Questions & Answers
Hello Kitty
Last comment: November 20
Question: My [adult] son heard that McDonald's is about to introduce a new toy, "Hello Kitty." It is a paper white doll. He felt something in his spirit that there was something wrong with it so he did a little research on the 'net' and found it may be connected to some Japanese cult. We would like to know more but we were unable to get enough information. Can you help?
Answer: Kitty and the rest of her "family" seem to be everywhere these days. The official "Hello Kitty" website < http://www.sanrio.com> introduces some of her family members. On its pretty pages, children meet all kinds of cute little characters and pagan symbols.
A page titled "The Mystic Pandaba's Astrological Zone" introduces children to divination -- one of the pagan practices God warns us to avoid. If they choose to read their horoscope or write a question for the fortune teller, they could open the door to a growing interest in the timeless practices listed in Deuteronomy 18:9-12.
Kitty's maker, the Sanrio Company, offers a similar page on divination at its corporate headquarters in Japan: <http://www.sanrio.co.jp/english/>. A click on FORTUNE CORNER! brings children to a page that tells their fortune if they identify their supposed astrological sign. If they do know so, they can read a "horoscope" message such as:
"You are filled with inspiration and power this month. You can make things turn out the way you want, no matter how hopeless the situation may appear at first. A surprising present arrives at your doorstep...
"You could progress beyond friendship. Dress a bit more grownup-like for your next date...
"A little advice from...Badtz-Maru: If studying has drained your batteries, clap your hands loudly three times, and you'll feel refreshed.
Make friends with someone a little older than you. You'll learn plenty, and have a good time, too"Lucky Item : scarf"
Tabo's Psychology Fun Corner is not much better. It "features a series of simple and fun questions designed to give you a better look at your own personality, and your relationships with others. It's a light-hearted, fun activity which you can enjoy with friends, family and other loved ones. Try it, and see what truths are revealed...."
One of the questions listed on this page asks, "Tomorrow is Sunday. What are you going to do?" Going to church is not one of the options. Instead, the site suggests that
"Sunday is a day you are free to use however you want. Having freedom to do whatever you want is like having money to spend however you want. Becoming good at managing your finances is an important step towards independence. What do you think of your money spending habits? A penny for your thoughts!"
A question about objects missing from a picture, brings the following "psychological" evaluation. Notice how it fits the dialectic emphasis human relationships and on peer group conformity:
"In your personal life, the thing you place most importance on is your own spiritual growth. Your answer to this question reveals the way you tend to search for a boyfriend or girlfriend. Crossing a river is a psychological equivalent of getting out and finding that special someone. In any case, if you don't make an effort to meet people, there's no way any relationship is going to start at all. So, get to it!"
Another question asks what
animal. If you happen to click on "lion" you are told that "You desire
power and want to wield control over others." If you choose "koala",
"You want to be popular with others.
Your thrive on others' acceptance and approval of your actions." The underlying
suggestion in both is that your identity lies in your relationship to peers and other
people. Both profiles include an additional but equally questionable suggestion:
"Everyone has dreams of transforming themselves into something or someone else. We usually keep such fantasies on a short leash, but when our imaginations are let loose we can discover much about our true desires. Were you surprised by what you found?"
If your answer to the question, "Why do UFOs visit Earth?" is "For sightseeing", this concludes that,
"You feel that foreigners are different from you. You won't make friends, but you will welcome them anyway.
"This question reveals your attitude towards those from foreign lands. When people meet those from other countries, they tend to sense differences in culture and perception. However, this is an era of free and open association between countries and cultures. Why not take the opportunity to make a new friend, and gain a new perspective on Spaceship Earth?"
Finally, a page titled "The 'Social Communication' Business" features Shintaro Tsuji, President and CEO of the Sanrio Company. Below it gives its basic philosophy:
"No man is an island." Humans need each other.
We help each other to survive, to live a meaningful life.
We trust and depend on our companions .
We strive to get along with one another.
Perhaps that is what happiness is...
And who are our "companions"? For a start, there are those closest to home: Mother, father, children, brother, sister, lover...
Then, there are our schoolmates, our work mates... If one looks broadly enough, our circle of companions encompasses all of humankind.
In order to get along with one another, we need to respect and to love.
And the expression of respect and love is the basis of Sanrio's "Social Communication" business.
Sanrio Company promises to build character, tolerance, oneness and social skills -- all in the context of Asian beliefs, traditions and values. These include superstitions, faith in a pantheism (a cosmic mind or energy infuses all things making everything sacred), and an emphasis on group thinking. None are compatible with Biblical faith. Nor are the pop-psychology and other dubious suggestions. God says,
"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." Colossians 2:8
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