Your Comments
Some of the comments posted after October 2000.
Most of these represent the views of visitors who have read the following articles or notes:
Pokemon, Pokecomics, Digimon, Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z
From Sailor Jupiter, an Anime-Otaku-Star Wars-Veggie Tales-Sailor
-Moon- DBZ-Tenchi Muyo-ETC fan: I'm a girl who is a13-year-old Anime-Otaku fan.Yes, I like Sailor Moon. Yes, I like DBZ. I like Star Wars, I like Veggie Tales, I like the Prince of Egypt.I simply cannot believe the things you're going after on your site. You
bash homosexuality. You bash anime, television shows, and movies. Sailor Moon. DBZ. Star Wars. Teletubbies. The Prince of Egypt. Star-FREAKING-Wars. Why? It's probably because you find it your "Christian Duty" to show this evil to the world! Lamb Sakes we're doomed!! The Japanese animators have pencils and their drawing homosexuals with big eyes!I *fumes* Bakas! (IDIOTS)I just don't see your reasoning. Look, people have their own individual
beliefs. Respect that. Don't bash what we like just because you don't like it. You're only asking us to retaliate by putting this on the web. So I'm retaliating.Dear Sailor Jupiter. I thought you just said "people have their own beliefs. Respect that." Shouldn't that piece of advice apply to you as well?
You accuse me of making all kinds of statements that I didn't make. For example, where have I been bashing homosexuals? I simply don't do that. I try to show God's love to every person, even if I believe their lifestyles or convictions are unsafe or wrong by God's standard. Please check the sources before you make such angry assertions. Remember, I am posting a variety of opinions. Or are you telling me I should only post comments that agree with your position? That wouldn't be fair, would it?
Another thing. NUDITY AND H... ARE VERY VERY DIFFERENT!! Nudity: Naked people. The human body is a beautiful thing. We all have one, so what's wrong with it? Are you going to tell me that Michelangelo's David is porn? The Venus? EMBRACE THE NUDE FORM! NUDITY IS NOT PORN! ____ IS PORN!
One person called Anime "The Devil." So what does that make myself and many of my friends? Devil worshippers? Satan's minions? The supernatural themes in most animes is nothing to be afraid of! I didn't get my interest in witchcraft and magic from movies or anime! Life is about imagination, new experiances. They say you're supposed to live life to it's fullest. It sounds like you're taking in upon yourself to smite every living, breathing thing people think up on their own. Who do you think you are? Some Angel on Earth?
Hey, I'm a Christian, I believe in God, Angels, Heaven, Hell. I do believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and I do pray. But I believe I am also much more open-minded than you and the gullible people you've found to believe this....
And then the whole homosexuality thing. Look, a friend of mine told me, God gave us love. He created Eve to be partner to Adam. But God never said Eve couldn't love Eve and Adam couldn't love Adam....
[I deleted several paragraphs here because your sarcasm and profanity was unacceptable.]
Sincerely and most humbly, Sailor Jupiter.... P.S. I wish you as much mail like this as it takes you to realize that criticizing what other people like and simply taking the place of supreme judgement is wrong. That's God's job.
Many Scriptures tell us to be discerning, to guard against deception and to be ready to reprove those who distort God's Word. For example:
"Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." (2 Timothy 4:2-5)
Sailor Jupiter's second letter: Okay, it's been like a month now since I sent you guys a letter, and I have gotten no responese what-so-ever, nor have you put my comments up. What kind of &*(%$ are you? Are you scared because I said ... and assumed God thinks you're an idot for judging what peope like?
I'm serious, I want a response.... I mean, how do you know what God thinks? Besides, you're overlooking something major here. THIS STUFF IS ALL FANTASY!!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S NOT REAL!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S FOR PURE ENJOYMENT AND ENTERTAINMENT! You people are such total dorks. You're like afraid of your own shadow.... What are you going to tell me about dreams? If I dream I can levitate/fly does that mean satan's invading my dreams? Oooo, scarey.
Oh, oh, how about the way Jesus was able to walk on water, and God made the Seven Plagues of Egpyt. Was the way these magic things happened Satan's work? I think not. So GET OVER THE MAGIC ANd MYSTICAL POWERS IN DIFFERENT ANIMES AND MOVIES! IT'S FANTASY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sincerely and most humbly, Sailor Jupiter....
Actually, it is less than two weeks since you sent your first letter, and I have been extremely busy since then. I try to answer all mail, but I don't owe a response to anyone. With all my other responsibilities, I simply can't keep up with the volume we receive these days.
As for magic and miracles, God tells us to test the source to see whether they are from God or from Satan. It's as simple as that. Both are very real, but the latter is dangerous both to one's life and one's future. God says so in His Word. That's how I know something about what God thinks:
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
"You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (1 John 4:1-6)
From "an anime fan": First off, how dare you treat another culture's creation so rudely and badly!! Being of Japanese descent, I find particular offense in some of your 'reviews' of anime. First off, many Anime aren't hyperviolent and sex-laden. True, what you see is geared to testosterone laden males and hormone filled girls, but there is also "hidden" values and such.
Gundam Wing advocates Peace and shows how war is wrong. DragonBall Z shows the never-ending fight of Good vs. Evil. Sailor Moon is a good, if not great role model for girls to strive to be better. Tenchi Muyo provides comedic relief on how relationships can go awry. Pokemon provides many great values. So does Digimon and Cardcaptors.
It's people like you that really don't see the 'fine print' in things. You just assume whatever and print it as is. I'm surprised you haven't taken the extreme and take a sword and pubiclly hack a stuffed doll and burned cards with children chanting in harmonic verse that "Pokemon is Evil..."
I'm sorry; I didn't intend to insult anyone. My focus is on beliefs and values, not persons. Remember, I compared the violent part of Japan's past with the violence shown by my own Norwegian ancestors. The potential for violence is universal. Human nature doesn't change from nation to nation.
Biblical Christianity -- in contrast to Cultural Christianity -- differs from all other religions. No group or nation can be good enough by their own human strength. But Jesus Christ offers us His nature if we will trust and follow Him. He makes the difference. He doesn't force us to give up the shows and games we like. He invites us to come to Him and be changed.
But He also warns us that we cannot walk with Him if we pursue other religions. While some anime fans might not see any distinct religion behind their favorite show or manga, they can't help but see supernatural power -- power far beyond human capacities and not given by the Biblical God.
To encourage those who have chosen Him, I try to explain what beliefs and values are represented in today's entertainment. I appreciate the helpful information I receive from many who write to us -- even from those who don't agree with me.
From LordSaiyajin [Subject: "You've ruined my life"]: Please post on your website. I don't care if you wish to celebrate your love for God, but it's possible to do so and not ruin my life at the same moment.
A while back Anime was my favorite thing, it never turned me evil, nor did I feel dirty. Anime actually showed me that love for your friends and family is the greatest thing in the universe. Then, one day my mother found this site, she immediately told me I could no longer watch, or support Anime.
Now, thanks to your site, I've lost the love in my heart and soul. Without Anime, I've become cold, and bitter. Sure, Anime COULD lead to pornography, but that probably won't happen until a person enters there 20's, and 95% of Anime fans won't become interested in pornography at all. I cringe when I think of this web site. And, isn't happiness what God wants for all of us?
When I was aloud to watch Anime I could never get enough, the plot, the humor. There were sad parts with emotion, and some parts with the funniest things one could ever hope to see. Now, you've destroyed what God wants for me. As you lay in bed tonight, think to yourself "Is it really worth destroying a person's life?"
From Berit: Thank you for sharing your sadness with us, but let me ask you a question. You say that we "destroyed what God wants for" you. How do you discover what God wants for you? I discover His will by reading the Bible. Do you look somewhere else? Then you won't know the heart of God.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:3, we learn that "this is the will of God, your sanctification." He wants to make you and I holy "as He is holy." Non-Christians may do whatever they like, but those who belong to God have a special calling. He wants us to love what He loves and avoid what He hates. Remember what He tells us in Deuteronomy 18: Anything that has to do with seeking or using supernatural power not from Him (witchcraft, sorcery, divination, etc.) is "an abomination" (very bad) to Him. If you read the beginning of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire you will see what I mean.
In a way, you confirm my concerns about today's obsession with Anime. You describe it as the "love in my heart and soul." God tells us to love Him -- not things or entertainment -- with all our heart, strength, mind, and soul. He doesn't want anything on earth to get between Him and us. When you give your heart to temporary thrills, it will be broken again and again. What you consider your reason for watching Anime is also my reason for warning Christians to guard their minds and hearts.
Remember, Anime tends to confuse a person's faith, twist his values, desensitize him to what God tells us to avoid (2 Corinthians 6:14-17) and replace his love for God with love for a fantasy. It sounds like your mother counseled you wisely. You would do well to follow her advice and ask God to give you peace. He is so faithful to those who will follow Him.
From Bridgette: This letter is partially in response to LordSaiyajin's "You've ruined my
life" post, and Berit's response to it. It makes me sad to realize that even now, in the 21st century, there are people who take religion to such a ridiculous and fanatical extent that they see evil where it doesn't exist, and overlook goodness where it shines.This site makes me both angry and sorrowful. You've labelled Pokemon, Dragonball Z, Harry Potter, am I right to say even Star Wars? as evil...and in doing so you have hurt many more people than you have helped.
Berit--try to look past your fear and intolerance. I don't want to sound rude, but you and the other maintainers of this site are spreading anger, intolerance and vengeance to those who visit it. You cannot expect to take from people things they hold so close to their hearts. Try to understand that what you and other Christians see in religion, other people may see in anime. Dragonball Z, for example, teaches themes of good vs evil, of altruism, love and compassion. To maintain that such a show is "evil" is absurd, and even more absurd is the claim that "God" would condemn it.
Anime certainly inspires within us a love for fantasy, as you've said. There is nothing wrong with this, and it often helps us "transcend" the difficult moments in life and keep faith and hope...much like religion does. Anime, Star Wars, and other fantasy stories can inspire within us something that surpasses religion: faith in the granduer and ultimate goodness of humankind.
