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fantasy themes and fall under the same genre, and even those that do not have such strong similarities that there is little difference. They all have much of the same appeal and enable players to engage in exciting, adventurous scenarios that they simply could not otherwise. How else could a person don a suit of chainmail, mount his mighty steed, brandish a flaming sword and go about the countryside defeating dragons?

Sound like a great deal of fun. Truthfully, it is a great deal of fun.

Except when the fictional realm you fantasize about becomes more important that the reality you live in: now it has become a great deal of trouble. Sadly many RPGs create such a fantastic, attractive and vainglorious reality that many find it hard to tear themselves away from their games and their characters. How could you resist such a place where you can appeal to pagan gods or the mystical powers of magic to get almost anything you want, where you can slay monsters (and people) with bloodthirsty abandon, where you can satisfy nearly every violent lust and wanton desire you can imagine? Who would not want to escape to a place where you can do all this with virtually little or no consequence, where death "loses its sting" and is far from permanent, and where you could feasibly attain so much power that you can become a god yourself? Especially when the life you live and have to return to when the game is over is mundane, morose and bereft of excitement by comparison.

Role-playing games provide an amazing outlet for entertainment and excitement, a place where your imagination can soar. They also provide a place where you can become so engaged with your own persona, so immersed with the fantasy scenario you are playing in, so over-identified with your own character and the others you play with that all else seems trivial. You spend hours, days or even weeks playing some tabletop, console or online game at the exclusion of all else. You neglect chores, you neglect family and friends, you neglect work and responsibilities, you even neglect your own health and hygiene just to play your game(s). Your family and friends suspect that one day they are going to find your cadaver buried beneath a pile of frozen pizza boxes and Mountain Dew cans. That statement might seem harsh, but I was one of those gamers. Thankfully I can say "was."

It took a great deal of perseverance and prayer by the aforementioned friends and family on my behalf (especially my wife). It took a miracle of intervention for me to see clearly what I had beheld through a glass darkly before. I see now that there are things that are far more important than any game should be. The ravenous monster that had devoured all my time, money, energy and (nearly) my soul. The thief that had come to steal, kill and destroy.

There is nothing wrong with spending leisure time playing an entertaining game and having some fun. Provided it does not take prominence over more important things in your life. Like faith, family and friends

Learn more about this author, Neal Banks.
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