I see a therapist for bipolar disorder and also am part of a assemblies of god church. I had a visit with my therapist today. Well I decided since I had quite a bit of a wait before my appointment to read my Pathfinder core rulebook in the waiting room since I wanted to refresh myself on the rules. Well my therapist ask if he could look at the book and I said sure he then went on to tell me that being a christian man that I shouldn't play games like pathfinder that they promote the work of the devil. I later after the appointment was thinking about this when I got a phone call from the pastor of the church I go to about something there putting on anyway I asked the Pastor about his thoughts on D&D and he said he had no comments on that subject. So I guess I'm wondering whats so bad about the game that makes these men say I shouldn't play it?
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
IMO and IMO only, a Therapist job is to help you, not to dictate your religious faith, IMO he stepped out of bounds as a therapist.
I would have a Heart to Heart talk with your Pastor he is the one you should talk to when you have questions about your personal faith.
All of this is just IMO of course.
It sounds like you've run into people that are judging the game w/o actual knowledge of it, a common occurrence from the 1980s and the days of the Chic Trac. It's getting the reputation that AD&D once had. I'd still speak with the therapist about it and ask him exactly what he meant, but I would expect an uninformed diatribe, not a well-reasoned response.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Well I guess what I'm try to get at is I don't really want to give up the game I love just because my faith says it's "evil" because I don't see anything "evil" about it.
you should ask yourself weather or not you can accept that this is a game and has nothing to do with your religion. no matter what you play in pathfinder and who you fight and even what gods your character worships it is still a game and if you truly have faith in your religion it shouldn't matter.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I see a therapist for bipolar disorder and also am part of a assemblies of god church. I had a visit with my therapist today. Well I decided since I had quite a bit of a wait before my appointment to read my Pathfinder core rulebook in the waiting room since I wanted to refresh myself on the rules. Well my therapist ask if he could look at the book and I said sure he then went on to tell me that being a christian man that I shouldn't play games like pathfinder that they promote the work of the devil. I later after the appointment was thinking about this when I got a phone call from the pastor of the church I go to about something there putting on anyway I asked the Pastor about his thoughts on D&D and he said he had no comments on that subject. So I guess I'm wondering whats so bad about the game that makes these men say I shouldn't play it?
Oh buddy, this is a minefield if I ever saw one.
It probably has to do with the inability of some folks to understand the split between fantasy and reality. Some people have problems with characters casting spells. I say to them that it's really no different than if you were to play a superhero in a comic book setting. Smite that godless heathen, Superman!
I'd say their paranoia is based on a handful of fringe cases where mentally imbalanced people sought to blur the lines between fantasy and reality.
I am a Christian, and I play Pathfinder. There is no devil-promotion, trust me.
Humm what? Your therapist is wrong here. Many people dislike what they do not understand. It is a fantasy game about magic, other gods , demons, devils and dragons. To many, much like in the 80's it is the work of the devil, as is rock, short skirts and birth control. Some folks have a very narrow opinion on whats it "right" and anything else is just wrong and the work of the devil.
I also think your therapist would dislike, rock, metal and pop musics as the work of the evil as well. He would count most non christian /family based tv and most movies as that as well. I would guess.
Man the simple fact is, does it bother you? Does it weaken your faith? Does it effect your faith at all? Does it make ya want to erect an alter to a made up demon lord from the book and start killing cats to fuel your spells?
If not, your good really.
And I would find a new therapist if I were you.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Well I guess what I'm try to get at is I don't really want to give up the game I love just because my faith says it's "evil" because I don't see anything "evil" about it.
There's a difference between your faith saying it's evil and a man telling you it's evil. Crack open the Bible and try and see where it says that you're to not use your imagination to have fun.
This D&D is of the devil crap should've died out over two decades ago already. D&D's as of the devil as video games and rock and roll. Just because it's fun doesn't mean it's bad.
|
|
First, I would find a therapist that doesn't talk about "the Devil." I'm not sure what kind of therapy that is. (In my humble, secular opinion.)