From Berit: Exactly. That's the problem. Anime becomes like another religion -- one based on human wisdom and power, a kind of cosmic humanism using timeless earth-based rituals. It's nothing new. God warned about it in Isaiah 5:20.
"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness...
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
And prudent in their own sight!"
I am most familiar with Dragonball Z, so I'll use it as a reference here. DBZ is about the power within everyone...a power requiring no God...and the inherent value and purpose in protecting the world and those we love. I don't mean to bash religion here (and please don't make generalizations about other anime fans from what I say) but I find it to be a hindrance sometimes because it teaches that God is what is to be loved--instead of mankind. The purpose of religion is to give people incentive to get along with one another. What happens if religion falls away? If somehow the concept of "God" is found to be false? What will we have left to cling to? Only the underlying, and most important idea in the universe--that compassion for others is meaningful. If religion teaches it, great. If anime teaches it...just as well.
LordSaiyajin, never abandon your love of anime. Don't allow anyone to take from you something so valuable and wonderful. Realize that those who oppose you are only trying to help you--but they are mislead and afraid. Trust in your own heart, nothing else. Don't ever feel guilty for seeing beauty and granduer where it is. If any God condemned that, you would be justified in calling that God evil.
From Berit: Can you or any other person judge the God of the universe? Don't you think you are placing humanity on a shaky pedestal? Your words seem to suggest that you put yourself on the same level as the God who created you -- if not higher -- making yourself like God. Please consider what He tells us about such an attitude:
"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ...." (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
"How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God....
I will be like the Most High.’
Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol...." (Isaiah 14:12-15)
God tells us to exercise discernment in all things. I try to point out the problems based on what God said in His Word. Do you really see me "spreading anger, intolerance and vengeance" toward any person? I certainly don't intend to. If I didn't see the inherent worth in each person who writes to us, I wouldn't be spending so much time reading and answering all their mail. My goal is to share God's truth in love, not to punish or avenge.
You said, "You cannot expect to take from people things they hold so close to their hearts. Try to understand that what you and other Christians see in religion, other people may see in anime."
Once again, you point to my biggest concern. Please keep in mind, I'm speaking to Christians who take their faith seriously -- not to the rest of the world which can't really understand what I'm talking about. Consider the danger to a Christian's relationship with God: Love for Anime replaces love for God. The fantasy world of Anime becomes more important to the captivated fan than the reality God shows us in the Bible. That's a form of idolatry -- putting another thing, power, thrill or god above your relationship with God Himself. Jesus said,
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37)
and "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24)
You said,"...even more absurd is the claim that 'God' would condemn it."
Look again at the Scriptures I quoted in the introduction to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. God, not I, sets the standard. I only echo what He shows me in His Word.
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16)
The good news is that "He Who calls you is faithful and He will do it." (1 Thessalonians 5:24) When we give our lives to Him, He gives us strength to know and follow Him. The exchanged life: His wise and wonderful life for my weak and finite life. What an amazing gift He has given us!
From Jenna (TenshiWings) - Proud supporter of Shounen-ai: This is going to be my last email to you. You claim to not label anime as "evil", but you do admit to pointing out the
"anti-Christian" and "wrongs" of the shows. To you "anti-Christian" and wrongdoings are evil. So you *are* saying that anime is evil.Anything can be turned back into porn. You say that anime can lead to porn. [Actually, I didn't bring up that topic. That came from our visitors, not me.] Well, guess what? Everything and anything can be related back to sex, and then back to porn. Like you, I can twist things and turn things to mean what I want them to. (ex. "... choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15): Servants serve. Servants can be slaves. Slaves can be used for sex. Sex. Porn. Sex. Porn.... See?)
I love anime. I will always love it. I will never burn anything of mine, because I have worked long and hard to earn it. I will not let anyone tell me that the things I hold dear are evil. I will not let anyone convice me that I should go out and preach against the very things that have kept me sane this summer. I will not let anyone condemn RPGs. They stimulate my mind, but do not control it. I love to think, and RPGs make me think. Thinking is good.
From Berit: Actually "thinking" is neutral. What counts is what you think about.
I will burn in Hell. I will burn in Hell for my Pagan beliefs. I will burn in Hell for my unclean thoughts. I will burn in Hell for my filthy mouth. I will burn in Hell for loving something that can be related back to porn. I will burn in Hell for not being suckered into believing that I am wrong. I will burn in Hell for being feminist. I will burn in Hell for not shoving my beliefs down peoples' throats. I will burn in Hell for not believing in Hell.
Wait a minute... If I don't believe in Hell, I can't suffer in it... Wow! Yosh! Anyways, I think you get my point. If loving anime is a sin, may I suffer eternal torment in Hell (Hell, I bet they have anime there since it's "evil".)
I leave you with this: "Sailor Moon, you will forever be immortal. For all eternity, you will be the most beautiful, brilliant light."
-Act 52 of Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon <sarcasm> Bwahahahahahahahaaa!!! Sailor Moon is GOD! WORSHIP HER FOUL MORTALS!! <bows profusely><lights a zillion candles around her Usagi Tsukino shrine> All hail Usagi Tsukino! Sailor Moon! Neo-Queen Selenity! I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy! </sarcasm>
"Heero no mane nanka shitaku wa nai ga... ore to issho ni jigoku e ikou ze!" -Duo Maxwell, my very own God of Death! <jumps on Duo> I LOVE YOU!
From The Mage of the Eternal Flame - A force for Peace in a world full of evil and hate:
Good evening to you. I will start this email off by assuring you that I will
be as courteous and polite as I can be. Some of the email that you have gotten shocks and saddens me deeply. I personally do not agree with how you have classified the few Anime series that you have reviews of, but that seems to be your opinion, which you are entitled to. That being said, some people who have contributed to this site have taken devotion to the Genre a step too far.I will admit several things before continuing. I am not of the christian
Faith. My faith is that of the New Age, thus the disagreement with your classifications. Of the Anime Shows that have been reviewed, I have viewed all at one point or another.Pokemon is a very enjoyable game, but the show is somewhat lacking. Some
of my friends think it is evil for the simple reason that it is very stupid...Very much the same argument used towards the Boy and Girl bands that have plagued our hallowed country for the past two or three years...The Pokemon Comics I will get to in a moment, but I own the graphic
novels (a group of comics collected within a single book) that have been released so far in the series...Digimon, I used to watch regularly. I do not anymore, for many of the
same reasons as Pokemon...Sailor Moon is one of my favourite Anime series. I absolutely HATE the show that is shown on Cartoon network, and I Will also get into that a little
bit later.Dragonball Z I would normally defend, but I have stopped watching it because I have gotten tired of watching poorly dubbed, muscle bound men beat
each other then grunt as they gain more power to beat each other some more. That show has more negetive energy exuding from every moment of it than almost any other that I have seen shown on American TV, and I can truly say that It is not healthy to watch on a reagular basis.I Have no intention of trying to rebute your points, for I have no background in the bible, and I feel that if I were to launch a succesfull argument, I would need several quotes to make myself not seem like a rude, inconsiderate fool. Don't be mistaken, it is not that my FAMILY has no
background in the church...My parent's were methodists, and were very active in the church before having a spiritual awakening. They knew the bible quite well, but I never bothered to read it. It was a matter of choice. The point of this was that I won't try to rebute your arguments.What I will do is point out a few errors and misconceptions that I have noticed while reading your Anime page.
In your PokeComics review, you mentioned that the Ancient Haunter known as the Black Fog was resting on the statue of a princess, Groping her breast and fiddling with her Dress's Shoulder Strap. I believe that that is not the case, for these reasons: reason1) The Haunter's Hand is nowhere near the woman's breast and reason 2) If you had read a comic in a later group, you would have seen a depiction of a goddess by Toshihiro ono (::winces:: You will read a bit into the goddess thing, no doubt...the Pokemon mearly view her as a goddess, for she cares for them when no one else will...), and the shoulder straps are also low on the arms. I believe that the Haunter is mearly sleeping, and the hands are just laying as they will.From Berit: I was merely writing my observations and describing what any reader might perceive in that picture. But keep in mind, what counts are the the subtle suggestions and perceptions -- whether based on a consistent story-line in the fantasy or not -- which guide a child's thoughts, feelings and imagination. If most children see what I saw, it doesn't matter that much whether or not the image is consistent with the story or myth. It becomes part of their understanding.
Sailor Moon is a huge series, with 200 Normal episodes, Several EXTRA episodes, a Special, 3 movies, and a LARGE fan following in both the East and West. A "concerned Parent", I believe, mentioned that one of her children said that there was Nudity in Sailor Moon in the Original Japanese version.
Well, I will have to say that if you really really stretch it, there is nudity. I will explain what I mean. When the Girls in the show Transform, they say a special phrase. Their clothes disappear (this step is not shown, but it is assumed), and they are shown sparkling as their Sailor Uniforms appear. There are several lines that are present in the animation, Mainly the lines outlining the back, bottom, and breasts. There are no actual details in the transformation, but that is the closest thing you will find that could be called Nudity...And those detailing lines are censored out of the American Version of Sailor Moon.
I am very sorry that this Email has taken a lot of time to read. I would hope to have it posted to the forum so that might have my say. If it IS posted, please include my Email Address: FireMageNR@aol.com . Thank you for your time.
The Mage of the Eternal Flame
A force for Peace in a world full of evil and hate
God reign Supreme
From Berit: Thank you for your information. Of course, some it -- as I pointed out earlier -- verifies my concerns. For example, when "the Girls in the show Transform" and "say a special phrase," they are following the ancient shamanic practices of "shape-shifting" and magic -- as do Harry Potter and his wizard friends. What all these anime features do is desensitize Christian children to timeless practices that God warns us to avoid -- not because He doesn't want them to have fun but because He knows that their only place of safety is close to Himself. Does that make sense?
From Julian Pitskirtt: What are all you ultra-purists talking about? Anime is something that has melded itself into our society and is liked by many! So live with it!
