Definitions
from Pokemon Comic Book
"Dream
Eater: The gas pokemon's most effective attack. It sucks out the opponent's
soul.... It's been preying on people and pokemon here for years. It appears suddenly,
steals their souls, then vanishes as quickly as it came."
1
"Night
Shade: A type of spiritual attack."2
The
worldwide fascination with Japanese animation (anime) has fueled a revival in the
comic books (manga) industry. Two years ago, when President Clinton called for after-school
clubs and organizations that would mold our children's values to
fit the new global blueprint, the 21st Century comics store was already
beginning to
serve the same purpose.
Today, anime fans who congregate at these new gathering
places to read the latest Pikachu story will surely not be touched by Biblical
values. Instead they will be surrounded by indexed boxes and crowded wall shelves filled with all
kinds of wildly illustrated tales -- mostly imported translations. These range from the
innocuous Pokemon tales to soft-core pornography. The hardcore pornographic
anime so popular in Asia is usually filtered out.
But what children find when they look beyond the Pokemon section
will be as sensual, promiscuous, violent and occult as most R-rated movies, if
not more so.
On
my first visit to a local comic books store, I scanned the Sailor Moon
display then flipped through the catalogued box of Dragon Ball Z comics.
The latter, a more openly violent and occult set of Japanese anime-and-manga tales,
have captivated millions
of fans around the world.
Next,
I looked for the Pokemon section. It didn't take long to spot the happy face of the familiar little
pocket monster, Pikachu. In the midst of the fast-action violence all
around, he seemed disarmingly sweet and innocent. I picked up The Electric Tale of Pikachu,
turned the cover page, and pondered a cardboard ad for Dragon Ball Z -- a brief reminder that
seductive darkness lurks
behind the sweet facade. Then I read the following story:
THE
POWER OF PSI.
Ash, the familiar young hero who has "always wanted to battle a PSI
pokemon," arrives at the local pokemon gym which serves as a stadium as
well as a training center for pokemon trainers like himself. He stumbles and
falls on his
face in front of the pretty trainer Sabrina. She was expecting him:
"I
dreamt that a handsome young challenger was on his way," she tells her
friend.
"I
guess a powerful psychic like you gets premonitions all the time," says the
friend.
Understating her impressive occult talents, Sabrina then
demonstrates her skill in practical magic. She sees that the soy sauce is
missing from her lunch, she wills it to come, and it appears in her outstretched
hand. Telepathy, conjuring, divination.... nothing seems too difficult for
her.
Soon
afterwards, Ash and Sabrina stand on their pedestals ready for battle.
Their proxy warriors -- the two pokemon chosen for this particular fight -- have
already taken their positions. Ash
has sent Pikachu, the popular yellow mouse, onto the raised platform. Sabrina has dispatched
Abra, her sleeping
"PSI pokemon." Guess who wins. Not Pikachu! His impressive energy
proved too puny for the combined psychic powers of Sabrina and Abra. (See also The
Pokemon
Movie.)
PSYCHIC (Ch'i, Ki, or PSI) Energy
Defined from an occult perspective
in the Donning International Psychic Dictionary by June
G. Bletzer, Ph.D.
|
"An intelligent, powerful, invisible
force… capable of being controlled and directed by the human
mind; 1. Capable of being channeled out through the brain, palms,
and eyes; 2. Can be transmitted through space into other living
organisms and through matter; 3. Occurs when willed or occurs
spontaneously; 4. Invisible energy living in all organisms and
matter, connected throughout all the universes; psychic energy
is an aspect of electricity…6. Controlled and employed under
certain conditions that mankind does not fully understand…
tunes into the etheric world vibrational frequencies reaching
from cosmic consciousness…. 9. Transmits knowledge to the
mind, and manipulates matter…. 10. Frequently comes from
an intelligent, powerful energy field known as highly evolved
soul-minds in invisible bodies… 12. A primordial form of
intelligence pervading the universe and affecting its course."
|
Ch'i or Ki
|
(China & Japan) "An immutable
principle in the… vital life force; Synonyms:
Tch’i, Qi, Prana, Biocosmic energy, PSI (Psychic) energy...."
|
Psychic Conscious-
ness
|
"An altered state of consciousness…
as in sleep, hypnosis, meditation, and the opening of psychic
doors…."
|
HAUNTED
BY BLACK FOG. A week later, Sabrina is found unconscious.
While trying to save some friends from a Haunter pokemon, she had "fallen
prey to
the dream eater attack." The picture shows a huge demonic creature
with long claw-like fingers encircling poor, screaming Sabrina. The comic book identifies the evil dream
eater as "a high-level Haunter in this area, called the Black
Fog." This monstrous pokemon, with no trace of the cuteness that
characterizes more popular members of his species, "sucks out the opponent's soul."
So much for the common argument that all pokemon are good (like Pikachu) or fun-loving (like
other Haunters) and would never want to hurt or kill anyone.
Ash and his friend, Brock, join the search for a way to save Sabrina and free her
soul. Their guidance comes from an ordinary pen with extraordinary power. It
mysteriously floats into the air, lands on a piece of paper, then writes a message exposing Haunter's hide-out.
In the real world, contemporary spiritists call this phenomenon "automatic
writing." It's one of many ways they can receive or "channel" messages from their
spirit
guides. The comic book explains its feel-good example of this practice:
"It's Sabrina," shouts Brock. The comic book
narrator (not a character) explains: "She's telepathic. The Haunter may have
eaten her soul, but she's still able to tell us where it is through telepathy."