I used to catch a lot of flack from the fundamentalist Christian part of the family back in the day about DnD. Conservatives tend to see RPGs as promoting flexibility when it comes to beliefs and value systems, two things they are inflexible about -- in public anyway.
You'll find a lot of devout Christians on the messageboards here that play Pathfinder. It sounds like your pastor is fine with it, or at least doesn't want to make a knee jerk reaction about the game. So I'd say keep playing and don't worry about it. But that's just my opinion.
I see a therapist for bipolar disorder and also am part of a assemblies of god church. I had a visit with my therapist today. Well I decided since I had quite a bit of a wait before my appointment to read my Pathfinder core rulebook in the waiting room since I wanted to refresh myself on the rules. Well my therapist ask if he could look at the book and I said sure he then went on to tell me that being a christian man that I shouldn't play games like pathfinder that they promote the work of the devil. I later after the appointment was thinking about this when I got a phone call from the pastor of the church I go to about something there putting on anyway I asked the Pastor about his thoughts on D&D and he said he had no comments on that subject. So I guess I'm wondering whats so bad about the game that makes these men say I shouldn't play it?
Well D&D did suffer some bad press decades ago and maybe your therapist didn´t quite get the memo that no real link was found - otherwise the flaming an book burning would´nt have stopped.(Cautionary tell: People burning books is usually a good sign that you should think for yourself)
The fact that you visit a therapist for a serious disorder could maybe explain why he though that RPGs could be bad for you - then again it might be worth to get a second and third oppinion - but linking your faith and a hobby like Pathfinder makes me question his judgement.
The fact that your Pastor didn´t want to comment is quite understandable, after considering the image Dungeons and Dragon had, he might want to avoid either demonizing it, or saying there is no problem with it.
From reading your post, I would guess taht you are in fact quite familiar with the game, the fact that you post here rather confirms the point.
So you pretty much know that the game contains Devil, Dungeons, Demons, Dragons, Undead an many other nasty things - but so does real life and when you think about it the Bible (depending on your version of course - but thats another thing, IMO one should not let its contents ruin the message).
And just because: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHdXG2gV01k
Edit: Should not post at 4 am. ;)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
In my experience, RPGs are not evil, people are.
The therapist has overstepped boundaries. This is definitely not professional allowing a personal opinion to dictate advice giving.
Unless, of course it's actually done for medical reasons. I know friends who have been told to stop it for the time being because it encourages escapism.
Well, I play Pathfinder.
Hi Mageye,
Welcome to the Paizo messageboards (and I say welcome, thinking you to be new to the boards, but perhaps this isn't the case).
Anyway, regarding Pathfinder and whether or not a christian (man or woman) should play it... I'm a (recent) Lutheran, and by that I mean about 2 years ago I decided to become a Lutheran after 20 + years of being a Catholic. (There is a longer story here, and it's not for this post per se)... and I can't think of any particular reasons that your therapist or your pastor should have for discouraging you from playing a fun, engaging tabletop fantasy game. Pathfinder, D&D, Mutants & Masterminds, heck most RPGs out there encourage cooperation, engage you in problem solving, challenge your perceptions regarding right and wrong, and stimulate many social skills. Perhaps these men (or women) have little or no experience (no pun intended) with tabletop RPGs, and instead of taking a little time to learn about them, decided to subscribe to the "opinions of the masses" and label that which they don't understand as "bad" or at least not "good" for Christians to be involved in.
Yes the game has devils and demons in it, usually as enemies to defeat/slay... it could be that is one reason for your pastor to be against it. (What do they think of computer RPGs like Diablo I wonder)?
Sure in the game we fight against undead creatures, and evil men and women, and dragons, and giants, and all manner or creatures from folklore, fiction, fantasy, and even real world creatures. Other things that characters do in the game, we save villagers (and entire villages), sometimes (depending on the type and tone of game) in the game we fall in love, get married, and have children, we start our own villages/towns/cities... heck sometimes entire Kingdoms. We keep in close contact with our friends that we gather with around the game table, be it once a week, twice a month, once a month... or whenever our real lives allow us a little down time. A chance to relax, let off some steam, unwind... and bash some imaginary monsters, and take their stuff. (As one of my oldest friends, a frequent players has said).