Also...all the ignorant people that worry and complain about sex, nudity, and gratuitous violence on JAPANESE television...they should try and concentrate on not letting their children rent such mature themed anime imports such as the Guyver Series and the anime movie Akira, or even Ghost in the Shell, instead of blaming Japan for their petty problems. Also, you canNOT mistake all anime for being the same, although the anime may be a lot like another.
There are dozens of different styles, artists, writers, and in other terms, Japanimation! Parents have to take action in teaching their children the difference between fantasy and reality instead of whining and complaining about "all this horrible, un-Christian violence that plagues our society!"
First and foremost, people are saying it is plaguing Japan's society the most, all this so-called "bad programming". You must also look at Japan's society-How many school shootings have they had in the last decade? How many mass murderers, how many Timothy McVeigh's, how many racist biggot movement groups? Exactly.
Japan is a much, much more well-rounded society than our crippled own. We have to take care of our own problems before interfering with others. This is how the U.S. starts wars, although I severely doubt that there will be a war over the controversy of japanese animation in the US. In closing, I believe that all you whiners out there should teach your children right and wrong, before making excuses, and "banning" simple card games and entertainment from the youth of today. Ultimately, you people complaining about anime should concentrate on your own problems for a change. Maybe you guys should get a clue.
From Berit: Who is interfering with Japan, Julian. You and other Anime fans can watch all you want. I'm not trying to change Japan or censor your favorite shows. I'm only answering the questions from Christian parents who ask my opinion from a Biblical perspective.
You are fighting a strawman -- a fantasy monster. I'm an ordinary mom and a new grandmother. Would you want to censor my opinion? Would that be fair? After all, more people watch these shows here in American than in Japan. So can't American Christian parents discuss it. You don't have to come and read my comments. I opened the door to Christians, and the whole world came to visit. Please be polite visitors and give me freedom to share the requested answers.
From "Anoninmos Animefanz": I can't help but be concerned about the content of your anime site. In it you state that anime, Dungeons and Dragons, and other things of the sort are unchristian and evil. You are totally entitled to your opinion's, as am I, but what bothers me is your total lack of proof or solid evidence.
From Berit: I have never claimed to be an expert on Anime. That's why we have opened the door to allow "experts" to tell us more about the topics, themes, characters and influences of these forms of entertainment. I have, however, read the manga, watched numerous episodes of the features I coverned in my articles (which are only Pokemon and Digimon).
What I do claim to know -- and spend much time studying -- is the Bible. Therefore, by His grace, I can quickly filter what I see and read through His Word. He shows me what He calls good and what He warns us to avoid. Remember the story of the man being trained to check for counterfeit money. He discovered that key was to know the genuine bills so well that when a counterfeit bill came across his path, he would recognize it immediately.
I don't need to be an "expert" in Anime in your eyes. If I had never watched any shows or read any of the manga, I would have reached the same conclusion simply by reading the clues in all the letters we have posted.
Whether you believe that Anime is evil or not is your business but when you say things like "Anime tends to twist ones faith" as a fact, when in truth there is absolutely NO evidence to support your theory, it can mislead parents and make them take extremes like burning magic cards (why do some people feel that this is necessary anyway?
I don't think anyone believes it is necessary. But for some, it is simply a way of making a firm, memorable committment to follow God -- a commitment that says, "My Lord,I repent of any attachment to occult influences that don't please you." Remember, repentance is simply turning around, away from sin. It is choosing to go in the right direction and follow God.
To see how Anime and other tools for directing the imagination, please read some of the research done in this area in Harry Potter and Dungeons & Dragons.
Wouldn't selling or throwing them away work just fine?) Don't believe me? In your Pokemon article you wrote you stated: "It seemed to us that these cards had some sort of power," continued DiAnna Brannan. "Another nine-year-boy had stolen money from his mother's purse ($7.00) to buy more cards. When questioned, he confessed and said he had heard the devil urging him to do it. The family quickly gathered in prayer, then saw God's answer. Both the boy and his little sister burned their cards, warned their friends, and discovered the joy and freedom that only comes from following their Shepherd."
How can you possibly use this with a clear conscience? The child was clearly lying about having the devil tell him to do this, and it's even more stupid for the parent to believe this!? It is no different from a child stealing money to buy a candy bar then lying to cover his but. The only difference between the two is what he bought. Then, of course, they did the only sane thing and burned the cards. (Extreme Sarcasm!)
You don't know that he lied. If a child has developed a conscience (by training according to God's Word), a mother can usually tell whether her child is sincere or covering up.
So now I will leave you with a quote. It is a bit extreme, but I hope that you get the point: "It is impossible to protect your child from the evils of the world. If you truly wanted to do this then you'd have to lock it in a dark room the minute it was born and leave it there his whole life. Oh! and you might want to put a chastity belt on it in case it gets board along the way."
From BahamutDraco: I read your comment pages, and was basically appalled! First off, you quote the bible so aloofly, and matter-of-factly that one would believe that the Bible is the only thing that should dictate people's actions and preferences. The Bible is merely a tool of Guidance, as are the opinions and morals of others. It's up to a person's own free-will to decide whether they will be Christian, or not, watch Anime or not...or is it?
Yes, we have free will. And if a child, by his free will has chosen to give his life to God, he will want to know what does and does not please God. He will want to hear what the Bible says, so that he can make the right choices, and stay in safety of God's love and nearness. See the The Armor of God
Have you taken a step back to see what your fanaticisim has done to people? "I saw my kids watching such and such Anime, but told them to stop because it wasn't right -- it wasn't of GOD!" What is this? I mean, if the parent has an objection, they should exercise it because of the plain fact that they are parents, but when they put their beliefs into it, that's really poisoning the kool-aid.
I doubt that God intended for people to have one belief without deciding on it themselves, but that's not how many of the zealous parents of this country would have it! They would rather destroy everything that is against their beliefs (not against God, but their beliefs) than allow it to influence their children's own beliefs.
America has divided itself into three unhappy camps: One is the gung-ho "we'll decide for you, and you'll like it!" group that decides every facet of those around them's beliefs. Another is the ho-hum "we don't care" group that would rather do whatever they're told than do anything else. Baa. The last is the "enlightened" group -- the one that professes to be open-minded. Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren't. It seems to me that, like America, religion has done the exact same thing. It's plain as day, of course, but you would have to remove the wool first.
Now, Anime is something that is left up to choice. If you want to watch it, then you should be able to watch it. If you are corrupted, then you are corrupted, because, as we all know, corruption takes many forms (Lording beliefs over others, for example), and invades every aspect of life -- from the pious penitent to the murderous malcontent. If a child wants to watch it, and the parent says no, then they shouldn't watch it because they're in the parent's care. If a child, say, turns 18, and leaves the home, and still wants to watch it, then they should because that's their decision. Here is the big thing, though: *IF* Anime is only Fantasy (In most cases, it is), then why worry? Are your children so impressionable and soulless that they won't know the difference? It's like those commercials where people are presented with the "tasty imitation product"....
You brought up ads. They seldom focus on facts any more. Instead they manipulate a person's feelings through entertainment. The fictional and fantasy images on the screen link their product to sex, good food, self-esteem.... all kinds of feel-good suggestions. This fantasy -- and most adults recognize it as such -- is more effective in manipulating behavior than reality ever was. Children and adults may recognize the difference rationally, but they are being trained in schools and through entertainment to follow their feelings.
That means all kinds of dangers. Adults know that too much fat is unhealthy, yet most of us indulge in various ways. Children know smoking is unhealthy, yet they smoke. They know drugs and sex are addictive, yet they fall for the trap. Everyone know there are better things to do than watch TV, yet many can't tear themselves away from favorite programs.
In other words, people don't decide for themselves. They are being manipulated. And if they don't have an achor of beliefs, they will drift whichever way society leads them. Dr. Raymond Houghton, Professor of Secondary Education at Rhode Island College, predicted this would happen almost three decades ago. He ought to know. He and others involved in the mighty NEA (National Education Association) were planning how to change America's values behind our backs. Here is what he said:
"...absolute behavior control is imminent.... The critical point of behavior control, in effect, is sneaking up on mankind without his self-conscious realization that a crisis is at hand. Man will... never self-consciously know that it has happened." (For documentatio, see Zero Tolerance For Non-Compliance- Clinton's Ten Steps Toward Lifelong Behavior Modification)
The Bible shouldn't be taken as a definitive source of all information.
If not, what should?
That's just leaping head-long in that special group of all-knowing people(which includes the Church of Scientology..."Please turn to Cor 1:14 for the Lord's recipe for toast"). .... What if Chibi Shinji told people that "Oh, That Berit person is so wrong, tell your kids not to visit her page! Tell your kids that she can't address so many well-spoken points! Tell your kids that she dodges around issues! Tell your kids that she's an example of what has driven many people away from organized religion!" And there you have it.
We are not quibbling over whether to put cheese or jam on toast. We are discussing moral foundations and guidelines for our lives. Any society without moral foundations will flounder. Even nice moral platitudes in a movie such the first Pokemon movie cannot compensate for the images of violence in the same movie. Remember, I wrote about the boy who came out from the movie -- having heard the peaceable sentiments -- saying "It made me want to fight." The images, not the logic, feed the craving for violent thrills and manipulate feelings and behavior.
The only safe place is a life built on the solid foundation of God's Word. Look at what Jesus told us in Matthew 7:24-27. Notice the emphasize on "hear" and "do" with reference to His wonderful message in chapters 5-7 (I suggest everyone read them.) They start with a reminder that God's standard is actually impossible for us to fulfill, therefore He promises to do His will in and through us if only we will trust and follow Him:
"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."
From LordSaiyajin (to see his first note, click here). Thank you for writing back. All I wish to say is that I simply cannot find a link between Anime and the cult. I'm truly not a massive religion person, though I often go to church with my friend and his family, along with my family, but still religion isn't a large part of my life, I'm only a child you know. So, why should Anime be cut out of my life just because you think of different things than I?