"All
right!" yells Ash. "I'm gonna catch me a Haunter!"
"Don't
be a moron," shouts Brock. "What makes you think you can catch that
thing?"
"Hey,
it's a pokemon, right?"
"I
guess so, but...."
"It
may be big, but we'll make a really big pokeball for it! This is a piece
of cake!" 3
Equipped
with their monster warriors and forceful weapons, Sabrina's would-be
saviors soon arrive at the haunted tower where the vicious pokemon hides.
Black Fog watches from a high balcony, peering out from behind the statue of a
princess. In the cartoon picture, his claws seem to be groping the
statue's breast
and pulling at her low-cut dress.
The
young heroes charge through the gate. The battle has barely begun when the
"good" guys seem overwhelmed by the powerful assaults against them. But suddenly Sabrina's psychic pokemon gets the upper
hand:
"Abra neutralized the haunter's attack!" shouts Ash. "I didn't
know Abra had that kind of power!"
"It's
Sabrina!" answers Ash. "Sabrina is combining her powers with
Abra's."
It's
also spiritual warfare, but not the Biblical kind. In the story, as in pagan cultures, one occult force
fights another. The next two
battle tactics -- Night Shade and Mirror Wave -- would determine the winner and
loser. The comic book defines the two strategies:
"Night
Shade: a type of spiritual attack."
"Mirror
Wave: turns the enemy's attack back against it."
After a numerous pages of
murderous assaults and angry growls,
krakkls, wachhaaaahhs, and a final kkrrmmbll, Black Fog collapses and
"self-destructs." Sabrina re-appears with her soul restored, and
the
winners walk among the rocks listening to this bit of history:
"In
ancient times, the people who lived here worshipped pokemon as
gods.
It's possible that the haunter grew accustomed to being treated like a god,
until they abandoned it. That's why it wouldn't let itself be captured by a
human.... It went out with an exit fit for a god."
ADDING
"FACTS" TO FANTASY. True or false, "history" has a way
of validating the myth in the minds of children. It gives the fantasy an air of
factual reality. Sure, if you ask pokemon fans if this really happened, they
will answer no. But with their emotions they have walked with Ash, worried about
Sabrina, battled a deadly pokemon, shared a great victory, and heard a plausible
explanation. It felt good and won't be quickly forgotten.
To
the anointed -- the children and adults who are captivated by these pocket
monsters -- the pokemon world is more than just fantasy. Click on Comments
and read the arguments from
visiting pokefans. Notice how the evolving pokemon myth has taken on a
reality of its own. It's an exciting illusion, and children who love it feel
more at home in the pokemon world than in their own family. They have entered a secret society -- an unearthly reality with its own
myths, rules, gods (or idols), powers, joys and sense of belonging. This enticing society welcomes joiners, not visitors
-- enthusiasts, but rarely parents.
In
contrast to the fervent and often angry arguments that "there is nothing
occult in pokemon" this comic book demonstrates the promotion of
"spiritual" or "psychic" forces that
-
Desensitize
children to the spiritual power God forbids in His Word
-
Stirs
a fascination with supernatural experiences that clash with the Bible
-
Builds
a craving for more psychic thrills and emotional stimulation
-
Divides
families and stirs rebellion against God and traditional authorities
SEEING FROM GOD'S PERSPECTIVE. The Bible shows us
the heart of God. Only by pursuing His will and way can we rest secure in His
love and promises. That may sound arrogant, exclusive and hateful to those who
have chosen other gods and spiritual pathways, but then the world never did
accept the unworldly teachings of the King who two millennia ago found no room
at the inn. The apostle Paul, who faced unthinkable persecution in his days,
understood this well. His prayer for his beloved friends in Colosse encourages
us today:
"...we have not stopped praying for you and asking God
to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and
understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of
the Lord and may please him in every way bearing fruit in every good work,
growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according
to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and
joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the
inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light." (Colossians
1:9-12)
The only way we and our children can be "filled with the
knowledge of his will" is "through the spiritual wisdom and
understanding" that comes from
-
seeking to know God and His will through His Word
-
allowing the Holy Spirit to make that Word alive in our
minds
-
committing ourselves to following His Word
-
yielding ourselves to Him, trusting His grace to enable us
to do His will.
While His Word never mentions pokemon, it provides plenty of
guidelines that show us what will or won't "please Him." One of those
Scriptures is Deuteronomy 1810-13, which lists occult practices that are an "abomination" to Him. The list includes witchcraft (or magic), sorcery, spells, spiritism, and divination -- all of which were demonstrated in
the above comic book.
When we choose to follow Jesus, He gives us the
"endurance and patience" we need to stand firm in His truth, no matter
the opposition. And in the midst of the spiritual battle, He fills us with His
love, peace and joy. We, of all the people on the planet, need not fear the
anger of those who would press us into their mold for 21st century conformity,
for our God reigns! Blessed are the people who who know Him, understand His
will, follow His way, share His love, and dare to shun evil. They will delight
in the King forever and ever!"
To
better understand how the Pokemon phenomenon fits into the global paradigm
shift and the new worldwide education system, you may want to read Brave
New Schools.
1.
Toshihiro Ono, Pokemon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu (Viz Communications,
Inc. www.viz.com), page 11. See also the
Viz Internet magazines at www.j-pop.com
2.
Ibid., page 13.
3.
Ibid., pages 13-14
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