{Playing the Game [continued (3)]}[12th December 1987]

[Redbook4:214-215][19871212:2250c]{Playing the Game [continued (3)]}[12th December 1987]

19871212.2250

[continued]

The *linkage of artifice and competition comes about because within the artificial framework or sub-creation of the rules of the game, it is possible by deception to increase one's success in the competition. The deception may involve breaking the rules, or exploiting the rules (or lacunae in the rules) contrary to the 'spirit' or concept of the game.** The deception is perpetrated on one's opponents and on (or, sometimes, by) the umpire, referee or other local (game) judge.

Deception, like competition, is essentially a separating activity: the greatest Deception known to us is the Separation itself (which certainly suggests that games are not necessarily evil or wrong in themselves). Within the sub-creation of each game, two (or more) individuals or two teams generally play against each other. *** But within the sub-creation of games-playing in general, as within the Separation itself in Human terms, the struggle is between those who play to win by deception; and those who play the game by (and for) truth, win or lose. The former are players of the Separation, the latter are players of Union.

Although the conduct of games-playing in general is being decided between those two types of player, there is in fact no possibility of a meaningful game between Individuals or Teams of the two types. One is for lies: the other is for Truth. One is for evil: the other is for Good (or God).**** The only meaningful field of battle for these two opposing forces is the Separation itself.

*[See last previous entry.]

**[Or, of course, it may be the whole point of the game.... <20170309>]

***You noticed?

****[The antitheses in the two preceding sentences were swapped on <891003>, presumably to match those in the last two sentences of the last previous paragraph.]

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