Say a little boy has seen a dog in the pet store that he absolutely adores. He brings his father over to look at the dog, without even taking a glance at the dog he says "That dog's evil, it will kill you." And the father says so just based on his beliefs, and really the dog's as nice as anyone could hope. So, the dog is cut out of the child's life just based on what someone says. So, based on what YOU believe, and what I still have to learn about, something is taken out of my life. I fail to see who's right or wrong, or is it that no one is right or wrong?
You are asking good questions, but would you please go back and read the answer I wrote you earlier, then read the first part of Answers to Pokemon mail? I know it irritates many visitors when I refer to what I have written earlier, but I can't give a quick answer to a complex question. Perhaps the best way to understand what I am saying would be to ask God to show you. In 1 Corinthians 2, He tells us that we cannot understand spiritual things from His perspective unless we have received His Spirit. When He fills us with His life, these issues stop being a matter of boundaries and become a matter of the heart. If you really want to understand His heart and ways, seek Him. He will show you. Here is a website that might help you: Who is Jesus? I will pray for you that He shows you answer that will satisfy you more than Pokemon every could.
From Moon Chibi: I've read your articles and quite frankly, I'm ashamed of you Christians that Judge and don't expect to be judged in return. Why are you casting the first stone?
Jesus is the most important influence in my life, and I enjoy Sailor Moon and Pokemon as much as you like riding in a new car, but I don't think that you or I am stupid enough to believe that they're going to Heaven with us when we die.
I respect Anime because it educates me about the Asian cultures and religions, but it's chances of changing my faith is as thin as it changing the color of my skin.If only you people could be so strong willed.
We are not judging you. I don't even know you. We are evaluating a form of entertainment based on God's Word. I'm trying to be help those who want this information.
From Ojibejita: I am a fan of Dragonball. But yet I fail to see why so many adults of various affiliations continue to persecute Dragonball because of it's semi-violent content. I beleive I found this artivle from the Anime or pokemon topic of sorts, when I was searching for more Dragonballs sites that had promise.. and what do i see in the excerpt area beneath the link? "Dragonball is EVIL". TO me, thats really disturbing,I am critisized day in and day out by the people at school, and now adults are doing it too? This is truly sad.
Abouts Dragonball "Porn" so to say. It's... not drawn By Akira Toriyama, it's drawn by perverted fans who want to get, off, so to say, on their fvorite Dragonball series. About the sexual themes, yes, there are some. Like in Dragonball Movie 4.... But you see, thats simply her character. but there is never any adult nudity in Dragonball. Only a couple kids, as I beleive was stated in an earlier post to the topic.
Please notice, I didn't bring up this topic, and I don't know why it has become such a favorite point of discussion among our visitors.
On the cursing, well, you are misinterpretting the culture, words like Kuso and Shimatta are used often in the series. Shimatta would be best translated as ____, but it is commonly used when making a mistake. But it's just their culture, apparently such things do not impact them as much as they do you.
As most Anime fans are, I am slightly ticked off at FUNimation for doing such a horrid job on the first 3 seasons of Dragonball Z. But since most anime fans are my age, 14, they tend to go off when they see people talking about a series they like in disdain....
My last point to touch upon, a question to those who consider Dragonball evil... What has Anime done that makes it evil?
You don't hear talk about how anime caused Columbine, you don't hear talk of people who watch anime going into their rooms and hanging themselves, or stealing their fathers gun and blowing away people with it. You just don't hear it. The only place I have heard negative things about Anime is from parents who clearly don't understand the nature of the program.
Has the press blamed anything on Anime? Not a bit. What reason, you adults, do you have to claim Dragonball Z is evil, in any way shape or form. So you know where this is coming from.. I am a fourteen year old atheist who likes anime because it can be.
To see some of the ways your favorite anime conflicts with Biblical truth, click on DragonBall.
You mention persecution. It refers to people being hated, silenced, and put to death because their beliefs and ideas offend others. People don't persecute ideas or beliefs. People persecute people. An example would be if all of you who despise this website would express your anger by silencing me for what I believe, spreading false reports or slander, making it illegal for Christians to share God's Word, or putting us in concentration camps. I may express my concerns about your favorite show, but I don't persecute you. I not only care about you, I give you total freedom to believe as you choose -- I even post your views. Doesn't that seem fair enough?
In spite of the rising hostility toward those who refuse to compromise God's Word, His followers don't ever have to be afraid. Those who trust and follow Him can count on His wonderful promise in Romans 8:35-39:
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ... in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
If you want to know more about Him, go to What does this have to do with you?
From Treize: Hello, my girlfriend (also sent you a letter, Majin Bubbles). First of all, i am an ex-jehovah's witness, my mother stopped going to the services about the time she divorced my father, but i still retain the christian values i was taught. Now i know my religion might be different from yours, but not by much.
So anyways, i would like to express my feeling, im not going to get mad, but some of the issues you talk about are shows or anime that i know and love. I especially love the dragon ball series, as does my girlfriend and friends. I am also an avid star wars fan, so seeing that part about star wars on your site got me a little ticked.
Some of the things you say, like you dont accept emails because theyre either cursing, or repeating the same thing over, well i noticed something, you also repeat thigns. You repeat about how anything related to spirits that is not of god is evil or part of satanic worship or some sort of practice that is related to satan.
Like that point you said, how goku from db/z/gt has a tail and thats connected with witchcraft, well its not, if you think about it, its logical, hes an alien, and why would that be connected with the occult when hes not from earth? why is that satanic and pagan?
From Berit: The reason I discourage or delete repetitions is that I have to answer the same questions over and over. That gets boring for everyone, doesn't it?
As for goku, he is a fantasy creature, right? Alien or not, he is pictured as having supernatural power but not from God. The perception for most viewers is that he taps into a source of power that, according to the Bible, comes from an alternative source. The tail links him to the animal world -- not in reality and not even in the corresponding myth -- but in the perception of some viewers. Many are familiar with animist rituals where a shaman wears both mask and tail when leading his tribe in rituals that attempt to summon the presence of the animal spirit he represents. Those who, like you, know the Dragonball story well may not make that connection. Other would. I have noticed that anime fans take their perceptions seriously -- sometimes more seriously than reality.
Something that really bothers me is how christians say to be forgiving and open to others, i dont really see it as being open to others if youre saying that japanese and other buddist religion are not of god and theyre evil. That doesn't really sound open to me.
I have a very good friend that is half vietnamese, his father served in the vietnam war, and his father met his mother in vietnam. Now she is a devout buddist, she has shrines to budda in her house, and i find them very interesting. I hold my christian beliefs, yet i still am respectful of her beliefs. Shouldn't you be that way? I see you talking about japanese people in a very negative way, i wish you would stop that, i have very good friends with japanese heritage, because i live in washington, there is a very large amount of asian people here.
As you've said before, yes there is a lot of violence in anime, not so much as nudity, but in some cases there is. And that is why i strongly urge parents not to let their children watch anime at all, if theyre going to let their children watch it, dont let them see it til theyre mature enough. Most anime is very violent, because it portrays the real world, how it is, and sex is part of the real world. So thats why im saying this: DONT LET CHILDREN WATCH ANIME, its not for little kids. Its more for an audience of 14+. I am 14, and i got into anime, my mom knows its violent, but she lets me watch it because she trusts me, and because she sees that im mature enough.
Another reason for not letting children watch anime is because they might immitate the characters. My nephew who has seen only a few episodes of dbz, and he is 6 years old, tells me about how he plays dbz with his friends at recess and pretend fight each other. Now im saying this because things might get out of hand, and the child might think they can fight someone and theyll be ok. But they wont of course.
I've never seen a child actually immitate any anime characters, or even hurt someone because of it. I just wish that children wouldn't be allowed to watch anime because of these reasons:
All of the above reasons ruins it for the rest of us, us anime fans, then our favorite anime gets censored or taken off the air.
Another reason why i think it is blasphemous that dbz is for little kids, is how graphic the violence is. The first episodes of dbz where goku and piccolo are fighting radditz, piccolo has to use the masankoposappo(special beam cannon)to kill radditz, along with goku dying. There was a whole part of the episode cut out in america where it was just showing goku and radditz with a large, gaping wound in their stomach, with blood everywhere. Now does that sound like it was intended for children? I think not.
My main point is, as I've already said before, dont let your children watch anime, if you dont, we anime fans wont complain about the heavy censoring and adults complaining, if parents would do that, everyone would be a lot happier. Thank you for your time.
Thank you, Treize, for your good points. I appreciate them. As for being "open" to other religions, I want to understand where you and others are coming from. That's why I read and post the different opinions. (I'm way behind, but trying to catch up on all the letters)
Like you, I have many friends from different countries. Most are now Christians, but many are from Burma, Japan, China, and other countries and cultures. I want to listen and learn from those who hold different views, but I cannot compromise my own faith in Jesus Christ and what He has done for me. My loyalty is first to Him, then to share His love with others, including those who disagree with me. That's what I try to do -- even though I offend many people in the process.
But then, God warned us that would happen. He said, "Woe to you if all men speak well of you." Christians who truly want to follow Jesus have offended the world ever since He died on the cross. In spite of His amazing love and concern for our needs, His uncompromising message just doesn't fit the world. Would you agree?
From Moon Chibi: Pre script: I enjoy Debating with you! Let's run for President! I get to be the Democrat!^_^
But seriously... You have got to realize that God didn't create Anime, and Satan didn't either! Some nice Japanese guy with a good imagination came up with an idea to entertain people and make of few bucks while he was at it. Hey, I want be to a writer and write some farout stories one day. Would it make me an evil master of the occult if everybody flocked to buy my books? Would you be posting up websites like this that talk about how evil I am?
Even though I praised the Lord every day that people liked my work and thanked him that I was a success? Entertainment is just eye candy, do you actually consider how the people behind the scenes feel about you insulting their work?
From Berit. I do consider how people behind the scenes feel about the things I write, but I cannot let those feelings determine what I say or write. I sometimes wish my Lord would lead me to write only nice things that made people feel good, but He doesn't. I believe I can do more to help people by being honest than I could by saying nice things that bring temporary comfort instead of lasting help.
