White Wolfs Mage: The Ascension

Mage: The Ascension I feel really pushes the limits. There are major philosophical out looks in this game. The Celestial Chorus "class" is the closest Christian Outlook in the game. I really could use some guidance when it comes with this game. I bought a bunch of these books when I wasn't a Chrsitian and I really dont want to throw them out. Anyone have some outlooks with this game? How can I justify playing this game as a Christian?

Great question! Thanks for being willing to bring this up!

I can't speak to the specifics of the game because I haven't played it. But I've made a video that might be helpful:



It basically assumes the "worst-case scenario" that you are playing a game as an evil character. My thinking is that if there is a biblically defensible position for that, then it would be all the more defensible to engage in a variety of other game situations that some Christians may find questionable.

If you have any thoughts or questions after checking out the video, feel free to post them here or under the video on youtube and I'll be able to see and interact with you in either case.

OK I watched the video several times. I had a hard time with 1st Thessalonians 5:21-22, Im using the NASB 21 but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, 22 abstain from every form of evil.

So I have listened and chewing on this particular scripture. So what it is saying for example I could play a Say a Barbarian who Rapes a girl. (Obvious Evil) He is captured and thrown into a prison for such and such a time. While he is in Prison he Lulls over his transgression and decides to treat woman with more Respect and has renounced his sexual appetites. Just an example. Yes it was evil what he did but the outcome of it was he learned his lesson. So while it appears to be an evil act something good becomes of it. So yes stay away from evil.. every form of evil really changes the meaning of every appearance of evil. Every "Game Master" has to take on the role of evil characters. Thats because someone has to do the Job. But I dont believe they are guilty of evil for taking on that role. I thought about this before.. Is someone guilty of evil for reading Greek Mythology? Or is someone guilty of evil for learning about Hitler? Of course what you do with that knowledge and let it corrupt your heart then yes there is a problem. But overall its harmless.

So yes I think I get what you are saying.

I played a ton of White Wolf games back in the day. Their lore and worldbuilding is really top notch, and it's what kept me with the books for so long.

I think I see where you are coming from with Mage. The philosophical underpinnings of the game state that one's perception of reality is what determines the actuality of reality. Reality is, if you like, nothing more than a shared dream or hallucination imposed upon the substance of existence by the collective consciousness of humanity. This idea is reinforced by the language of the game. Mages are said to be "Awakened". People as a whole are "Sleepers". The perceived reality is said to be a "Consensus". Mages struggle to bring humanity to "Ascension", an ultimately undefined goal that evokes the image of a superior state of being. Magic is said to be the product of a "Paradigm" - a way of thinking. The implication is that if we can only learn to think correctly about reality, we can Ascend into a superior consciousness.

It's a very attractive idea, made more so by the pseudo-modern setting and the flavor of the fiction. The world of Mage is everything that is wrong with the world we live in, and it's eerily close to our everyday experience. The fiction is written with the same kind of pseudo-realism, lending it an air of credibility and putting across the idea that is also the state of the so-called "real" world in which we live. This is the exact notion that spawned a movement in the 60s and 70s that led to large communes of spiritual seekers on the path to enlightenment. Mage is the next step in this spiritual journey, where the doctrines and disciplines of that spiritualist movement are stripped of irrational propositions and presented in a plainly persuasive argument. It is only an incorrect paradigm that keeps you from actually wielding this authority over reality.

Did I mention that this is a super-attractive idea? It is especially attractive when you realize that it is predicated on the hero of the game - and by extension the gamer - attaining these powers by having more knowledge and a greater understanding of the world than the mundane people around him. Consider that the target market of the game at the time of publication was highly intelligent, newly independent and out from under parental influence, and often in a university setting that challenged them to question everything and rewarded that behavior.

That was me.

And there was a time when I seriously considered these ideas. I set my Mage books aside for a long time after I realized just how seriously I was taking this game. There are elements of the setting that have the appearance of Christianity - like the Celestial Chorus - but when examined, they do not represent anything resembling the truth of scripture. And they are also predicated on the idea that absolutely any paradigm can lead to enlightenment, including the violent and depraved practices of the Marauders or Nephandi.

It ultimately leads nowhere healthy, and in fact, the Bible explores much of this material in Ecclesiates. Solomon concludes that all of these paths to enlightenment lead to vanity - not a preoccupation with oneself, but to a resolution that is ineffective and pointless. Solomon traces the proposition put forth by each of the Traditions and Technocracy to its logical conclusion. None of them end with enlightenment or supernatural power because those things are actually beyond the capability of material beings.

So how can you justify playing this game as a Christian, when it essentially emphasizes the deification of oneself? That is idolatry.

Conscience is your best answer here. If it bothers you, don't do it. Don't play the game; recognize it's fiction and keep it in that realm. If even having the books around is going to lead you places that are not good, then get rid of them.

I understand the attachment and the significant monetary investment. There was a time when I was hardcore into the Insane Clown Posse (a lewd, graphically violent rap group). I told myself that listening to that music allowed me to release otherwise pent up aggression. When I was convicted of what the music was doing to me, I disposed of my entire collection - no small dollar figure!

So that's my experience with the game and with the Insane Clown Posse. I hope you have found something useful in it.

I really appreciate you bringing your insight and personal experience to this, Winston! Grateful you're here!