Honestly, beyond these professional people not understanding what D&D, Pathfinder, or Role-Playing Games in general are... and what we as players actually do when we play the game, I can't begin to guess why they should have such a problem with how you spend your down time.
Sometimes all it takes is one person to explain what we gamers actually do in the few hours we spend playing these games, for these men and women to listen and begin to understand... or at the very least, to live and let live.
I hope this helped. But I can't say that I actually said or did anything useful.
Good Luck, and may you continue to play and enjoy playing the Pathfinder RPG, or any RPG for that matter.
Regards,
Dean; The_Minstrel_Wyrm
|
|
It seems like a really unprofessional comment by your therapist. It sounds like he is letting personal bias cloud his advise as well as commenting on something that he actually doesn’t know anything about.
I know many Christians who play role playing games in the vein of Pathfinder and they find it does not conflict with the tenants of their faith. I also, unfortunately, know Christians who think that there is some sort of problem with Dungeons and Dragons and games derived from it (such as Pathfinder). In my opinion such opinions are borne of ignorance and / or a belief in what they have heard from others with no evidence to back it up.
If you want to persist with your current therapist, maybe you should discuss with him further as to why he thinks that a game like this is the work of the devil. Maybe you should encourage him to read more literature on the subject from both sides of the arguement, or attend a game session to see what goes on. If you believe that you are a good Christian and that you can play the game without compromising your beliefs (and I see absolutely no reason why that wouldn’t be the case – there’s nothing wrong or sinister about the game) you should tell your therapist that, and why.
|
Your Pastor is a wiser individual than your therapist is. I would seek a new therapist and if anyone asks of your previous therapist, tell them he was terrible at his job, because he is.
IMO any religion worth it's salt is based around making people happy, consoling them when something bad happens, and teaching them lessons about morality as it is applicable in modern times. A good therapist would have said "So long as you don't get it mixed up with reality. Pathfinder is just a game after all." if you have any other method of communicating with others about your therapist's lack of quality, I suggest you use it.
|
|
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
I later after the appointment was thinking about this when I got a phone call from the pastor of the church I go to about something there putting on anyway I asked the Pastor about his thoughts on D&D and he said he had no comments on that subject.
This is your faith. We have no business telling you what does or does not abide by your faith.
From what you've stated your pastor has no comments, and by my understanding no qualms over the practice in and of itself. I wouldn't wield that as a particular blessing against any busy-body that happened to go to your church, but he's not condemned it either.
You are the final arbiter of what's in your heart, and your connection to God.
I later after the appointment was thinking about this when I got a phone call from the pastor of the church I go to about something there putting on anyway I asked the Pastor about his thoughts on D&D and he said he had no comments on that subject.This is your faith. We have no business telling you what does or does not abide by your faith.
From what you've stated your pastor has no comments, and by my understanding no qualms over the practice in and of itself. I wouldn't wield that as a particular blessing against any busy-body that happened to go to your church, but he's not condemned it either.
You are the final arbiter of what's in your heart, and your connection to God.
+1
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Even in a thread where the OP specifically asked us to tell them whether they "should" play Pathfinder for fear of violating their faith, I'm not comfortable giving that kind of answer.
Instead, I'll just say that I have known a number of very good, very pious Christians who were frequent role-players of various stripes, and have even spent a pleasant afternoon playing a one-shot with a visiting pastor back when I was still in my church's high school youth group.
Beyond that, all I can say is, maybe you should pray about it and see what happens.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Sounds like your psych could use one of his own. If he lacks the critical thinking skills to realize why his supposed advice was completely out of line, or to differentiate between a game and reality then he probably doesn't need to by trying to fix how other people think.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I appreciate the advice you all gave and I believe I'll continue playing for the fact that I don't feel it has changed my faith in anyway. I understand that it is just a game.
HANG ON PEOPLE!!!!!!
