstandings yet again.
Don't be laying this blame at the feet of a movie (And it's actually a decent film, to be honest). The only people who take it seriously are folks who 1) already have a beef with gaming or 2) are Gamers who are just looking to be offended.
The film may not have helped, but it didn't cause the problems. Lay that at the feet of people like Patricia Pulling and (God, I hate to invoke the name...) Jack Chick.
On the otherhand, we have the likes of Tracy Hickman, a well known Morman who gave us much of the Dragonlance world.
Don't be laying this blame at the feet of a movie (And it's actually a decent film, to be honest).
I was half joking. The other half IS DEADLY SERIOUS.
I didn't want to invoke his name either.Anyway good luck with finding a group Ghandi. I agree that the internet is probably your best bet to find local gamers but I don't think you should try to avoid or hide the games connection to D&D if they have a problem with it. You might gain their trust only for them to think it deceptive later on.
As a Mormon gamer, i just want to say dont give up! There are plenty of geeks out there.
does the town have a library? if so, set something up with the library. libraries love having small discussion groups and expositions and that sort in their conference rooms. just go in, talk to the head librarian, and ask if you can set up a "open to the public discussion" about roleplaying games in general. bring all your books, bring paper, bring pencils, and most of all, BRING MOUNTAIN DEW!.
It may cost a little cash to rent/use the conference room, but it may be worth it.
at the discussion, introduce yourself, tell them your experiences with the roleplaying game at large, citing how it has helped you develop creative and critical thinking, it has kept you off the streets and out of a gang, helped with people skills, improved math science and physics (i havent met a gamer yet who couldnt hold his own against a physicist). having the gaming supplies on hand would show the people what exactly happens at a typical game.
having it at the library gets you free advertisement, because all libraries have email newsletters, and youll make it in there "ghandi92938 presents an eye opening discussion about the great joy in throwing some dice", you get the idea. the priest and mormon lady wont be able to touch that, (thank you division of church and state), and hopefully, if you really campaign for it, you may just get some hits.
good luck and keep us updated....
oh, and another thing. i believe your near the stomping grounds of "knights of the dinner table" gang....
|
|
Well talked with Priest and Woman politely on there views of the club and there main concern was like some one said Mazes and Monster the idea that in the dark days of D&D people commited suicide or so the media claims. But I did take the advice given and read my gamemastery guide at the public park today and a older man asked are you the young man that put up the gaming flyers and I told him yes he goes i think that was a good idea help keep kids off the street and cut down on vandilism he asked how it was going and I told him about the priest and mormon woman he said hed take my number to give to his sons cause hthey used to play d&d and they may be interrested in having there sons play.Hi Ghandi92983, If you talk to the priest again, you can explain the misconceptions of the media (suicides etc.) and explain they are wrong in the same way that some media often portrays that every Catholic priest is a pedophile (a bit extreme I know but he should understand that people that have a "problem" with the church are really good at making a lot of noise about a bad minority in the church's history. Always dragging the churches name through the mud because of individuals that don't follow the teachings of the church in the first place). Obviously you would have to point this out in a delicate way.
It may also help to point out that D&D is a narrative in the same way a movie is. Its the telling of a story that people interact with and the content is within the same vein of CS Lewis's Narnia series (who is a strong christian writer).
Anyway just some quick thoughts from me on a difficult problem for you. Either way I hope you are able to get it up and running without attracting the wrong (and incorrect) attention.
Good luck!
Blackcat
I would second this but you may also want to toss out the name J.R.R. Tolkien since he was regarded as a strong Catholic writer and friend of C.S. Lewis.
Hey, Ghandi, I'm sorry the religious folks in your area may include some folks who misunderstand what you're up to or harbor all sorts of extremely negative stereotypes. Do you feel the talks achieved anything? Do you feel like you got enough suggestions in this thread to turn things around? I strongly advise that you get them the facts so that they know their fears are baseless and that fantasy role-playing was the victim of a smear campaign--not unusual when a new and different thing becomes a cultural phenomenon for the first time.
I'd say, stick with the kind, direct approach with these folks and see if you can win them over. Sometimes your stanchest allies can be folks who saw how you handled their misguided opposition. (And guilt can also be your friend.) Now I'm not saying that you'll get offered a place at the Church or the Temple...but stranger things have happened. (It's certainly where I did the majority of my youthful gaming in the long ago time...)
Months later, I wonder how this worked out.
This is a Funny thread, I was born Catholic, and I converted Mormon.
I think the assumption all catholic priests are not safe around young boys and all Mormons have 3 wives is as fair as D&D players are suicidal demon worshippers.
Those people do not want to be stereo typed, especially by something that is untrue. Neither do you or your community.
I would speak to the woman's bishop personally, She has not right or authority to do what she did, at least the catholic priest has authority in his position (although it was abused).
I went to Catholic School for 12 years, and about 8 of them I played DnD.
My highschool had a strategic games club, and what did we play? (90% of the time) DnD!
Taking down public advertisements is a from of sensoring and infringement on freedom of speech. The Mormon Church believes exactly the opposite of that woman's behavior.
I think you will find that advertising in a local newspaper however, isn't nearly as expensive as you think it is.
Calling it DnD although is likely to get you targeted by people who don't like it, through misconceptions, is also most likely to get you the most players, because most people know what it is.
You might just want to form a "gaming group" though and play whatever games people want to play, introducing new people to dnd/pathfinder but playing their games as well (settlers of katan, risk, whatever)
Ignore them. Post it again.
Don't deal or negotiate with them. It just makes them feel important, and wastes time. If logic worked on religious people, there wouldn't be any.
Post your ad, and if they want to tear it down, charge them for the printing costs in small claims court.
“Censorship is imposing on others to live as one wishes to live.”
Reagan was born in that town. Here is what he had to say about censorship:
"Here in this great land of the free exchange of ideas our section of the communications industry is subjected to political censorship in more than 200 cities and 11 states and it's spreading every day. But are we the only victims of these restraints and restrictions on our personal freedom? Is censorship really a restriction on us who already have a voluntary censorship code of good taste, or is this an invasion of your freedom? Isn't this the case of a few of your neighbors taking it upon themselves the right to tell you what you are capable of seeing and hearing on a motion picture screen?
So we worry a little about the class of '57, we who are older and have known another day. We worry that perhaps someday you might not resist as strongly as we would if someone decides to tell you what you can read in a newspaper, or hear on the radio, or hear from a speaker's platform, or what you can say or what you can think. So there are terrns and conditions to the will, and one of the terms is your own eternal vigilance guarding against restrictions on our American freedom. "
Commencement at Eureka College, Ronald Reagan Speech, 1957