If you were a great writer on the occult and everyone flocked to your books, I would not call you an evil master. (Nor do I say that about J.K. Rowling or all the great artists who produce your favorite animes) I would say you were all deceived -- victims of the "angel of light" whose goal is to draw people away from God. He tells us that "the whole world is under the control of the evil one." (1 John 5:19) The only place of peace and freedom is in Jesus Christ -- trusting and following Him, standing on His wonderful promises, and delighting in His presence forever..
From MangaJ: I have been a writer for anime projects for about 2 years now. In most of my works (which are mostly fantasy) we referance the bible a lot. Unlike what seems to me your literal outlook we mean our manga and anime to be symbolic. The death of a character by another may symbolize something that took place in real life.
Pokemon uses evolve as a state of growth. Evolve doesn't always mean physical change but change in mental state. A pokemon's growth isn't even refered to evolve in japan but the japanese kanji for "change in age." I would also like to correct some of your mistakes.
* Digimon and pokemon do not say have pride in all you do and you will accomplish anything. They mean to say stay in the race and don't give up. It is determination that helps us to accomplish or goals.
* They respect adults and are helped by them later in the series. One of the key plots is that one of young boys doesn't understand how to deal with his parents divorce. He doesn't want one parent to feel as though he loves them less. This hurts him and is a large conflict until he talks to him mom about it.
*In many scenes cut for the US version of pokemon ash is often scene on his knees praying to God and thanking him for the chance to follow his dreams.
He is praying to "other gods," not my God.
You (and I just believe it was your sources) were incorrect on many more subjects but i just wanted to let you know these. You have valid points.
But a world in which all the bibles words are taken literally and not symbolically isn't recieving the true enightenment of God. God wants us all to follow his word and live by it. But he also tells us to live and adapt to the times. Not trying to be rude but you seem to be living in the past.
Why do you think this way about anime and manga? I can write a 10 page essay on the symbolism in eva and it's biblical and social meaning. Both it's good aspects and it's bad. You have yet to give one anime a good comment. I know anime more than anyone who has written to you both on your side and my side, I know more than the translators and business men at viz communications because i don't distribute anime, I with the gift of art and literature that God has blessed me with create it. I will probally write more on the cultures of japan and the government later unil then God Bless and good day.
From Berit: I can't follow you suggestion not to use Scriptures, MangaJ. Where else would I get my answers? You say that,
"a world in which all the bibles words are taken literally and not symbolically isn't recieving the true enlightenment of God. God wants us all to follow his word and live by it. But he also tells us to live and adapt to the times."
I can't agree with that. He doesn't tell us to "adapt to the times." In fact, he tells us "Do not be conformed to the world." (Romans 12:2) That doesn't mean we can't read newspapers, wear modern clothes, etc. But it does mean that our values and our source of strength, direction, values and meaning must come from Him, not from our culture.
Especially in times such as ours, where mass communication tends to mold a collective mindset and politically correct understanding (in the midst of obvious diversity in other things), it is important to know what one believes, stand by our convictions, and refuse to compromise. I tried to make that point at the end of the new article I am finishing. If our God has first place in our hearts, we must be willing to face the ridicule and rejection that comes with being different for His sake. If you like, I can cite Scriptures to back that up.
Remember, some things never change. Things do. Language, cultures, fashion and entertainment will change. But human nature doesn't. Apart from Christ, it's as self-centered as ever. God's promises don't change, though we try ever so hard to re-interpret them. Nor does God. That's why He is my peace and refuge no matter how fierce the storm. And that's why I can't conform to this changing world.
Hello! I'm Chris and i've had my eye on this site for awhile. Someone showed me it, while i was in Sailormoon.org. (If any of you are members, it's me Noinoipinoy!) I like reading all the stuff people send and what you say back.
I'll start this like almost everybody does. I'm a 14 year old Catholic dude that likes anime. I've also played Magic: The Gathering. I quit playing not because it was 'evil' or whatever, but because only nerds played it in my area. And it was a little too expensive for just something as useless as a card. Hey, who was the person who said anime was porn? What a dork. (Well actually there is that stuff called ____, but that doesn't necessarily mean all anime is porn. Enough on that, its not like you said that anyway.)
It seems like the anime fans who just send you those dumb hateful E-Mails stopped. (or probably you just delete the E-Mail on spot) I remember when i first went to your site, i was like how most anime fans would be like, all mad and stuff. But i've noticed that all you are trying to do, is show your opinions on things.
Yeah i know, i disagree on some things you have on your site, but im not gonna go sending an E-Mail with a bunch of cussing. I really like how that Mike guy wrote his E-Mail, he respected your opinion, and expressed his at the same time. (Though its kind of boring for me! Its funny how some people get mad.)
My favorite anime is one of the most talked about on your site, Evangelion....
[I moved this section to the Neon Genesis Evangelion page]
Now for my two cents. Its my opinion that anime was made by Japanese for Japanese. (actually my friend said that) I don't really think it was made to mislead our kids. The reason why anime's are dubbed and brought here, was that since it was popular in Japan, companies think it will be popular here and get them money.
I wish you a good life! I hope your father gets well soon. Now i gotta go do my school projects! One bad thing about anime, is that it distracts me from doing the more inportant stuff!
Thanks, Chris. I agree that the main concern of the entertainment industry is to make money. Few really care about the message children learn.
But behind the scenes, a spiritual battle continues to rage. In 1 John 5:19, we read that "The whole world is under the control [or sway] of the evil one." That means that all those who have not chosen to trust and follow Jesus Christ are vulnerable to deception. Most of the world is likely to be swayed by the spiritual forces that oppose God and His purpose. What do you think?
From Amy Rentz: Just a quick note...I totally support and agree with what you have written here on your website about Anime and other things that our children have a tendency to be sucked into. I was reading the letters about Dragonball Z and was amazed at the ignorance these "Christians" who wrote to you are displaying! The 18-year-old really has no clue what it means to be in the world and not of it! Keep up the good work and I will keep you all in my prayers!
From TempestZephyr: First of all, nearly everything you comment on is FANTASY. This means not real, in case you hadn't noticed. Give little kids some credit, they know it's not real. Little kids like to play pretend. When they play pretend, they also know its not real. For example, a child who plays cops and robbers does not do this because he or she want to be a robber. A child who pretends to have psychic powers knows that they do not really have psychic powers, they are just pretending.
A child who plays Pokemon knows Pokemon are imaginary. A child who reads Harry Potter books knows the Harry and wizards are imaginary. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't remember anything in the bible saying Thou Shalt Not Tell Make-believe Stories, or Thou Shalt Not Use Thy Imagination. Did not our lord Jesus Christ use analogies to show us how He wished us to act? The Harry Potter books teach excellant morals, and Lord Voldemort is clearly analogous to Satan. Lord Voldemort is, in case you didn't know, the villain. Harry Potter uses his powers, which are comparable to Christ's miracles, to fight the evil forces. Also, it's just imaginary!
Do you think... that women should be obediant to men? Sell their daughters as slaves? Not let food touch each other while on the plate? All these things are in the Bible. The Bible was not written by God. It was written by men, who are fallible and very likely put some ideas that were not of God in. The Bible can also be interpreted to support any cause. It was used to support slavery, segregation, lynchings, bigotry, supression of woman, and many other unjust causes. The Bible is a guidebook for how God wanted us to live thousands of years ago. God's will is flexible. He does not demand that things should stay the same untill Judgement Day.
I don't expect you to agree with me, given that you appear to far stuffed into a shell of fear and hatred. I would be greatly pleased if you think about what I have said. There are far more worthy causes for you to direct your energy to, such as hunger, AIDS, child abuse, and dispicable things like that. I hate to see such enthusiasm wasted on such trivial things when it could be used to support many worthier causes. Remember, God is the Light, and all who serve the light shall be saved. No matter the form that the Light takes!
From Berit: Familiarity with something, whether through the imagination or through actual experience, desensitizes children and adults to things and ideas that might be dangerous. Familiarity with drugs -- especially when introduced through enjoyable images -- often breeds curiosity and a desire to experience it. Contemporary ads illustrate this well. It doesn't matter whether they show reality or fantasy. People will be tempted to buy if they enjoy it, no matter how fantastic its message. (see Harry Potter and Dungeons & Dragons)
Some Old Testament laws -- such as the Levitical laws concerned with cleansing and sacrifices -- were fulfilled through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God's moral laws, such as the ten commandments, are as applicable now as then. But today we know that we can't obey them in our own strength. When we come to God in faith and humility asking that He take our lives and fill us with Himself, then He will Himself fulfill the demands of the law in us.
If a person twists the Bible to support cruelty and injustice, that person certainly doesn't know either God or His Word. Please see Biblical versus Cultural Christianity.
You assume that "God's will is flexible." But the Bible tells us that God Himself never changes. His character, His Word, His ways, and His promises remain the same. He would never adjust His will to our culture. On the other hand, He does tell us to adjust our behavior -- no matter what the culture around us -- to His will and ways. (If anyone wants a list of Scriptures that backs these statements, please ask for it)
Cultural Christianity has always tried, like pagan religions, to re-make God into the image of man -- or at least interpret His ways from their own perspective rather than His. "You thought that I was altogether like you, but I will rebuke you" He told the "wicked" in Psalm 50. But Genuine Christianity understands that God is God -- "...the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)
From Animefanz: Hello! It's me again! (I've written on the board before) I just wanted to comment about some of the people who have been writing to your board.
While I may agree with them on several points that they make, it's no excuse for the outright rude behavior that you have been getting. (I wont mention names. But one wrote: You two are idiots! [profanities])
So, I want you to post this letter and this list on your board in hopes of getting more intelligent letters on it. Here we go.
The rules to remember when writing a response:
1) Be Polite. Writing in HaLf CaPs and swearing constantly will get you nowhere.
2) Think your ideas out. (a problem that I have ^_^) try to think out your letters at least a little before sending them in. You will sound more intelligent this way.
3) Be sensitive. Nothing too extreme, just remember that the person that you are writing to is a person too.
4) Use facts and solid evidence to back up your points. This will make your points more believable.
