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I still occassionally play D&D and still enjoy my fantasy metal quite a bit, I can speak from experience. It CANNOT be harmful to kids reading and playing such stuff, with or without family support and Christian teachings. There quite simply is nothing pro-satanic or pro-pagan in them (if you've listened to Iron Maiden then you know whenever there's someone treating with demons and such in their songs then something very bad is about to happen to that person).

No the problem is people that see something that isn't there and embarass their own faith by warning about non-existent boogiemen.

In truth the only people I know in those ranks that didn't turn out OK were already messed up long before they started playing D&D or listening to fantasy metal. Kids that are already messed up will tend to turn into messed up adults with or without D&D, Iron Maiden or Harry Potter.

Having been on the convention committee of a sf/f/horror convention for the past decade and change I can tell you the people who lurk there are often in any demographic you're looking for. Yes there are some that are hostile to Christianity, there are also some that are devout Christians. About the only demographic you aren't going to find at a convention are people that don't like sf/f or horror, which makes sense. I have no problem exposing kids to these people, they're just people like anybody else, maybe a little wierder, but at least they're avid readers which puts them in what I consider to be a superior minority in our current society. I wouldn't expose kids to the late night crowd, but the late night crowd tends to be rather... adult so that's kind of a no brainer.

I still occassionally play D&D and still enjoy my fantasy metal quite a bit, I can speak from experience. It CANNOT be harmful to kids reading and playing such stuff, with or without family support and Christian teachings. There quite simply is nothing pro-satanic or pro-pagan in them.

These statements are intellectually dishonest. I saw the process in action as a kid and observed how people could get caught up in the escapism. As for the "pro-satanic/pro-pagan" elements, they are definitely there. I practically memorized the "Monster Manual" and "Deities & Demigods" books as a kid. I know what they contain.

(if you've listened to Iron Maiden then you know whenever there's someone treating with demons and such in their songs then something very bad is about to happen to that person).

In many cases, yes. But these same songs glamorized the "bad things" that happen. I mean, come on! Their mascot was a giant walking corpse who they "killed" repeatedly on stage to the screaming joy of their fans. There was a dark fascination with death and evil that pervaded their music completely absent any Christian undertones. I'm very happy to be rid of it. Palestrina and Tim McGraw has made for a much happier life.

No the problem is people that see something that isn't there and embarass their own faith by warning about non-existent boogiemen.

Riiiight. You just keep believing that and ignoring the testimony from people who've managed to escape from the dungeon.

Having been on the convention committee of a sf/f/horror convention for the past decade

That explains much.

Yes there are some that are hostile to Christianity, there are also some that are devout Christians.

You can count the "devout Christians" at any of these cons on one hand, and have fingers left over. Having been one of those fingers many times in the past, I commonly attended the "Religion" panels, particularly those which disussed Christianity. They ALL could have been entitled "Why Christianity S#cks" or "Why Christians are Morons." As I don't hide my Catholicism, I was called a "Nazi" on more than one occasion at these things.

About the only demographic you aren't going to find at a convention are people that don't like sf/f or horror, which makes sense.

Not true. The only demographic areas who still bother with these things are as follows: 1.) Pimple-faced teenage boys who are fascinated with Buffy the Vampire Slayer; 2.) Unhygenic teenage girls who are fascinated with Buffy the Vampire Slayer; 3.) Aging female hippy rejects from the 1960s who dress like Stevie Nicks; 4.) Aging male hippy rejects from the 1960s who are trying to score with 1, 2, and/or 3; 5.) A couple pasty-skinned middle-aged guys who spend 80% of their time playing computer games; 6.) Vendors trying to extract money from the above groups. That about covers it.

I have no problem exposing kids to these people, they're just people like anybody else, maybe a little wierder, but at least they're avid readers which puts them in what I consider to be a superior minority in our current society.

I thought that too--until I had a sequence of very disturbing conversations with different folks who couldn't resist telling me about their bizzare sexual practices. When this kind of thing started happening at every con, it was clear that this stuff wasn't for me.

About the only demographic you aren't going to find at a convention are people that don't like sf/f or horror, which makes sense.

I dunno. I've met people at Sci-Fi cons who seem to like nothing about it...