We do not have the whole story of the OPs disorder. Yes, on the surface it seems like the therapist overstepped their professional boundary. BUT there is NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION here to recommend that the OP walk away from the therapist.
How many of you are professional therapists that you can make this call without a thorough investigation of the OPs status? You are treading on VERY DANGEROUS ground by making those suggestions.
To the OP: TALK TO YOUR THERAPIST! Find out if there is a SOLID reason based on your individual case of bi-polar disorder that you should not play. If your individual case merits putting Pathfinder on the shelf for the time being then you should do so.
Again, TALK TO YOUR THERAPIST, and your Pastor! They are the people you should be listening to!
I appreciate the advice you all gave and I believe I'll continue playing for the fact that I don't feel it has changed my faith in anyway. I understand that it is just a game.
Then play on, I say!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
HANG ON PEOPLE!!!!!!
We do not have the whole story of the OPs disorder. Yes, on the surface it seems like the therapist overstepped their professional boundary. BUT there is NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION here to recommend that the OP walk away from the therapist.
How many of you are professional therapists that you can make this call without a thorough investigation of the OPs status? You are treading on VERY DANGEROUS ground by making those suggestions.
To the OP: TALK TO YOUR THERAPIST! Find out if there is a SOLID reason based on your individual case of bi-polar disorder that you should not play. If your individual case merits putting Pathfinder on the shelf for the time being then you should do so.
Again, TALK TO YOUR THERAPIST, and your Pastor! They are the people you should be listening to!
Will be following up with my therapist on the 14th and will be asking him questions about his statement.
|
I'm going to echo the feelings of seemingly everyone else here and say that I see no conflict between Christianity and playing Pathfinder or other tabletop RPGs. Pathfinder is a fantasy, an interactive story that is meant to be entertaining and enriching. While I can understand a possible disagreement over content, an RPG system like Pathfinder allows you and your group to control that content. If you find something disagreeable, you can avoid it. I also think that the classic D&D or Pathfinder archetypes can fit very well with a Christian group, as the assumption is that your characters will be vanquishing evil, not supporting it. Your characters may be flawed, and complex, but that only adds to their goodness, in my mind; that these imperfect mortals are still capable of doing tremendous good.
I'm also very skeptical of your therapist's motives. I dislike the idea of a therapist using their privileged position to teach religious dogma, no matter what their creed. I believe that a medical trust should not be influenced by the faith of either the patient or their provider.
Above all else, I think you should decide for yourself whether or not Pathfinder conflicts with your faith. It is YOUR faith, after all. Have you found any major conflicts with your spiritual life? Has it helped or harmed your mental health care? Has it had no effect? Is it a positive social experience? A negative one? These are all some questions I believe you should ask yourself before making this decision. I hope that you can continue to enjoy RPGs as well as get the treatment and spiritual fulfillment you want: I don't believe any of those things are mutually exclusive.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I just wanted to add my support to the OP. I am a Christian and have been playing AD&D, D&D (3.0&3.5), and PFRPG since my early teens. Though I've encountered the same mentality in others before, I've never seen my gaming hobby have any effect on my faith.
Like many others, I'd suggest asking your therapist why he chose to make that comment. As a (legal) professional, I am a little disconcerted by his willingness to offer a theological opinion during your therapy session. I acknowledge, however, that you may have a doctor/patient relationship where such comments are appropriate.
I'd also recommend having a heart to heart talk with your minister. Ultimately you're the only one who can make a decision as to what your faith allows. I sincerely hope that regardless of your choice, you find happiness along the way.
FP
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I was going to post this in it's own thread, but putting it here sounds appropriate. Remember "Mazes & Monsters" the movie? Based on the book which tried to tie role playing with kids going crazy? Well one of my favorite comedian/pop culture reviewers went and made an epic video totally owning the paranoia & propaganda behind the D&D hysteria.