5) Be smart, know what you are talking about! You'd be surprised to see how many people read the first paragraph of something then write a 2 page editorial on it, getting the whole thing wrong. So be sure to read what the other person said in it's entirety before commenting on it.
That's about it. I hope that the people on the board will remember this the next time that they write. I don't know if this will help any. But I have my hopes.
I hope this made sense. (It's a little late) Thanks for listening to this and all of my previous letters. Good luck with your father. Good night.
Those are great guidelines! Thanks a lot.
From J.J.: Firstly, thank you for taking the time to read this. I've watched a decent amount of anime by my own estimation, and the genre is one of my favorites. I won't go into a long defense on why anime is not morally harmful because you've had more than enough letters arguing the point. In my opinion, it depends on your idea of morals, which people will NEVER agree on, especially in regards to any artistic media. Yet I was still deeply disturbed by the structure and presentation of the arguments on your site.
What I think bothers me, and others I'm sure, is that you foster your exclusionist viewpoint far more than you admit. Not once have I ever seen you disagree with anyone making racial or derogatory statements as long as they agree with your point of view. You've constantly had to remind people that the quotes they rail against are not your own. But by not commenting against these statements in the first place, you're essentially supporting them.
I realize that it's not your aim to play referee in these arguments, but by holding a somewhat open forum that's what you're doing. And the bias you've maintained in this role has been positively frightening. Please don't consider this as a personal attack on your person or your personal beliefs. I agree with many of your points, especially in regards to "Pokemon," but I think a little objectivity could help wonders. At this point, most of your reviews and comments are only leading to more infuriating letters like this one.
Getting back to anime, I'd like to recommend one of my favorites, "Grave of the Fireflies," the story of two children and the aftermath of WWII. Aside from some ghosts (who remain observers as a framing device), there is nothing supernatural, fantastic, or otherwise "heretical" about the film. It is, however, quite graphically realistic in its portrayal of wartime horrors and most certainly Not Meant For Kids.
Once again, thank you for your time.
Thank you, J.J., for the correction. "You say, "Not once have I ever seen you disagree with anyone making racial or derogatory statements as long as they agree with your point of view."
A lot of times I simply post letters without replying because I get so many of them. As I am sure you understand, it takes time to write the responses. (One reason I have such a backlog of anime comments to post is that I simply haven't had the time.) Therefore, I don't take time to criticize or reply to statements that I have answered earlier -- or those that seems to obviously at odds with a Biblical perspective that no one would think I could agree. But the kind you referred to, I should have answered. I'm sorry I didn't.
My focus has been primarily on spiritual rather than moral influences. Remember, I neither started or perpetuated the discussion on pornography. I didn't want to encourage people (especially children) to even think such things. That's not just because I'm old fashioned. The Bible tells us that "it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret." (Ephesians 5:12) I think that's pretty good advice.
Instead, I have focused on spiritual messages that conflicted with the Biblical world view. So, for the sake of the Christian children and youth who visit this site, I have especially careful about posting contrary spiritual views without adding the the light of Scriptures.
I actually have written some responses to the accusation that I was racist because I criticized the spiritual influences from other cultures. I thank you for the opportunity to repeat one of those answer. I certainly don't want to cause any confusion on this point:
God has made it very clear in His Word that all people -- whatever their race, color, nation or tribe -- are equal before Him. When we come to the foot of the cross and acknowledge that we have fallen short of His goodness, His love reaches out to each us (just as we are) beckoning us to come to Him and share in His peace, love, strength and hope.
He made each of us with certain strengths and weaknesses -- traits that He chose for us according to His purpose for each of us. Therefore I can say with assurance and humility as I consider even the worst of criminals, that apart from my Lord, that could have been me. But when I came to Him many years ago, confessing my sins and thanking Him for dying for me on that cross, He set me free, filled me with His Spirit, and changed my life. Only by His grace dare I write or speak publicly. He took my weak and failing life, and gave me His wonderful Life -- with enough strength and wisdom for every task He had planned for me. (See Our beliefs)
In other words, neither I nor any other member of His family can boast of anything other than what He has done in and through us. Neither skin color nor nationality matter to our God or to those who love Him! He calls His family from "every tribe and nation" (Rev. 5:9) to follow Him. In Him, we all are one!
From Barbara Gonzales : I am the mother of five and Grandmother of five. I have watched all of the Gundam Wing that was aired on Toonomi. I have watched the Sailor Moon series as well as having seen the movies recently released. I have watched Pokemon and Card Captors, and some of Tinshi Muyo. For those who write you letters of praise for these cartoons, I can see a direct parallel for emotional stimulance and their need to defend these emotional based conditioning cartoons originally meant for Japanese Adults.
I have spent the last four years studying how the left side and right side of the brain work together as well as separately. How have done the most research on how spiritual limits of principles determine the outcomes of human behavior one side of the brain becomes more dominant than the other. Cartoons are visual and mostly accessed by the right side of the brain. This domain is where our creative, self-serving nature thrives. It is our timeless zone, fantasy, and emotional zones.
I speak about the left side of the brain as... the side that controls our analytical side, or thinking, reasoning side. It is the factual, and logical part of the brain.
The right side of the brain is the visual side, that serves the emotions, and creativity, or our desire to create or control the world around us. This is the subconscious domain and our fantasy zone. We can be anything, do anything, as long as we stay in this part of our brain. The human research done more than two hundred years ago in Germany, and other places in third world countries, discovered the effects of removing reality by shifting the person from left side to the right side. This creates a dependent person, because they are dependent on out stimulate and direction, being cut off from their analytical side.
The visual society is what is now the tool used to re-imagine God, reality, facts, absolutes, and anything that gives the person a chance to re-create reality according to their own feelings. It is the reason that the dialectic process is so effective. The children are already moved into the right hemisphere and away from the ability to Educe. Without Educe, Education is only a fancy word for Indoctrination. You have to be needy of the outer control in order for it to be successful.
From Karl Baer, Age: 16: After being lead to your page I can safely say that I am appaled, concerned, and frankly offended by your close minded nature. I understand that you will stop really thinking about what I am saying and that it is lost on you, but if I do not say somthing, I will not sleep well tonight.
I have long sense stopped being offended by closeminded people like your self. People who would view life so selectively that they forget the beauty of this life in "preperation" for the next. Unfortunatly, I cannot and will not cease to be offended by people who force there illogical, basic and predgidical views on those around them who are impressionable.
How do you explain your own biases and prejudices, Karl?
I find it fitting that most of the biblical quotes on your website come from the old testamet. a book which preaches intolerance and hatred.
Let me remind you of one of the many Old Testament Scriptures that show the amazing love f the God I know. Remember He reaches out to people around the world to share His kindness. To all who come to Him, He offers peace, strength, and victory -- no matter what their earthly circumstance.
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you....
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
For I am the Lord your God...
Since you were precious in My sight...
And I have loved you...." (Isaiah 43:1-4)
From Richard (Otaku): I have been reading the comments on your site for about 3 months now and have decided to send this to you in order to perhaps defend all Otaku and tell my thoughts on Christianity.
First I will start with the easiest thing to do, tell my thoughts on Christianity. But before I do, know that in no way do I intend for this to offend anyone and if it does, I apologize. Now, on to what I think of your religion.
At one time I was a Christian, but I reject it now because I do not believe that any god as loving as the bible says God is would condemn anyone to the suffering that is hell. If he is all caring and all forgiving as the bible says he is then he would prevent any and all suffering like that from happening. I refuse to believe that there is such a hypocritical God in existence.
Add to that the fact that I am the type of person that does not believe everything he reads. I do believe a few things that I read, as long as there is historical proof behind it. As for the proof that there was a Jesus, I do not doubt that, but I do doubt that he was the so-called Son of God. I choose to think of him as a highly charismatic individual who knew what people wanted to see and hear, just like some of the politicians of today. They say what people what to hear and promise them better things and a better life if they follow them. Other than that, I have seen nor heard of any other 'proof' that the bible should be taken as non-fiction, instead of as a fantasy book (it has magic and demons in it, so that is what I classify it as.)
From Berit: Since it would be impossible for me to summarize the needed historical documentation here, may I suggest you read The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune. As a skeptic, he challenged a dozen experts with doctorates from schools like Cambridge and Princeton to answer questions such as "Does evidence exist for Jesus outside the Bible?"
As for the whole seeing the world through God's perspective, why would we want to do that? If we do that then we lose our ability to see what is right and wrong and we see what other's tell us is right and wrong (and God supposedly gave us our free-will, why don't we use it and judge for ourselves what is right and wrong?). That is not a good thing, because a person who blindly follows anything often is headed for disaster.
Most people will have some kind of a point of view (perspective or world view) at any moment in his or her life. It may be atheistic, or agnostic, or pagan, New Age, or Biblical.... It can change many times. In the past, it might change several times through a person's life. Today, as the masses are being trained to think collectively through various forms of the consensus process, that perspective might change each month. (See Mind Control and Community Oriented Policing) Those who can neither define their beliefs nor claim a position are usually most vulnerable to the influences of the facilitated group. They, not the Christians who take their positions from the Bible, drift with the cultural current. They have no moral anchor -- no filter or mental standard that determines what is right or wrong other than what is fed to them. They are the ones who blindly follow popular suggestions -- whether from peers or entertainment -- and head for disaster.
Now, on to the Anime defending portion of this letter. But first I would like to thank some of the people whose letter's you have posted that have not done as the typical anime fan has and flamed you with profanity and bashed you at every opportunity.
OK, now, I would like to say that Anime is not an evil thing. Like all other things it can be used for good purposes and bad (the good in anime being to entertain and teach morals, the bad being the pornographic anime, or ___ as it is more commonly know.) It all depends on the person that creates the anime. As for it being evil because it has non-Christian elements in it, I see no reason behind it. You use quotes from a book to 'prove' your point, yet you have never provided anyone with ANY good reason as to why there is any reason NOT to watch these animes in question (DBZ, Gundam Wing, Escaflowne, Sailor Moon, Digimon, or Pokemon, along with others.) Just because your religion says they are evil does not mean your religion is right. There are so many religions in this world that all claim to be the only one that can lead to true salvation, that none of them could be right.
