For those who are gamers, how do you handle Christian Ethics vs gaming?
- By CoreyD
- Christian Philosophy & Ethics
- 62 Replies
That's an interesting bit of information.I cannot wait until Gate Zero comes out. I've had it on my wishlist for some time.
I have created a criteria to base my future gaming off of.
Must be MMO or persistent multiplayer
Absolutely no non-Christian deity worship or deity-sourced powers (no gods, pantheons, altars, blessings, priests, divine magic, etc.)
No furry / anthro / beast race options (playable or major NPCs)
Arcane or learned magic is fine
Elemental / natural magic is fine
PvE-friendly content required (safe zones, PvE servers, or opt-in PvP only)
Crafting, building, or housing systems (the deeper the better)
Active playerbase in 2025 (not dead or <100 concurrent)
Actually released and playable now (or very close with confirmed global date)
I've been doing some research and have came up with these games that interest me.
War of Rights
Star Citizen
Albion Online
Myth of Empires
Corepunk
Avorion
…and Bellatores on the 2026 watchlist. English will be supported in the full release but is not supported in closed beta.
I am still researching to enhance my list of possible games to try out. The list might not be perfect and I still trying to refine it and might have to trim something out. Maybe one of them will actually work out.
Man's doctrine may change, but God does not.
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. - Hebrews 13:8
I've never heard about until now.
I had to research it.
Arcane magic, also known as learned magic, is a disciplined and scholarly pursuit that involves the study and mastery of magical principles through rigorous training and knowledge acquisition. It is typically drawn from invisible streams of energy known as arcane currents, which flow through reality and can be harnessed by those who understand their patterns. Practitioners of arcane magic, such as wizards, sorcerers, warlocks, and bards, often rely on incantations, gestures, arcane runes, and tools like wands or spellbooks to channel and focus this power. +source The magic is often described as a form of science or mathematics, involving precise calculations and formulas to manipulate the fabric of reality.
When I read this, I wondered, '...but how would one go about determining what kind of magic God required his people to stay away from, when he said, "you shall not practice magic." Leviticus 19:26, and "There shall not be found among you ... anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer, casts spells... For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD." Deuteronomy 18:10, 12"
Learned magic was available, from the beginning, even into the first century.
When Paul was performing miracles, and the people saw the power of God, over that of the magic practicing Jews, "a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver." Acts 19:19
What were the arts learned by the Babylonian (Daniel 1:20), Philistines (Isaiah 2:6), and Egyptian(Exodus 7:11) priests?
Evidence of arcane or learned magic in ancient Egypt and Babylon is well-documented through literary, religious, and material sources. Sources 1 2 3
In ancient Egypt, magical practice was deeply integrated into religious and medical traditions, with practitioners known as lector-priests (ẖry-ḥb), who were highly educated and served as ritual specialists. These individuals were responsible for reciting incantations, performing healing rituals, and conducting ceremonies such as the "Opening of the Mouth" to ensure the deceased’s passage into the afterlife. The concept of Heka, a divine force believed to be capable of manipulating reality, underpinned much of their practice, blurring the line between magic, religion, and medicine. Magical texts, including funerary spells and daily-use incantations, provide detailed instructions on rituals, tools, and materials, indicating a structured and learned tradition. The title "ḥarṭummīm," used in the Hebrew Bible to describe Egyptian magicians, is a Hebrew rendering of the Egyptian "ẖry-ḥb," confirming the elite status and scholarly nature of these practitioners.
In Babylon, magic was similarly institutionalized and tied to priestly and scholarly roles. The Chaldeans, who were regarded as a colony of the Egyptians by Diodorus of Sicily, were known for their expertise in astronomy and divination, which were considered forms of magical knowledge. Babylonian magicians, or "Chaldeans," were consulted for interpreting dreams and omens, as seen in the biblical accounts of King Nebuchadnezzar and King Belshazzar summoning them to interpret dreams and mysterious inscriptions like "Mene, Tekel, Perez". The practice of divination using arrows, known as Rhabdomanteia, was also documented among the Babylonians, reflecting a systematic approach to magical consultation. The high regard for magical knowledge is further evidenced by King Darius, son of Hystaspes, who had the inscription "That he had been the chief and the master of the Magi of Persia" engraved on his father’s mausoleum, highlighting the prestige of magical expertise in the region.
In ancient Egypt, arcane or learned magic was deeply intertwined with literacy, religious practice, and the possession of secret knowledge, primarily transmitted through written texts.
History of Magic
Magic in Ancient Egypt
History of Magic
Magic in Ancient Egypt
I think you just added to the interest of this thread, and my knowledge.
Fascinating stuff!
The learned magician was often depicted as a scholar who derived power from written spells and sacred books. The famous Demotic tales of Setne Khaemwaset, son of Ramesses II, exemplify this archetype; Setne’s quest for the Book of Thoth symbolizes the acquisition of arcane knowledge that grants control over supernatural forces.
Similarly, in the story of Djedi, a hundred-year-old magician summoned by King Hordjedef, his powers are explicitly tied to written knowledge - he demands a boat to carry his students and writings, emphasizing the importance of textual transmission.
This model of the literate magician, who uses written spells to manipulate reality, was central to both literary and non-literary magical traditions.
The use of written magic was reinforced by the belief that writing itself had transformative power.
The Egyptians believed that inscribing a name or image could influence reality, a principle seen in execration texts where figurines of enemies were inscribed with their names and then destroyed to symbolically defeat them. Magical papyri, such as the Harris Magical Papyrus and the Metternich Stela, contain spells that combine mythological references (translation magic), analogic principles (like affects like), and contagious magic (using objects imbued with power). These texts were often used by the literate elite, as most Egyptians were not able to read, and spells were sometimes activated by drinking water that had been poured over a stela.
Even in the Graeco-Roman period, learned magicians continued to play significant roles, using Greek and Demotic scripts, along with non-alphabetic magical signs (charaktêres) and incantations (voces magicae), to invoke ancient, secret knowledge. The figure of the magician was not limited to priests; doctors, midwives, and wise women also employed ḥeka in healing and protection, though the most powerful forms of magic were associated with those who had access to written traditions and temple libraries.
It makes sense, doesn't it, that this knowledge would be passed on to man, through fallen angels.
When you think about it, can the science of computers and similar devices be use to perform arcane magic? Nothing to doubt. People already believe this is happening.
@Delvianna would you agree?
As for me, the wisdom of applying the first part of Proverbs 22:3 is necessary here.
A sensible person sees danger and takes cover, but the inexperienced keep going and are punished.
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