"Mazes & Monsters" The Spoony Experiment by Noah Antwiller:
http://spoonyexperiment.com/2010/08/01/mazes-monsters/
I see a therapist for bipolar disorder and also am part of a assemblies of god church. I had a visit with my therapist today. Well I decided since I had quite a bit of a wait before my appointment to read my Pathfinder core rulebook in the waiting room since I wanted to refresh myself on the rules. Well my therapist ask if he could look at the book and I said sure he then went on to tell me that being a christian man that I shouldn't play games like pathfinder that they promote the work of the devil. I later after the appointment was thinking about this when I got a phone call from the pastor of the church I go to about something there putting on anyway I asked the Pastor about his thoughts on D&D and he said he had no comments on that subject. So I guess I'm wondering whats so bad about the game that makes these men say I shouldn't play it?
Okay, look. This is really, really simple when you sweep aside the smoke & mirrors. This isn't about bipolar or not bipolar. This isn't about Christian or not Christian. It isn't about what your pastor thinks.
It's about who you are.
So.
Who are you?
Seriously. You need to know that.
You aren't defined by your disorder. You aren't defined by your religion. You aren't defined by your favourite colour, or your dislike of uncooked vegetables. Your taste in music doesn't define who you are, no does your preference which pant leg you put on first every day.
You are defined by what you do, and to a lesser degree what you want to do.
I'm going to be really, really clear here. I play D&D and have played for a long time. When I play, I invariably play good characters who are trying to help the fantasy world. Yes, I play complex characters with human typical faults and personality traits. Yes, I use things like living constructs to explore topics of identity and servitude and universal rights. Yes, I even play occasional female characters to try to wrap my head around how women might approach a topic or problem. But ultimately I am interested in doing good, without fail.
Why? Because I'm a person who is fundamentally interested in the stories that surround heroic, good acts. Why? Because - I suspect - I'm kind of a good guy at heart.
So if you therapist or pastor or Jesus himself told me I was doing something wrong, or somehow by play-acting good characters I was promoting devil-work, I'd send them to see a (better) therapist.
Seriously. Get a grip, friend. Don't look for answers without. The answers are within you. What are you interested in? Do you want to play a nice D&D campaign where you play a character that ritually tortures small animals and betrays his associates? If so, you might be a horrible person. Maybe. If - like most of us - you want to explore heroic topics, well, you know the answer: your therapist is (on this topic) an ignorant, bigoted person. You should isolate his input on your lifestyle to topics related to treating your disorder. "Thanks for the fashion advice, Mr. Mechanic, but really, I'll pick my own socks from now on."
*Note... I'm not saying that if someone plays an evil character they are actually any less good a person. Just like me mentioning I occasionally play a female to "imagine things from the other side" to educate myself, playing evil occasionally can offer the same benefit. So, hey, those mature adults of you out there getting upset by my general post... relax, folks.
I see a therapist for bipolar disorder and also am part of a assemblies of god church. I had a visit with my therapist today. Well I decided since I had quite a bit of a wait before my appointment to read my Pathfinder core rulebook in the waiting room since I wanted to refresh myself on the rules. Well my therapist ask if he could look at the book and I said sure he then went on to tell me that being a christian man that I shouldn't play games like pathfinder that they promote the work of the devil. I later after the appointment was thinking about this when I got a phone call from the pastor of the church I go to about something there putting on anyway I asked the Pastor about his thoughts on D&D and he said he had no comments on that subject. So I guess I'm wondering whats so bad about the game that makes these men say I shouldn't play it?
I would seriously find another therapist. If this therapist had done some research, he would know that he is wrong. If he is going to help you with personal issues and instead wants to preach, then it's also a reason to find another therapist. The idea of RPGs being the work of the devil or causing people to do stupid things was debunked decades ago.
|
I've played with Christian ministers before, and I believe more than one WotC designer was one (James Wyatt?). Conversely, some Christians couldn't make it work with their faith. But don't let your therapist or pastor decide for you. The decision is between you and God. No one else needs to be involved.
Wow. I was just going to echo other people's sentiments that you should trust you own judgment, and it's really what your comfortable with, and it's between you & your god. However, you asked for opinions, and this is bugging me, so here it is.