Let me remind you that Andy and I have chosen to trust and follow God -- and to communicate the Biblical view point. That's our position, and that's the perspective or point of view we share with those who come here. Other sites present other perspectives. That's part of the diversity so many celebrate these days. We are not asking everyone to agree with us or to conform to our views. We merely claim the freedom to share them with those who seek Biblical answers and choose to listen.
From Devon Lake: Are you ignorant or just unable to think for yourselves? Oh! Wait, I forget, christians can't think becuase there little black book tells them not to. Had you actually taken the time to think you'd realise that the bible is not true. It was written by a bunch of Hebrew drug addicts some 4000 years ago after they ripped off babylonian religion. Why exactly do you believe this garbage is true? Becuase it sais so? Becuase they say there is some "lord"? Becuase they say that there is a "lord" and he sais so?
Where in the world are you getting your "facts", Devon? You obviously haven't read the Bible yourself. But whether you believe it or not, history, astronomy and archeology has confirmed much of it. Several famines mentioned in the Bible correlate with the times of regional drought scientists have dated by studying the growth of ancient trees.
It's all verbal testimony, they are lieing and making up so much [profanity] that you'll be forced to think what they want. Can you imagion what our court system would be like if we followed the same system. Though theoretically you should be against courts becuase they pass judgement on people which is "god"s duty.
Actually, our court system in America was, in part, based on the Bible. With its call for at least two witnesses in a trial, our founding fathers found it to be a fine model for a free nation. I'm afraid you don't know what you are talking about, Devon.
Onto my point. You have been talking bad things about anime, your page
on dbz was extremely flimsy and nonsensical. I mean you make it sound like it is made by a bunch of goths putting the bibles enemies together to hypnotise children. It was loosely based around chinese mythology (key word: LOOSELY) that is why Goku had a tail (he represents Son W'kung the monkey king), not becuase he was some demon shaman.Also note that the whole thing is imagionation, it has no more spirit in it than a Tylonal. Of couse you probably associate Tylonal with Shamanism becuase it comes from nature and thus think medicine should be banned.
DBZ is not a religion, it is entertainment for Japanese society which is largely Buddhist so doesn't give a hoot about crazy christian garbage that is amazingly untrue.
Thank you for your time in listening to how wrong you are. Sincerely,
Remember, "Chinese mythology" provided the spiritual foundation for the Chinese world view. They believed in a variety of nature deities or gods. So does Japanese Shintoism. Your Tylenol illustration is a bit absurd.
The fact that DBZ [DragonBall Z] is entertainment that stirs the imagination doesn't prove your point at all. Both entertainment and the imagination serve as effective ways to teach new beliefs and values. Both tend to push logical thinking to the side while the mind absorbs the new ways of thinking along with the myths and images.
From Kiera M, Melbourne, Australia: I have watched more Pokemon and Dragonball Z episodes that I care to remember. I have also watched the entire series of Neon Genesis Evangelion, and read every Animorphs book and Star Wars novel released to this day, most of them many times over. I like all of these things for their entertainment value, nothing more. I do not believe in any religion, or powerful force in the world. This includes any fictional ones invented in the aforementioned series.Sure, I have pretend Pokemon or ki battles with my three younger brothers, but just because I am pretending I can use the Kamehameha or Kienzan, doesn't mean I seriously consider trying them for real, or that I would be able to. All children use their imaginations to place themselves in a fantasy world of some sort at some time. It's perfectly natural.
And even if these fantasy world involves using psychic powers, the force, or their supposed 'ki' energy, I don't think that it will have a major affect on children's lives. All children eventually realise that fiction is just that: fictional.
As I stated earlier, I do not believe in any religion. But neither do I intentionally ridicule or condemn any religion just because I personally don't like it. So, to me, the Christian religion holds no more weight than any other, nor any less. I understand that to you, it is all important, but try to see my perspective. I'm trying to see all sides of this.
Keep in mind, my main concern has to do with world views. While the Pokemon world is obviously a myth or fantasy, its underlying forces fit the general public's understanding of spiritual reality.
Christians see reality from a different perspective. We see God, not as an impersonal force, but as our caring Friend, our wise Counselor, or wonderful Shepherd. He will provide the strength and wisdom we need for every challenge we face in life. The problem is that when children -- or adults for that matter -- immerse their minds in images and myths with others sources of supernatural power, they begin to blend their understanding of God with the nature of the popularized forces.
Many adult Christians have brought New Age or Eastern mysticism into churches, thus confusing or blurring the Biblical understanding of God. Meanwhile, concerned Christian parents want their children to know and follow the only God who will guard and guide them. That means saying "no" to the world's assortment of gods and forces.
I also believe that there are many that do care, and have already told you so, and that by protesting so openly about an art such as anime that is enjoyed the world over you will make yourself many enemies in the online community. My intention was not to send hate mail, or attack you in any way, but to try to get my point across, and I hope I have succeeded.
God gave us the ability to imagine, but He makes it clear that we are not to focus on murderous images or occult spirits over graveyards. Instead He tells us to set our minds on "whatever things are true... noble... right... pure... lovely... admirable and... praiseworthy." (Philippians 4:8) Magic cards and AD&D suggest the opposite.
Anonymous: My whole family is Christian, and I have taken time to read your articles, but I'm sorry, they make me laugh. You seem to forget "Judge not lest ye be judged". I think that when you start to bash and judge three very good forms of entertainment which is read watched and loved by children and grownups alike, then you are juging and there is something wrong with you and not what you are criticizing.
You are taking that Scripture out of context. First, I am not judging people -- not you or anyone else. I am trying to look at beliefs and values through the filter of God's Word. Jesus warned us repeatedly that if we have a critical spirit and hold others accountable to impossible standards, that same hard standard will be applied to us. But He also said, "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." (John 7:24) His Word provides the only righteous standard by which we are to judge ideas, beliefs and philosophies. You may also want to read 1 Cor. 6:1-6.
It's people like you and the spanish conquistadors and the KKK (Not that I put you in the same category as the KKK or conquistadors, heck no nowhere near there) who say you are doing what you are doing in the name of God, who give Christians a bad name of criticizers and people who complain about everything. As I stated before i am a christian and I play Magic and I play Pokemon and watch Pokemon and I read Harry Potter, and I enjoy doing these things, but I still believe in God and I still pray to him every night and every morning for letting me get up and see a new day.
From Cubone, the Lonely Pokemon: Yeah, me again. (^_^) This is not something directed at you, though, just some words of sympathy and (I hope) comfort for someone else who posted on your site. Having recently read the "Your Comments - Anime" page on your site, I saw the comments from LordSaiyajin....
LordSaiyajin-san, I don't know if you still visit this site, but I just wanna say that what you said touched my heart, for I've been feeling much the same as you lately. No, my parents didn't take my anime from me, but I did have something taken from me which meant just as much to me, and I too have been feeling pretty much like I've "lost the love in my heart and soul". (If you care about this, see what I wrote on the Neon Genesis Evangelion comments page.... not that anyone will care....)
Berit replied with something about finding peace in something real and wonderful.... I *had* found peace in something real and wonderful until the day it was shattered, and my heart along with it. You and I are not so very different LordSaiyajin..... I hope that one day you do find peace again, and in the things *you* love.... not what anyone else tells you to love, because only you can decide what that is. Too bad what I loved I can never reclaim.... but I hope that you can, and will, someday. Peace and love, Cubone.
From anime-girlie: Hello! Let me tell you, what a good site you have, it's non-agressive, fully packed with evidence, and very realistic. Good job!
But l really have to say: Your statements sound a bit "over the top". Are you serious? Anime is cool! (Specially the works by Studio CLAMP), and for the Harry Potter books...the best!
Are you just trying to make "real christians" a kind of antisocial, recluded group? Or are you satanists putting this whole thing up to make christianity impopular? It's really working!
Your excuse of..."l'm doing it for Christian parents", it's just silly, if it was true you would be doing it just at your church or by e-mail. Not on a public, world-wide informative tool.
We started this website in order to encourage people who shared our concerns. We didn't invite the world to join us, but it has been a special treat to hear from "friends" in distant lands. Do you suggest that people like us should be shut out from public benefits of the Internet?
Go read your bible and stop insulting lots of people...or get some education and a life. If you knew what you are talking about you would quote Tokyo Babylon and its( very good) art work referring to the bible. Not attacking good works like Sailor Moon!
Please give send us some examples and show us what you mean.
And look at the facts( like in Matthew 10:34) and leave people be buddhists, witches or whatever they want.
You facts on persecution are very silly...you most be very paranoid.
Please be more specific. Which facts are silly? Did you read our section on persecution? Are you aware of the horrendous persecution of Christians and Jews that occurred in Nazi Germany, the former Soviet Union and other communist countries? Do you know how many have been imprisoned, tortured or killed in recent years in China, North Korea, Laos and the Sudan? Why shouldn't it happen in the United States? Biblical Christianity doesn't fit anymore.
P.S: this is Subaru, from Tokyo Babylon, holding the Bible, as you can see...not all anime is anti-christian.
From "videruchan": I was introduced to your webpage through a Dragonball Z website I visit regularly, and I thought I'd give you my opinion of the subject. First of all I'd like to give you some background on me: I'm a teenager, and perhaps this is the reason I am reluctant to embrace Christianity completely (I'm still questioning a lot of things).
I've always liked cartoons. I grew up watching Rainbow Brite, Lady Lovely Locks, and She-Ra!! (Ah, where have they all gone?) In any case, the first anime I ever saw was Sailor Moon, and I dismissed it without even watching a full episode thinking, "What girls would want to watch a show about sailors, and what does the moon have to do with anything?" Well, shortly after, I saw Robotech. It was basically a lot of machines fighting in space, and I again dismissed it, saying, "Who would want to watch a bunch of machines fight in space?"
