I need advice re: a friend and his religion

[WillParkinson]

I'm part of a group of people who play a game (Warcraft).

A friend scheduled something for Easter Sunday. When he scheduled it he didn't realize it was Easter.

Now another friend is throwing a fit because we're scheduling something on a religious holiday. I tried to explain to them that not everyone celebrates his holiday, some people will have finished celebrating, or many other possible options.

He's saying we're being disrespectful by doing this. I say that because he's not able to attend is no reason that those who are should not be allowed to try if they want.

So now he's angry. Am I wrong?

[REP]

1. No

I'm attached to someone who used to play EverCrack, and raids are almost always scheduled on Sundays. If he can't make it, he can't make it - throwing a fit because it's Easter is your friend being uncool, not you. Not everyone can show up for every raid; this time he can't show up (or won't show up) because it's Easter, which apparently is a big deal to him and not to everyone else. No need to cancel the raid for ONE person - that's just rude to even ask!

[WilliamPitt]

2. Hang on

I'm still working through the dissonance in my head. A Christian whose depth of faith allows no messing with Easter, complete with this angry reaction...is also a serious player of "Warcraft"...?

I'm dumb on this, i.e. I have heard of this game but never seen or played it, so it may not be at all strange...but the words "Easter" and "Warcraft" keep clicking off each other like billiard balls in my head.

*slaps self*

Does this pissed friend realize it was a scheduling error, that the scheduler didn't know?

If he knows this and is still pissed, I'd hazard the opinion that this is less about religion and more about a person who needs to stop playing "Warcraft" and go outside for a while. This stuff happens in reality, and we call the tools for addressing such moments "coping skills."

Again, my read may be nonsense.

[REP]

3. "WoW" is Yet Another D&D-Type Game

Not anti-christian, except perhaps to insane Christians and WoW is pretty mild - fantasy violence, not-very-suggestive models - to the extent that there are a lot of children in many of the guilds (I'm not a gamer, but I just married one 13 days ago). There is nothing about this game that is antithetical to being Christian and playing it, unless, as I mentioned previously, one is of the insane Christian variety.

In this sort of game, where MOBs must be attacked by groups in what are called raids, raids are often scheduled on Sundays for the convenience of other guild members - most people have Things To Do on Saturday, and Sunday afternoons/evenings usually work the best to get everyone together to kill a dragon.

[WilliamPitt]

4. Cool

Thanks.

I was mostly being facetious - snarking at the "war" and "Easter" collision, because I'm a snot - but in truth all this stuff is outside my ken. Never played the fantasy games, D&D or otherwise. Ditto for me on video games; once they got more complicated than Galaga, I checked out.

I have, however, read articles in some indy papers about "Warcraft widows," spouses whose SO's completely lose themselves in this game. From what I've heard, it's pretty intense and addictive.

[REP]

5. I'm Slow on The Uptake

I wasn't sure if it was a snark at the D&D aspect (some insane Christians insist it's Satanic) or the War of Warcraft, or it was late and I have a headache. Wait; I'm sure it's late and that I do indeed have headache.

As I said, I'm not a gamer; I just have one. When he was into EverCrack, it just meant I went out on Sundays while he and his übergeeky imaginary friends killed a dragon. Now he's into a game that must have had "Now with More Accounting! Bigger Spreadsheets!" on the box it came in. That's okay - I argue politics for fun on the interweb; I'm not sure which is more geekoid.

[skygazer]

6. "Shomer fucking shabbos!"

"I told those fucks down at the league office a thousand times that I don't roll on Shabbos!"

Sorry, that whole question threw me into a Big Lebowski moment. :rofl:

And I hope you've seen the movie because the only answer to your last question is, "You're not wrong, Walter. You're just an asshole!"

(Oh, and your friend is being silly - if Easter is an important holiday to him, he shouldn't mind being unable to play his little game)

[Lydia Leftcoast]

7. It may be family obligations more than religious observances

Observant families usually plan big gatherings or outings on Easter afternoon. I'll be attending one such myself.

Typically, Easter religious obligations end with the Sunday morning service. All else is optional, so if your game is scheduled for the afternoon, then there's no religious reason he can't attend. It may be dinner at Grandma's instead.

(Holy Week is another matter. If you're traditional, Holy Week--Palm Sunday through the Saturday before Easter, is supposed to be a subdued time.)

[WillParkinson]

8. Understood, but...

And I understand that. However, I think it's wrong of him to tell others that because HE can't attend they shouldn't be doing something.

Tomorrow is my anniversary. I can't attend what they're doing tomorrow, but I would never tell them because I can't be there they shouldn't do anything.

I think what annoys me the most is I get the sense that if it was something he didn't want to do there would be no problems.