Well my therapist ask if he could look at the book and I said sure he then went on to tell me that being a christian man that I shouldn't play games like pathfinder that they promote the work of the devil.
This one sentence bothers me in a big way. While Lord Pel, above, is right in that we know little about your actual diagnosis and situation, and people shouldn't be encouraging you to walk away from therapy, I do have a real issue with a therapist that would make such a statement.
First, it's incredibly ignorant. RPGs have no more to do with the devil than heavy metal music, short skirts, or cussing, and it's amazing that someone with a professional education could actually think otherwise. Second, it's judgmental. I'm a lawyer, not a therapist, and I could be wrong, but for a therapist to past judgment on a patient just strikes me as wrong. Third, it seems to me, and others may disagree, that your therapist is injecting their own religion into your treatment. Clearly, they believe RPGs promote the Devil, or why would they have said what they did? Which begs the question, would they have an issue with you if you were jewish, buddhist, or (gasp) muslim? What if you were agnostic, or atheist? Regardless, their religion should have nothing to do with your therapy.
I feel for you, and wish you the best of luck, but I would suggest speaking with not just your pastor, but with a medical professional, including your regular doctor, about your therapist.
If the therapist actually said the words 'promotes the work of the devil' find a new therapist. If he said 'I think this is not a good idea for you because of your personal difficulties' then fine, but from what you said, this guy is letting his personal beliefs into his practice, and that is not the kind of therapist anyone should be going to.
That said, I think it has to be up to you whether or not this violates your faith. If role playing a religious ceremony to the in game gods makes you uncomfortable, then maybe it really isn't for you (or you need to re-evaluate religion in your game). Some people really get into their characters and I could see some people getting uncomfortable with a certain level of blasphemy.
But regardless of what you decide with the game, the idea that pathfinder, or DnD promotes the work of the devil is about as much sense as saying Harry Potter does, or the Disney movie Aladin. That particular statement can ONLY come from ignorance.
Will be following up with my therapist on the 14th and will be asking him questions about his statement.
Based on what you've reported to us about what your therapist said, I'd take any more comments he made about it with a BIG grain of salt and I'd be sure to get a second opinion from another therapist.
Frankly, if your therapist actually said Pathfinder promoted the work of the devil, I'd have no trouble tossing him to the curb and finding another one whatever your disorder is. If he's got his own religious beliefs bound up in it, his advice will not be objective. It will probably serve his own beliefs more than your therapeutic needs.
So consult a second therapist if you can.
If the therapist is part of a hospital or state agency then I would highly recommend talking to the administrators of the agency and let them know about your session in which your therapist told you this. Even if they don't take some disciplinary action against the therapist they will find you another one as therapy sessions don't work that well when you are made uncomfortable with the therapist.
If your therapist is independent, I suggest contacting a state agency and setting up treatment with them.
The important part is making sure your bipolar disorder is treated properly. Matters of faith should be left to you and your pastor.
I hate to be the negative guy here but maybe you should sit down and talk to your therapist about this further. Get his take on why he thinks it is wrong. He may have a relevant medical reason for saying what he said.
With that being said I would also take time out to speak with your pastor about this topic. It is obvious to me that by coming here to ask our opinion you have some doubts about this and are looking for support from your fellow gamers and you will obviously get that here on the boards for we ALL LOVE PATHFINDER AND WHAT IT ALLOWS US TO DO, use our imaginations.
What I am saying is you can't ask the cat to support your hate of the dog for 99% of the cats you talk to will support your hate of dogs.
So please step away from the game for just a second and speak with both your therapist and your pastor. If they are reasonable men which I have no reason to doubt they should also listen to your take on the subject.
Hey maybe even get them to play test it with you so they can see it from the other end. Let them read the books you have and answer their questions honestly even if you believe the answer may not show pathfinder in a positive light. By doing so you will show them that you have thought this through and that you value their opinion.