Well, soon enough, I had seen a few more episodes, and I was shocked to find that I actually liked it--Not the machines fighting, but the characters behind them. I wanted to see the next episode to see what happened to the characters. It was a different format than I had ever seen before. It wasn't the same plot repeating, but a continuing story, that opened up so many more possibilities. I've always loved story telling, and I've always wanted to write books (fiction, mind you) and I've always had a knack for drawing, so this new art form really grew on me. As far as violence and nudity in Robotech, there was NO nudity or sexual themes or anything of that nature....
This kind of "art" or "entertainment" grows on you, doesn't it? It becomes harder to turn it off.
The most important thing that sticks with me was that one of the main characters...died. He sacrificed himself to save both races--actually, it ultimately failed, but that didn't matter to me. The fact was that the main character died. That just didn't happen, I was sure. I had never seen a movie in which the "good" guy lost, and then I realized that's life. So you see, instead of blinding me into following "Satan's" work, I only became more in tune with reality, and I appreciated life more than ever. That's really all anime is--another way of telling a story.
You became more "in tune with reality" by watching the fantasy? In other words, the fantasy helped build your view of the real world?
My sister is being raised in the Pokemon generation (she's seven and a half), and I've watched plenty of episodes with her. I don't care for it myself, because it is obviously the spin off of the game. I don't care for video games myself. However, I see nothing demonic about it. It's cute. "Magic" being involved in story telling doesn't make a story evil. As humans, all cultures have a rich history of magic tales. They were a way of explaining things that couldn't be explained in any other way.
As part of our culture, it is up for grabs in story-telling, not to mention all of the plot possiblities it opens up. I think that the use of magic in story-telling is harmless. The only risk is that a naive child may think the magic is real and that they can manipulate it. This is easily solved by a five-minute discussion with a parent.
I have personally witnessed parents using their religion to pacify or direct their children in a similar manner. When I was in elementary school, a boy tried to convince me that he had a "protective shield" around him, courtesy of God--it must be true, because his mother said so, he said. It is obvious what problems this could cause.
...I saw an epsiode of Dragonball Z...and I changed the channel. Amazing how I ignore all the things I'm defending now--at least at first glance. Well, eventually, I actually saw and understood an episode, and eventually, I pieced together the whole story, and then I knew I'd found a winner. This is by far my favorite anime. While some (who obviously haven't given it a chance) only see violence when they watch an episode, the more intriguing aspect is again, the characters and their interaction. Every fight is validated because each one is a battle for human life and human values, that all Christians and all humans can relate to. Piccolo, one of my favorite characters, is a greenish alien whose father is the symbol of the "devil" in the dragonball world.... In Dragonball, Goku doesn't kill Piccolo because, if he did, Kami (the "God" of the Dragonball earth) would die as well. This shows just how closely connected good and evil are in our lives.
Does it? Are you saying that this fantasy helps you understand the nature of good and evil? If so, this story or myth is building a world view in your mind. It is prompting you see parts of "reality" from its perspective. Then it's not just fantasy to you. It may have become more like a moral guide. This may seem insignificant to you, but what you said illustrates my greatest concern.
It shows true human nature--good and evil are always present. Eventually, Piccolo meets Goku's son, Gohan(my favorite character) whose childish innocence befriends Piccolo. They form a brotherly bond, and Piccolo becomes a warrior for the good of earth. You see, if you look closely, you can use the shows to demonstrate lessons in Christianity and life. Just because a show is violent doesn't mean it doesn't have an important message to get across and until you determine the message, I wouldn't dismiss anything, whether it's anime, cartoon, live action....
I'm afraid I have to disagree again. It would distort, not demonstrate, the truth of Christianity. You cannot blend these timeless ideas and myths with God's word without changing His message. That's why He said,
"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 2:8-9
Second letter from "videruchan": I just wanted to say that if/when you read the Dragonball comics, you should know that they don't come in the larger graphic novels yet, so you'll probably have to buy more than one comic to understand the story ^.^; It's worth the money... Look at Part 2, comics 5 and 6. <This is where Piccolo sacrifices his life for Gohan> It is soo touching in print...Piccolo's so sweet I love him! Excerpt: (after Piccolo's taken the brunt of Nappa's damage, saving Gohan's life)
Gohan<talking to Piccolo>-"...Why did you save me...?" Piccolo<talking to Gohan>-"I told you...to run..." Gohan<freaking out>-"Don't die Piccolo! Daddy will come soon!"
Piccolo-"Oh the shame...Piccolo the great... the incorruptible evil......saving a child...how pathetic...heh...heh heh
Piccolo-"It's...It's because of you...and your dad...y-your softness...infecting me...But...you know, boy...you were the only one...who ever...ever reallly talked to me... The couple of months...I spent with you...weren't really...so bad......Gohan......Don't die..."
It chokes me up every time...maybe I just a hopeless romantic, but I love this stuff! With out a doubt this is one of my favorite parts of the series, and it just gets better here on out (Dragonball's okay, but...DBZ is great), and there are plenty of humorous parts to lighten up all those serious parts ^.^
And, one last thing: Thank you for posting all of these comments, even ones that didn't follow you're thinking, no matter what, that is very open-minded of you and I appreciate it. I hate when people just express their view...so anyway, I wanted to thank you. Oh yeah, and thanks for reading my email, I know you must have gotten a ton!!
I appreciate your tender heart and thoughtful words, Videruchan. But once again I must share my concern. The idea that Piccolo is both savior and "incorruptible evil" (if I understand you correctly) paints an interesting picture. The Dragonball myth teaches a world view that would deny the Biblical concept of good and evil. Instead it seems to bring the two together as illustrated by the Yin Yang symbol. Christianity separates good from evil; it doesn't join opposites (good/evil, male/female, dark/light, etc.) in order to create a more complete whole. Does that make sense?
From Anime girlie: Me again. So you ARE paranoid!
When did l say you should be shut off the internet? l only suggested for you to make this available only for those interested in it, as most of the people fall here by mistake and it find offensive. (You can always ignore it ... only a suggestion.)
How do you suggest I do that? Ask search engines to stop listing our site? Then those who are interested won't find us. Would that be fair?
Some examples of christian/moral animes are:(avialable in the West) -Candy Candy: a young girl who lives in a convent and always finds the
strength she needs through prayer, later she goes to christian school, and at the end she realises that the most wonderful thing is to help others and becomes a nurse. A classic.-Magic Knight Rayearth: Teachings on how being confident and trusting your friends is the right way of winning things. A lot of emphasis on family values.
-Clover: After mankind has gone mad(war), everything is trying to be done again, to fill the emptiness left, even the birds are robots. A girl who finds in God the joy of her heart. There are some more...
All facts on persecution are silly. You only talk about countries where christianity has never belonged. Every action has a reaction in the opposite direction. After centuries of christians torturing and abusing others, it's now coming back to you.
Please read MIND CONTROL and the introduction to our persecution page.
Christianity can't just "not fit" in America, it's the mayor religion! Maybe christianity is dying because people just judge the things others like and believe.
Cultural Christianity -- which keeps adapting God's Word to popular culture -- is still a (not the) major religion in this country. Biblical Christianity is not. See the difference: Biblical versus Cultural Christianity
From Mazarin: An opinion and perhaps some advice to enlighten your condemning views towards others: In your Digimon article, the concept of Ki is mentioned. You assume that this force is evil because "As the concept of Ki is found that the root of all Japanese activities, it is also found at the root of all the martial arts".
This is true, yet you take it out of context. Using your
viewpoint on the matter, I can just as truthfully declare that if your god is the source
of all life, then he is also the source of all suffering and pain. He is the one who
caused the death at Nanking, not any Ki which you blame but do not truly believe in
anyway. A omnipotent being who claims to have created all life must take responsibility
for his actions and those of his children. This is the flaw in your belief. A god who
can but chooses not to ease suffering is hardly a being deserving to be worshipped. Yet,
you do not view your religion
by the same eyes you use to view the religions of others. This is hypocrisy.
"Apart from Christ I can do nothing." John 15:5. True, this is a demonstration
of humility. It is also a demonstration of
thoughtlessness, of dependency. This is the core belief of totalitarianism, an ultimate
submission to another's will. You foolishly let your god do your thinking for you,
becoming his instrument to use as he pleases. There is no greater evil than this. God
asks for your unquestioning obedience, and you give it to him. Hitler asked the same of
the Germans and received that as well. As much as you may deny this similarity, the
Crusades and the Inquisition speak for itself. Humility and submission forms the core of
a Nazi.
I wish to hear your replies as soon as possible. I expect that people who are so hasty
to judge on the behalf of their god will defend him with equal vigor. I will end my
response to your article with a passage from your own book which you have
overlooked. "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." - Jesus
Christ
My God is the source of all life, Mazarin. He loves His creation and declared it good. He is not "the source of all suffering and pain," but He does allow it. He is not a totalitarian tyrant. To the contrary -- He gave us "free will" within the context of His sovereignty and providence. But the people He created and loved used their freedom to turn away from Him. They became spiritually blind to Him and His truths and goodness.
The result was pain and suffering. These troubles hits everyone in different ways, but those who trust God find the help and comfort He offers us more than sufficient to take us through the hard times. In other words, God often chooses to ease suffering -- not by removing the problem or source of it -- but by giving special grace, peace, strength, and joy as we go through it.
Please visit this page to see what God's promises us during our pain and suffering. Look especially in the section called "Reasons for our suffering."
Of course, He also chooses to give miraculous healings at times. Strangely enough, some of those who were miraculously healed later drifted away from Him. In contrast, those who live in long-term or continual pain tend to demonstrate a peace and joy in the midst of their difficult circumstances that few can understand. Here is a Scripture that promises a greater miracle in our hearts than any physical miracle can accomplish:
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
From Reid: Hi, I used to be involved in the martial arts. I have studied Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, and Wing Chun Gung fu.I am also a born-again
Christian. The martial arts teach you to focus on the power within you whether it your "Ki" or "Chi". You condition yourself to break objects not through God's power but through the power in you. One day I was attempting to break some bricks. As I going through my motions to focus on the bricks, it hit me. "I can break these bricks". God is not in this. I am exalting myself.I know that there are going to be those who disagree and that's fine. This is how I was convicted by the Holy Spirit.
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