Hope this helps
|
I've been a roleplayer for 12 years, and a Christian for twice that. There are topics that can be uncomfortable for me to roleplay during a game, but its just that, a game. I play in one group that we're all Christians, and its a very fun, clean game. Another group is a mix with me, a 7th day adventist, an atheist, and others I'm not sure about right now.
I don't know if you'd be interested, but I'm part of an email group of Christian Gamers. Its not just rpg's, but games of all times, though mostly rpgs. You can check us out at http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Christian_Gamers_Guild/ We have quite a few pastors, college professors, youth leaders, game designers, and more occupations than I can describe I'm sure. I've been meaning to check to see how many play PF, but I haven't yet. :)
So, stay strong and keep the faith brother.
For people linking RPG and devil: I'd like to know why the actors palying the roles of three old crones (definitely devil worshiping personas) in Shakespear's Macbeth aren't ostracized for what they do.
I have not read all of the post, most because I am lazy so if I say something someone else said feel free to flame me or what ever.
I have been a Christian for 15 yeas not and I have played D&D for a little longer then that. Not to say the my hobby is more important then my Belief in Christ it is just the way it happened. Any way all that to say I don't think Pathfinder is of the devil or other D&D games, (may fourth, just kidding to lighten the mood.
I do think that Role Playing games may not be health for your faith or mental health, this is something that you are going to have to decide for your self, with prayer and talking with you pastor. Your therapist should not be discount either.
I had to come to a similar decision my self and I did a lot of thinking, praying and reading. Romans 14 was very helpful to me, basically it says that some thing are not sin but are still not good for some.
So ultimately, if Pathfinder is going to get in the way of fallowing Christ then stop playing. Also if you therapist thinks that Role Playing is going to get in the way of your mental heath the also stop playing.
I personal cam to the decision that anything good is from God and can be done is such a way as to glorify Christ. I will pray for you, keep the faith.
He may have a relevant medical reason for saying what he said.
Other than describing hallucinations or schizophrenia (which is not the OP's diagnosis), I don't believe there is any such thing as a relevant medical reason to invoke the Devil.
HANG ON PEOPLE!!!!!!
We do not have the whole story of the OPs disorder. Yes, on the surface it seems like the therapist overstepped their professional boundary. BUT there is NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION here to recommend that the OP walk away from the therapist.
How many of you are professional therapists that you can make this call without a thorough investigation of the OPs status? You are treading on VERY DANGEROUS ground by making those suggestions.
To the OP: TALK TO YOUR THERAPIST! Find out if there is a SOLID reason based on your individual case of bi-polar disorder that you should not play. If your individual case merits putting Pathfinder on the shelf for the time being then you should do so.
Again, TALK TO YOUR THERAPIST, and your Pastor! They are the people you should be listening to!
I really wouldn't condone counting folks so (apparently) ignorant and intolerant as "people to listen to" imo.
It really sounds to me that the therapist was advising that the OP not play Pathfinder based on religious knee-jerk reaction ignorance about the hobby. If that's not the case, that may be a different story, but if it is I wouldn't put any stock into what such a so-called "professional" has to say.
That said, I consider myself a non-denominational Christian and I have absolutely no problem with RPGs.
OP: Ask your pastor if he is against reading fantasy novels or any other form of imagination-invoking activity, since it's the same thing. In my experience, religious officials rarely have a solid answer for that one.
I see a therapist for bipolar disorder and also am part of a assemblies of god church. I had a visit with my therapist today. Well I decided since I had quite a bit of a wait before my appointment to read my Pathfinder core rulebook in the waiting room since I wanted to refresh myself on the rules. Well my therapist ask if he could look at the book and I said sure he then went on to tell me that being a christian man that I shouldn't play games like pathfinder that they promote the work of the devil. I later after the appointment was thinking about this when I got a phone call from the pastor of the church I go to about something there putting on anyway I asked the Pastor about his thoughts on D&D and he said he had no comments on that subject. So I guess I'm wondering whats so bad about the game that makes these men say I shouldn't play it?
It sounds like you need a new therapist.
Even if he is going to tell you how to practice your christianity, he should do it based on facts and not on fantasy.
Somebody once said that each man is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.